A Muslim perspective: s/o do you teach your children that your faith is the only one

[helena]

My husband and I have been following the post "Do you teach your children that your faith is the only correct one."

 

Seeing that the subject of Islam came up in relation to the Christian and Jewish faiths, and that some gross inaccuracies were presented (albeit with some excellent clarification provided by Bill in Islam's defense), we as a Muslim family felt compelled to respond in order to clear up some misconceptions perpetuated on the original thread. Hopefully this can serve a small part to removing barriers between faiths that are not all that different in their essence.

 

As Muslims, we raise our children from within our own tradition, while maintaining a respectful view towards other religious faiths, and a love for all of God's creation - a viewpoint that is inherent in the Islamic understanding of revelation and brotherhood of mankind.

 

According to the Quran, every nation on earth has been sent a Messenger or Prophet (Lo! We have sent thee with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner hath passed among them (Qur'an 16:36). Likewise - it is clearly stated in the Quran that there is No compulsion in religion (There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing - Qur'an 2:256)

 

The various religions, are, from a Muslim point of view, man made differences - springing from cultural perceptions and or theological understandings - as well as in some cases, degeneration of a religions original message (i.e. scholarly research into Buddhism clearly shows the early Buddhist communities did not use statues in their religious practice, nor does the folk Taoism practiced in China represent the pure philosophical Taoism of Lao Tse). Likewise, even with the Big Three of the Monotheistic tradition - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - you will find schism and sectarian division, based off of theological, and or political disputes.

 

But despite these divisions - no matter what our perceptions are as 'Believers' - the Nature of God remains unchanged i.e.

in all of the worlds religious traditions - God is not reliant upon his Creation - and his nature does not change depending on what we as humans think

that nature is or isn't. In light of that, we teach our children according to our religious understanding, to the best of our knowledge - but also in awe of the fact, that we are not God, and cannot speak for God.

 

We find it both reckless and disheartening to see some people continuing to perpetuate division, whether intentional, or accidental (through their own lack of education in regards to the mater at hand), when our world is in dire need of ecumenical understanding. In particular, the abject falsehood

being propagated, that Muslims somehow worship a different God in 'Allah', than that of the God worshiped by Jews and Christians.

 

First off, this is insulting to the Arab Christians who have used the divine name 'Allah' in their Bibles and religious practice for over 16 centuries. Secondly, it also smells of Xenophobia, when western Christians condemn the use of a word like "Allah' for the Supreme Being, when the term for God in Aramaic (which is the language Jesus spoke) is 'Elahh - compared to the use of the English word of God, which has no connection to any Semitic word for God present in the Old Testament, New Testament or elsewhere (and yet us Muslims, Jews, and non western Christians, still seem to know what you mean, when you say "God').

 

In regards to the Christian view of their God being that of a Triune God (Trinity). Clearly, Muslims believe Allah to be One,

and not a Trinity. But all Christians do recognize that their faith springs forth from Judaism, and that Jesus was a Jew. The fact that Judaism

does not perceive God to be Triune in nature, has never caused Christians to lay forth the argument that it is a different God for which they speak.

Rather, the correct argument made, is that their is a different theological understanding, or perception of the same God. This, by extension,

has to be applied to Muslims, and the Arabic word for God "Allah" - when for the entire history of Islam, both Muslims, as well as Christians and Jews, have understood Muslims to be worshiping the same God as them - albeit it, with a different theological understanding. And even in regards to that different understanding - it should be pointed out, that Christianity has by no means been unanimous in its acceptance of The Trinity. It is not

actually in the Bible, and in fact, for the first 325 years, was neither a universally held Christian viewpoint in regards to the nature of God, nor was it the Original conception of the earliest community). Furthermore, during the time of Muhammad (sal) relations between the early Muslim community and the Christian Negus (King) of Ethiopia, were quite cordial - with him offering protection and shelter to the Muslims as fellow believers in the same God.

 

Finally, in regards to the Christian and Jewish God having a 'different' personality - it should first of all be made clear that the 'standard' lay person understanding of the Christian God, even in relation to that of the "Old Testament' God, is that The Christian God is more a 'God Of Love', as opposed to the Jealous, Wrathful God of old. That said, Christian and Jewish

scholars alike will readily point out, God has always encompassed these various attributes (as well as others), and that we are merely witness

to different aspects of the same God at different times within both the Old and New Testament. Similarly, Allah has many of the same attributes

of which were of primary concern to the author who felt Allah to be devoid of such things. For the record - in regards to the Christian God being Holy, Pure and Just, let it be known that some Divine Names of Allah - in regards to his attributes, are al-'Adl - The Just; and al-Quddus - The Pure, the Holy. And in regards to Mercy and Grace - we have Ar-Rahman, and Ar-Rahim (the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful).

 

Lastly, as to Muslims not expecting a Messiah, this again, is false. Not only do we await a Messiah, we expect it in the form of Jesus whom we believe

will come in conjunction with the Mahdi (as). And to add further clarification, should there be any doubt about inherent similarities between our faiths

- we as Muslims also believe in the Immaculate conception of Jesus - and that he was invested with the Ruh (or Spirit of Allah).

 

This post was in one way a response to inaccuracies presented against Islam - but we also don't want to leave anyone with the notion that it was purely to defend "our" religion, against 'another' religion. Our purpose is to try to bring clarity to what we believe, so that others can respect it, as we respect their faith (not just Christianity, but all religions). It shouldn't just be about "tolerating" other peoples views. It should be about respecting the fact that their faith brings them into communion with God and makes them better people. In that regard, we have close friends and family, who run the gamut of world religions - and we are able to see the beauty in all of their faiths. That does not mean we personally accept all of their beliefs, and as mentioned earlier, we do raise our children as Muslims - but at the same time, we are not scoffing at our friends and family who are not Muslim, for their beliefs. Only God knows what is in each person's heart, and its not up to us to dictate peoples faith.

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

very nice post. Thank you for this much-needed clarification.

[HRAAB]

Thank you very much.

 

Janet

[greensummervillian]

Thank you for taking the time to explain that to us. I personally don't know any Muslims, and my knowledge is limited to the very basics, so this was very informative for me. I had no idea the Aramaic and Arabic words for God were so close. I did know Muslims considered Jesus a good teacher, but I didn't know they expect him to come as a Messiah or that you consider his birth to be an Immaculate conception. The more I learn about all religions, the more amazed I am by the similarities.

[Zoo Keeper]

Thank you for your kind and informative post.

[elegantlion]

Thank you for sharing.

[Storm Bay]

My husband and I have been following the post "Do you teach your children that your faith is the only correct one."

 

scoffing at our friends and family who are not Muslim, for their beliefs. Only God knows what is in each person's heart, and its not up to us to dictate peoples faith.

 

 

Something I'd like to add is that NOT all Christians believe that God is a trinity. In fact, there was a huge schism in the church when Constantine had that doctrine made official; it split the church in half. Many of the Christians who did not adopt the trinity lived in northern Africa, and centuries later, many of them converted to Islam. But there have been "unitarian" Christians since Christianity began, but I have to say that most of them do see Christ as the only way to God, which I know is different than Islam or Judaism or the group Universalist Unitarians.

 

Ultimately, though, God is the only one who knows a person's heart, and it is not up to us to judge or dictate regardless of how strongly we may think something is true, and the Bible is very clear that it's what's in your heart that is most important.

[Greta]

Thank you for taking the time to do this, Helena. I learned a great deal from your post, and deeply appreciate the sentiments behind it.

[Nakia]

I really appreciate you taking the time to post! I am learning so much on this board.

[Night Elf]

Wow, awesome post! I have never learned anything about Muslims and I am intrigued that my beliefs align more with your faith than with the Christian faith I have known all my life. Very interesting!

[Spy Car]

Thank you for the excellent post Helena!

 

It's my hope that if we at least strive to understand one another, and not labor under falsehoods and misunderstandings, then we at least have the chance of living in peace together as brothers and sisters.

 

Bill

[Mommy22alyns]

Thank you for the informative post! I learn a lot here. :)

[MIch elle]

I try to respect different religious traditions and to teach my dc to respect all people regardless of their faith or lack of it in God (Allah, Jehovah, ...).

 

If we are to keep our country great (U.S.) then we need to continue to respect each other.

[TN Mama]

Hopefully this can serve a small part to removing barriers between faiths that are not all that different in their essence.

 

 

 

Thank you for your post.

[sassenach]

Thank you so much for this post.

[MSNative]

Thank you for the very informative and thoughtful post. I enjoyed reading it and learning more. I would like to ask a question that I hope will be taken as just that - a question, not an accusation.

 

You stated :In particular, the abject falsehood being propagated, that Muslims somehow worship a different God in 'Allah', than that of the God worshiped by Jews and Christians.

 

If all three groups worship the same God, then why do Muslims perceive Jews and Christians to be infidels? I don't mean that in any pointed way. I'd really like to understand what is the critical part in worshipping the same God that moves you from the infidel category to the faithful.

 

Also, I have never heard that Muslims were awaiting a Messiah and certainly not in the form of Jesus. I am intrigued. Can you direct me to any resource where I can learn more about this?

 

I have to quickly share that I am so excited about this post. We had a guest speaker at our church just a couple of weeks ago. He was from Syria and worked for the Crescent Project. He shared stories about the people he knew and how beneath all the differences we see, we're all God's creations - looking for hope, love, answers to life's big questions, etc. He then challenged us to go out a invite Muslims to our homes, playgroups, whatever, just to get to know them. Hopefully, if more people are willing to take the time to learn more about people than what we see on CNN we can break thru the animosity that seems to be growing.

(sadly, that animosity seems to be growing between all sorts of different groups. Boo.)

[Mesa]

In regards to the Christian view of their God being that of a Triune God (Trinity). Clearly, Muslims believe Allah to be One,

and not a Trinity.

 

I am LDS ("We" are most definitely a Christian faith. We read the King James Version of The Holy Bible as well as other testaments of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctorine and Covenants. One book is not more important to us than the other, they are all scripture... all equally important.) we do not believe in a Triune God, we believe God to be One as well.

[Peek a Boo]

this was great --i would LOVE to see more Muslims speaking out about/clarifying their faith. After 9/11 i only saw one article in the local paper [in NY] by a Muslim that discussed the whole infidel issue.

[DawnM]

I enjoy finding other faiths that homeschool! I want my children to have friends of all faiths and find that in hsing we tend to be quite sheltered! I have found secular hsers, but not many of other faiths.

 

Although I do teach that our faith is that one that we follow, I want them to be respectful of all people and all faiths.

 

Kudos to you.

 

Dawn

[jonesloonybin]

Thank you for such a great post. I totally agree that we need to all realize what we have in common and respect everyone's choice of religion. I wish everyone could discuss their religion and others, with the class and respect that you have shown in your post.

[BigMamaBird]

Thank you for taking the time to post such a well thought out response. I enjoying hearing "from the horses' mouth" when it comes to religion. Very interesting.

[helena]

Jcodevilla,

 

The simple answer is that Muslims do not perceive Jews and Christians to be infidels. The term infidel actually has its roots in Christendom - based on the latin 'infidelis', meaning 'unfaithful' and used by European Christians to describe Muslims - especially during the Crusades. Later, this also came to denote any non-Christian or "unbeliever."

 

The rough equivalent in Islam, would be the arabic word "Kafir" - meaning "rejecter of faith" - which was specifically used against the Pagan Arabs who were waging war against the early Muslim community. Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians etc are considered Al-Kitab, or "People of the Book" and in relation to that, are afforded protection within Muslim society and are NOT considered to be unbelievers (i.e. it is against the law under Sharia, to call People of The Book a Kafir, or oppress them for their religious beliefs).

 

Where the disparity lies in modern times, with fanatical interpretations of Islam - is that in the legacy of colonialism, and, sometimes continued imperialism - there are those who out of ignorance and anger, wrongly assume ALL westerners to have abandoned their Christianity, and thus make statements out of anger, in regards to westerners being "al-Kafirun." This view is not supported by scholars or valid religious leaders in any of the major schools of law within Islam - and is a simpletons reaction against a perceived "other" (a type of view that an uneducated minority in every culture, and country will tend to display, despite their religious books or leaders tell them to the contrary)

 

As to references on Jesus in Islam - there are many Hadith Books with sections regarding this - but it may be abit hard for you to track down and even more cumbersome to search through all of them. A couple of great books in english regarding Jesus from a Muslim perspective, are "The Muslim Jesus - sayings and stories in Islamic literature" and Jesus in the Quran and Shi'ite Narrations - both of which can be found on Amazon.com

 

Hope that helps.

[Lizzie in Ma]

And enlightening. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it, I learned several things I had been unaware of regarding the Muslim faith. :)

 

 

My husband and I have been following the post "Do you teach your children that your faith is the only correct one."

 

Seeing that the subject of Islam came up in relation to the Christian and Jewish faiths, and that some gross inaccuracies were presented (albeit with some excellent clarification provided by Bill in Islam's defense), we as a Muslim family felt compelled to respond in order to clear up some misconceptions perpetuated on the original thread. Hopefully this can serve a small part to removing barriers between faiths that are not all that different in their essence.

 

As Muslims, we raise our children from within our own tradition, while maintaining a respectful view towards other religious faiths, and a love for all of God's creation - a viewpoint that is inherent in the Islamic understanding of revelation and brotherhood of mankind.

 

According to the Quran, every nation on earth has been sent a Messenger or Prophet (Lo! We have sent thee with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner hath passed among them (Qur'an 16:36). Likewise - it is clearly stated in the Quran that there is No compulsion in religion (There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing - Qur'an 2:256)

 

The various religions, are, from a Muslim point of view, man made differences - springing from cultural perceptions and or theological understandings - as well as in some cases, degeneration of a religions original message (i.e. scholarly research into Buddhism clearly shows the early Buddhist communities did not use statues in their religious practice, nor does the folk Taoism practiced in China represent the pure philosophical Taoism of Lao Tse). Likewise, even with the Big Three of the Monotheistic tradition - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - you will find schism and sectarian division, based off of theological, and or political disputes.

 

But despite these divisions - no matter what our perceptions are as 'Believers' - the Nature of God remains unchanged i.e.

in all of the worlds religious traditions - God is not reliant upon his Creation - and his nature does not change depending on what we as humans think

that nature is or isn't. In light of that, we teach our children according to our religious understanding, to the best of our knowledge - but also in awe of the fact, that we are not God, and cannot speak for God.

 

We find it both reckless and disheartening to see some people continuing to perpetuate division, whether intentional, or accidental (through their own lack of education in regards to the mater at hand), when our world is in dire need of ecumenical understanding. In particular, the abject falsehood

being propagated, that Muslims somehow worship a different God in 'Allah', than that of the God worshiped by Jews and Christians.

 

First off, this is insulting to the Arab Christians who have used the divine name 'Allah' in their Bibles and religious practice for over 16 centuries. Secondly, it also smells of Xenophobia, when western Christians condemn the use of a word like "Allah' for the Supreme Being, when the term for God in Aramaic (which is the language Jesus spoke) is 'Elahh - compared to the use of the English word of God, which has no connection to any Semitic word for God present in the Old Testament, New Testament or elsewhere (and yet us Muslims, Jews, and non western Christians, still seem to know what you mean, when you say "God').

 

In regards to the Christian view of their God being that of a Triune God (Trinity). Clearly, Muslims believe Allah to be One,

and not a Trinity. But all Christians do recognize that their faith springs forth from Judaism, and that Jesus was a Jew. The fact that Judaism

does not perceive God to be Triune in nature, has never caused Christians to lay forth the argument that it is a different God for which they speak.

Rather, the correct argument made, is that their is a different theological understanding, or perception of the same God. This, by extension,

has to be applied to Muslims, and the Arabic word for God "Allah" - when for the entire history of Islam, both Muslims, as well as Christians and Jews, have understood Muslims to be worshiping the same God as them - albeit it, with a different theological understanding. And even in regards to that different understanding - it should be pointed out, that Christianity has by no means been unanimous in its acceptance of The Trinity. It is not

actually in the Bible, and in fact, for the first 325 years, was neither a universally held Christian viewpoint in regards to the nature of God, nor was it the Original conception of the earliest community). Furthermore, during the time of Muhammad (sal) relations between the early Muslim community and the Christian Negus (King) of Ethiopia, were quite cordial - with him offering protection and shelter to the Muslims as fellow believers in the same God.

 

Finally, in regards to the Christian and Jewish God having a 'different' personality - it should first of all be made clear that the 'standard' lay person understanding of the Christian God, even in relation to that of the "Old Testament' God, is that The Christian God is more a 'God Of Love', as opposed to the Jealous, Wrathful God of old. That said, Christian and Jewish

scholars alike will readily point out, God has always encompassed these various attributes (as well as others), and that we are merely witness

to different aspects of the same God at different times within both the Old and New Testament. Similarly, Allah has many of the same attributes

of which were of primary concern to the author who felt Allah to be devoid of such things. For the record - in regards to the Christian God being Holy, Pure and Just, let it be known that some Divine Names of Allah - in regards to his attributes, are al-'Adl - The Just; and al-Quddus - The Pure, the Holy. And in regards to Mercy and Grace - we have Ar-Rahman, and Ar-Rahim (the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful).

 

Lastly, as to Muslims not expecting a Messiah, this again, is false. Not only do we await a Messiah, we expect it in the form of Jesus whom we believe

will come in conjunction with the Mahdi (as). And to add further clarification, should there be any doubt about inherent similarities between our faiths

- we as Muslims also believe in the Immaculate conception of Jesus - and that he was invested with the Ruh (or Spirit of Allah).

 

This post was in one way a response to inaccuracies presented against Islam - but we also don't want to leave anyone with the notion that it was purely to defend "our" religion, against 'another' religion. Our purpose is to try to bring clarity to what we believe, so that others can respect it, as we respect their faith (not just Christianity, but all religions). It shouldn't just be about "tolerating" other peoples views. It should be about respecting the fact that their faith brings them into communion with God and makes them better people. In that regard, we have close friends and family, who run the gamut of world religions - and we are able to see the beauty in all of their faiths. That does not mean we personally accept all of their beliefs, and as mentioned earlier, we do raise our children as Muslims - but at the same time, we are not scoffing at our friends and family who are not Muslim, for their beliefs. Only God knows what is in each person's heart, and its not up to us to dictate peoples faith.

[MamaT]

Thank you so much for this post. I really appreciate it. It has been eye-opening for me.

[Heather in Neverland]

Jcodevilla,

 

The simple answer is that Muslims do not perceive Jews and Christians to be infidels. The term infidel actually has its roots in Christendom - based on the latin 'infidelis', meaning 'unfaithful' and used by European Christians to describe Muslims - especially during the Crusades. Later, this also came to denote any non-Christian or "unbeliever."

 

The rough equivalent in Islam, would be the arabic word "Kafir" - meaning "rejecter of faith" - which was specifically used against the Pagan Arabs who were waging war against the early Muslim community. Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians etc are considered Al-Kitab, or "People of the Book" and in relation to that, are afforded protection within Muslim society and are NOT considered to be unbelievers (i.e. it is against the law under Sharia, to call People of The Book a Kafir, or oppress them for their religious beliefs).

 

Where the disparity lies in modern times, with fanatical interpretations of Islam - is that in the legacy of colonialism, and, sometimes continued imperialism - there are those who out of ignorance and anger, wrongly assume ALL westerners to have abandoned their Christianity, and thus make statements out of anger, in regards to westerners being "al-Kafirun." This view is not supported by scholars or valid religious leaders in any of the major schools of law within Islam - and is a simpletons reaction against a perceived "other" (a type of view that an uneducated minority in every culture, and country will tend to display, despite their religious books or leaders tell them to the contrary)

 

As to references on Jesus in Islam - there are many Hadith Books with sections regarding this - but it may be abit hard for you to track down and even more cumbersome to search through all of them. A couple of great books in english regarding Jesus from a Muslim perspective, are "The Muslim Jesus - sayings and stories in Islamic literature" and Jesus in the Quran and Shi'ite Narrations - both of which can be found on Amazon.com

 

Hope that helps.

 

Can I ask another question about this? In preparation for our move to Malaysia we have been doing a lot of studying. Malaysia is officially an Islamic country. If you are born there you are by law a Muslim. You cannot legally convert. And if I, as a Christian, were caught giving any kind of religious literature (i.e. Christian Bible or pamphlet) to a Muslim there I will be arrested and thrown in jail for a long time.

 

This doesn't seem to coincide with your statement about Muslims protecting the People of the Book. Any insight on this? I truly want to understand more about it as we will be living in this Muslim culture.

[chaik76]

Thank you so much for your post. We are not Muslim, but the understanding you give is much as we have heard from our Muslim friends.:grouphug:

[FO4UR]

First, I completely respect you and have read through your post and continue to think your words through. You obviously put a lot of thought and heart into it, and your kindess is felt through your words. I want to say however, that I am going to disagree with you completely and still maintain that respect.:001_smile: It is not my intention to quarrel/debate theology, but I do see a few things I'd like to clarify -from the Christian perspective. It's OK if you disagree with me:D

 

 

 

In regards to the Christian view of their God being that of a Triune God (Trinity). Clearly, Muslims believe Allah to be One,

and not a Trinity.

 

The issue of the Trinity is a dividing factor in my pov. You are right that the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible. It is a term used to describe the unique relationship between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - which are both One God and yet 3 persons of God. John 1:1 is a great reference for that. Col. 1:15-20 gives a vivd picture of the Trinity, describing Jesus as both the Creator and Firstborn of Creation. (love that passage!:001_smile:) The account of Creation in Genesis speaks of God as "we" and not I or Him.

 

The view of the prophet Mohammed is obviously a major dividing factor as well. I, personally, draw a line between texts that were written by contemporaries of Christ and texts that were not. (with the exception of the OT of course...and again, I'm not debating - just saying...)

 

 

 

Finally, in regards to the Christian and Jewish God having a 'different' personality - it should first of all be made clear that the 'standard' lay person understanding of the Christian God, even in relation to that of the "Old Testament' God, is that The Christian God is more a 'God Of Love', as opposed to the Jealous, Wrathful God of old. That said, Christian and Jewish

scholars alike will readily point out, God has always encompassed these various attributes (as well as others), and that we are merely witness

to different aspects of the same God at different times within both the Old and New Testament. Similarly, Allah has many of the same attributes

of which were of primary concern to the author who felt Allah to be devoid of such things. For the record - in regards to the Christian God being Holy, Pure and Just, let it be known that some Divine Names of Allah - in regards to his attributes, are al-'Adl - The Just; and al-Quddus - The Pure, the Holy. And in regards to Mercy and Grace - we have Ar-Rahman, and Ar-Rahim (the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful).

 

Christians do not view God as more of a "God of Love" than the "God of Wrath," regardless of how others think we think. All of God's attributes are equal. In fact, we can't have Grace without Justice. I think looking at our beliefs on Salvation will define the differences in God's attributes - from my pov, of course. Christians believe that God is Just and Holy, and yes - the wages of sin is death (read "God's Wrath"). We believe Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. He paid our debt of God's Wrath, so we might share in God's grace and mercy. There is absolutely NO way we can ever work our way into being "good enough" to sit in the presence of God - there is no act of Faith, except for surrendering your life to Christ and accepting His forgiveness. Eph. 2:8-9 This lack of "works" to earn your way to Heaven is likely where some get the idea that Christians view God as all "Love" and no "Wrath." It's about a personal relationship with God, and not a religious lifestyle - to put it in other words.

 

 

I will let you expand upon the Islam teaching of Salvation. I truly want to hear your explanation.

 

 

 

Only God knows what is in each person's heart, and its not up to us to dictate peoples faith.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with the last statement.

 

I wanted to add that you bring up an interesting point about the name "Allah". It isn't so much the actual NAME, b/c I understand that there is a language difference there. It's the theology associated with the name....admittedly from an American Christian perspective. My grandpa has spent a good deal of time serving overseas ( in Islamic populations), and hearing your post really brings to life some of our old conversations.:D

 

ETA: when I use the term "dividing factor" I simply mean it's what makes you a Muslim and myself a Christian. I don't mean that to imply anything beyond that - I hope you hear my tone :)

Edited April 19, 2009 by 3blessingmom

[helena]

Can I ask another question about this? In preparation for our move to Malaysia we have been doing a lot of studying. Malaysia is officially an Islamic country. If you are born there you are by law a Muslim. You cannot legally convert. And if I, as a Christian, were caught giving any kind of religious literature (i.e. Christian Bible or pamphlet) to a Muslim there I will be arrested and thrown in jail for a long time.

 

This doesn't seem to coincide with your statement about Muslims protecting the People of the Book. Any insight on this? I truly want to understand more about it as we will be living in this Muslim culture.

 

Im going to let my husband address this, as he's spent some time in Malaysia...

 

Malaysia is a somewhat complicated situation, which makes answering this different from if we were talking about, say, Saudi Arabia for instance - where I could just reference their puritanical version of Islam, known as wahabism. However, in Malaysia, there are other factors at play, not to defend them (since they for instance, also prohibit the school of law within Islam, that our family adheres to), but which do not necessarily revolve around any extremist forms of the faith.

 

Malaysia has a colonial legacy, like much of the Muslim world. In addition to hard feelings with regards to the British colonial subjegation of Malaysia, and by extension, anyone seen in the Missionary light (who usually came in tandam with the Colonialists) - there has also been communal violence in the past between the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia - The Malays, The Chinese, And The Indians (again, with many of these tensions arising from the Colonial era, where different groups were brought into Malaysia as laborers, and other historical tensions in some cases, concerning the Chinese (even though some Chinese in Malaysia were Chinese Muslim immigrants, and many Malay's also have Chinese heritage). Point is - there's been some trouble in the past, and the government has taken a position, that they want each community to not anger the other community, to basically stick to their own religions, and be ruled according to the law of their community. Thats not to say that on the ground, there isn't mixing - because there is. For instance, Muslims and Hindus in Malaysia, very often take part in each others holidays. And the form of Islam in Malaysia tends to be relaxed, with a high level of Sufi influence. But again, the government wants to keep things at a status quo with the type of islam they have, staying the same way - and with the other communities keeping to their traditions as well. Sort of how Russia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, allowed religions traditional to Russia, such as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and others, to play an official role, but have been hesitant to allow certain missionary groups in which might bring outside political influence. Not saying that the way the Malaysians are approaching it is right - again, we would not be allowed to openly pracatise nor preach our school of Law within Islam in Malaysia. But, that aside - Malaysia is a wonderful country, the people very friendly, and its not the type of thing I would think you would especially notice, unless your goal was to go as a missionary. I have a cousin who lived there (who is not Muslim) and she and her family had an amazing time and felt well respected and loved by the Malaysians they interacted with (whether Malay, Indian or Chinese).

 

Hope that helps

[KarenNC]

Thanks for the post. I am one of the folks who stated that I was not convinced that Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God, but that has nothing to do with the names used by the three religions. I mean that I am not personally convinced that the God of the Christians is the same God as the God of the Jews or that the God of the Muslims is the same as either or both of the other two. I fully understand that adherents of all three religions do indeed state that they worship the same God.

 

I top believe that the nature of spiritual reality is not changed regardless of how man views it. The Gods are the Gods whether or not people choose to believe They do not exist or that They are man-made;). I am a polytheist, so I do not, by definition, believe that there is only one God as that is not consistent with my experience of spiritual reality. From that perspective the large differences in those three religions are most logically a result of dealing with different Divine Beings. It is no different from those who are monotheists believing from their perspective that all my Gods are simply facets or misunderstandings in some way of the singular God (if they don't believe that my Gods are outright demons as I've been told before;), and not a singling out of Muslims or misunderstanding of Muslim beliefs about God.

 

I did not seek to offend, but was responding from my perspective. Thanks again for the post. I always enjoy learning more about other religions.

[Spy Car]

Helena/Helena's husband,

 

Do you follow the Ja'fari branch of Islamic jurisprudence?

 

I wonder, as there were a few small things that struck me as "curious" in the first two posts in this thread, compared with how I might have expected a Sunni Muslim might have answered the questions. And then I had an "ah ha" moment. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

If the question is intrusive or unwelcome forgive me. I'm a curious fellow.

 

Bill

[Lovedtodeath]

Thank you Helena. I learned a lot.

 

I am LDS ("We" are most definitely a Christian faith. We read the King James Version of The Holy Bible as well as other testaments of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctorine and Covenants. One book is not more important to us than the other, they are all scripture... all equally important.) we do not believe in a Triune God, we believe God to be One as well.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity either. Jesus is most certainly our Leader, Father, Redeemer and King in Heaven. Edited April 19, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[LadyAberlin]

I was going to pm you so I wouldn't stir up any trouble, but your account I guess is not set up for that. Here is my question. I had a christian hand me a paper once that had lists of verses from the quran. One of them said do not be friends with Jews or christians for they worship their god and we worship ours. Also there was a verse that said there is only one god and his name is allah. I realize now that they could have just all been taken out of context just as you can misconstrue the meanings of passages out of other religious texts in the same way. So could explain those to me in light of what you origianally posted.

 

Thanks in advance :)

[helena]

Helena/Helena's husband,

 

Do you follow the Ja'fari branch of Islamic jurisprudence?

 

I wonder, as there were a few small things that struck me as "curious" in the first two posts in this thread, compared with how I might have expected a Sunni Muslim might have answered the questions. And then I had an "ah ha" moment. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

If the question is intrusive or unwelcome forgive me. I'm a curious fellow.

 

Bill

 

HI. Helena's husband here. Yes. Originally Maliki. But one of those things where the immense love for the Ahul Bayt (as) - that is so pronounced within the mystical orders present in the Maliki madhhab's sphere of influence - eventually led me to a change of Madhhab itself (to Jafari) - in a desire to be more closely connected to the teachings of the Ahul Bayt (as).

 

Sorry if this post makes no sense to anyone but me and Bill:)

Edited April 19, 2009 by helena
to clarify who was writing

[Guest janainaz]

Only God knows what is in each person's heart, and its not up to us to dictate peoples faith.

 

:) Yes.

[Lovedtodeath]

In regards to the Christian view of their God being that of a Triune God (Trinity). Clearly, Muslims believe Allah to be One,

and not a Trinity.

 

The issue of the Trinity is a dividing factor in my pov. You are right that the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible. It is a term used to describe the unique relationship between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - which are both One God and yet 3 persons of God. John 1:1 is a great reference for that. Col. 1:15-20 gives a vivd picture of the Trinity, describing Jesus as both the Creator and Firstborn of Creation. (love that passage!:001_smile:) The account of Creation in Genesis speaks of God as "we" and not I or Him.

I am a Christian who does not believe in the Trinity. I wanted to explain my understanding of the scriptures. About Colossians 1:

Jesus, in his prehuman existence, was "the first-born of all creation." (Colossians 1:15, NJB) He was "the beginning of God's creation." (Revelation 3:14, RS, Catholic edition). "Beginning" [Greek, ar·khe'] cannot rightly be interpreted to mean that Jesus was the 'beginner' of God's creation. In his Bible writings, John uses various forms of the Greek word ar·khe' more than 20 times, and these always have the common meaning of "beginning." Yes, Jesus was created by God as the beginning of God's invisible creations.

 

Notice how closely those references to the origin of Jesus correlate with expressions uttered by the figurative "Wisdom" in the Bible book of Proverbs: "Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world." (Proverbs 8:12, 22, 25, 26, NJB) While the term "Wisdom" is used to personify the one whom God created, most scholars agree that it is actually a figure of speech for Jesus as a spirit creature prior to his human existence.

As "Wisdom" in his prehuman existence, Jesus goes on to say that he was "by his [God's] side, a master craftsman." (Proverbs 8:30, JB) In harmony with this role as master craftsman, Colossians 1:16 says of Jesus that "through him God created everything in heaven and on earth."—Today's English Version (TEV).

So it was by means of this master worker, his junior partner, as it were, that Almighty God created all other things. The Bible summarizes the matter this way: "For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things . . . and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things." (Italics ours.)—1 Corinthians 8:6, RS, Catholic edition. It no doubt was to this master craftsman that God said: "Let us make man in our image." (Genesis 1:26) Some have claimed that the "us" and "our" in this expression indicate a Trinity. But if you were to say, 'Let us make something for ourselves,' no one would normally understand this to imply that several persons are combined as one inside of you. You simply mean that two or more individuals will work together on something. So, too, when God used "us" and "our," he was simply addressing another individual, his first spirit creation, the master craftsman, the prehuman Jesus.

 

About John 1:1

 

At John 1:1 there are two occurrences of the Greek noun the·os' (god). The first occurrence refers to Almighty God, with whom the Word was ("and the Word [lo'gos] was with God [a form of the·os']"). This first the·os' is preceded by the word ton (the), a form of the Greek definite article that points to a distinct identity, in this case Almighty God ("and the Word was with [the] God"). On the other hand, there is no article before the second the·os' at John 1:1. So a literal translation would read, "and god was the Word." Yet we have seen that many translations render this second the·os' (a predicate noun) as "divine," "godlike," or "a god."

 

1808:"and the word was a god." The New Testament in an Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text.

1864:"and a god was the word." The Emphatic Diaglott, interlinear reading, by Benjamin Wilson.

1928:"and the Word was a divine being." La Bible du Centenaire, L'Evangile selon Jean, by Maurice Goguel.

1935:"and the Word was divine." The Bible—An American Translation, by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed.

1946:"and of a divine kind was the Word." Das Neue Testament, by Ludwig Thimme.

1950:"and the Word was a god." New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures.

1958:"and the Word was a God." The New Testament, by James L. Tomanek.

1975:"and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Siegfried Schulz.

1978:"and godlike kind was the Logos." Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes Schneider.

For the source of these quotes and more information: Should You Believe in the Trinity?

 

God has always encompassed these various attributes (as well as others), All of God's attributes are equal. In fact, we can't have Grace without Justice.

Only God knows what is in each person's heart,

I agree with the above. His atttributes of Power, Wisdom, Justice and Love can be seen throughout the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. And we humans cannot judge anyone. Edited April 19, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[Lovedtodeath]

 

there is only one god and his name is Allah.

What is the meaning of the name Allah?

[Spy Car]

Yes. Originally Maliki. But one of those things where the immense love for the Ahul Bayt (as) - that is so pronounced within the mystical orders present in the Maliki madhhab's sphere of influence - eventually led me to a change of Madhhab itself (to Jafari) - in a desire to be more closely connected to the teachings of the Ahul Bayt (as).

 

Sorry if this post makes no sense to anyone but me and Bill:)

 

I love it :001_smile:

 

And I understand exactly what you're saying, even if I'm the only one :lol:

 

Bill

Edited April 19, 2009 by Spy Car

[Spy Car]

What is the meaning of the name Allah?

 

The meaning is "God". The very same God, from the Muslim perspective, that you worship.

 

 

Also there was a verse that said there is only one god and his name is allah.

 

They may have been refering to the first part of the Shahada, which is the fundamental declaration of faith in Islam.

 

It reads (in transliteration) Lā ilaha illa al-Lāh. And means, "there is no god, but God". al-Lāh is "God" or (the God).

 

There are some complexities in the Qur'an in regards to the belief of Christians and Jews. There is a simple answer, and there is a long and complex answer. And the long answer is hard to get across on an internet forum.

 

Bill

[Lovedtodeath]

The meaning is "God". The very same God, from the Muslim perspective, that you worship.

Thanks Bill, that is what I thought. "His name is Allah" threw me. My God's name has a meaning other than "God".

 

I feel horrible that now all I can think about is Antonio Banderas in The 13th Warrior.:tongue_smilie:

[Spy Car]

Thanks Bill, that is what I thought. "His name is Allah" threw me. My God's name has a meaning other than "God".

 

His name is not "Allah" in exactly the same way "God" is not the name of God.

 

I feel horrible that now all I can think about is Antonio Banderas in The 13th Warrior.:tongue_smilie:

 

I understand: ...the mystical orders present in the Maliki madhhab's sphere of influence - eventually led me to a change of Madhhab itself (to Jafari)

 

But I have no idea what you're talking about :lol:

 

Bill

[Lovedtodeath]

I have only seen it about 50 times. It ranks up there with Little Shop of Horrors. (Movies that I watch over and over.) Okay, sorry for cluttering up the thread.

[asta]

His name is not "Allah" in exactly the same way "God" is not the name of God.

 

Bill

 

Could you imagine how many arguments simply wouldn't be if more people could understand this?

 

 

a

[Kate in Arabia]

And I understand exactly what you're saying, even if I'm the only one

You're not the only one. ;)

 

HI. Helena's husband here. Yes. Originally Maliki. But one of those things where the immense love for the Ahul Bayt (as) - that is so pronounced within the mystical orders present in the Maliki madhhab's sphere of influence - eventually led me to a change of Madhhab itself (to Jafari) - in a desire to be more closely connected to the teachings of the Ahul Bayt (as).

This actually makes perfect sense; although in my case I started out at a similar point but my own path ran opposite. I find it completely fascinating the complexity of the Muslim experience.

[pqr]

 

The simple answer is that Muslims do not perceive Jews and Christians to be infidels. The term infidel actually has its roots in Christendom - based on the latin 'infidelis', meaning 'unfaithful' and used by European Christians to describe Muslims - especially during the Crusades. Later, this also came to denote any non-Christian or "unbeliever."

 

The rough equivalent in Islam, would be the arabic word "Kafir" - meaning "rejecter of faith" - which was specifically used against the Pagan Arabs who were waging war against the early Muslim community.

 

Interesting conversation, but if I may ask I would like to see the explanation that was asked for about the Koranic injunction against being friends with Christians. I believe the Sura that the LadyAberlin was referring to was Sura 5:51

 

O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily God guideth not a people unjust.

 

As far as the issue of the Trinity the following Suras make a case that would seem to be in opposition to what has been discussed as far as perceiving Christians and Jews as infidels.

 

Sura 5:72 They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.

 

 

Sura 5:73 They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word

(of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.

 

 

Sura 5:74 Would they not repent to GOD, and ask His forgiveness? GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

 

Sura 5:75 Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make. His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!

 

 

Sura 5:76 Say, "Would you worship beside GOD powerless idols who can neither harm you, nor benefit you? GOD is Hearer, Omniscient."

 

These are just some of the Suras that are used by those who have issues with Islam and I would be interested in hearing a Moslem perspective on what they mean.

 

 

 

Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians etc are considered Al-Kitab, or "People of the Book" and in relation to that, are afforded protection within Muslim society and are NOT considered to be unbelievers (i.e. it is against the law under Sharia, to call People of The Book a Kafir, or oppress them for their religious beliefs).

 

 

Whereas on the above, I am not agreeing or disagreeing and am simply looking for your perspective and views as to the meanings of the Suras, on this point I will disagree. I would ask how one would interpret Sura 9:29

 

Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

 

and the fact that Christians were taxed for their religious beliefs. Is this not a form of oppression? This Jizya tax lasted until 1855, in the Ottoman Empire, and required non-Moslems to pay a special tax. One need not go into the means by which this was collected and the penalties for failure to pay.

 

This is a superb discussion and this board is one of those few places where it can be held without acrimony. I look forward to your answers.

 

Sincerely pqr

Edited April 19, 2009 by pqr

[KidsHappen]

Thank you for this post.

[stripe]

I had a christian hand me a paper once that had lists of verses from the quran. One of them said do not be friends with Jews or christians for they worship their god and we worship ours. Also there was a verse that said there is only one god and his name is allah.

 

The Quran does not prohibit being friends with Christians and Jews at all. The term that has been mis-translated as "friends" might better be looked at as "protector" -- where you're allowing someone else, of another faith to be in charge of your religious freedoms. The Quran and Islamic tradition have allowed marriages between Muslim men and Jewish and Christian women, so obviously there is no rule against closeness and friendship.

 

Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:62)

 

Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (5:69)

 

O ye who believe! Be ye helpers of Allah: As said Jesus the son of Mary to the Disciples, "Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah?" Said the disciples, "We are Allah's helpers!" then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion disbelieved: But We gave power to those who believed, against their enemies, and they became the ones that prevailed. (61:14)

 

The criticism of Christian religious practice in the Quran concerns things such as belief in Jesus as the "son" of God, and worshipping him, which is against Islamic belief of God:

 

If only they [Christians] had stood fast by the Law [Torah], the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course: but many of them follow a course that is evil. (5:66)

 

I suspect what you were told about "they are worshipping their god, we are worshipping ours" refers to this verse of the Quran, which suggests more of taking one's own path and distancing oneself from objectionable religious practices. It is not a summary of Christian-Muslim relations!

 

Say : O ye that reject Faith! I worship not that which ye worship,

Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,

Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

To you be your Way, and to me mine. (109:1-6 -- the entire chapter)

 

By the way, "Allah" means something more specific than "god," -- rather, the one God. So it would not be a term applied to one member of a multi-god religious system. It is a bit interesting to over-Arabicize the word "Allah" without realizing that the Jewish and Christian tradition comes from the same geographic area, and every language has its own words for God (Dieu, Dios, etc), which does not imply a different diety.

 

I am not sure this is the most appropriate place to discuss the practices of the Ottoman empire (although it is acknowledged by Jews at least to have been a political haven), but perhaps someone else can tackle that, before we throw a discussion on the Inquisition into a conversation on Christian ministries to the homeless. I think the basic point was that People of the Book were given political protection and religious freedom, allowed exemptions from Islamic practices (e.g. Christians were allowed to brew and sell alcohol to each other), and they contributed to the financial runnings of the state. It is worth remembering that in Islamic states in times past, Muslim citizens paid zakat (religious payment on wealth to the poor, sort of akin to tithing) as well.

[Heather in Neverland]

Im going to let my husband address this, as he's spent some time in Malaysia...

 

Malaysia is a somewhat complicated situation, which makes answering this different from if we were talking about, say, Saudi Arabia for instance - where I could just reference their puritanical version of Islam, known as wahabism. However, in Malaysia, there are other factors at play, not to defend them (since they for instance, also prohibit the school of law within Islam, that our family adheres to), but which do not necessarily revolve around any extremist forms of the faith.

 

Malaysia has a colonial legacy, like much of the Muslim world. In addition to hard feelings with regards to the British colonial subjegation of Malaysia, and by extension, anyone seen in the Missionary light (who usually came in tandam with the Colonialists) - there has also been communal violence in the past between the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia - The Malays, The Chinese, And The Indians (again, with many of these tensions arising from the Colonial era, where different groups were brought into Malaysia as laborers, and other historical tensions in some cases, concerning the Chinese (even though some Chinese in Malaysia were Chinese Muslim immigrants, and many Malay's also have Chinese heritage). Point is - there's been some trouble in the past, and the government has taken a position, that they want each community to not anger the other community, to basically stick to their own religions, and be ruled according to the law of their community. Thats not to say that on the ground, there isn't mixing - because there is. For instance, Muslims and Hindus in Malaysia, very often take part in each others holidays. And the form of Islam in Malaysia tends to be relaxed, with a high level of Sufi influence. But again, the government wants to keep things at a status quo with the type of islam they have, staying the same way - and with the other communities keeping to their traditions as well. Sort of how Russia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, allowed religions traditional to Russia, such as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and others, to play an official role, but have been hesitant to allow certain missionary groups in which might bring outside political influence. Not saying that the way the Malaysians are approaching it is right - again, we would not be allowed to openly pracatise nor preach our school of Law within Islam in Malaysia. But, that aside - Malaysia is a wonderful country, the people very friendly, and its not the type of thing I would think you would especially notice, unless your goal was to go as a missionary. I have a cousin who lived there (who is not Muslim) and she and her family had an amazing time and felt well respected and loved by the Malaysians they interacted with (whether Malay, Indian or Chinese).

 

Hope that helps

 

 

Wow, this and the other posts are REALLY fascinating! So in a nutshell, because they were oppressed in the past, the Malaysians do not permit prosyletizing in order to protect a person's choice of religion? Am I close? So it is their own brand of "freedom of religion"? I admit that I do not understand about half of what you are talking about in regards to Islam (OK maybe more than half) but it is definitely eye-opening!

[Peek a Boo]

This is a superb discussion and this board is one of those few places where it can be held without acrimony.

 

:iagree:

[elise1mds]

To the OP... thank you!

[Hapax Legomena]

I would ask how one would interpret Sura 9:29

 

Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

 

PQR, Your question is a good one. Here are some comments from Behind the Veil - Unmasking Islam (The Voice of the Martyrs) citing a few Islamic scholars in regard to this issue.

 

The Baydawi: In his book, The Lights of Revelation, a commentary on the Qur'an, remarks, "Fight Jews and Christians because they violated the origin of their faith and they do not believe in the religion of the truth, namely, Islam, which abrogated all other religions. Fight them until they pay the poll-tax with submission and humiliation" (page 252).

 

The Tabari: On page 210, the Tabari declares in his commentary that this verse is referring in particular to the people of the Book and has direct relation to the preceding verse (9:28). He states that the reason for the revelation of 9:29 was that God prohibited infidels from coming to the mosque for pilgrimage as they had been accustomed. When they had come to the mosque they had brought food to trade. Therefore, the muslims wondered where they would get food if the traders were no longer allowed to come. For that reason, God gave this verse so they could collect the poll tax from people of the Book.

 

Ibn Hisham Al Sohaily: Ibn Hisham agrees with this interpretation:

 

 

The poll-tax is to be paid by the Christian or the Jew forcibly and submissively. It is to spare their lives, that is, they pay it in lieu of being killed because if they did not pay it, they would be killed unless they intended to become Muslims, then they would be exempted from paying it. (

Biography of the Apostle

(p. 104 of part 4)

The Shafi'i: Here is another statement:

 

 

The apostle of God killed and captured (many) of the people of the Book until some of them embraced Islam, and he imposed the poll tax on some others. (The Shafi'i,

The Ordinances of the Qu'ran

, part 2, p. 50)

(http://www.persecution.com)

 

As you continue to read about Islam in this thread, please pray for Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad and Maryam Rustampoor who are being held in the Evin Prison in Iran. The Farsi Christian News Network states, "Their only crime is that they are committed Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus." According to the article, "They are being unfairly labeled as "anti- government activists" because of the hostility of the government towards practicing Christians" (see article on the Voice of the Martyrs website: http://www.persecution.com. Voice of the Martyrs is a human rights organization dedicated to drawing attention to the plight of persecuted Christians around the world).