Forthcoming Debate 'Was Muhammad a Prophet of God?' and 'Was Paul a Disciple of Jesus?' Tony Costa vs. Shabir Ally

I will be debating Shabir Ally in Canada on two debate topics,  'Was Muhammad a Prophet of God?' and 'Was Paul a Disciple of Jesus?' The debates will be broadcast on Monday October 17, 2016 from 4 pm - 7 pm EST. More information to follow. Your prayers for this event would be appreciated.

"Is Jesus God or is He a Prophet of Islam?" Shabir Ally vs. Jonathan McLatchie

The professional recording of my recent debate with Dr. Shabir Ally is now available! Check it out here! This is of much better audio and visual quality than the previous amateur versions which were on YouTube.

Shabir Ally and the 1924 Qur'an

Here's a clip from Speaker's Corner on Sunday at which Jay Smith and I talked about Shabir Ally and the 1924 Qur'an.

Shabir Ally Blasts Surah 4:157

Shabir Ally contradicts Surah 4:157 of the Qur'an.

"Is Jesus God, or is He a Prophet of Islam?" Shabir Ally vs. Jonathan McLatchie: Watch the Live-Stream This Friday

This coming Friday, August 12th, Dr. Shabir Ally and I will be engaging in a public dialogue in Woolwich, London. This will be the second time that Dr. Shabir Ally and I have debated. A year ago, I did my first ever formal public debate with Shabir Ally on the nature of God in Islam and Christianity (Tawhid vs. Trinity). It is amazing to think that only a year later, this will be my eighth formal debate (my 15th if you count my radio debates).

Our subject will be the identity of Jesus in Islam and Christianity. The event begins at 5:15pm GMT (12:15pm Eastern / 11:15am Central), and will be live-streamed on the web. Here is the live-stream link:


Please pray for this event, as it is an opportunity for Muslim to be presented with the true Jesus of Scripture and of history, and see his real identity defended in an intellectually compelling way.

The Arguments of Shabir Ally Examined: Commentary by Jonathan McLatchie and Vladimir Susic (Part 2)

Here is part 2 of the video commentary I am doing with my friend Vladimir Šušić, examining the arguments of Muslim scholar Dr. Shabir Ally, whom I am debating in a couple of weeks. Here, we review Shabir's first rebuttal in his debate with me from last August when we debated the Trinity vs. Tawhid. Enjoy! :)

"Tawhid or Trinity?" Jonathan McLatchie Opening Statement in Debate with Shabir Ally

In just a couple of weeks time, I will be facing Dr. Shabir Ally, regarded by many to be the world's most formidable Muslim debater. Here is my 25 minute opening statement from my debate with Shabir last year, in which we discussed the concept of God in Islam and Christianity. Enjoy!

The Arguments of Shabir Ally Examined: Commentary by Jonathan McLatchie and Vladimir Susic (Part 1)

My good friend Vladimir Susic and I are doing a video commentary on my debate from last year with Dr. Shabir Ally on the nature of God (Tawhid vs. Trinity). Here is part 1, in which we review Shabir's opening statement. Enjoy!

Holy Books of Peace? David Wood and Shabir Ally in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Before our debates in Chattanooga (see here and here), the Chattanooga Times Free Press invited Shabir and me to submit articles on our views. Here are the articles:

Does Jesus Prophesy the Coming of Muhammad in John 14? Shabir Ally vs. David Wood

According to the Qur'an, both the Torah and the Gospel contain clear prophecies about Muhammad (see Qur'an 7:157). Muslims have had nearly fourteen centuries to find these prophecies, and the most commonly cited New Testament "prophecy" about Muhammad is found in John 14:16, where Jesus declares that the "Comforter" or "Helper" (Greek "paraclete") will come after him. Even though Jesus specifically identifies the Comforter as the "Spirit of Truth" in the very next verse, Muslims claim that the prophecy refers to Muhammad. But can this passage really be applied to Muhammad? In this video, Shabir Ally and David Wood discuss the evidence. (Clips are taken from "Does Muhammad Give Us the Truth about Jesus?")

Are There Numerical Miracles in the Qur'an? Shabir Ally vs. David Wood

When Muhammad was challenged as to why he couldn't perform miracles, he responded by claiming that the Qur'an itself is a miracle. This claim has led Muslims to try to find something miraculous about the Qur'an. Muslims such as Shabir Ally now insist that the Qur'an is filled with mysterious numerical patterns (e.g. patterns of the number 7). Is this good evidence, or can such patterns be found in any book? In this short video, Shabir Ally and David Wood discuss the evidence. (Clips are taken from "Does Muhammad Give Us the Truth about Jesus?")

Muhammad Gets Caught with His Slave Girl! (David Wood vs. Shabir Ally)

Muhammad once got caught having sex with his slave girl, Mary the Copt, in the bed of his wife Hafsah. After being pressured by Hafsah and Aisha to stop having sex with his slave girl, Muhammad vowed that she was forbidden to him. Later, Muhammad received a "revelation" from Allah (Quran 66:1-2), telling him that his oath was voided and that he could continue having sex with Mary the Copt. Is it reasonable to believe that Allah was so concerned about Muhammad having sex with his slave girl that Allah included verses about it in his eternal Word (the Qur'an)? Would Allah be so obsessed with Muhammad's sex life that he would grant Muhammad the right to break his oaths? In this video, David Wood and Shabir Ally discuss the matter.

Does the Quran Limit Muslims to Four Wives? David Wood vs. Shabir Ally

According to standard interpretations of the Qur'an, Muslim men are allowed to have up to four wives (see Qur'an 4:3). However, Muslim sources such as Sahih al-Bukhari, the History of al-Tabari, etc., report that Muhammad had at least nine wives at one time. The most common Islamic response to this inconsistency is to note that Qur'an 33:50 gave Muhammad special permission to have as many wives as he wanted. If this is true, however, the Qur'an gave Muhammad special moral privileges, and how can we not be suspicious when a man receiving revelations gets more sexual partners than anyone else?

In this video, David Wood and Shabir Ally discuss whether the Qur'an limits Muslims to four wives. Wood assumes the typical Muslim view, while Ally claims that the Qur'an doesn't actually limit Muslims to four wives.

Are There Fables in the Quran? David Wood vs. Shabir Ally

The Qur'an contains numerous stories that are known to be taken from ancient forgeries. The Qur'an even acknowledges that Muhammad's contemporaries repeatedly accused him of copying his stories from earlier sources (see Quran 6:25, 8:31, 16:24, 46:17, 68:15, 83:13, etc.). Do these forgeries call into question the reliability of Muhammad? Here's my discussion on this topic with Shabir Ally in our debate on whether Muhammad gives the truth about Jesus.

Debate: Is the Bible a Book of Peace? (David Wood vs. Shabir Ally)

Is the Bible a book of peace? Christians point to Jesus' commands to "Love your neighbor as yourself" and "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" to prove that Christianity is a religion of peace. However, the Bible also contains reports of Joshua invading the land of Canaan, Saul fighting the Amalekites, etc. So what's the Biblical position on peace and violence? In this debate, David Wood and Shabir Ally examine the texts to get to the truth.

Debate: Is the Qur'an a Book of Peace? (Shabir Ally vs. David Wood)

Many Muslims insist that the Qur'an promotes peace and religious tolerance, and they quote verses of the Qur'an to justify their position. However, other Muslims claim that the Qur'an calls for the violent subjugation of unbelievers, and they also quote verses of the Qur'an to justify their position. Who's right? Can we reconcile the Qur'an's peaceful commands with its violent commands?

In this fast-paced debate, Shabir Ally argues that the Qur'an is a book of peace, while David Wood argues that it isn't.

David Wood vs. Shabir Ally: "Does Paul Give Us the Truth about Jesus?"

Christians believe that the Apostle Paul was one of history's most faithful men of God. Muslims, however, often claim that Paul was a deceiver who corrupted Christianity. Can an examination of the evidence help us decide who's right? In this debate, David Wood and Shabir Ally debate the question, "Does Paul give us the truth about Jesus?"

Debate: "Was Jesus a Prophet of Islam?" (Shabir Ally vs. David Wood)

Christian sources tell us that Jesus is the divine Son of God who died on the cross for sins and rose from the dead. Muslim sources tell us that Jesus (Isa) was a prophet of Islam who didn't die on the cross and never rose from the dead. Who's right? In this debate, Shabir Ally argues that Jesus was a prophet of Islam, and David Wood responds.

Debate: "Is Jesus the Son of God?" (David Wood vs. Shabir Ally)

Is Jesus the Son of God? Christians and Muslims give very different answers to this question. Can an examination of the evidence show who's right? In this debate, David Wood and Shabir Ally give their reasons for affirming and denying the claim "Jesus is the Son of God."

Nabeel Qureshi vs. Shabir Ally: "What Is God Really Like, Tawhid or Trinity?"

Here's an excellent debate between Nabeel Qureshi and Shabir Ally that's sure to be a classic (though I suspect Christians will be sharing it much more than Muslims!).