I have a lot of great friends from a variety of religions, best evidenced by the outpouring of support, affection and prayers when my wife had major cancer surgery last month. I was truly touched when I received word of prayer services in churches, mosques and synagogues literally from around the world. Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude for all your earnest kindness. My wife was particularly moved to learn that across her birth country of Pakistan and the Middle East, food was donated and hungry people were fed in her name. God bless you all.
But my agnostic friends also deserve a shout-out. Because even though they weren't sure whether their prayers could do any good, they were in there with me throughout all the same, doing everything they could think of to help out too, as far as I'm concerned doing just as good of a job honoring God's commands that we look after each-other as everyone else did, even though they're not even sure whether God exists or not!
However, it's the prayers I want to talk about.
Because although my Muslim and Jewish friends didn't feel it necessary to clarify exactly which God they were praying to because everyone of us knows we pray to the same one. Many of my Christian friends -- respectfully, kindly and to my mind tragically -- felt they needed to assure me they were praying to the God of Abraham rather than to Jesus, because they thought I'd be offended otherwise.
And as far as I am concerned, that's mostly because Muslims for the last thousand years have consistently failed to live up to either the commands of the Quran or the example of Muhammad regarding interfaith relations, and thereby have warped the development of both major world religions, leading up to the growing and unnecessary conflict we see developing between Islam and Christianity today.
Frankly, it's gotten so bad between us all that I even have to clarify my admission that I have great Jewish and Christian friends. Because extremist Muslims and extremist non-Muslims alike will tell me I can't because the Quran says Muslims shouldn't be friends with Jews or Christians.
The verse they're talking about is 5:51, which many translate as if it says, "O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends (awliyaa). They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk."
But they do so in woeful ignorance of the real meaning of the word awliyaa, because it doesn't mean "friend" at all. It's actually something much closer to "protector," "helper" or "guardian." It is from a family of words that mean "leader" or even "crown."
In ancient times, a person's awliyaa was an important role more akin to a modern day power of attorney. In that context, the command isn't against having friends among Jews or Christians, it's against putting our destiny into their hands: something that remains good advice to Muslims today.
But the way that command is willfully mis-translated by conflict seeking Muslims and non-Muslims alike speaks not just to how far we've all stepped off the path to peace God's prophets promote, but also how easy it would be for us to step back on if we're willing to listen.
In simplest terms, the question we have to ask ourselves is this: Does God care so much which team we play for, or does he care more about how we play the game?
Muslim/Christian religious chauvinism's not new, and it's not one-sided. In his "Narnia Chronicles," C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite Christian writers, wrote about a "false-God-follower" who, when he met the character Lewis thought represented the true God, was told: "I take to me the services which thou hast done to Tash [the false God] ... if any man swear by him and keep his oath for the oath's sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him."
The thing is, in that series, the Calormen --who worshipped Tash-- obviously played to the worst anti-Arab stereotypes, demonstrating that Lewis wasn't immune to prejudice, but he made an important point about faith, which he clarified:
"I think that every prayer which is sincerely made even to a false god, or to a very imperfectly conceived true God, is accepted by the true God and that Christ saves many who do not think they know him. For He is (dimly) present in the good side of the inferior teachers they follow. In the parable of the Sheep and Goats those who are saved do not seem to know that they have served Christ."
Because Muhammad liked Christians! And he liked and respected Jews and Judaism, too. (If you're interested, Google "Mukhayriq" and the Constitution of Medina.) His uncle Waraqah, the first person who declared his prophethood, likely remained a Christian til the day he died! What he didn't like was Christians and Jews who said one thing and did another, but he disliked Muslims who did that even more.
But more important from an Islamic perspective than his personal feelings were the way he treated Christians, and the promises he made them. The biggest theological difference between Islam and Christianity has to be belief in the Trinity, and that's the main doctrinal point the Quran takes issue with: few Christians today recall that belief in the Trinity wasn't even part of Christianity until the fourth century A.D., or realize that today's Muslims are likely much closer to the beliefs the earliest Christians held dear than today's Christians are.
But belief in the Trinity was taking hold among Christians at the time of Muhammad, and he had to deal with many Christians who not only believed that God could be Three as well as One, but also the belief that Jesus was God as well. Did he condemn them or abuse them for it? Absolutely not!
In fact, when the Christians of Najran came to Medina to debate theology, they quite respectfully asked permission to leave the city to worship the Christ. And even more respectfully, Muhammad told them they didn't have to leave the city at all, and invited them to use his own mosque for their worship! Because Muhammad knew that even though their belief was wrong, it was sincere, and like C.S. Lewis, among many others, he too knew that all good prayers and good deeds go to the same good place and the same good purpose, regardless of how much we know about it. And when they left Medina -- still Christians -- he promised them Muslim protection for their freedom of religion forever.
I often pose "dogmatic" believers a simple question: If I raised my children on a desert island, with no other influence but mine, to believe God wanted nothing more than for them to paint their bellies blue, and if they died with blue-tinged abdomens, would God punish my children or me? You'd be surprised how many figure out some way to justify God punishing us all.
Muhammad, on the other hand, didn't care so much about doctrinal purity. In fact, there's a Christian monastery that's been at the foot of Mount Sinai for the last 1,500 years, which cherishes a document that was dictated by Muhammad and transcribed by Ali (whom Shiite Muslims also revere) that promises Muslim protection for Christians and for Christianity, a promise they made binding on all Muslims everywhere till the end of time.
"This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (the end of the world)."
Now, I think the reason why believers find themselves in conflict with other believers so often is a simple one: The one belief everyone shares, but that divides us from one another regardless, is that we're right about what we believe and we think it matters.
But how much do we know about exactly what Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael believed about God, beyond believing God was One and, as such, above believer's polytheistic playing-one-God-against-another manipulations? Did Moses think God's covenant was only with the children of Israel, or did David think Jerusalem's Temple was for Jews and Jews alone? Did Jesus need to indoctrinate either Samaritans or Roman Centurions before he served them? The answer to all those questions is a resounding "NO!" if you take the time to find out the answers for yourself.
And I think it's incredibly important that we all do so and soon. Not only does the belief that God cares WHAT we believe more than what we do about it divide us unnecessarily, it is also the belief that sits at the heart of the religious radicalism that's currently plaguing us all.
Thinking God cares more about your team jersey, about whether you play for the Saints or the Cardinals, the Servants or the Crusaders, than whether you play by the rules He's set out is
But I'm Muslim, and so I ask all my Muslim brothers and sisters around the world, and especially those who think they can or should abuse, mistreat or even kill non-Muslims: Does Allah really care so much what we believe, so much that He doesn't care what we do? Al-Baqarah 177 says otherwise:
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in the Lord and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the Prophets; and giveth his wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and who sets slaves free; and who observeth proper worship and payeth the poor what they are due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God fearing.
So what's my bottom-line? Heaven can be as big as God wants it to be, even big enough for everyone if He chooses to make it so, and I think it's my agnostic friends who so far have the best of it.
Because by not trying to put God into a box of their own making by way of their own believing they show God the most respect of all of us, regardless of their uncertainties, which quite frankly are mostly the fault of us "true-believers" because of the awful things we've done purportedly on God's behalf anyways.
We Muslims and Christians and other believers, on the other hand, are well on our way to making earth a living Hell for all of us by pretending otherwise. We should put that sort of self-serving, short-sighted believing behind us, before it's too late for all of us.
Ameen.
Follow Dr. David Liepert on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrDavidLiepert
If you go ask any Jew, Christian, or Muslim who God is you will get three different answers.. The Jews didnt see their Messiah when He came and they killed Him..
For Jews; Who is this referring to?
1.) Isaiah 53 (Suffering Servant)
2.) Psalm 22 (Crucifixion of the Messiah)
3.) Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Old and New Covenant)
4.) Daniel 9:24-27 (Messiah to be cut off, the city will be destroyed, so the Messiah had to come before this event, which took place in 70AD)
5.) Proverbs 30:4 (There is a God, "What is his name, and the name of his son?"
The Quran was written hundreds of years after the Bible was written, (and even confirms the Torah, Psalms, and the Gospels) and the Bible gives no evidence of further prophets or revelations to come, only to be ready for Christ second coming.. The Bible does tell us however to watch out for false teachers and teachings that will follow..
Talking about Jesus:
-3:55 "; I will make those who follow you superior to those who deny the faith till the Day of Resurrection."
- 5:46 .. We sent Jesus, the Son of Mary, confirming the Torah already revealed, and gave him the Gospel, in which there is Guidance and Light.. Let the people of the Gospel judge what Allah has revealed in it. Also see 6:115
- 19:15 "Peace be upon him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the Day he is raised back to life. (But Muslims dont believe Jesus died, he was raised up to Allah and someone else died in his place??) 19:34 "..That is the whole truth, which they still doubt.
The Quran confims the Bible as the revealed Word of God, and Gods Word cannot be changed; 6:34, 10:64, 18:27. Learn of Jesus
And I think pretty much everyone's accepted that the Jews as a group weren't responsible for the death of Jesus. Respectfully, I'd avoid going there: hat canard was responsible for alot of abuse over the centuries!
Who do you say Jesus is?
Is he a man? A prophet? A messenger? The Son of God? Etc...etc...
I would like to hear your opinion of who you think Jesus is.
If you are honestly wondering what I think and why I think it, then please read my book, as my journey from "spirit filled and spirit led Bible believing Christian" to "still the same spirit filled and spirit led Bible and Qur'an believing Muslim" is well documented there, with every pertinent verse in both the Bible and the Qur'an recorded and commented upon. It takes over 300 pages to do it, but it explains why and how I can love all three faiths and all three streams of believers together despite the challenges of the world we live in today.
Because one thing I know for sure is that it get's better! And personally, I'm looking forward to Jesus' own comments on all the matters that divide us when he returns!
Because to me Jesus is the:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, The bridegroom, The Son of Abraham, The prince/ruler and shepherd of Israel, The horn of salvation, dayspring/dawn from on high, The resurrection and the life, The way, and the truth, and the life, The author of life, The judge of the living and the dead, The spiritual rock, The beloved, The cornerstone, The head of the church, The image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, The one mediator between God and humankind, The blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, The righteous judge, The pioneer and perfecter of our faith, The shepherd and guardian/bishop of your souls, The Amen, The faithful and true witness, The origin of God's creation, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The root of David.
Ali, was not the first Muslim! According to several passages in the Quran, Muhammad was the first Muslim:
Sura 6:163, Nothing is equal to Him. Thus are the commandments which I have received and he is the first Muslim (submitted to the will of God)." Muhammad Sarwar English Translation.
Sura 6:162-163, Say, "My prayer, sacrifice, life, and death are all for God, the Lord of the Universe. Nothing is equal to Him. Thus are the commandments which I have received and he is the first Muslim (submitted to the will of God)." Muhammad Sarwar English Translation
Sura 39:11-12, Say, "I am commanded to worship God and be devoted to His religion and I am commanded to be the first Muslim". Muhammad Sarwar English Translation
And please mslms every time we discuss with you from quran or hadith you claim some surah was misunderstood or a case of bad translation, that argument doesn't work anymore. If you have problems in your scriptures then it is ur problem.
I'm sorry, but it's not an argument, it's just the truth.
You think so? Then you are very wrong wrong.
As I was born and grown up in an Arabic country, I speak Arabic and studied Islam in school?
If you read the Quran and Hadith you will understand that there is no forgiveness of sin, salvation of soul, fellowship with God or eternal life ever offered in Quran or in Hadith.
In other words there is no way to know whether someone is going to hell or heaven or whether he or she will get salvation or not until their last breath. In Islam salvation is based on good deeds unlike Bible where God has already paid the price in full for the salvation of our souls.
Quran has kept its believers in dark but the Bible says that we can receive salvation or forgiveness of our sins in this world itself by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
- Shouldn't that also be included in the quran if it was really the word and will of God?
Jesus knew, and it's why he could say, "forgive them, for they know not what they do."
You are correct, that no-one can gainsay God's right to Judge, but we can all rest assured of His promise to Judge Mercifully, Justly, Gracioiusly and Well. Because regardless of what you believe God's Grace alone is Sufficient, if God So Wills, for us all.
And may God forgive you for what you do in error, and someday grant you Peace both here on earth and in Heaven.
My point is every mslm should believe in what is in hadith. They do that in the ME the cradle of religion, where Arabic the quran language is spoken.
Doesn't sound like Mad Dog Muhammad liked Jews and Christians to me.
JESUS DYING LAST WORDS: "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34.
Christ asks God to forgive His enemies, while Muhammad utters a bitter curse against those who rejected his assertion of prophethood. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate for Muhammad to ask Allah to guide the Christians and Jews while he was dying?
On the early morning of twelfth of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the prophet’s fever abated and he went to the mosque, assisted by Fadl and Thawban, when Abu Bakr was already leading the prayer. Realizing that the prophet was approaching, Abu Bakr stepped back without turning his head, but the prophet pressed his hand on his shoulder to let him know to continue. The Prophet sat on the right of Abu Bakr and completed the prayer while seated. The apparent recovery of the Prophet overjoyed the Muslims. Anas (ra) is reported to have said that I never saw the Prophet’s face more beautiful than it was at that hour.
Within hours, the Prophet lost his consciousness. He opened his eyes again an hour later saying to A’ishah (ra): “No Prophet is taken by death until he has been shown his place in Paradise and then offered the choice to live or to die.†Among the last words he said were:
“With the supreme communion in Paradise, with those upon whom God has showered his favor, the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous, most excellent for communion are they.â€
The Prophet’s last words were “O Allah, with the supreme communion.†He died in the evening of the twelfth of Rabi’ al-Awwal (June 8, 632 A.D.) at the age of sixty-three.
....'Aisha added: He died on the day of my usual turn at my house. Allah took him unto Him while his head was between my chest and my neck and his saliva was mixed with my saliva. Sahih Bukhari 7:62:144
I disagree. Are saying that the hadith is incorrect?
Two months after performing the Hajj (Farewell Pilgrimage), after one of these prayers he invoked special blessings on the martyrs of Uhud, and then addressed the Muslims:
“There is a slave among the slaves of Allah (The One God) to whom God has offered the choice between this world and that which is with Him, and the slave has chosen that which is with God.â€
“I warn you O Muslims to be good to the Ansar. They have performed their duty well. Muslims will increase in number but Ansar will dwindle and be as salt in a meal.
“Woe to the nations before you who worshiped the tombs of their prophets. I forbid you to do that. O people, the most unselfish of men to me in his companionship is Abu Bakr, and if I were to take from mankind an inseparable friend he would be Abu Bakr - but the brotherhood of faith is ours until God unite us in His presence.
“I go before you and I am your witness. Your meeting with me is at the pool (a lake fed by the celestial river Kawthar where believers will quench their thirst on their entry into paradise.). I fear not for you that you will set up gods beside Allah (The One God); but I fear for you that you will rival one another in worldly gains.â€
I disagree with your statement: "Does God care so much which team we play for, or does he care more about how we play the game?" I think that both are equally important. A non-practicing Muslim is doing wrong, but so is one who commits good deeds for the sake of a false deity. There is a difference between Arabian pagans (worshiping idols), some Christians (worshipinga man/angels as gods), and some Christians (worshiping Jesus pbuh/angels, etc. as a way to worship God). They're different levels of polytheism, I think. God knows best.
There is a verse in the Qur'an that says that "nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant." 5:82 Ibn Kathir says: Christians (especially monks, nun, priests) are knowledgeable, humble, and following truth and fairness (because that is what their religion dictates of them). It's not Islam, but God indicates it as worthy of love and affection, nonetheless.
"Muhammad on the other hand never did that. He was respectful of other beliefs even though he KNEW he was right"
- I don't find it respectful to claim that Jesus is not the sun of God rather insulting to Christians specially calling them blasphemers.
Maidah {5:73}
"They do blaspheme who say: God is the third of three (thalith thalatha): for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them."
Nisa {4:171}
"O People of the Book, commit no excesses in your religion; nor say of God anything but the truth. The Messiah Jesus son of Mary was (no more than) a Messenger of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him; so believe in God and His Messengers. Say not "Trinity": desist! It will be better for you: for God is One: Glory be to Him! (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs."
Insincere people hide behind misinterepretation, period.
He clearly painted muhadmed as a tolerant man in his quest to enlighten the people about the TRUE God.
These statements are the cause of killing and rightfully so.{5.64 Surah} "Unbelievers are those that say; God is one of three;.."
Surah 4.56
Those that deny our revelation we will burn in fire.
No sooner will their skin be consumed than we shall
give them other skins
‘Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme’---surah-2:193
Prophet, make war on the UNBELIEVERS and the hypocrites, and deal Sternly with them.. Surah--66:7
If you tell people these & more & you expect them to behave or read between the lines,you are wrong. You are giving a timebomb to a child expecting him to handle it well.
In the end this 'good' & 'understanding' guy didn't answer on important question...where in his faith/koran would the agnostic ones end up, hell or heaven???
That problem's not limited to Muslims, as I know for instance how non-Christians and young Christians, and young Jews and non-Jews struggle with interpreting apparently sexist, misogynist or even overtly genocidal passages in the Bible, and yet in Christianity and Judaism the final word on interpretation generally rests with those considered wisest and most skilled in understanding the message, rather than the purely literal "context free" translation (when languages themselves are hard to translate from one to the other regardless).
Throughout His revelations to us all, our Creator has been clear that we will always find what we are looking for: those seeking conflict will find conflict, those seeking peace will find peace. More than anything else, I think this comment section proves the truth of that. I look forward to the day we all want justice, mercy, and above all peace no matter what we believe!
Because our beliefs aren't in control: God IS.
‘Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme’--Â-surah-2:1Â93
Prophet, make war on the UNBELIEVERÂS and the hypocritesÂ, and deal Sternly with them.. Surah--66:Â7
That said. I know the verse but that was when muhadmed started his mission before he was rejected as a prophet of God of abraham or else how does anyone explain this?surah3:88 he that chooses a religion other than islam, it'll not be accepted from him & in the world to come he will surely be among the losers."
This book is full of contradictions,and the scholars can keep their opinions. muhadmed fought for allah against unbelievers. I know a muslim is convinced muhad was peaceful, no, he wasn't.So believe what you will.
When you are fighting idol worshippers according to muhadmed, what else is there to say?‘Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme’--ÂÂ-surah-2:Â1Â93
What you call truth is relative. A 1400 prophet is FAR from TRUTH about this place, period.
You and I can argue but the situation before you were born haven't changed on the ground...people are dying over nonsense just like 2000 years ago.
Now, you or anyone who responds to this comment will likely say: "That is dogmatic! You aren't being tolerant!" Maybe you don't know the definition of dogma:
It means: A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
The word has come to carry a negative connotation because of people who believe something is true, do not provide evidence for what they claim, and are unwilling to listen to anything else when in fact they are false.
I have provided very clear proof of what the Islamic position is and I am sticking to it. That is the linguistic definition of dogma. As for this connotation associated with the word, my argument does not fall under it.
In brief: I am for completely for positive relations between Muslims and those of other faiths, but Islam makes it very clear that it is the only acceptable religion. I am a Muslim and this is my belief. If you believe otherwise, that is on you, but do not dare claim that what you believe in is Islam.
(and that you're maybe a little long-winded?)
Brother, I've responded to you at the beginning of your post, three boxes down. And I think you've done a brilliant summary of the doctrinal/theological differences between Christianity and Islam in the middle.
Muslims believe that God is Eternal, Everlasting, does not need ANYTHING, does not resemble ANYTHING, is not a man, is not a soul, is not a spirit, is not in need of place or time, and exists without place or time. God is the Creator and everything else is a creation. Period.
Christians believe that God was born to Lady Mary over 2000 years ago, that God was obligated to die so that our sins could be forgiven, and that he is somehow 3 and 1 simultaneously.
These two creeds could not be more different. Prophet Muhammad believed in the first and did not accept the belief of anyone who believed otherwise.
So, if God is not man, not a soul, not a spirit. what image of God do you get when you pray"
Empty space, a passing cloud, a molecule, the sun, a ray of light .. what?
A golden rule in the Muslim belief is: Whatever One imagines in one's mind, God is different from that.
Absolutely everything other than God is created. This includes time and place. God existed before he created time and place and God still exists without time and place because God does not change. God exists without a place and is not dependent on time. (Ex: Heaven is a location and is created. God existed before heaven without heaven, and after creating heaven, God did not change to become 'in' heaven)
Our knowledge of God consists in knowing what befits God and what does not befit God. Among the befitting attributes: Knowledge over everything, Power over Everything, being Eternal, being Everlasting, etc.
The Muslim creed is one consistent with logic and rational proofs.
I hope your question was answered supermoon. If you have any other questions, I am more than happy to answer them if I am able. Take care.
These verses are VERY explicit. Muslims do not equivocate on this at all, and whoever claims to be a Muslim and believes that religions other than Islam are acceptable is going against the Qur'an, and the one who contradicts the Qur'an is by definition not a Muslim.
You say: "Muhammad, on the other hand, didn't care so much about doctrinal purity."
This is a manifest DISTORTION and LIE. Your statement constitutes claiming that Muhammad accepted Christians in their belief, which is delusion. The proclamation at the Christian monastery at Mt. Sinai, which I have been to in person, applies in the context of a Muslim state, of which there is none on earth today. You make a jump and suggest that this means that Muhammad accept Christians . The document is a political one for Christians who were under Muslim rule. Of course, no Muslim should attack or harm a Christian or their church with no reason, but that does not mean that Muslims accept the belief of Christians or any other religious group.
Muslims and Christians should seek mutual coexistence and friendly relations with each other. I am 100% for this. They should seek friendships with one another, common ground in working to alleviate social problems, etc. However, this absolutely does not mean that their theological positions are reconcilable. They are not.
Interesting handle- you obviously consider yourself a significant Muslim authority. You should know that every one of my blogs is vetted by some of the most respected Sunni Scholarly authorities in Islam. This one garnered, "Allah bless you for your work and your words!"
However, if you think I'm saying Christianity and Islam are interchangeable, you missed my point. My point is summed up in the title, and deals with a real problem, that being that YOU -Muslim- think you are right, and the poster immediately below this thread who goes by the handle "IldoRight" -Christian- think that they're right, and both of you then go on to declare the other mortally and im-mortally wrong and get drawn into an unresolvable conflict!
Muhammad (SAWS) on the other hand never did that. He was respectful of other beliefs even though he KNEW he was right, and respectful of other's practices even though he KNEW they were wrong, because he considered intent and sincerity too: just as we know Allah does.
He saw the big picture, one where you don't win by beating someone else. You win by serving Allah, the Lord Creator, God of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jesus and Muhammad all together, God be pleased with and give peace to them all.
InshaAllah, Muslims will step up to live by Muhammad's example (SAWS) instead of our own less than perfect interpretations, because his Islam is what the world needs more of today.
I understand that you are trying to develop positive relations between Muslims and Christians. That is a good thing. However, distorting what Muhammad said and believed about Christians is not the proper approach.
First of all let me say this: I am a Muslim. I believe in the Qur'an and I believe in the Prophet Muhammad. I believe that Jesus was a Prophet, but that he was neither God nor the son of God, because being a human contradicts Godhood and the trinity is fundamentally irrational.
I am a recent college graduate from a private non-religious institution that happens to have many religious Christian students. I had very good relationships with them, but that does not mean that I agree with them on theological perspectives.
It is among the essentials of the Muslim belief to believe that only Islam is the correct religion.
Allah revealed in the Qur'an in 3:19: Ø¥Ùنَّ ٱلدّÙينَ عÙندَ ٱللَّه٠ٱلۡإÙسۡلَـٰمÙ‌ۗ - "Certainly the religion accepted to Allah is Islam.
Allah revealed in the Qur'an in 3:85 ÙˆÙŽÙ…ÙŽÙ† يَبۡتَغ٠غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإÙسۡلَـٰم٠دÙينً۬ا ÙÙŽÙ„ÙŽÙ† ÙŠÙقۡبَلَ Ù…ÙÙ†Û¡Ù‡Ù ÙˆÙŽÙ‡ÙÙˆÙŽ ÙÙÙ‰ ٱلۡأَخÙرَة٠مÙÙ†ÙŽ ٱلۡخَـٰسÙرÙينَ - "Whomever elects for himself a religion other than Islam, then it will not be accepted from him and he is among the losers in the Hereafter."
1. You say: Does God care so much which team we play for, or does he care more about how we play the game?
This question implies that any religion one chooses is ok as long as he or she “is good.†This is the claim of perennialists (i.e.; those who claim that all religions are different paths to the same goal) and not what Muslims believe.
2. You didn't address my claim regarding doctrinal purity at all. Muhammad obviously cared about doctrinal purity because the Qur'an mentions in many areas that certain creeds relegate one to everlasting torture, among them what I mentioned before, in addition to this verse:
Allah revealed in 48:13: ÙˆÙŽÙ…ÙŽÙ† لَّمْ ÙŠÙؤْمÙÙ† بÙاللَّه٠وَرَسÙولÙÙ‡Ù ÙÙŽØ¥Ùنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا Ù„ÙلْكَاÙÙرÙينَ سَعÙيرًا
“Whomever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger (referring to Muhammad) then certainly Allah has prepared for them (disbelievers) Hellfireâ€
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ÙÙ‰ الØديث الذى رواه الإمام مسلم: "ما من يهودى أو نصرانى يسمع بى ثم لا يؤمن بى وبما جئت به إلا كان من أصØاب النار"
The Messenger of Allah said in a hadith related by Imam Muslim: “Whomever among the Jews or Christians hears about me then doesn’t believe in me and what I came with (the revelation) then they are among the denizens of Hellâ€