Did Islam just copy from Judaism & Christianity?
According to the Judeo-Christian perspective, Islam did not exist until the ministry and preaching of Muhammad in the seventh century CE. Originally portrayed as the anti-Christ by many Christians, the image of Muhammad later began to be portrayed somewhat more favorably among certain elements of the Christian clergy and scholars. However, the Judeo-Christian perspective still perceives that Islam originated with Muhammad, and that Muhammad created Islam by borrowing heavily from both rabbinical Judaism and from Christianity. Concerning the alleged borrowing from Christianity, it is traditionally held that Muhammad most frequently took from the teachings of the Eastern churches and from a variety of apocryphal Christian writings. Thus, from the Judeo-Christian perspective, Islam originated in the seventh century CE as an amalgamation of Judaism and Christianity.
To summarize, the Judeo-Christian perspective posits the following step-wise evolution of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Primitive or proto-Judaism can be traced to the primitive covenant between Allah and Noah. However, Judaism really has its origin with the covenant between Allah and Abraham, a covenant, which was exclusively inherited by Isaac, then by Jacob, and then by the Israelites. The covenant was then reformulated with Moses, and Judaism as a full-blown religion began. Central to the maintenance of Judaism as a distinct religious practice was the temple cult, with its focus on the act of sacrifice at the Solomonic Temple in Jerusalem. Thereafter, various Israelites strayed from observance of the covenant, resulting in Allah sending prophets, who reaffirmed the Mosaic covenant, but neither added to nor modified it. This state of affairs continued until the new covenant of Christ, from which Christianity emerged. Almost 600 years later, Muhammad, borrowing heavily from both rabbinical Judaism and from Christianity, created the religion of Islam.
The Islamic Perspective
Like the Judeo-Christian tradition, Islam traces the origin of mankind to Adam. However, unlike any conceptualization within the Judeo-Christian tradition, Islam posits its beginning with Adam. Islam means "submission", i.e. submission to Allah, and a Muslim is "one who submits" to Allah. Thus, the religion of Adam was Islam, as was the religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc.
The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - that which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).1
This is not, however, to say that the Islamic religion of Adam was the same in every detail as that of Noah, or of Abraham, or of Moses, or of Jesus, or of Muhammad. In fact, it was not. However, to understand that difference, one has to understand the Islamic concepts of covenant and of progressive revelation.
Covenant and Revelation
As noted above, the Judeo-Christian tradition perceives the concept of covenant to represent a fundamental re-ordering of the cosmos in which the relationship between and Allah is completely redefined, and in which an entirely new concept of religion is introduced. Covenants are thus seen as being few and far between, represented only by: 1) the primitive or proto-covenant with Noah; 2) the defining covenant with Abraham, which was exclusively inherited by Isaac, by Jacob, and then by the Israelites; 3) the revision and elaboration of the Abrahamic covenant with Moses, with inheritance of the covenant limited to Israelites and Jews; and 4) the new covenant with Jesus, which for the first time was open to participation by non-Jews.
In marked contrast, Islam affirms a multiplicity of covenants between Allah and mankind. Every prophet of Allah, most of whose names are not even known to contemporary man2, has had his own covenant, which was inherited by that prophet's people3. The following quotations from the Qur'an serve to illustrate this latter point.
Remember We made the the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).4
Behold! Allah took the covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a book and wisdom; then comes to you a messenger, confirming what is with you; do you believe in him and render him help." Allah said: "Do ye agree, and take this my covenant as binding on you?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."5
And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: as (We did) from thee: From Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn covenant.6
Further, a prophet of Allah was sent to every people, not just to the Israelites. There are many passages in the Qur'an referring to the fact that a prophet was sent to every people.7 The following represents a brief sample of those passages.
Before thee We sent (messengers) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility.8
To every people (was sent) a messenger: when their messenger comes (before them), the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.9
For We assuredly sent amongst every people a messenger, (with the command), "Serve Allah, and eschew evil": of the people were some whom Allah guided, and some on whom error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied (truth).10
Verily We have sent thee in truth, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner: and there never was a people, without a warner having lived among them (in the past).11
Thus, between the time of Adam and Muhammad, covenants were plentiful, and were non-exclusive. Every person, regardless of ethnic, national, or racial descent, had the potential opportunity to inherit a covenant with Allah, and to enter into a proper, worshipful relationship with Allah.
This concept of a multiplicity of covenants is linked with the Islamic concept of progressive revelation.12 Since each prophet received his own covenant with Allah, the revelation of Allah as to how best to worship Him was progressively revealed over an evolutionary period. Unlike the cosmic re-orderings followed by long periods of revelatory stagnation posited by the Judeo-Christian tradition, Islam affirms a gradual evolution in the relationship between man and Allah and in man's worship of Allah. Prior revelations could and were modified, elaborated, and abrogated.13 In fact, such evolution and progressive revelation occurred not only between prophets, but also within a given prophet's own message and revelation.14 With regard to this, one needs only look to the progressive revelation within the lifetime of Muhammad, which led from no prohibition against alcohol, to prohibition against alcoholic consumption interfering with the performance of mandatory prayers15, to total prohibition of alcohol.16 This concept of progressive revelation is summarized in the following passages from the Qur'an.
None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: knowest thou not that Allah hath power over all things?17
We did send messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of a messenger to bring a sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a book (revealed). Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the mother of the book.18
This Qur'an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds.19
When We substitute one revelation for another - and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages) - they say, "Thou art but a forger": but most of them understand not.20
Given the above, it can be seen that Islam began with Adam, gradually evolved though the different covenants and progressive revelations given to the various prophets, and finally culminated in the final revelation given to Prophet Muhammad. In this regard, the contrasts between the Judeo-Christian and Islamic perspectives are dramatic. The Judeo-Christian perspective posits a few stages of religious evolution, each of which is markedly different than the one before it. Metaphorically, one can compare the Judeo-Christian perspective to the drastic revolutions involved in the developmental stages of the caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly. Each stage is fundamentally different in appearance than the stage before it. In contrast, the metaphor for the Islamic perspective would be that of the budding and opening of a flower, in which the message of Adam represents the first budding21, and in which the final message of Muhammad represents the flower in full bloom.22 However, even within that first bud of Adam's message, there were two fundamental truths, which have never been abrogated of modified, and which continued to be the centerpiece of the message of every later prophet: 1) there is no god but Allah, Who has no partners, and Allah is to be worshiped and served23; and 2) avoid evil and wickedness, for there will be a day of final judgement.24
Excerpted from "The Cross & The Crescent" by Dr. Jerald F. Dirks.
Notes:
1. Qur'an 42:13
2. Qur'an 40:78
3. Qur'an 2:40,63,83,92-93,125; 3:81; 4:153-155; 5:12-14,70; 20:80-83,115; 33:7; 43:46-49.
4. Qur'an 2:125.
5. Qur'an 3:81.
6. Qur'an 33:7.
7. Qur'an 6:42,130-131;10:47,74; 16:36,63,84,89, 17:71; 35:24.
8. Qur'an 6:42.
9. Qur'an 10:47.
10. Qur'an 16:36.
11. Qur'an 35:24.
12. Qur'an 2:106; 3:2-3,23,50,93; 4:44,160; 5:3,15,6:145-146, 10:37; 13:38-39; 16:101; 17:106; 25:32; 26:5; 76:23.
13. Qur'an 2:106; 6:145-146; 13:38-39; 16:101.
14. Qur'an 17:106; 25:32; 76:23.
15. Qur'an 4:43.
16. Qur'an 5:90-91.
17. Qur'an 2:106.
18. Qur'an 13:38-39.
19. Qur'an 10:37.
20. Qur'an 16:101.
21. Qur'an 2:37.
22. Qur'an 5:3.
23. Qur'an 21:35
24. Qur'an 4:164-165; 16:36.
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Topics: Christianity, Christians, Islam, Judaism, Revelation
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religion comments islam as a religion taught to fight or
muhammed{pbuh} was not a man with power or strong army.It has a
proof that most of the war was held in the provinces of madinah{The
city of prophet muhammed},which claims that non muslims came to
fight with muslim,so as to protect themselves they fought back.
islam was the
first religion and judaism and chiristianity were formed from
islam.this formally happened due to the interference of shaithan or
devil{laanathullahi alaihi}.in each step of the generations of
mankind ,shaithan came in between them to convert their attention
from allah.Thet couldnt do it to the sons of adam to do shirk.
as a
challenge of islam caan any other religion find truth in themselves
completely......or why do majority of non muslims convert to
islam....all the answer can be taken from those who has converted to
islam.....reead their biographies
This all stems from Judaism.
What Mohammad really did is change some parts of this religion and claimed himself as a prophet of this religion, and the prophet of this religions God, which you call Allah.
anybody can do something like that, if they are crazy enough and have enough army to go to war.
I can also change a religion and make myself a prophet and claim all the prophets were not Israelites but for example arabs, and claim they were not jews, but Muslim... islam didn't even exist. so how could they of been muslims? Why was this religion only part of Israelite culture?
Islam is a big fairytale, and I cringe everytime some muslim tries to tell me about this religion, they say the Q'uran has no mistakes, and many things have happened that the Q'uran says. Both claims are wrong. Yet, many of these that tell me these things have never read the Q'uran, what they have done is read some Islamic propaganda site which make scientific claims of the Q'uran like miraclesofquran.com .. or answering-christianity.com . they lie and lie and lie. many of the things they claim the q'uran doesn't even say that. yet they claim it's somehow a ''miracle''. people who don't know any better can be fooled easily.
book begins with praise of Allah, he is a muslim convert with an
agenda. he only has 20 footnotes all from teh koran, what he
says about the bible is a generalisation and uncited - his own
opinion.
TO PROVE HIM WRIONH I WILL SAY THIS: What makes you a
muslim, swearing the oath surely, that god is one and muhamed
is his messenger - then how could there have been muslims
before mohamed??????????? the koran blantantly teals from fake
apochryphal gospels like the arabic gospels of jesus - where
jesus executes children because they bump into him. these
stories find their way into the koran (although not that one
fortunately) verbatim. as a person who has read the apochrypal
gospels and the koran the stories are identical, especially the
arabic gospels
1). Where did JESUS in the Bible say to his followers. or you, call yourselves CHRISTAINS?
I SAID JESUS, and not any TOM, DICK and Harry of which the Bible is full of.
2). Jesus say's in the Bible that I (Jesus) have been sent to the lost house of Israel, and not the GENTILES. He (Jesus) also says to his followers go to the Jews, and not the gentiles.
Where do you fit in as a gentile (I am presuming your one) when he did not come for you???
3). Jesus in the Bible says he came to fulfill the laws of Mosses to the very dot and not change them or bring new laws. Please point out one new law Jesus brought??
Note: I said Jesus, not Paul or Dick or Bush or Tony or Luke, Mark, Matthew, John and the other 1001 unknown authors of the Bible!!!
Eagerly awaiting your reply!!
Islam is as old as the Creator Himself. Islam is mathematics and mathematics is Islam, you can prove it in no length of time. All of the Prophets(pbut)were submissive to the will of Allah(SWT), which is Islam. The Bible has been tampered with so much by Europeans that even they don't understand the book, if you can't extract the wisdom from the book then it's better to throw it in the fire!
Salaam
Kesha,
All religious arguments boil down to one master narrative: Who is God? what's God's word & how does He communicate with us.
All answers can be challenged by an atheist except for scientific established facts that can lead us to the existence of God and the Truth. Some may want to call it energy others like me call it Allah. The second is the Truth some call it Relativism others like me call it Islam (submission to God & His ethernal laws).
Science & I mean scientific established facts can lead us to the Truth & answer some of our master questions about the Master of the Universe.
You can google: The Quran & Science to find some of the answers. Dr Maurice Beaucaille, Dr Keith Moore & Dr Roger Garaudy among others have already found answers to some of these questions & became Muslims after all!
Other questions such as seeing God in person: I can't even look at my dad & discuss my sins with him. If I look at God with my sins, I will die on the spot!
i totally disagree, islam cant copy from christianity which contradict its self in the bible.
islam is the true religion and source of knowledge. thanks
Rabbana la tuzig qulubana ba'ada idh hadaitana wa hablana min ladunka rahmatan innaka antal wahhab.
Give me time, all Muslim Brothers and Sisters, I will write an irrebutable presentation and an impeccable finding that Islam was never cpoied at all from Judaism and Christianity. While I have the greatest respect for christians and peaceful Jews, but I'll qoute excerpts from the Quran and even biblical source that such opinion of copying from other faith are baseless. I call upon good Christians to be objective about my views later which I will present at length by next week. ( the 26th. March 07 onwards )
Yes, right from the source of Abraham ( a.s ) and Ishmael ( Ismail ) and Izaac ( Ishaq ) ( peace be upon them all ). I am just very tightly occuppied this week with the non ending legal tasks and cases hence time is not on my side now.
And to the learned author of this article, your findings are excellent, and I'll fine tuned it later.
Wassalam. and regards,
Please read the book before you comment on it.
Why there is not an Original Bible or Torah like Quran. Why so many editions, revisions and versions of their holy scriptures. A person with comparitive religion course can explain better.
Jesus and Moses are also V.I.Prophets in Islam,The Jews and Christians are so much buried in all of these false assumptions,they do not even want to read and try to get the real facts.
Their minds are locked and sealed by the radical teachings, masses, conventions and the Media and Selfish Politicians.
There is no doubt that Adam is the father of all and sent by the same God-ALLAH. The prophets and people before Jesus have not seen Jesus and did not believe Jesus as Saviour- Will they go HELL?
Good point Norman but don't worry Islam will penetrate every household on earth & shall overcome; what Adam said is true & he understood clearly what this article says. Muslim & Muhammad Ashraf totally misunderstood this article. Of course Islam is unique only if you understand that Judaism & Christianity are a "defamed" form of Islam, changed to serve a special nation in a specific & limited time & space. The nation of Isaq. The author is right but he made one little mistake & that's when the author said "4) the new covenant with Jesus, which for the first time was open to participation by non-Jews." I think this is not a statement made out of ignorance on the part of the author but still he was not careful & should 've added that Christianity became universal because of the blasphemous Saint-Paul who made it open to all & defamed it to please the polytheist Romans. This angered the original Christians (to us Muslims) but the majority always follows the defamed religions of those in power. I believe that the author found the facts I have just added irrelevant to his subject but to me personally it should not be ignored because Jesus was sent only to the lost children of Israel. Other than that this article makes total sense!
Just few words, if somebody copies others, then it is natural that he will copy their mistakes too, if Islam is as such, were are the mistakes of judisme and christianity in islam. Do not exsist. because Islam is not a copy, but neither jews or christians accepts islam as a faith of its own.neither jews nor christians understands islam as it is but as they want to look at it, further they dont understand islams philosohy and its view of humanity and history.
The god of Islam no beginning and no ending
The god of Islam is the ruler of the universe that hold this universe...the ruler of everything
If Islam is a collection of others such as Christianity and Judaism why we are so different.
Layman term: Christian approve and accept usery, alcohol,pork,prostitution,gambling, keeping of mistress and others that can be witnessed in USA, UK, FRance, Italy and other Christian states. All these are considered big sin in Islam, even if some muslims commited these wrong doing.If muslims commited this crime they did it with guilty feeling. Where is the teaching that they charge Islam borrow from them. Of course the christian today is not the same christian accepted by Islam. Is the christian today who killed millions of children and explode atomic device on human being is the same as islam...plese hundred of million times NO
If the writer is trying say that islam is copy then i invite him to read Quran or he should have read Quran before publishing the article. And if the writer read the quran and still think islam is copy then he is simply ignorant. Anyone can win the contest and if you are weak and still fight a boxing match you may wil but if you are strong and knowledgelble then pls do not argue with an ingnorant one as you can never convince an ignorant.
Thanks
This article will at least help to separate the rice from the chaffs. And clearly also dispelled the saying that Islam and Christianity or judaism (for that matter) are the same, or you can be a christian or a muslim, it does'nt matter as is the saying of most antagonists and even of some muslims. There are only two religions in this world Islam and others..so make your choice cos only one is TRUE.
I however will have wish the article end with point 2 as ..believe in the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as the seal of all prophets who came to confirm the previous messages, and the only person that deserves total obedience as opposed to "saints", "imams" or "mullahs".
Alhamdu lill-Allah-illadhi hadaina lil islam.
As a former Christian i did not find it difficult to worship only one God (La illaha Illalah) since it was the teaching of christianity too, qouting the first commandment. I give thanks and praise to Subhanna ta Allah that He opened my eyes to the true faith, the faith of all the Prophets and that include Isa (as), the son of Virgin Mary which is known as Jesus in christianity.