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Islamic and Christian Similarities?
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DominusVobiscum View Drop Down
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    Posted: 21 October 2008 at 8:37pm
Hello All!

I am currently taking a comparative theology class in which we are discussing whether it is possible for Catholics and Muslims to hold a constructive dialogue on matters of faith. The reason I bring this up is that the Catholic Church (which I belong to) and Muslims both agree that they each contain all Truth. Does this allow for dialogue? And if so, what are some things that we could agree upon?

For example, do we worship the same God? Some would say yes because we are People of the Book, but others would say know because it appears as if the "God" that Catholics believe in is different from Allah.

If I could finally note that I hold great respect for Muslims, and I am only looking for Truth. I would ask that you keep me in your prayers, and if you know of any prayers that could help me, please let me know. As I said before, I am open to Truth. I would like to see this post stay positive if possible. Thank you!
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honeto View Drop Down
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Welcome and peace be with you,
I think it is only through dialogue and discussion that we can reach across and help each other in our understanding of the other first, and then through learning make our own decision and choose our own destiny.
 
I am not a scholar and we don't have to be one, but we must know what we believe and how to explain it. Each one of us has different ways to explain and understand things, thus in my opinion, more people you give a chance to explain more views you may see. I would suggest that this should be taken as positive and not let it to be a reason of confusion.
 
I personally like to make things simple, concise and brief.
 
Also I will make it clear that my purpose is not to preach or convert you, only to bring you closer to what I believe to be the truth. As I said before, you choose what you do with it, its your soul, yourself that will benefit from your own sound decision.
 
And I aways start with the most important question first, God.
Those of us that seek God, agree that there is only One God. We all claim and agree with that, and that's good. Now how we know and seek Him divides us as Muslims, Catholics, Christians, Jews, Hindus and so on.
I see that your question also has to do with if we as Muslims worship the same God as the Catholics. That is a very interesting question, and its answer is not as simple as yes or no. As a Catholic you know how you believe God to be. Now you have to ask yourself, how convincing that belief is to you?
Even though there are more details to it, but for me as a Muslim these four verses sum up who do I worship:

112:1 SAY: "He is the One God:

112:2 "God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of All Being. 

112:3 "He begets not, and neither is He begotten;

112:4 "and there is nothing that could be compared with Him.

 
Some of the main issues between us:
In Islam we believe that God is not contained in a form or body to have a shape as Catholics believe when they say that we (humans) are made in the image of God.
So for us God is not a supersized human looking being.
 
We Muslims believe that God has Created All, and Himself was not Created, nor born, nor does God beget children.  That is in contrast to the Catholic belief that Jesus is Son of God.
By the way this is one of the main points that is claimed to be reason on both sides that we worship a different God.
Also, in my personal experience this to be the main reason for those who revert to Islam simply because while they were still Catholic, there hearts still could not accept Jesus as the Son of God rather a man of God, a prophet. My wife, a former Catholic is an example nearest to me. She has said that in those days it was just a ritual for her to participate for no other than a regular family practice to kneel, and hold and kiss the baby Jesus, son of God during the holiday season. She says it was not until she learnt Jesus' position through Islam that she realized she actually believed about him the Islamic way without knowing Islam, which we believe to be in within us. Thus it was natural for her to accept and to see him as a beloved prophet of God rather.
My understanding of the Quran tells me that the people of the book, worshipped God same way as we do in Islam. It was not until the deviation took them away from the ways of the prophets that God redirected humanity into correct worship over again through a new prophet each time.
Quran mentions several times that none other than God is to be worshipped, and that has to prove in practice rather than just the theory.
You will find many material talking in detail on this on Islamicity website, but I will be glad to explain or answer any questions you may have.
May God help us all in our effort to please Him.
Ameen,
Hasan
 


Edited by honeto - 23 October 2008 at 3:38pm
The friends of God will certainly have nothing to fear, nor will they be grieved. Al Quran 10:62
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Chrysalis View Drop Down
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Commonalities b/w Catholic Christianity and Islam:
 
1. Both believe in a Higher Divine Power/Creator a.k.a God (regardless of how we name/pervieve Him i.e. son etc)
 
2. Christianity and Islam are the ONLY two Religions that  hold Jesus in high respect. (ignoring the issue of divinity at the moment) and believe in him, as a pious, Man sent down by God/Allah to preach His message.
 
3. Christianity and Islam are the ONLY two religions that believe in the Chastity of Mary/Maryam - and her piety. And that require this belief as a part of faith.
 
4. Only two religions , in which believing in Jesus as a pious, servant of God is a matter of faith. (taking divinity aside)
 
 5. Both share common basic morals, e.g:
  • Both religions frown upon sex outside marriage - and consider it a sin
  • Both religions stress upon sanctity of marriage, and give family life utmost importance.
  • Both religions require some semblance of a modest dress requirement from Men and Women.
  • Both religions encourage/require Hijab of Women in particular - . (Corinthians in the Bible)
  • Both Catholicism and Islam discourage/prohibit consumption of Pork and Alcohol.
  • Both are Monotheistic religions.
 
6. Both Christianity and Islam have (had) thier respective Prophets (Jesus and Muhammad) rejected by Judaism/Jews. (No, not an anti-semitic rant, just a factual similarity I just thought of)
 
7. Both religions believe in the same Prophets and thier message e.g. Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Adam, Joseph, Solomon, Jacob, Noah, Lot - to name some.
 
8. Both religions believe in the concept of a Judgement Day - and ressurection after death, and an after life and heaven and hell
 
9. Both the followers of the two religions have a particular fondness for Jerusalem
 
10. Hold somewhat similar views about Abortion - and  sanctity of human life/foetus
 
11. Both frown upon Homosexuality as deviant behaviour.
 
Thats all I could think of at the moment. . . will post more later, if I can think of any, inshalah.
 
Regards,
 
 
 
 
 


Edited by Chrysalis - 26 October 2008 at 5:58am
"O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young."
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DominusVobiscum View Drop Down
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Thank you very much Honeto and Chrysalis for your replies. One of the reasons that I have asked these questions is to try to learn more about the Islamic faith, which I started to become interested in. Any perspective, whether we agree or disagree on it, can only serve to lead us to truth.

In regards to whether we worship the same God, I think that it is a tricky subject. While we would both say that we worship the God of Moses/Abraham/Solomon/Isaiah/etc. it doesn't sound as if we are necessarily discussing the same God. Where I, as a Catholic, would say that I believe Jesus is God, you as a Muslim would say that he isn't. How then could we be worshiping the same God? I don't know.

Honeto, you have brought up an interesting point in stating your belief that all of the people of the book worshiped God in the same way that Islam currently does. Would you say that this belief arises from your belief that Islam has been around since the time of Adam (is that what Islam teaches?)?

Finally, I would like to say that as of late I have been questioning my Catholic faith. I wouldn't say that I am on the brink of leaving, but not quite sure if my faith is the True faith. I am only 18 years old, and these questions have only really begun to come to the forefront of my mind. Any insight into why I should be a Muslim would be great. Again, I am only seeking Truth. Thank you for your time.
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honeto View Drop Down
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Points: 2487 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote honeto Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 October 2008 at 6:54pm
Originally posted by DominusVobiscum DominusVobiscum wrote:

Thank you very much Honeto and Chrysalis for your replies. One of the reasons that I have asked these questions is to try to learn more about the Islamic faith, which I started to become interested in. Any perspective, whether we agree or disagree on it, can only serve to lead us to truth.

In regards to whether we worship the same God, I think that it is a tricky subject. While we would both say that we worship the God of Moses/Abraham/Solomon/Isaiah/etc. it doesn't sound as if we are necessarily discussing the same God. Where I, as a Catholic, would say that I believe Jesus is God, you as a Muslim would say that he isn't. How then could we be worshiping the same God? I don't know.

Honeto, you have brought up an interesting point in stating your belief that all of the people of the book worshiped God in the same way that Islam currently does. Would you say that this belief arises from your belief that Islam has been around since the time of Adam (is that what Islam teaches?)?

Finally, I would like to say that as of late I have been questioning my Catholic faith. I wouldn't say that I am on the brink of leaving, but not quite sure if my faith is the True faith. I am only 18 years old, and these questions have only really begun to come to the forefront of my mind. Any insight into why I should be a Muslim would be great. Again, I am only seeking Truth. Thank you for your time.
 
Dominus,
first I must admire you for your effort and desire to know the truth about God at this age. Not too many would be doing that in today's world. So may God help you find what is right for you and the Truth.
It is true that Islam teaches us that the first man and prophet Adam, to the last prophet Mohammed (pbut) all worshiped the One and Only God there is, and preached the same belief. It was through deviation and alteration and rejection of many that brought us so many deviations and religions. But through His Mercy He kept sending these guides or prophets from time to time to keep those who believe in One God on the right path.
I will write more later.
Peace
 
Hasan


Edited by honeto - 28 October 2008 at 6:56pm
The friends of God will certainly have nothing to fear, nor will they be grieved. Al Quran 10:62
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DominusVobiscum View Drop Down
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Please don't think too highly of me Hasan. I am a great sinner, and am the least worthy of all of God's creatures.

Definitely write more about the Prophets. I am interested to hear a Muslim perspective on them. Could you possibly show me how they were considered Muslims? Like I said, I am drawn to Islam, so I would like to learn much about it.
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seekshidayath View Drop Down
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Points: 3357 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seekshidayath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 October 2008 at 10:33pm

Shalom alykom, Assalamu Alaikum,

That was a greeting which jesus greeted and the other one is an islamic greeting, which means "peace be upon you". The only  difference between the both is, one is in hebrew and the lattter is in arabic. Anyways, Dominus, we are very happy to see you here, at discussions. I wish you a very happy stay.

To continue the discussions, here are our earlier threads, which discuss Prophets in Islam. Today, we shall get to read Enoch {Idris}, Ayoub {Job}, Shuaib, Lut {Lot] and Hud { Peace be upon them all}


http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1693

http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=519

http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1696

http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1695

http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1694

You can get to read of all other prophets from this link too

http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophets/
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: �All the descendants of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent."
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DominusVobiscum View Drop Down
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Thank you very much, seekshidayath! In fact, my name, Dominus Vobiscum, means "The Lord be with you." I will check out those links. Any other suggested reading is greatly appreciated.
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