why do not accept islam and Jesus(P.B.U.H) and Muhammad(P.B.U.H) as the Prophets Of Godgreenspun.com : LUSENET : Ask Jesus : One Thread |
SUBJECT:REQUIRE CLARIFICATION ON A MATTER BY A MUSLIMSHALOM DEAR COUSIN,
1)Indeed, the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam told us in a hadeth in Saheeh Muslim, as reported by Abu Huraira, there is not a single Jew or Christian from this Ummah, meaning from those ppl the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam was sent to and, as we all know, the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam ws sent to all of humanity and indeed the jinns from his time until the last day because there is no Prophet after him.
2)Every single human being whether he is an Arab or a non-Arab, whether he is black or white, indeed the jinns who are not human beings, are another species that Allaah created, we are all part of the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam in the sense we are ummah of his da`wah, who he should give da`wah to.
3)The three most popular religions in the world are Judaism,Christianity and Islam. All three can be traced to father Abraham. Jews consider the Old Testament as their holy scripture and Moses as their prophet but do not acknowledge Jesus or Muhammad. Christians believe in the Old Testament and also the New Testament and call this collection The Holy Bible. They believe in Moses and Jesus but don't believe in Muhammad. Muslims believe in all three and donot discriminate between them and believe in the Holy Quran as the final word of God. It is only in Islam that the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims can find accommodation. But most of our Christian and Jewish friends say that the Bible does not say anything about Muhammad and that Jesus never mentioned the coming of another prophet after him. However, a close examination of this subject will prove otherwise. Being a Muslim and at the sametime expounding prophecies from the Jewish and Christian scriptures may seem a bit strange. Even though all the information is given in the Holy Quran, Christians and Jews do not accept it as the word of God.
3)Old Testament:
God addresses Moses (Deuteronomy18:18):"I will raise them up Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee[Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that shall command him." 1.Brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac) are Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael.) Therefore, Jesus is here excluded as he is an Israelite; otherwise it should be written "a prophet from among ourselves." 2."like unto thee". Is Muhammad not like unto Moses? If not accepted, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. 3."put my word s in his mouth. "So God's revelation came through Gabriel, and Prophet Muhammad's own thinking was not involved. In the next verse (Deuteronomy18:19), God says" And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." In the Roman Catholic version of the Bible it says,"I will seek vengeance of him". No other verse in the Bible is followed by such a threat!
NewTestament: The Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies: One, the coming of Christ, two, the coming of Elias, and three, the coming of that prophet. Therefore, they sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to inquire who he really was. (John1:20-21): And he [John the Baptist] confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him,What then? Art thou Eli'as? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. The crucial question here is: Art thou that prophet? Who was then the long awaited prophet after the advent of Jesus and John the Baptist? Was he not the one like unto Moses (eutronomy 18:18) who is Muhammad [pbuh]? To the followers of Christ I say, why not apply that acid test which the Master himself wanted you to apply to any would be claimant to prophethood? He had said:" By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes from the thorns, or fig from the thistles? every good tree will bear good fruit and every evil tree will bear evil fruit...by their fruits ye shall know them.(Matthew 7:16,20) 3. hereby know ye the spirit of God: every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in flesh is of God. (1John 4:2). Here, again the "Spirit of God" means prophet of God and "every Spirit" would stand for every prophet. At present one billion Muslims throughout the world accept the Immaculate Conception of Jesus, his miracles and him being the Christ on the authority of Muhammad alone without demanding any proof. I have yet many things to say unto you,but ye cannot bear them now ,howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you in all truth: for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear, he shall speak: and he will show you things tocome."(John 16:13). Seven masculine pronouns in a single verse! There is not another verse in the 66 books of the Protestant Bible or in the 73 Books of the Catholic Bible with seven masculine pronouns, or even seven feminine pronouns, or even neuter genders. But still Christians argue that this "he" is the Holy Ghost. This unique verse is not for a ghost but for a unique person; "Muhammad"! 5. He(the spirit of truth) shall glorify me(Jesus):for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.(John 16:13) The rank hatred of the Jews which lead them to slander Jesus and his mother is bad, and the over infatuation of the Christians for Christ is also bad. Muhammad the messenger of God condemned both these extremes, and elevated Jesus to his true status, as the Messiah, a great prophet and reformer. Love him, respect him, revere him, follow him; but do not worship him!, because he never said, "I am God" or "worship me". Worship is due to God alone. This is true glorification. Historically, morally and prophetically, Muhammad the last and final messenger of God,"The Spirit of Truth" is the only one to guide mankind into all truth. Without any real efforts on the part of the Muslims, we are told by the Westerners themselves that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today. The world population has increased 136% from 1934 through 1984, Christianity with 47% and Islam with 235%. See The Plain Truth February 1984, in its 50 Year Anniversary issue, quoting from The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1935 and Reader's Digest Almanac and Yearbook 1983. May God Almighty give us the courage and wisdom to see the truth and guide us to the right path. Amen.
4)Do not fear of them, fear Me, so that I will perfect My Favor to you and that you will be guided." Koran 2:147-150
From that time onward the Prophet (sa) and his followers offered their prayers facing the direction of the Ka'ba in Mecca. The Mosque in which the verses were sent down was known from then onwards as "The Mosque of the Two Kiblas" - kibla meaning direction of prayer. Before the advent of the Nazarenes and Christians the Jews directed their prayers towards Jerusalem and prided themselves that the Nazarenes and Christians, and up until now, the Muslims had done the same, thereby acknowledging their importance through its religious significance. Without doubt, Islam acknowledges the significance of Jerusalem as a very Holy site and the changing of the direction of prayer was by no means to demean it. But to the Jews, Jerusalem was not just a Holy place, it had become an important status symbol which served to enhance their self proclaimed superiority. For many years, the unbelievers respected the Jews, admiring the adeptness and business acumen. Such was their admiration that when faced by the death of a child they would often take a vow that if the child was spared they would have him raised as a Jew. When Allah changed the direction of prayer to Ka'ba, the Jews were very displeased, as they perceived it to be an outright rejection of their social status and this caused further resentment. The Muslims had not in fact rejected its religious significance at all, but the Ka'ba, the House which Abraham had built, the first House of Allah on earth, had been the direction chosen by Allah for Muslims to face during prayer. Soon after, the Jews dormant resentment of the Prophet (sa) and the Message given to him by Allah began to surface. False accusations that he pursued a policy of opposition against them were common, for many of the verses in the recently revealed sections of the Cow chapter exposed the concealed corruption of their ancestors and revealed their present day contempt. Their pride prevented them from acknowledging that some of their ancestors had clearly wronged themselves and that they themselves would follow parts of the Torah that were acceptable to them whilst neglecting or rejecting other parts. Their contention that they were the chosen ones of Allah, despite the fact that they defied, killed and rejected many of their prophets including their last prophet, Jesus, the Messiah, the son of Mary, who warned them that if they did not reform, the covenant would be taken away from them. Among the Muslims were some whose faith was yet to mature, they also questioned the changing of the Kibla to the Ka'ba, forgetting that the order was not the decision of the Prophet (sa) but that of Allah who warned that the Jews and unbelievers would question the redirection:
"The fools among the people will say: 'What has made them turn away from the direction they were facing?' Say: 'The east and the west belong to Allah. He guides whom He will to a Straight Path.'" Koran 2:142
"… We did not change the direction that you were facing except that We might know who followed the Messenger from him who turned on both his heels. Though it was a hardship except for those whom Allah has guided. Allah is Gentle with people, the Most Merciful." Koran 2:143
"Righteousness is not whether you face towards the east or the west. But righteousness is to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, in the angels and the Book, and the Prophets, and to give wealth however cherished, to kinsmen, to the orphans, to the needy, to the destitute traveler, and to the beggars, and to ransom the slave; who establish their prayers, and pay the obligatory charity…" Koran 2:177
After reading the above text,I would like to ask a question to all the CHRISTIAN PRIESTS very respectably,why did u(THE SCHOLARS),ARE HIDDING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H)IS THE LAST MESSANGER OF GOD,AND THAT HE AND QURAN AND THE LAW WHICH HE BROUGHT TO BE ACCEPTED,THEIR ARE NUMEBR OF SIGNS IN QURAN,THAT LORD IS ALLAH/GOD,AND NOT PROPHETS.PROPHETS WERE SENT DOWN TO GUIDE THE PEOPLE AND SHOW THEM THE RIGHT PATH.NO PROPHET EVER SAID TO DRINK ALCOHOL,HAVE FREE SEX,AND TO HAVE INTEREST FORM OF ECONOMY,MOSES,JESUS NEVER LIKED THAT.THEY ALL DISCOURAGED AND SO DID THE LAST PROPHET OF GOD MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H),WHY DO NOT ACCEPT AND BE A MUSLIM,WHAT SIGNS DO U WANT ????
REGARDS,
IMRAN A.ABBASI
-- Imran A.Abbasi (pnbehrpaima@hotmail.com), February 08, 2005
why should i accept mohamed's teachings?where's the proof?
'an angel came from allah and gave him that ideas'
sure...i have to accept this as proof?
couldn't it also be that he was schizofrenic or something?
also things that the islam teaches are insane...making the women wear that ****...not letting them talk to men...in one word making them slaves...the jihad...not drinking...not gambling..etc.....what is so bad about all these things?
if god wanted the women to wear those tents,then he would make them be born with that ****
by the fruits you shall know them...(somewhere in the NT,not that i'm chiristian but this is said very good)
we all see the fruits of the islam...how could something like that possibly come from god?
don't think the islam is from god so it's perfect and we can't question it...think is the islam really perfect? not even close...does it come from god then? NO!
-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), February 08, 2005.
"by the fruits you shall know them...(somewhere in the NT,not that i'm chiristian but this is said very good)we all see the fruits of the islam...how could something like that possibly come from god?
don't think the islam is from god so it's perfect and we can't question it...think is the islam really perfect? not even close...does it come from god then? NO! "
same thing with the RCC,orthodox jews...(but they don't harm anyone with their beliefs...expect theirselves off course but that is their thing)
-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), February 08, 2005.
I do accept Muhammad as a prophet.Even my Muslim friends know that.What I don't accept is that he is the last prophet from God (Allah) .
Allah (which I call yahweh)always is in need of people to do his work. Allah is related to the Aramaic Allaha, also translated God in the Syriac /chaldean writings.
Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet but don't believe he died on the cross.They don't follow his teachings either. Yet, a paradox, they believe he was born of a virgin!!!
I have the Koran in English and Spanish(with comments), with Arabic on the side.
The Christian Yahwist
The Man of Yahweh
-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), February 08, 2005.
Just to start with.., Imran A.Abbasi said:God addresses Moses (Deuteronomy18:18):"I will raise them up Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee[Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that shall command him." 1.Brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac) are Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael.)
How so? Israelite brothers would necesarily be Israelites, no?
You continue:
Therefore, Jesus is here excluded as he is an Israelite; otherwise it should be written "a prophet from among ourselves." 2."like unto thee". Is Muhammad not like unto Moses? If not accepted, this promise has yet to be fulfilled.
Your logic does not apply. Moses was addressing the Israelites about their own brothers...Deuteronomy 18:15:
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.
The prophet spoken of and prophesied about in Dueteronomy 18 is Jesus. We see in Acts 7:37, that Stephen used this verse to support his claim that Jesus Christ is God's Son:
“This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.’ He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us.
Who are brothers?
Acts 7:23-26:
“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’
This is important:
Deuteronomy 18:21-22
You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
-- (faith01@myway.com), February 08, 2005.
I think, faith, that if que question is posed as follows:1. Who is the promised prophet mentioned by Moses? Then these could be the answers
a)Jeremiah 80%.He predicted Jerusalem's destruction(605-587 BC). He wasn't heard. I believe the prophecy is about him since final edition of the Pentateuch happened around 440-515 BC.
b) Jesus Ha Notzri (or Nazareth). 15 %. He predicted Jerusalem's destruction too (70 AD). But most Jewish people did not accept him prophet. His name was even erased from Jewish records.(Except for a quote in Josephus, whose editor was a disciple of Paul).
c) Isaiah: 3%. Prophesied destruction of Northern Kingdom (722-23 BC).
d) Elijah :1%.Prophesied destruction of Ahab's dinasty.He might be the Jews number one choice.
e) John The baptist :1%. Prophesied destruction of Herod's line.
As you said, the prophet had to be Jewish.
Muhammad was Ishmaelite(or Midianite). So he doesn't qualify.
If you pose like this:
Who is the prophesied Messiah/Christ? (Moses never mentioned a Messiah, faith).
then we get.
a) Jesus Ha Notzri:100% I believe. He is descended from King David in the flesh.
b) 2 Messiahs (so think the Jews). One from Joseph.
c) The Rebbe Schneerson (from the Lubabitcher Movement).
d) Muhammad (as Muslims believed was prophesied by Jesus).
If the question is: Was/ or Could have been Muhammad a prophet?
Yes. Yahweh (Allah) chose him to bring good news to his people the Arabs, to people worshipping other gods.....
Did he lied sometimes? Yes.He moved Jerusalem to Mecca. He altered the Old Testament making Ishamael the one Abraham sacrificed instead of Isaac..... Except, he never claimed to raise people from the dead, cure people's sicknesses,....That is why I trust him.
Was Muhammad the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus as Muslims claim? No.
The Christian Yahwist
-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), February 08, 2005.
Imran,Thank you for having the courtesy of writing PBUH next to Christ's name as well as Mohammeds.
Frank
-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), February 08, 2005.
FrankThank you for thanking Imran for having the courtesy of writing PBUH next to Christ's name as well as Mohammed's.
Peace Be Upon Him.
the great Prophet Mohammed.
the greatest Phrophet.
There is one God but Allah, and Mohammed is his greatest Prophet.
-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), February 08, 2005.
Elpidio--the God of the Bible would not contradict Himself...His prophets are harmony with what He has revealed in His Word.How could the same God promise the Jews that they would inherit the promise land through Isaac and Jacob--yet the Arabs are from Ishmael and they think the promise was made to them?
Here's the promise God made.
Hagar and Ishmael were sent away.
Gen 21:8-13
The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."
The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."
God blessed Ishmael--however--God's promise was for Isaac and his descendants:
Genesis 22:15-18
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son [legitamate?], I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
-- (faith01@myway.com), February 08, 2005.
SUBJECT:REQUIRE CLARIFICATION ON A MATTER BY A MUSLIM SHALOM DEAR COUSIN,
{Shalom!}-Zarove
1)Indeed, the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam told us in a hadeth in Saheeh Muslim, as reported by Abu Huraira, there is not a single Jew or Christian from this Ummah, meaning from those ppl the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam was sent to and, as we all know, the Prophet sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam ws sent to all of humanity and indeed the jinns from his time until the last day because there is no Prophet after him.
{uhm? Dsnthtis beg the wueatsin of if he was a Propeht or not?}-Zarove
2)Every single human being whether he is an Arab or a non-Arab, whether he is black or white, indeed the jinns who are not human beings, are another species that Allaah created, we are all part of the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam in the sense we are ummah of his da`wah, who he should give da`wah to.
{Are we now?}-Zarove
3)The three most popular religions in the world are Judaism,Christianity and Islam. All three can be traced to father Abraham. Jews consider the Old Testament as their holy scripture and Moses as their prophet but do not acknowledge Jesus or Muhammad. Christians believe in the Old Testament and also the New Testament and call this collection The Holy Bible. They believe in Moses and Jesus but don't believe in Muhammad. Muslims believe in all three and donot discriminate between them and believe in the Holy Quran as the final word of God. It is only in Islam that the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims can find accommodation.
{False. The qua'ran also condmens Christain beelifs , such as he Trinity, the divinity of christ, and the remission of sins throug repentance an reconciliation, and the Death, urial, and resurection.This dosnt accomodate Christyainity at all.
Jews arent acocmodated either, sicne htey hae to renounce Jewish culture and take arabian names and follwo rabian customs, thus ssimilation is expected. and ow many jews wan tot be assimilated?}- Zarove
But most of our Christian and Jewish friends say that the Bible does not say anything about Muhammad and that Jesus never mentioned the coming of another prophet after him. However, a close examination of this subject will prove otherwise. Being a Muslim and at the sametime expounding prophecies from the Jewish and Christian scriptures may seem a bit strange. Even though all the information is given in the Holy Quran, Christians and Jews do not accept it as the word of God.
{Nor a spurious claim form the Bible, which muslims claim is mistranslatd and corrupted.}-Zarove
3)Old Testament:
God addresses Moses (Deuteronomy18:18):"I will raise them up Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee[Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that shall command him."
{This doesn tprove Mohammad is that prophet, an he standard Jesis lien of thoght is that this means Joshua. Later Porpehts wodl succeed even him though...}-Zarove
1.Brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac) are Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael.) Therefore, Jesus is here excluded as he is an Israelite; otherwise it should be written "a prophet from among ourselves."
{Is htis not a semantic? I mean, their bretheren refers to the people of Israle with Moses excluded...}-Zarove
2."like unto thee".Is Muhammad not like unto Moses?
{No. And the Porpehcy was talkign about Joshua...}-Zarove
If not accepted, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. 3."put my word s in his mouth. "So God's revelation came through Gabriel, and Prophet Muhammad's own thinking was not involved. In the next verse (Deuteronomy18:19), God says" And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." In the Roman Catholic version of the Bible it says,"I will seek vengeance of him". No other verse in the Bible is followed by such a threat!
{And look what Joshua did...}-Zarove
NewTestament: The Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies: One, the coming of Christ, two, the coming of Elias, and three, the coming of that prophet. Therefore, they sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to inquire who he really was. (John1:20-21): And he [John the Baptist] confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him,What then? Art thou Eli'as? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. The crucial question here is: Art thou that prophet? Who was then the long awaited prophet after the advent of Jesus and John the Baptist? Was he not the one like unto Moses (eutronomy 18:18) who is Muhammad [pbuh]? To the followers of Christ I say, why not apply that acid test which the Master himself wanted you to apply to any would be claimant to prophethood? He had said:" By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes from the thorns, or fig from the thistles? every good tree will bear good fruit and every evil tree will bear evil fruit...by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:16,20) 3. hereby know ye the spirit of God: every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in flesh is of God. (1John 4:2). Here, again the "Spirit of God" means prophet of God and "every Spirit" would stand for every prophet. At present one billion Muslims throughout the world accept the Immaculate Conception of Jesus, his miracles and him being the Christ on the authority of Muhammad alone without demanding any proof. I have yet many things to say unto you,but ye cannot bear them now ,howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you in all truth: for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear, he shall speak: and he will show you things tocome."(John 16:13). Seven masculine pronouns in a single verse! There is not another verse in the 66 books of the Protestant Bible or in the 73 Books of the Catholic Bible with seven masculine pronouns, or even seven feminine pronouns, or even neuter genders. But still Christians argue that this "he" is the Holy Ghost. This unique verse is not for a ghost but for a unique person; "Muhammad"!
{At leats in your own interpretation, which is flawed since you lakc the insights dealign wih wo the pasage s read.}-Zarove
5. He(the spirit of truth) shall glorify me(Jesus):for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.(John 16:13) The rank hatred of the Jews which lead them to slander Jesus and his mother is bad, and the over infatuation of the Christians for Christ is also bad. Muhammad the messenger of God condemned both these extremes, and elevated Jesus to his true status, as the Messiah, a great prophet and reformer. Love him, respect him, revere him, follow him; but do not worship him!, because he never said, "I am God" or "worship me". Worship is due to God alone. This is true glorification. Historically, morally and prophetically, Muhammad the last and final messenger of God,"The Spirit of Truth" is the only one to guide mankind into all truth. Without any real efforts on the part of the Muslims, we are told by the Westerners themselves that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today. The world population has increased 136% from 1934 through 1984, Christianity with 47% and Islam with 235%. See The Plain Truth February 1984, in its 50 Year Anniversary issue, quoting from The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1935 and Reader's Digest Almanac and Yearbook 1983. May God Almighty give us the courage and wisdom to see the truth and guide us to the right path. Amen.
{This is not true.
John chapter 8 verses 57-59 reveal the matter clealry.
John 10:30-32 }-Zarove
4)Do not fear of them, fear Me, so that I will perfect My Favor to you and that you will be guided." Koran 2:147-150
From that time onward the Prophet (sa) and his followers offered their prayers facing the direction of the Ka'ba in Mecca. The Mosque in which the verses were sent down was known from then onwards as "The Mosque of the Two Kiblas" - kibla meaning direction of prayer. Before the advent of the Nazarenes and Christians the Jews directed their prayers towards Jerusalem and prided themselves that the Nazarenes and Christians, and up until now, the Muslims had done the same, thereby acknowledging their importance through its religious significance. Without doubt, Islam acknowledges the significance of Jerusalem as a very Holy site and the changing of the direction of prayer was by no means to demean it. But to the Jews, Jerusalem was not just a Holy place, it had become an important status symbol which served to enhance their self proclaimed superiority. For many years, the unbelievers respected the Jews, admiring the adeptness and business acumen. Such was their admiration that when faced by the death of a child they would often take a vow that if the child was spared they would have him raised as a Jew. When Allah changed the direction of prayer to Ka'ba, the Jews were very displeased, as they perceived it to be an outright rejection of their social status and this caused further resentment. The Muslims had not in fact rejected its religious significance at all, but the Ka'ba, the House which Abraham had built, the first House of Allah on earth, had been the direction chosen by Allah for Muslims to face during prayer. Soon after, the Jews dormant resentment of the Prophet (sa) and the Message given to him by Allah began to surface. False accusations that he pursued a policy of opposition against them were common, for many of the verses in the recently revealed sections of the Cow chapter exposed the concealed corruption of their ancestors and revealed their present day contempt. Their pride prevented them from acknowledging that some of their ancestors had clearly wronged themselves and that they themselves would follow parts of the Torah that were acceptable to them whilst neglecting or rejecting other parts. Their contention that they were the chosen ones of Allah, despite the fact that they defied, killed and rejected many of their prophets including their last prophet, Jesus, the Messiah, the son of Mary, who warned them that if they did not reform, the covenant would be taken away from them. Among the Muslims were some whose faith was yet to mature, they also questioned the changing of the Kibla to the Ka'ba, forgetting that the order was not the decision of the Prophet (sa) but that of Allah who warned that the Jews and unbelievers would question the redirection:
"The fools among the people will say: 'What has made them turn away from the direction they were facing?' Say: 'The east and the west belong to Allah. He guides whom He will to a Straight Path.'" Koran 2:142
"… We did not change the direction that you were facing except that We might know who followed the Messenger from him who turned on both his heels. Though it was a hardship except for those whom Allah has guided. Allah is Gentle with people, the Most Merciful." Koran 2:143
"Righteousness is not whether you face towards the east or the west. But righteousness is to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, in the angels and the Book, and the Prophets, and to give wealth however cherished, to kinsmen, to the orphans, to the needy, to the destitute traveler, and to the beggars, and to ransom the slave; who establish their prayers, and pay the obligatory charity…" Koran 2:177
{Directin fo prayer doesnt pove sincerity of payer or effectiveness of prayer...}-Zarove
After reading the above text,I would like to ask a question to all the CHRISTIAN PRIESTS very respectably,why did u(THE SCHOLARS),ARE HIDDING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H)IS THE LAST MESSANGER OF GOD,AND THAT HE AND QURAN AND THE LAW WHICH HE BROUGHT TO BE ACCEPTED,THEIR ARE NUMEBR OF SIGNS IN QURAN,THAT LORD IS ALLAH/GOD,AND NOT PROPHETS.
{1: Not all Christaisn have proests.
2: Becaue its not part of the faith and the claism are rejected. Its nto hididng ht eifromaiton, its simpley not beelivign it ot be true.there is a diffeence.}-Zarove
PROPHETS WERE SENT DOWN TO GUIDE THE PEOPLE AND SHOW THEM THE RIGHT PATH.NO PROPHET EVER SAID TO DRINK ALCOHOL,HAVE FREE SEX,AND TO HAVE INTEREST FORM OF ECONOMY,MOSES,JESUS NEVER LIKED THAT.THEY ALL DISCOURAGED AND SO DID THE LAST PROPHET OF GOD MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H),WHY DO NOT ACCEPT AND BE A MUSLIM,WHAT SIGNS DO U WANT ????
{Simpley rejectgn alcahol and loose sex is not equel to bign a Propeht. Uness you want ot say Jospeh msith was a Propeht as he did hte same.So why dotn Muslims accept he Book fo Mormon as the word of God, and Jospeh smith as a Prophet?}-Zarove
REGARDS,
IMRAN A.ABBASI
{In Christ my Lord, Zarove}-zarove
-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.CIM), February 08, 2005.
ooh, help me out here, someone.there is a verse in the OT that says, "the scepter will not depart from judah until shiloh comes." and i don't know if i quoted that exactly but i hope it's enough. i've heard muslim apologists claim that this verse is corrupted and that it should really say something else. i can't quite remember the whole thing, but here it is in part.
(from the muslim apologists) shiloh comes from the same root word as islam, so this verse is talking about the coming of islam. and the first part of the verse was spelled wrong, and if you change around a few letters, you get the name muhammed. so here is a prophecy in the bible that says muhammed will bring islam.
i would love to tell my bank that if you could only change around a few digits, you would get a very different amount in my account, an amount that would please me a lot more. but i would have to prove to the bank that the mistake was there in the first place, now wouldn't i?
-- rina (emailmarina@yahoo.com), February 09, 2005.
Imran,You asked, "WHY DO NOT ACCEPT AND BE A MUSLIM,WHAT SIGNS DO U WANT ????
True Christians, we don't recognize Muhammad as a prophet at all. So we don't believe he speaks for God. We follow Jesus Christ and always will. Jesus fulfilled ALL of the Jewish prophecies concerning the Messiah, He performed extraordinary miracles witnessed by thousands upon thousands of people including raising people from the dead. He was crucified to pay the price for our sins and was raised back to life on the third day after His death. He spent a number of days speaking with hundreds of his disciples after His resurrection empowering their faith to spread the Gospel to the 4 corners of the earth.
Jesus's tomb is empty because He is seated at the right hand of God, His Father, in Heaven. Jesus demonstrated that He is the Son of God and is fully God.
Muhammad never performed any miracles to demonstrate that he was a prophet of God. He died and is still in his tomb. He was just a man, a mistaken man.
You can continue to follow the mistaken philosphies of a dead man, but I will follow after the Risen and very much ALIVE Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever.
David
-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), February 09, 2005.
I am begining to suspect that this is just another spam thread...Notice that the poster has not returned for debate o0r rebuttal?
I wonder if he has the same IP address as all those other spammed threads?
What a huge waste of time....
-- (faith01@myway.com), February 09, 2005.
if you mean PUNKER's threads...nope...we have no muslims here at home...just me,PUNKER and jerry...
-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), February 09, 2005.
I htink Faith is right, and if yo google up the message, is ocnfirmed.
-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 09, 2005.
Well I don't know sdqa,Are you the people who spammed the board with all that non-sense about Playboy and Sexual fantasies and SM..etc??
Why wouldn't you also then spam with a thread like this?
The IP address would confirm--but Elpidio would have to look.
Zarove--I don't understand what you mean about google...
-- (faith01@myway.com), February 09, 2005.
it was not usonly PUNKER:)
well compare his style of posting and the content of the things he posts with this...doesn't look as something that could come from him...yeah look up the ips,you'll see that they are different
-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), February 09, 2005.
Faith, cut an apste pasrt of tis mesage and then goolge it up, te giy travles roudn an psost th sme mesageon dozens of boards...
-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 10, 2005.
[This thread was deleted and added here by moderator. Mr. Abbasi, it seems, likes to post but is not willing to engage in constructive dialogue about his religion.]ISLAM,WHICH IS THE TRUE RELIGION
Judaism, Christianity and Islam From the beginning of mankind on the face of the earth, God sent revelations to His chosen prophets; and the first prophet was the first man, Adam and thereafter came thousands of prophets to the peoples who inhabited different lands in different periods of history. The Holy Qur’an mentions by name only twenty five of these prophets, who include Abraham (Ibraheem, peace be upon him), Moses (Moosa, peace be upon him), David (Dawood, peace be upon him), Jesus (Eesa, peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace be upon him). All these prophets of God taught basically the same Religion of Islam (=Submission to God) to their people.
The word “Islam” today is mostly used to refer to the final form of the Religion of God taught by the last prophet, Muhammad (pbuh). It is often counted as the latest of the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this sense, Islam emerged in the Arabian peninsula, through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Judaism is based on the teachings and the laws of Prophet Moses, while Christianity, in its original form, was based on the teachings of Prophet Jesus. All the three religions have their roots in the teachings of the patriarch Abraham, who also was a great Prophet of God.
In the course of hundreds of years, the teachings of Moses and Jesus got corrupted or misinterpreted, and the true Religion had to be restored by another Prophet from God. Thus it was that Muhammad was sent to fulfill and perfect the Divine Guidance. While the Books revealed to other prophets are not available now in their original form, the Holy Qur’an alone remains in its pristine purity. This was because God had promised that He would protect it from corruption.
Thus we can say that Islam, as taught by Muhammad is a continuation and culmination of the Religion of God taught by all the prophets of God. Originally, Judaism, Christianity and Islam were the same religion. As time passed on, as mentioned above, the earlier religions were obscured or distorted, and hence the differences that we see among them.
And Muhammad (peace be on him) taught the people, the Book of God called the Qur'an, and instructed them as to how they should lead a life in Submission to God. The details of the Guidance of God exemplified in the life of this Last Prophet, are called the Sunnah or the Example of the Prophet. The Qur'an and the Sunnah together form the foundation of Islam; and it is on this foundation that the Great House of Islam stands.
The major distinction of Islam is that it is the perfected form of the other two religions. Also, Islam is meant for the whole of humanity, while the earlier religions were not. Judaism and Christianity were addressed to the Children of Israel alone. Those who argue that Jesus’ mission was to the whole world should ponder over Jesus’ response to his disciples in Matthew 15:24: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
May the Good God guide us to the Truth!
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http://www.unn.ac.uk/societies/islamic/islam/oth.htm :--
The Jews It is common for Muslims to refer to the Jews as their cousins since Abraham was the common grandfather of Mohammad by way of Ismail and of Israel (Jacob) and his children by way of Isaac. As well known, Abraham's marriage to Sarah was barren until she was well advanced in age. Out of pity for her husband, Sarah insisted that he take her Egyptian maid Hagar, who conceived and gave birth to Ismail. Later on she could not live with the maid and her son and pressured Abraham to banish them so he took them to the place that centuries later became the city of Makkah. The anguish of the mother searching for water after their provisions were exhausted and the unexpected eruption of the well of Zam-Zam is commemorated annually by Muslims amongst the rituals of Hajj (pilgrimage), as well as visiting the Kaaba, the first mosque for the worship of One God, built by Abraham and Ismail during one of Abraham's visits to them. God willed that Sarah also, well into her menopause, would conceive and give birth to Isaac, father of Jacob whose name was later changed to Israel, the father of the twelve Children of Israel.
Muslims feel somewhat dismayed to see that large segments of Jews and Christians do not consider Ismail to be Abraham's son, since Ismail's mother was a maid. In the King James Version of the Holy Bible (Red Letter Edition published by Collins World) the name of Ismail was altogether missing from the glossary, and I could retrieve his story taking Abraham as my key. Time and again Genesis (17:16, 23, 25, 26- 21:11) refers to Ismail as "his son", talking about Abraham, thus making it impossible to deny that sonhood. Moreover, tracing the maternal side of the Children of Israel, Genesis tells us that Israel married his two cousins, Rachel and Leah and their two maids, Zilpa and Bilhah, and out of the four of them came the twelve Children of Israel. Yet no one ever claimed that any of them were less the Children of Israel because their mothers were maids! Is there a double standard set against Ismail? When Genesis (22:2) reports that God said to Abraham "Take now the son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of ", Muslims feel that the mention of Isaac's name was deliberately inserted, for at no time was Isaac the only son of Abraham, being thirteen years younger than Ismail, and both being alive when their father died! The commemoration of this trying test of Abraham and his submission to God even to the extent of slaying his only son (Ismail) is annually commemorated by Muslims as one of the rituals of Hajj (pilgrimage). To Muslims, however, both Ismail and Isaac are equally blessed and endeared prophets.
The Quran makes some fifty references to Jews or Children of Israel, apart from mentioning Moses some 137 times and the Torah eighteen times. Generous praise was heaped upon them, as well as a fair share of blame and rebuke. Examples are:
"O children of Israel, call to mind the favor which I bestowed on you, and that I preferred you to all others. Then guard yourselves against a day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall intercession be accepted for her, nor shall compensation be taken from her, nor shall anyone be helped (from outside). And remember, We delivered you from the people of the Pharaoh: they set you hard tasks and chastisement, slaughtered your sons and let your women folk live; therein was tremendous trial from your Lord. And remember We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. And remember We appointed forty nights for Moses, and in his absence you took the calf (for worship) and you did grievous wrong. Even then We did forgive you; there was a chance for you to be grateful." (2:47-52)
"We settled the Children of Israel in an honorable dwelling place, and provided for them sustenance of the best: it was after knowledge had been granted to them that they fell into schisms. Verily God will judge between them as to the schisms amongst them on the Day of Judgment." (10:93)
It is to be noted that whenever the Jews were rebuked it was as a matter of fact because they did something that the Quran deemed conflicting with the Jewish religion itself.
Due consideration should be given to the fact that for a long period of time the Jews were the only bearers of monotheism in a world that was pagan or idolatrous. It is a credit that the Quran fully acknowledges, but with the arrival of Christianity and later of Islam, the claim of the Jews to have sole monopoly of monotheism looses its ground, and with it the concept of the chosen race that they cling to until today. At least this is what Christians and Muslims feel. Islam in fact does not subscribe to the concept of a chosen race. God says in the Quran:
"You Mankind: We have created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you might get to know and cherish one another, (not to despise one another). Verily the most honorable of you in the site of God are the most righteous." (49:13) People can become better or worse on the basis of righteousness and not by belonging to a certain ancestral line. This is very vividly expressed in the Quranic version of God's promise to Abraham:
"and remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain Commands which he fulfilled: He said "I will make thee an Imam (leader) to the people". He pleaded "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered "But My promise is not within the reach of evil- doers." (2:124)
Another issue stemmed out from the Covenant given by God to Abraham in its Biblical version "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession." (Genesis 17:8) The complexity of the Palestinian problem derives from the interpretation by the Jews that the "seed of Abraham" includes only the Jews; so that any Jews who accepted Jesus and became Christian are to be excluded from the Covenant. The same applies also to those (Jews or Christians) who later embraced Islam, even though they be the descendants of Israel, or the descendants of the other (first) son of Abraham, Ismail. It follows, therefore, that the Palestinian Muslims and Christians do not see themselves as outsiders who have to leave or live as second class citizens in their land, and the land of their ancestors for millennia. They can hardly swallow such statements as the Golda Meir's "There is no such a thing as the Palestinians, they do not exist" (Sunday Times, June 15, 1969) or that of Joseph Weitz, head of Jewish National Fund "Between ourselves it must be clear that there is no room for both peoples together in this country." (Davar, September 29, 1967)
Muslims do not see the Palestinian problem as a fight between religions. As a matter of fact it would have been far more religious (according to all religions) to find a peaceful solution. A peaceful solution is one based on justice and fairness which is the only assurance of its permanency. A peaceful solution is far from being a negotiated resultant between the powerful and the weak. A Versaille mentality should not dominate the negotiations, but it takes farsighted statesmanship to realize this. At the time of writing, negotiations are taking place between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and we pray God to guide both sides to this kind of peace. We believe that God has meant this part of the world to be the converging and not the diverging site for the three Abrahamic faiths to manifest the spirit of tolerance and Godliness and celebrate the unity that encompasses their diversity. Both common sense and religion (s) point in that direction if only all sides would open their ears and their hearts to the voice of God. We know there are people on all sides making the same prayers.
A principal difference with Jews, of course, is their stand on Jesus, whom Muslims believe was the true and genuine messenger of God to his fellow Jews. The Quran says "O you who believe, be the helpers to (the cause of) God, as said Jesus the son of Mary to the Disciples 'Who will be my helpers (to the work of God)?' Said the disciples 'We are God's helpers'. Then a portion of the Children of Israel believed and a portion disbelieved." (61:14)
Those who rejected Jesus and accused his mother of unchastity are rebuked by the Quran time and again, "That they uttered against Mary a grave false charge. That they said (in boast) 'We killed Christ Jesus son of Mary The messenger of God'.. But they killed him not, nor crucified him.. only a likeness of that was shown to them and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow. For a surety they killed him not: Nay, God raised him up unto Himself, and God (Allah) is Most Exalted, Wise." (4:156-158). Islam, therefore, completely absolved the Jews from Christ's blood. The view that the one arrested and crucified was other than Jesus (Judas Escariot?) is held amongst a faction of Christians.
Historically, the relation between Muslims and Jews had its fluctuations but never because Islam harbored animosity to Judaism as a faith. Conflict was situational whenever it had its justifiable reasons. However, we should be far from claiming that the history of Muslims has always been a true representation of the teachings of Islam. Particularly under dictatorial rule, Jews and Christians had their share of maltreatment, but this was not to the exclusion of the Muslim subjects who always were even the most to suffer. In the Muslim world Jews never suffered anything like the atrocities inflicted on them by Christian Europe over the centuries, including the holocaust in this century. It was in Christendom that the Jews were branded as Killers of God and were made to pay for it through one pogrom after another. Even when the enemy was the Muslims, Europe always included the Jews as "collateral damage." The first Crusade was launched by the massacre of thousands of Jews in Europe, with the mischievous rationalization: "We have set out to march a long way to fight the enemies of God in the East, and behold before our very eyes are his worst foes, the Jews. They must be dealt with first" (Kohn N: "The Pursuit of the Millennium", 1957, p.70 - in Bamper Gascoigne's book: The Christians, publ. Jonathan Cape, 2nd ed., 1977, p.113)
In 1492, the Jews were expelled from Spain as a product of the victory of Ferdinand and Isabella over the Muslims. Contrary to previous promises, it was made illegal for any Muslim or Jew to practice their religion. Then they were condemned to death or expulsion if they did not convert to Catholicism. Many Jews chose to go to Turkey, then the seat of the Islamic Caliphate and were generously received, the Sultan mocking Ferdinand and Isabella's expulsion of the Jews by saying, "They impoverished their kingdom and enriched mine." The Muslim era in Spain was one during which the Jewish contribution to civilization particularly flourished. In his book My People (also produced as a TV series), Mr. Aba Eban, Israeli scholar, historian and former foreign secretary, stated the Jews in two episodes during their history were treated justly, once in Muslim Spain and the second, currently, in the United States of America. The great Maimonides was the student of the Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averros) of Cordova, and later, when he moved to Egypt, he was the personal physician of Salahuddin (Saladin, of Crusades' fame). Over the centuries, the Jewish citizens of Islamic countries enjoyed security and prosperity. Until this day many Islamic countries house sizable Jewish communities who, inspite of the agonizing repercussion of the Palestinian problem, fare no worse than their Muslim and Christian compatriots.
Reply to a Jewish questioner:
Shalom aleichem!
Please answer the following questions for me:
1. What is the language in which the Torah was revealed to Prophet Moses? Do you now read the Torah in its original language, i.e ancient Hebrew?
2. We find this verse in the Torah, i.e in the fifth book called, Deuteronomy, chapter 34:
5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there, in the land of Moab, at the command of the Lord. 6 He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor; and no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. 8 And the Israelites bewailed Moses in the steppes of Moab for thirty days.
(Jewish Publication Society, 1985)
The above verses in the Torah clearly show that the Book called the Torah (at least the last book of the Torah) was composed after the death of Moses. Can you explain this?
3. You have written: "We wrote for you this book so called by you Qu'ran, we opened it for you and in the end we'll close it. Because your end will be nothing, as prophesised in the Holy Torah!"
Please explain what you mean by saying (1) that you wrote the Qur'an, (2) that you opened it and you will close it, and (3) that our end will be nothing, as prophesied in the Holy Torah.
I would conclude this mail, by saying this:
a. G-d is One and One only, and that He is the G-d of all humans; so all humans are brothers, and the claim that one race, or tribe or nation is more equal than others is sheer nonsense.
b. Those who believe in G-d and His prophets and the life hereafter, and live by His commands are the blessed ones. And those who defy G- d, or who arrogantly reject brotherhood and compassion out of a sense of superiority arrogance, to claim dominion over their brothers are the lost ones.
c. Both the Arabs and the Jews are the children of Avraham; and the Land promised to the seed of Avraham belong to both, by the promise: See Torah, Genesis 17: 4-7:
"4 As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, ( Understood as father of a multitude.) for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you. 7 I will maintain My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages, to be God to you and to your offspring to come." (Torah - Genesis 17: 4-7)
You know that circumcision was prescribed as the sign of the covenant between G-d and Avraham: See Genesis 17: 11:
"You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you."
Accordingly, Avraham and his firstborn Ishmael were circumcised:
"24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 Thus Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day"
As you can see, when the sign of the Covenant was "sealed" as it were by the sign of circumcision, Ishmael was present with Avraham. But your racism will not allow you to see this simple fact stated by God in your Holy Book of Torah. {See, at that time Isaac was not there; as he was born only after this.}
I would like to tell you in the name of the same G-d Who created you and me, that the Arabs are the Children of Avraham as much as the Jews who are the Children of Ishmael's brother, Isaac (or the Children of Israel, as you are called now).
May G-d guide us and help us to see the truth and lead us along the Right Path!
Reply to a Christian, on the Differences between Islam and Christianity
Thank you very much for your questions.
Please consider the following points about Islam:
From the beginning of mankind, God has been sending His messengers to give mankind the True Guidance from God. Thus Islam believes in all the prophets of God before Muhammad (including Abraham, Moses and Jesus); and all the Books of God before the Qur’an (including the Torah, the Psalms of David and the Gospel of Christ). No other religion does this. Islam categorically states the existence of the One and Only God, Who is the Creator and Preserver of the whole universe. This fact is stated in the Torah, the Gospel and in the Qur’an. But the Christians of today follow the pagan idea of Trinity introduced into Christianity by Paul of Tarsus. The unequivocal statements of all the Old Testament prophets as well as Christ about God completely square with the idea of God presented by Islam. If you consider the prophecies about a prophet-like-Moses given in Deuteronomy 18: 18, Isaiah 42: 1-17, and about the Comforter or the Spirit of Truth or the Paraclete in the Gospel according to John 14 and 16, you can see clearly that this prophet could be none other than the Last Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him). A study of the progressive Guidance of God, through Judaism, Christianity and Islam will clearly prove that Islam as taught by Muhammad is the culmination of that progression. Consider the teachings of Islam: One God, One Humanity, One Religion; Belief in all the prophets of God, which is the ground of its tolerance; Belief in the accountability of man in the hereafter. Besides, one can see the emphasis it lays on justice, equity and brotherhood in social life; and on purity, sincerity and a spirit of sacrifice in individual life.
Consider the intense practicality of Islamic teachings, its compatibility with science and technology and with the modern times. Also see that it is the fastest growing religion now, in spite of all the adverse conditions and the most hostile propaganda against it.
As for the difference in the teachings of Christ and the teachings of Muhammad:
The mission of Jesus was limited to the Children of Israel, as the Gospels themselves say it. For example in Matthew chapter 15, verse 24: Christ told his disciples: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Christ’s mission was mainly to teach the Children of Israel of the meaninglessness of their literalism,(their adherence to the letter of the Law), while they ignored the spirit of it. The Jews were a very harsh people; for that was what they could learn from the strict teachings of the Law as taught by Moses. Jesus came to teach them compassion, love and mercy. Muhammad came to strike a balance between the two ways; his mission was to complete the religion of Islam as he was the Last Prophet. So in Muhammad’s teachings you see some of the harshness of the Mosaic Law and some of the Mercy of Jesus too. That is the Middle Path. Muslims are described as “ummatan wasatan”, a balanced society. This is part of the perfecting of the religion, since the complete religion is not all mercy and sacrifice. It is practical and viable; it is a way of life, a complete way of life.
Jesus is reported to have said:
“…but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5: 39)
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies……” (Matthew 5: 44)
These are beautiful ideals, but hardly practicable. How many Christians can turn the other cheek? Love the enemies? They use cluster bombs to destroy innocent people who might one day possibly become their enemies. “This is why Voltaire said: There was only one Christian, and he was crucified.”
Muslims are not just allowed to fight, it becomes their duty to fight in certain contexts: like when your sister is sexually attacked in front of you. “Resist not evil!!!” Think of it: not resisting evil will be the greatest encouragement for evil in this wicked world. Well, as I said, Islam is a practical religion. It enjoins upon its followers piety and devotion; prayer and fasting, charity and sacrifice; purity and sincerity; love and mercy.
It also asks its followers to stand out firmly for justice, even if it is against their own kith and kin; justice should be done to all, whether they are friends or foes. To ask us to love the enemies, is to ask us to do something impractical. But we are commanded to do justice to them, to all. This in a nutshell is Islam. And Allah knows best.
I hope the foregoing answers your questions, and of course, further queries are welcome.
Islam and Christianity Links:
Islam & Christianity - Introductory Articles Dialogues Doctrinal Difficulties Problems with the Bible Prophecies of Muhammad(P) in the Bible History Answering Missionaries - Their goals and methods, and an index of articles refuting their polemic Islam & Christianity - Introductory Articles
We Believe in Jesus - Muslims are the true followers of Jesus(P) Who is Allah ? - Allah is the Arabic word for God. This article by Abu Iman Robert Squires (a convert to Islam from Christianity) removes the misconception that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. Essential reading ! A Concise Reply to Christianity - A Muslim View - A refutation of Christian doctrine by Dr. Gary Miller, a former missionary The Basis of Islamic Belief by Dr. Gary Miller. Written with the Christian reader in mind The True Narrative of Jesus the Son of Mary as revealed in the Qur'an Christ in Islam The Difference between the Bible and the Qur'an by Dr. Gary Miller, a former Christian missionary. This is important reading for those unfamiliar with the Qur'an Christianity ? No Thanks ! by John Kirch, a white American convert to Islam Women in Islam vs. Women in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: The Myth & The Reality Christmas - A Pagan Festival External Resources The True Message of Jesus Christ by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips. A thorough examination of the message and person of Jesus(P). A must-read for all Christians ! What Did Jesus Really Say ? - A comprehensive 600-page book Dialogues
Muslim Answers to an Inquiring Christian - Abu Iman Robert Squires (a convert to Islam from Christianity) addresses D. Cunningham's questions Far Exalted is He Above Having a Son - A brief but brilliant dialogue between the Muslim scholar al-Baqilani and a Roman Emperor RolaAus - A discussion with a Christian on some of the fundamentals of Christianity Dialogue with a Skeptical Christian Muslim-Christian Dialogue - To download this PDF format e-book right- click here, then select Save Target As HTML version Doctrinal Difficulties
Trinity, Incarnation and the Alleged Divinity of Jesus(P) Who Invented The Trinity by Aisha Brown Some Thoughts on the 'Proofs' of the Alleged Divinity of Jesus by Dr. Gary Miller The God That Never Was by Ahmed Deedat Original Sin The Christian Doctrine of Original Sin - Why should you be held responsible for a sin you did not commit ? Unlike Christianity, Islam teaches that you were born pure and sinless External Resources The Truth about The Original Sin Salvation The Historical Fallacy of Atonement External Resources Who is Our Savior ? by Mohamed Ghounem and Abdur Rahman. A complete book covering many topics Alleged Crucifixion and Resurrection The Easter Story - A Challenge for Christians - The Biblical accounts of the alleged resurrection of Jesus(P) are riddled with contradictions Do you LOVE Jesus ? The Muslim View of the Ascension of Jesus The Descent of Jesus near the End of Time - The correct beliefs regarding the return of Prophet Jesus(P) Problems with the Bible
General Corruption of the Torah External Resources Let the Bible Speak Textual Integrity External Resources Who's Afraid of Textual Criticism ? Textual Integrity of the Bible - A detailed study Contradictions Internal External Resources Contradictions in the Bible External History and Archaeology External Resources The Kings and Pharaohs of Egypt - Qur'anic accuracy vs. Biblical error Science Linguistic Imperfections External Resources Is the Bible Inimitable ? Unfulfilled Prophecies External Resources Unfulfilled Prophecies in the Bible Sources of the Bible External Resources Embryology: The Bible Plagiarises Ancient Greek Literature Prophecies of Muhammad(P) in the Bible
What the Bible says about Muhammad(P) History
External Resources Persecution of Early Unitarian Churches in Malabar, Abyssinia and Ireland A Brief Account of the Crusades This Wikipedia article is helpful to know about the Abrahamic religions: http://www.peacelink.de/keyword/Abrahamic_religion.php
-- IMRAN AHMED ABBASI (pnbehrpaima@hotmail.com), March 03, 2005
By assistant moderator on 3/5/05
-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), March 05, 2005.