Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Three religions. One message.
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Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the three major religions of the world. Unfortunately these three great religions are considered to be three separate religions. We need to realize the fact that they are not. They are one. Upon analysis, we find that the prophets of these religions brought the same message and from the same God. Several facts and beliefs of these religions are the same.The common factors of these religions are enormous, according to their scriptures.
Prophet Abraham (P.B.U.H): Islam, Judaism and Christianity have common roots through their ancestor Prophet Abraham(P.B.U.H). Jesus (P.B.U.H) said: "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did." (Gospel of Jhon; 8:39). Qur'an asks Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) to follow the religion of Prophet Abraham (P.B.U.H): "Follow the religion of Abraham, the true in faith, and he was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God;" (Qur'an; 16:123).
Prophet Abraham's second wife, Hagar, had a son named Ishmael. Thirteen years later, Abraham's first wife, Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac. Judaism and Christianity came from the descendants of Isaac and Islam came from the descendant of Ishmael i.e Muhammad (p.b.u.h). Could the three descendants of prophet Abraham, namely Moses, Jesus and Mohammad (peace be upon them all) have brought three different, separate messages? No. God chose the family of Abraham to convey His message to the people.Three great religions. One message. One God.
Monotheism: All messengers of God preached monotheism (the belief that there is only one God). Muslims worship Allah (one God), the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and all other prophets. The Muslims call Him 'Allah', instead of 'God'. The Arabic word 'Allah' is pure and unique. It neither has a plural form nor a feminine form. But the word 'God' can be changed to other forms. Jesus is reported to have addressed the God with the same name: "Eli, Eli, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" (Mark; 15:34, Mathew; 27:46).
The Original Bible and the expression 'Son of God': The Bible is originally in the Hebrew language. The Hebrews believed in One God and they understood the expression "Son of God" as "Servant of God" one who, because of his faithful service, is close and dear to God, like a son is to his father. For 400 years, the Christians believed Jesus to be just a prophet because Jesus had never said anything like "I AM GOD" OR "WORSHIP ME". Christians who came from a Greek and Roman background, later distorted this term. In the Greek and Roman heritage, "Son of God" signified an incarnation of a god or someone born of a physical union between male and female gods. This was the concept in the Greek and Roman heritage, but as the Bible is in Hebrew, one should try to understand its expressions in the same language. When the Church cast aside its original Hebrew foundations, it adopted the pagan concept of "Son of God", which was completely different from the Hebrew usage. Jesus is recorded as saying: "Blessed are the peace-makers; they will be called sons of God." (Mathew; 5:9, Romans; 8:14). This clearly tells us that the term 'son of God' is used for someone who is righteous and faithful to God, but a human neverthless, not someone who is a begotten son. The word 'BEGOTTEN SON' is used in verse 16, chapter 3 in the Gospel according to John of King James Version of 1611 C.E: (John; 3:16) but has been expunged in the Revised Standard Version of Bible, being wrongly added because the word 'BEGOTTEN' does not exist in the original script.
JESUS : It is part of a Muslim's faith to believe in Jesus (P.B.U.H), the son of Mary, as a prophet of God and in His Word which He bestowed upon Mary and a Spirit proceeding from Him. He was revealed a Gospel, performed miracles and was raised alive up to God. Muslims and Christians believe that Jesus was miraculously born to pious virgin Mary without a father in 6 B.C in Bethlehem in Judea. Jesus has been mentioned in Bible as a human and Messenger of God, who came specifically for the people of Israel for their guidance:
1. The Bible says :"… and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." (John; 14:24 & 17:3). The term 'not mine' clearly indicates that Jesus and God are not one, as the Christians later started to believe.
2. Jesus (P.B.U.H) said "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." How much more clearly can the statement "I can of myself do nothing" indicate that Jesus was not God? Would God ever say "I can of myself do nothing?" What this means is that Jesus was a human being and a prophet of God, not God Himself. Thus the message of Jesus was to worship only One God and that the worship of anyone or anything besides God, or along with God, is false.
3. Jesus said: 'It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" (Luke; 3:8). Jesus not only called people to this message but he also practically demonstrated it for them by bowing down in prayer (Just as Muslims do) and worshipping God himself. (Mark; 14:32, Luke 5:16.)
4. Jesus said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mathew; 10:5-6, 15:24 & Qur'an; 3:49). "These twelve (disciples) Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mathew; 10:5-6). This clearly tells us that Jesus was sent down not for the entire humanity, but only for Israelites.
5. Jesus is mentioned as saying: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. . . . Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these Commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;" (Mathew; 5:17-20). By saying that he came to fulfill the law and the prophets, Jesus himself informs us that he was a successor of the previous prophets, exactly what the Muslims believe. The mission of Jesus has been confirmed in Qur'an: "And We caused Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow in the footsteps of those (earlier prophets), confirming the truth of what ever there still remained of the Torah (Law); and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein there was guidance and a light, confirming the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah, and as a guidance and admonition unto the God conscious." (Qur'an; 5:46).
Divinity: A study of the Christian scriptures reveals that Prophet Jesus (P.B.U.H) never claimed divinity. In fact there is not a single unequivocal statement in the entire Bible where Jesus (P.B.U.H) himself says, "I AM GOD" or, "WORSHIP ME". In fact the Bible contains statements attributed to Jesus (P.B.U.H) in which he preached quite the opposite. Allah says in Qur'an: "O people of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an Apostle of Allah and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His Apostles. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One Allah: glory be to him: (for Exalted is He) above having a son. To him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs." (Qur'an; 4:171). The concepts that evolved after Jesus, by different persons against the clearly stated mission and teachings of Jesus, are considered as concoction, interpolation and misinterpretations by many Christians and Muslims alike. The term 'trinity' also does not exist anywhere in the Bible.
Jesus, the Christ : Jesus, accompanied by his 12 chosen disciples, traveled to neighboring towns and villages, proclaiming the advent of the kingdom of God, as had many of the Hebrew prophets before him. He stressed the infinite love of God. The most significant moment in Jesus' public ministry, however, was Simon Peter's realization at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus was the Christ. The last events and conspiracy against him is mentioned at John 11:48, Luke; 22:2, John; 11:47-53). It is also mentioned in Qur'an: "And (then Children of Israel) plotted and planned and Allah too planned and the best of planners is Allah. Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject Faith to the Day of Resurrection; then shall ye all return unto Me and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. (Qur'an; 3:54-55). "That they said (in boast) "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary the Apostle of Allah"; but they killed him not nor crucified him but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow for of a surety they killed him not. Nay Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power Wise. And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death (As only as a Messenger of Allah and a human being); and on the Day of Judgment He (Jesus) will be a witness against them (Qur'an; 4:157,158,159).
Second Coming of Jesus: Christians and Muslims believe that Jesus will return before end of the world.
Jesus was a Muslim:
1. A Muslim is a person who SUBMITS HIS WILL TO GOD. Jesus (P.B.U.H) said; "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I SEEK NOT MINE OWN WILL, BUT THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME." (John; 5:30). Jesus is a Muslim as per this definition.
2. Muslims greet in the same manner as Jesus did. Jesus greeted in Hebrew, saying 'Sholam alay kum' (Luke; 24:36), the Islamic greeting in Arabic is "Assalaamu alay kum" both meaning 'Peace be on you'.
3. The tradition of circumcision is part of the tradition of Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h) as mentioned in Genesus; 17:10-13,24-27. Jesus was also circumcised (Luke; 2:21). The Christians have abandoned it, but Muslims, being the true faithful followers of Abraham, strictly adhere to the practice of circumcision like Jesus. Not only is it a religious obligation, but it also saves a man from various illnesses as proven by science.
4. Mary, the mother of Jesus is highly respected by Muslims. Qur'an accords her a high status:"We made her and her son a sign for the whole world." (Qura'n; 21:91). While she is cursorily mention in Bible, Qur'an names Chapter Number 19 after her and mentions her by name at least thirty three times. She is seen modestly dressed with her head covered, just like Muslim women.
5. Muslims pray five times a day by bowing down to God. Offering the prayers has been repeatedly mentioned in Bible: "And Abram fell on his face:" (Genesis; 17:3-5)[Abraham was originally known as Abram]. Jesus demonstrated the act of praying by bowing down in prayer (Just as Muslims do) and worshipping God himself; Mark; 14:32, Luke 5:16. We see here that Abraham (p.b.u.h) and Jesus (p.b.u.h) both prayed in the exact manner as Muslims do.
6. Cleanliness, purity and ablution has always been obligatory for prayer for Muslims. Muslims perform Ablution before praying by washing thier hands and their feet and following the whole process of Ablution. Ablution before prayer is also mentioned in Bible: "And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there at:" (Exodus; 40:31).
PROPHECY OF MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H) IN THE BIBLE:
The advent of the last Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (p.b.u.h) has been prophesized the Old Testament as well as in New Testament which may be connected: (Deuteronomy; 18:18,19, Mathew; 1:18, Luke; 1:35, Qur'an; 3:42-47 linked with John; 18:36, 1:11 & Mathew; 5:17-18). Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) is mentioned BY NAME in the Old Testament: "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely (Muhammadim). This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." (Song of Solomon; 5:16).:"Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem." In the Hebrew language "im" is added for respect. Similarly "im" is added after the name of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) for respect. In English translation they have translated the name of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) as "altogether lovely", but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) is present till now. Moreover, In 610 C.E when archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and asked him to 'Proclaim' (recite, read-Iqra) (Qur'an; 96:1). The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith, 1.3, ). This incidence was also mentioned in Old Testament: "And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot read."" (Isaiah: 29:12).
Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h) says: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth (referring to Muhammad) is come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me" (John; 16:12-14). "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." (John; 15:26). "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John; 16:7).
Ahmed is another name by which Muhammad (p.b.u.h) is called by the Muslims. Both mean "the one who praises" or "the praised one" and it is almost the translation of the Greek word Periclytos. In the Gospel of John; 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7, Jesus (p.b.u.h) actually prophesized "Ahmed" by name, word 'Comforter' in Greek Paracletos, Periclytos refers to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h). Allah says in Qur'an: "And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.' But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, 'This is evident sorcery!" (Qur'an; 61:6). Ye People of the Book! Why do ye clothe truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while ye have knowledge?" (Qur'an; 3:71). [Jews and Christians are called People of the Book by Muslims]
Another prediction: "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." "To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." "But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." Remember that the Quran was revealed piece-by-piece,over 23 years, here a little, there a little (some verses were revealed in Makkah and some in Madina) in a foreign tongue to a man who recited with stammering lips.
And another: Isaiah 21:7 "And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels." Here, the chariot of horses was being referred to Moses.The chariot of asses turned out to be Jesus (pbuh) who entered Jerusalem riding on two donkeys (Matthew 21:7). Who then was of the "chariot of camels"? Who rode camels? Muhammad (p.b.u.h)!!
Examine this verse of the Bible "the Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran" (Deuteronomy, 33:2) Prophet Moses spoke to God and received the Torah at Sinai; Prophet Jesus received Divine Revelation at Seir, a place in Palestine. Where did Muhammad receive the first revelation? Mount Paran!! It is a mountain range near Makkah.The bible also says that God will make Ishmael into a great nation.Jesus said to the Jews: "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (From the KJV Bible, Matthew 21:43)" This nation, is Islam. And God said about Ishmael: "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation." (From the KJV Bible, Genesis 17:19-21) So it is predicted that Ishmael will have a great nation as his descendants. Those are, of coarse, the Muslims.Adam (P.B.U.H):The narration of the creation of Adam in Bible and Qur'an is very similar: "then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis; 2:7). Allah says in Qur'an:"We created man from sounding clay, black mud moulded into shape; (Qur'an; 15:26), "then He fashioned him in due proportion and breathed into him of His spirit. He gave you ears, eyes and mind; yet you are seldom thankful." (Qur'an; 32:9).
Angels: Angels are the unseen spiritual creatures mentioned in Biblical and Islamic traditions. The primary function of angels is to praise and serve God and do His Will, this is the concept of angels in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The Day of Judgement & Resurrection: Belief in the Day of Judgement is a very important article of faith in Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Heaven and Hell: Paradise is the abode of enjoyment which Allah, the Exalted, prepared for the righteous. The Hell is the abode of punishment that Allah has prepared for the sinners and unbelievers. The concept of Heaven and Hell is the same with these three religions.
Fasting: Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from early morning till sunset. It is mentioned in the Bible: "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, (Jonah; 3:5-8). Fasting is mentioned at: Exodus; 34:27-28, Leviticus; 16:29-30, 2 Samuel; 1:12, 2 Samuel; 12:16, Numbers; 9:1-3, Psalms; 35:13, Jeremiah; 36:6, Joel; 2:12-13, Zechariah; 8:18, Acts; 13:2-3, Mark; 9:29 & Mathew; 17:21. "And he (Jesus) said unto them (disciples), This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting" (Mark; 9:29).
Hajj: The Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah) is performed by Muslims once in a lifetime if one can afford financially and physically. Hajj revives the memory of pronouncement of Islamic monotheism (Tawheed) by Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h) and his son Prophet Isma'il (p.b.u.h) while building Ka'ba at Makka over three millenniums ago. The birth of Ishmael through, Hager, the second wife of Abraham is narrated in Bible (Genisis; 16:3,16:15). Allah says in Qur'an. "Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for mankind was that in Baca (Makkah), full of blessing, and guidance for all people." (Qur'an; 3:96). The Bible also mentions about Baca: "As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools." (Psalms; 84:6). Baca; in the ancient dialect is synonymous with Makkah. And the spring that has been mentioned in the Bible is known as the Zamzam, which is present in Makkah. Some of the Hajj rituals (Qur'an; 5:27 & Fiqh-us-Sunnah: 5.85) , are identical as given at Genesis; 22:2, 22:4-5, Exodus; 29:26, Genesis; 4:1-5, Numbers; 8:10-16, Numbers; 6:5, 6:13, & 6:18).
Jihad: Jihad does not necessarily mean armed struggle against the enemies, but it also implies that man should preach the message of God, using all means and sacrificing his wealth or self being for the cause of God. It is mentioned in Bible: "And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword." (Leviticus; 26:7-8)also at Psalm; 149:6-9, Luke; 9:27, Hebrews; 11:32-34, Numbers; 31:17-18, 31:35, Joshua; 6:21, 10:28.
Women and Covering: People in the West have a huge misconception where it comes to women and Islam. The Muslim women are dressed up modestly which enhances their status to a respectable position. The women are required to be dressed modestly according to Bible as well as in Qur'an. It may be kept in view that modest dressing for women has always been a part of Judeo-Christian scriptures, according to Bible: "but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head — it is the same as if her head were shaven." (1 Corinthians; 11:5-9). "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy; 22:5), "also that women should adorn themselves modestly and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly attire." (1Timothy; 2:9).
Polygyny: The marriage of a man to more than one woman at a time is called Polygyny. According to the Christian scriptures one can marry as many women as one wishes. It was only later, that the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one. The Bible did not condemn polygyny. To the contrary, the Old Testament and Rabbinic writings frequently attest to the legality of polygyny. Prophet & King Solomon (p.b.u.h) is said to have 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings; 11:3) Also, Prophet & King David (p.b.u.h) is said to have had many wives and concubines (2 Samuel; 5:13). The Old Testament does have some injunctions on how to distribute the property of a man among his sons from different wives (Deutronomy; 22:7). The only restriction on polygyny is a ban on taking a wife's sister as a rival wife (Leviticus; 18:18) which is also not permissible in Islam. The Talmud advises a maximum of four wives. The Qur'an is the only religious book, that contains the phrase 'MARRY ONLY ONE' with instructions of justice. Polygyny is permissible to cater for different situations like more number of women in particular society or particular time due to famine, war etc, but it is not a religious obligation. People in the West look down upon polygyny, but living without marriage and extramarital affairs have been accepted by them as a norm.
Pork: The dietary instructions are almost similar in Bible, teachings and practice of Jesus, and Qur'an. "He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. but if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is He guiltless. for Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful." (Qur'an;:173). Similar prohibitions are also mentioned in Bible: " (Acts; 15:29), " (Deuteronomy; 14:21)," (Genesis; 9:4) Leviticus 17:14-15, Deuteronomy 12:16, 1Samuel 14:33 and Acts 15:29 also at Revelation 2:14. Pork is also prohibited in Bible: "And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you." (Leviticus; 11:7-8) also Deuteronomy 14:8 & Isaiah 65:2-5. Consumption of alcohol and gambling is prohibited in Qur'an; 5:90). (Proverbs; 20:1)," (Ephesians; 5:18).
Sexual Crimes- Death by Stoning - in Bible and Qur'an: "But if the thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman,: then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you." (Deuterinomy; 22:20-21). Death by stoning is also prescribed for blasphemy (Lectivis; 24:16). Adultery is prohibited, according to Qur'an; 17:32 and Mathew; 5:28. In Islam death by stoning is prescribed for unmarried adulterer and adulteress only if four eye witness are produced or self confession by the accused takes place. (Al-Muwatta Hadith, 41.2). Death is prescribed for adultery in Bible at Leviticus; 20:10-12, Leviticus; 20:14-16). Homosexuality is strictly forbidden,Qur'an; 7:81. Bible prescribe death as the punishment for homosexuality: "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them." (Leviticus; 20:13).
Why Muhammad (p.b.u.h) could not have been a liar: When Muhammad (p.b.u.h) started to preach Islam, there was much hostility towards him in Makkah. The Idolators were extremely offended and tried to stop him in every way. They offered him money, power or anything he wanted. But he, of coarse rejected thier offers. Now, if it had been anything else he wanted, he had an oppurtunity to get it. They offered him power to rule, and as much money as he wanted. It is pretty clear that if he had wanted anything other than to spread the message of Allah, he had the chance to get it. But he did not want any of that. He was sent down for a specific purpose which he had to deliver to the people.
Preservation : Allah says in Holy Qur’an "We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). Al-Hijr 15:9). Allah Himself has taken the responsibility of guarding the Qur’an and we see to this day that not a word has been added to the Qur;an while the other Books sent down were corrupted by the people.
Conclusion:
God sent down prophets as messengers to bring people to the right path, the path of truth. From Adam (p.b.u.h) to Muhammad (p.b.u.h) prophets have come, bringing God's message to the people. Before Muhammad (p.b.u.h), every prophet had been sent down to guide one particular tribe of people. Jesus said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mathew; 10:5-6, 15:24 & Qur'an; 3:49). This clearly tells us that Jesus was sent down not for the entire humanity, but only for the Israelites. But the last and final prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) was sent down for the entire humanity, as mentioned in the Quran. Jesus himself said :"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth (referring to Muhammad(p.b.u.h)) is come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me" (John; 16:12-14). It is clear that Jesus himself prophecized a prophet. Muslims believe in all previous prophets and scriptures sent down by God but the Jews and Christians do not believe in prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and the final Book that was revealed to him, the Qur'an.
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Comments
Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say "I AM GOD IN THE FLESH" so how do we get this concept? And Jesus himself prophesized a prophet so He Himself wanted people to follow the coming Prophet.
Very nice .
wrong, different religions
lol
You are never going to persuade the christian religionists that their religion is not the ONE TRUE religion lolol
Unfortunately Mark, nobody wants to hear that their religion is not the one true religion.lol. That is why I tried to explain how ALL religions were at one point sent down from God. Focusing on the common points is what we need to do.
Thank you Nia L - I am not a Christian, a Muslim or a Jew and don't want to be but am interested in religions and I found your hub rewarding and informatitive to read. So many people with so many interpretations. My own is that Jesus was just asking Jews to be better Jews and not to be anything different. Thanks again. I hope to read more from you.
Check out my response to your comment on my hub Nia L.
wow, im only half way done reading this hub, but i need to make a comment before i lose my stream of focus thus far.. Let me start by saying thank you for your comments and I appreciate you reading my hubs as well, I am very interested in your abstract thinking concerning the parrallells of religion. I feel that you are on the right path with them being all one religion or doctrine of truth, to soem extent, and yes modern christianity is perverted and less than accurate, along with the fact our canon has been altered and some of it is lost translation. Might I say though that your argument would appeal more legitimate if it were more neutral and less from a muslim standpoint. A few other comments about the hub, is the fact that Jesus was a Jew, (while we agree that the three have their base foundation of similarity, it should be mentioned neutrally between the three or more specifically accurate... He was a jew, He was a Christian, and I'm not sure He was a muslim, but at that time were the Muslims a separate religion? He was a Jew) I am a christian.... and I also want to remind Christians that JESUS was a JEW! His lifestyle I feel was to address the wandering doctrine of the Jews, and for all of Israel, but God chose the line of Issac and the line of Judah. It can be tricky trying to understand the mystery in Jesus being the Son of God and what it meant because He was born of a Virgin, through the Spirit of God Himself, so there is a form of Diety there and in the very least extreme superiority, and whatever you label Him, He is the way the truth and the life and none will come to the Father except through Him. I apologize for my typos and running sentences here if there amy be, I'm not done yet. In the beginning God said "let Us ..." which also leads me to a path of intriguing interest of what that meant? Who is Us? and what does it mean... man and wife become one flesh, a unit of individuals forms one system, so our understanding of God may or may not be completely understood, I do, however, believe that the difference between our monotheistic religion, so to say, and the other polytheism of pagan cultures is that our system (if there be a system) is the monotheism,get it, the system is the monotheism. Instead of having multiple gods with separate motives functions and purposes, our God is one system of motive function and purpose and the being of who He is is not ours to decipher, some people would look at the trinity as a type of Godhead system? I'm not exactly sure how to label it, there is much to be sought and learned and will be forever, knowledge is never ending and forever increasing, and so with that i will continue reading your hub : )
I also want to say , now that i have finished reading, I agree with you (somewhat resentfully, due to my western habit formed lifestyle) about polygamy, but only in that it was not the ideal original plan of God (neither was divorce), but that it became accepted and sometimes abused even and had many a negative outcomes, but that it does make more sense to accept under terms of more women in a populated society and for famine etc, and especially compared to what the western world will accept today. Stoning... ummm well I think it was originally said that way because it was extremely important to keep those influences from mildly seeping into the lifestyle, but many perversions have seeped into all the religions there are radical and dishonest muslims, christians, and jews! I believe Jesus set the example with the harlot being stoned, that the time had come and God had looked upon the iniquity and just like divorce, polygamy, and other alterations seeped in, a new way of dealing with situations was born, it has also been said "and he shall be cut off from his people" this is more like what the amish people do ,and i believe even they are the people of the Book. Jesus taught to fulfill the law from a society that was perverting its justice. It may be possible that just like the Jews rejected the first prophet the Christians rejected the next ( Muhammed) I'm not sure I will have to pray and seek guidance on this issue, It was all one doctrine and one God, one thing that does confuse me though , is that it says ishmael was a violent like character and his hand agaisnt every man and ever mans hand against him... there may be SOME truth to the doctrine, but the violence is a key issue to me, also in prophecy it speaks of the Jewish temple being rbuilt.. why have the muslims built a mosque there? can you show me how that ties in, because the original Temple was the floor plan to my understanding..... the mosque is something new and different, I wouldn't want them to build a steepled churchhouse on the plot that was meant for the jewish temple, there are certainties about the jewish faith that i think we all need to tie back in to... only perhaps heeding the words of the prophets in which case the jews seem to have neglected... please w/b .. oh yeh modesty for women i agree western civilzation needs to get on board... yet in the midst of this i know these things are seperate from our salvation, while they do matter, even though we fall short, those who don't fully understand will still be in the least of those in heaven, salvation was bought through the blood of Jesus and I do believe that.....
Thanks for the comments Courtney. You said that my argument would appeal more legitimate if it were more neutral. Well, after all my research not only in the field of religions, but also scientific, I've realized the utter authenticity and truth of Islam. So, I speak as a Muslim. About the fact that Jesus was a Jew. That of coarse is absolutely corect. He was a Jew and the successor of the previous prophets. Along with saying that he had come to fulfill the Law of the previous prophets, he also gave tidings of a prophet to come.Jesus said to the Jews: "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (From the KJV Bible, Matthew 21:43)" This nation, is Islam. And God said about Ishmael: "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (From the KJV Bible, Genesis 17:19-21)" So it is predicted that Ishmael will have a great nation as his descendants. Those are, ofcoarse, the Muslims. At that time, ofcoarse, the Muslims were not a separate religion so, in saying that Jesus was a Muslim, I mean that he was a prophet of God, like our prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h). As both their messages were the same, so they had the same religion. About the fact that God said 'let Us..' well, you have understand that 'us' is used for respect. It does not indicate the plurality of God. We,knowing English only, look at it from the English sense. In English, when we are talking to somebody, whether it is casual or formal, we use the word 'you'. That is not so with many other languages. Like in French casual 'you' is 'tu' and the formal 'you' is 'vous' (for talking to elders or for respect). Similarly in Urdu when we have to address ourselves casualy, we say 'main' but for respect many older people say 'hum' which is plural for 'i' and is translated into 'us' in English. So, God addresses Himself with respect, which He rightfully deserves. It, in no way, is related to the singularity of God. Furthermore, the mystery of the 'Son of God' is actually no mystery at all. The early Hebrews, which were closer to Jesus, considered him to be a prophet and not a literal son. Son of God meant a slave of God to them. If you look at history, you will find that 'son of God' has been used for many people. It is a term indicating a righteous person, which Jesus was, no doubt!
About polygyny, you're right. It is only acceptable under certain circumstances, which the West so conveniently ignores while attacking Islam. What amazes me is that thier own religion permits it. Same for the matter of covering. Muslim women are considered to be so pitiful because their religion tells them to cover! It is actually pretty funny that they are so ignorant about their own teachings, which are the same.
About Ishmael being a violent character, well we get that from the Bible, right? It is in no way an authentic fact. You admit that the Bible got corrupted by man, so we can not 100% trust what it says. Secondly, the verse of the Bible I quoted above tells us about the great nation of Ishmael. So, the Bible contradicts itself here. Ishmael is said to be violent and at the same time God says in the Bible "..I have blessed him..'.
I am working on my next hub and that I hope will answer many questions so you can check that out too. Thanks again!
i hope you don't think me disrespectful but i feel i must comment again, because the Bible , what we have, is authentic and CAN be trusted i do believe, but what i mean by altered is that some scrolls. complete books have been taken out, not that what we have is edited, some of it may be minorly mistranslated, and it can be true for a man to be blessed yet still be violent, judah did many dishonorable things but his lineage was blessed, so I am not a fan of taking certain scriptures that i want to believe and disregarding the rest that is a biased way to clarify things. i dont think you answered my question about the mosque?
Very interesting and highly informative. I agree with all of it. I will become a fan and refer back to it from time to time. I have concluded for many years that Judaism, Christianity and Islam should collectively fall under one name, which I believe to be Abrahamism. You might find my interpretation of Jesus interesting also.
Thank EnglishM! It has always surprised me that people dont see the clear fact of the unity of these religions. I checked out your hubs also. You have a really good way of thinking. Check my comments to your hubs and reply.Thanks again.
Courtney, I dont find you disrespectful at all and I apologize if my comment about the unauthenticity of Bible offended you. It is as sad for me as it is for any Christian that the original God's Word was tampered with, by man. One of the reasons why we dont 100% trust it is because the bible itself says that it got tampered with: "`How can you say, "We [the Jews] are wise, for we have the law of the LORD," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?' (From the NIV Bible, Jeremiah 8:8)" The theologists themselves tell us that they are not sure who the original authors of the bible are. I quote:
"The unknown author, whom we shall continue to call Matthew for the sake of convenience, drew no only up the Gospel according to Mark but upon a large body of material (principally, sayings of Jesus) not found in Mk that corresponds, sometimes exactly, to material found also in the Gospel according to Luke. (The New American Bible, ISBN: 978-0-529-06484-4, Page 1008)"
"Although the book is anonymous, apart from the ancient heading "According to Mark" in manuscripts, it has traditionally been assigned to John Mark, in whose mother's house (at Jerusalem) Christians assembled. (The New American Bible, ISBN: 978-0-529-06484-4, Page 1064)"
"Serious doubts exists as to whether these verses belong to the Gospel of Mark. They are absent from important early manuscripts and display certain peculiarities of vocabulary, style and theological content that are unlike the rest of Mark. His Gospel probably ended at 16:8, or its original ending has been lost. (From the NIV Bible Foot Notes [1], page 1528)"
Doubts do exist and where there's doubt, trust ofcoarse can not exist. I'm sorry about this fact but it is, nevertheless, true.
About the fact that it is possible that a man can be violent and blessed, well, we can choose to believe whatever we want about it since no clear cut information about this exists. The only clear cut info that exists is that the nation of Ishmael did indeed grow to become a great nation. And about the mosque, well, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque and other existing Islamic and Christian shrines in Jerusalem, are the fulfillment of the prophecy: “On that day God will be One and His Name One” (Zechariah 14:9)
It is a vision about transforming the Temple Mount from a place of contention to truly God’s Holy Mountain, a house of prayer for all people (Isaiah 56:7). It represents the prophecy of Zechariah 14:9 of the One God worshipped by the entire world in peace together. Further proves the fact that these three religions are infact, one.
Thanks Nia L. I would like to know what happened to Muhammad; what where the circumstances of his last days? And also, what are the letters in brackets for? Such as, (p.b.u.h)?
You asked for this remember
Joh:1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh:1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Joh:14:9: Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh:20:29: Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
1Jo:1:1: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jo:5:7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
This is not anbody else but Jesus Christ the Isa
To Hoowantstono and other christians:
Jesus was asked directly whether or not he was Son of God as we read:
"The the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good words have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being man, makest thyself God." (John 10:31-33)
The question of Jesus Christ being God was directly posed to him here. The concept of Trinity and his Divinity were all questioned. Let us observe the response for we read:
"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemeth; because I said, I am the son of God?" (John 10:34-37)
Clearly Jesus rejects being Son of God as it is evident here that the term Son of God is not to be taken in its literal sense.
Let us analyze now what a Christian Commentator has to say about the relevant issue. When Jesus was asked if he was Son of God he was unable to affirm as we read:
"And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou has said..." (Matthew 26:63-64)
Further Evidence in Support of the fact that meaning of 'Son of God' should not be taken literal:
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God..." (1 John 5:1)
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14)
The prophets have been also called the Son of God as we read:
"David says, "...the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have i begotten thee." (Psalms 2:7)
"...he (Solomon) shall be my son, and I will be his father..." (1 Chronicles 22:10)
---------Jesus' Prophecy relating to Jonah--------
The prophecy regarding Jonah is as follows:
"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and there shall be no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:39-40)
Jonah went into the belly of the fish AlIVE, remained in it ALIVE, and came out ALIVE. This is a common belief amongst the majority of christian schoalrs. Likewise, Jesus went into the belly of the Earth ALIVE, remained in their ALIVE, and came out ALIVE. This is the only scenario that logic would deem fit as Jesus has likened himself to Jonah in this case.
Good to see that the answer to Hoowantstono has been provided.
What about the answer to EnglishM, Nia L?
EnglishM, I'm really sorry for the late answer. Actually, what you asked is so vast that I thought you should have the perfect answer so that took some time. My words can not do justice to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) so I've dug up some pages where you can get the best information. Here thay are:
http://islam.thetruecall.com/modules.php?name=News
http://islam.thetruecall.com/modules.php?name=News
http://www.muhammad.net/component/content/article/
http://www.mohammad-pbuh.com/3/biography.htm
I hope these will help answer your questions.
By the way, the letters in the brackets stand for 'peace be upon him'.
Thanks Nia L. I thought you might have missed seeing my questions.
Hi Nia,
With reference to Jesus being God and the meaning of Son:
Matthew 22 36-46
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?"
If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
....and as to referring to Christ being God:
John 3:16 has your word 'begotten' in it, which you refute as a mistranslation or addition from the Hebrew works. The evidence suggest that the text was written in Greek not Hebrew. Greek was the language of the time, much as English is today.
However in the same chapter we read:
John 3 33-36
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Giving 'all things into his hand' kinda makes a statement as to his diety, I mean here you have God giving to Jesus 'all things into his hand'.
You also have:
Matthew 28:18-20 (King James Version)
18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Errmmm... that sounds pretty definitively like Christ is pinning the tail on the donkey about what his divinity was.
Like I said in my earlier post to you, IF I had not STUDIED the bible FIRST, as in BEFORE I read the Quran, then Islam would have captivated me, but having read the bible. It cannot.
Hi Aguasilver,
Your first argument does not in any way prove that Jesus was the literal, beotte son of God. A s to all power in heaven and Earth being given to him, well, if that was so why did Jesus say : "I can of myself do nothing."
John 14:28 “You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.”
This verse proves without a doubt that Jesus was inferior to God.
You say that because you have studied the bible first, so you can not be captivated by the Quran. Well, the bible itself claims to be mishandled by the people:
"How can you say, 'We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie." Jeremiah 8: 8
Addition to the above post:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
History is evident to the fact that all prophets conveyed their message in similar manner. All prophets preached to the people about the Father (Spiritual Father, i.e. God), their prophethood (claiming that they have been send by God and that they are His messenger thus becoming in the spiritual sense “Son”), and lastly all prophets also discussed about the Holy Ghost (otherwise known as angel Gibrael). These three aspects were fundamental and consistent with all prophets or messengers of God and without mentioning these points one could not successfully convey the message of God. It was for this reason that Jesus demonstrated how to baptize people to his deciples. Therefore, Jesus Christ can not be credited with any distinction in such matters for all prophets preached in a similar manner.
Jesus is a Muslim. Do you know?
Jesus is a Muslim, described in surah Ali 'Imran: 52, which reads [3:52] When Jesus sensed their disbelief, he said, "Who are my supporters towards GOD?" The disciples said, "We are GOD's supporters; we believe in GOD, and bear witness that we are Muslim."
Moses is a Muslim, explained in surah Yunus: 84, which reads [10:84] Moses said, "O my people, if you have really believed in GOD, then put your trust in Him, if you are really Muslim."
Abraham is a Muslim, described in the letter Ali 'Imran: 67, which reads [3:67] Abraham was neither Jewish, nor Christian; he was a Muslim. He never was an idol worshiper.
Abraham bequeath Islam to his descendants, explained in surah Al-Baqarah: 132 which reads [2:132] Moreover, Abraham exhorted his children to do the same, and so did Jacob: "O my children, GOD has pointed out the religion for you; do not die except as Muslim."
Islam is the religion of the Prophets, explained in surah Al-Baqarah: 136 which reads [2:136] Say, "We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are Muslim."
Clear that the Prophet Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad have One Teacher. Then One Teacher teaches one lesson. And One lesson of all the religion of the Prophets is Islam.
Interesting Hub. Jesus was not a Muslim nor was Isaac, Jacob or anyone from that blood line. Ishmael is the muslim, as his mother was not a Jewess. These people (Ishmaels bloodline) are in fact CUT OFF they have nothing, they will not share in the inheritance. Furthermore Ishmaels mother Hagar was from Egypt, these are the same people that persecuted the Jews in captivity for more than 400 years . Trust me these people Hate Jews, or any one who helps the Jews (Jew sympathizers) Lastly the covanent that God made with Abraham was the covanent of circumcision, if you were not circumcised you were not a Jew and your soul was cut off see this entry on the circumcision for a mor in depth view
You are forgeting that Ishmael was Abraham's eldest son and first born. You are also forgetting what bible says about him:
"And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (From the KJV Bible, Genesis 17:19-21)" So it is predicted that Ishmael will have a great nation as his descendants AND that he is blessed. And Ishmael WAS curcumsised.
This is very true. All those religions have many things in common but politics destroyed these relations.
Lovely arguments and counter arguements. Well what was the religion of Abrahham (A.H.S), coz later only Ismaelites and Isaacites were divided. From Isaac came The Bani Israel (Jews) and Later Nasrani (Nazareth/ Christians) and there came Muslims from Muhammad (S.A.W.S). What was the religion of Prophet Adam, the Father of Human Race !! Never in the Testament its written he was a Jew nor in Bible its written He was a Christian. But its in the Holy Koran where he and Prophet Abraham says they will bear witness that they were follwong Islam. What is Islam?
The meaning of "Islam" is the acceptance of a view or a condition which previously was not accepted. In the language of the Holy Qur'an, Islam means the readiness of a person to take orders from God only and to follow them. "Muslim" is a word taken from the word Islam. Muslim means person who is ready to take orders from God and follow them.
"Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was an upright (man), a Muslim (the one who takes order from god); and he was not one of the Polytheists." 3:67 Holy Quran.
Now the religion of Christian is from the followers Christ.
The religion of Jews: - the word Jew is an incorrect English rendering most often translated from the Latin word Judaeus, a Latin translation of the Hebrew word Yahudah. As translated, it is referring to one of the tribes of Israel (Yisrael) named after one of the 12 sons of Jacob. The word Jews, the plural of the word Jew, is incorrectly translated most often from the word Hebrew Yahudi, descendants of the tribe named after Yahudah.
So Prophet Moses was sent to remind and revive the JEWS about the worship and true faith. Hence the word Jews is not a religion as we say and mean it today but it’s a name of a Tribe!! Hence Jew is an individual who is a member of the Jewish People.
Muslims: - person who is ready to take orders from God and follow them. And after being muslims we are Mohammedans, who follows the teaching of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.S).
I have just defined the meanings of three religion’s words. And the Word muslim is implemented on all who follow God’s word. And therefore Adam did take orders from God and followed them, and so did Noah, Abraham, Zackariya, Jacob, Caeser (Qizr), Younus, Joseph, Joshua, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed (S.A.W.S). Now it is upto you to say what they were!!
Very well said Buraq. Each prophet came with the same message : follow one God. Jews stuck with prophet Moses (p.b.u.h), Christian stuck with Jesus (p.b.u.h). It is only the Muslims who believe in all prophets and the real message brought by them which is "There is no god but God."
HOOWANTSTONO says:
2 months ago
One problem here
Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, so that means Mohammad and ony other are not worth following or hearing. That also means Allah doesnt exist, or that means Jesus Christ is Allah.
Therefore there is not one message.