[ Introduction
| Books
| Other Resources
| Mosque Visit
| Shariah
| Inter-Faith
| Other Links
Other Useful Links in connection with
Our 'Understanding Islam' Course
Contents
- following notes are taken from this muslim-canada.org page
- "Muslim jurists have always advocated extending the greatest equality to both "relatives" (Muslims) and "strangers" (non-Muslims). However, with respect to the life of the Hereafter, the believers and the unbelievers cannot be equals. The former will be granted paradise while the latter will inherit Hell."
- the Qur'an prescribes religious tolerance by clearly and emphatically stating that there should be no compulsion in religion. [2:256]
Introduction
- Muslim view is that Jewish and Christian scriptures got modified over time whereas Koran was preserved exactly as originally recited by Allah through Gabriel
- comparre Muslim opening prayer (1:1-7) to Lord's Prayer -- says same meanings of (a) Adoration, (b) Submission, (c) Supplication [RJA comment -- good parallel]
- says Qur'an says Jesus is alive and will come back again -- Mohammed announced in detail that Jesus would come back to the earth miraculously in the last days and bring peace, justice, and happiness by uniting Christians and Muslims in a common religion and morality. [RJA comment -- but I suppose that leaves out the Christians who have since died and gone to hell?]
Some similarities but these specific differences:
- Muslims do not believe in the Trinity
- seems to suggest that Christians emphasize the beautiful aspects of God but ignore the authority, grandeur, and power ones
- Muslims believe Jesus is a Prophet not a part of God Himself
- Muslims believe Jesus was not crucified but was raised up to heaven by God
- Muslims believe judgment occurs only on Judgment Day (which is when people go to Paradise and Hell) but Christians believe it happens immediately on death -- but says Muslims believe in an intermediate stage in the grave (where know what judgment will be) [RA comment: so sort of like purgatory?]
- for Muslims Paradise is eternal (can't be ejected from it) but Hell is less clear -- says a great majority of Muslims affirm that God may pardon every sin and every crime except disbelief in God [4:48, 116]
- my Koran [Dawood translation] says:
4:48 Allah will not forgive those who serve other gods besides Him; but He will forgive whom He will for other sins.
4:116 Allah will not forgive idolatry. He will forgive whom He will all other sins. [RJA comment: but doesn't specify timing -- after Hell?]
- Muslims don't believe in Original Sin
- Muslims do not believe in vicarious atonement (whether via Jesus or via intercessors such as priests and monks) -- but they do believe that someone can pray to Allah for His Mercy and Forgiveness on behalf of another person
- Muslims believe that the Qur'an is revelation by Gabriel to Mukammed over 23 years and is Allah's word -- whereas Christians believe that divine inspiration inspired the writers of the scripture
- the Qur'an is the same as it always was [RJA comment: well, some other versions were destroyed uner Othman] whereas Costantine's Council codified the New Testament (depriving some books of status -- some still existing in the Apocrypha) -- [RJA comment: how is this different from the Islamic destruction under Othman except slower?]
- says all Prophets from Adam to Muhammed are pure and sinless/infallible whereas Prophets are not portrayed as infallible in the Bible -- Prophets have less status in Christianity
- various difference in detail between Quranic and Biblical versions of some Biblical stories
- Muslims view secular law and morality as identical whereas Christians separate them
- Muslims believe that while the Scripture and Gospels were originally pure and error free, contradiction and error has crept into them over time so now suspect
- Muslims (like Jews) do not eat pork while Christians do
- alcohol and or intoxication is completely forbidden to Muslims whereas while intoxiation is forbidden alcohol consumption is not for Christians
- for Muslims free-mixing of sexes is discouraged while not for Christians (though perhaps it used to be)
- Muslims do not believe in the separation of church from state -- but it is permissible to separate the functions of government and religion but politics would still be subject to religion
- Muslim daily rituals and practices defined in detail -- not so for Christians
- in Islam prayer is very precisely defined and specific -- in Christianity apart from a few exceptions (Lord's Prayer and Creed) prayer is not standardized and is more an improvised conversation with God
- in Islam actions may be forbidden, allowed, obligatory, or following the ways of the Prophet -- Christianity doesn't have these distinctions
- in Islam no church hierarchy and no celibacy for religions leaders or monks
- Muslims can convey the message of Allah but cannot apply any pressure towards conversion whereas they feel Christians have an obligation to proselytize and that missionary work is considered very important
- Islam forbids homosexuality but United Church ordains homosexual ministers
- interest is forbidden to Muslims who live in Islamic countries but Christians use it
- Islam allows polygamy; Christianity used to but it is now forbidden to all sects but the Mormons
- gambling is forbidden to Muslims, not to Christians
- in Islam, only females are allowed to wear gold; males and females both are allowed to wear gold in Christianity
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- an interesting website of the Karamah organization
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- websites noted on this 'Other Links' page
- websites noted on 'Books' page
- other websites noted on individual book note pages
- websites noted on 'Other Resources' page
- websites noted in 'Mosque visit' (actually in 'Concept of Islam' notes)
- websites noted on 'Shariah' page
- see other websites noted on 'Inter-Faith Dialogue' page
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http://www.rodmer.com/UnderstandingIslam/Links.html -- Revised Dec 17, 2004
rod@rodmer.com