One of the most common misconceptions of Christians about Islam is that some believe that Muslims worship a God that is other than the God in the Bible. The reason for this is that Muslims call Allah in his personal name, Allah. Unlike Christians who call god simply as God or Lord while Muslims call him as Allah. This leads to Muslims being seen by most Christians as strange. But as far as Islam is concerned, The God who sent the prophets and the Lord who created the heaven and earth is the same God known by Muslims. In fact, there is no religion closer to Christianity in belief than Islam. Islam is actually closer in belief to the Christian compared to how near the Jewish, Hindu or Buddhist belief is to the Christians. Allah said in the Quran,
“You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.” Quran 5:82.
COMMON GROUND
In fact, you will find that both Muslims and Christians believe in the same God, they also both believe in Angels, Revelations, Prophets, and Messengers, Afterlife and Destiny that is chosen for us by God. Muslims believe in Jesus, Mary, Paradise, Hellfire, Judgment day and others. Christianity and Islam are very close to each other if one will compare the fundamental teachings of Christianity in forbidding adultery, fornication, theft, lying, vice, and others. Both uphold the virtues of filial piety, honesty, integrity among others. This is the reason why many Muslim reverts who are from Christianity didn’t find it difficult at all to accept and live by the teachings of Islam.
As far as Muslims are concerned, Allah is the same God who sent Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah and all the other prophets. Allah said in the Quran,
“Indeed, We have sent messengers to all nations so that the people will worship Allah alone without partners and so that they stay away from worshipping other gods.” Quran 16:36.
This means that it was Allah who sent all the prophets from the first prophet Adam up to the last prophet Muhammad – may Allah’s peace and blessing be upon his prophets and messengers.
Muslims believe in Allah according to a doctrine known as Tawhid which is also known as Allah’s oneness. The first part of Tawhid is Allah’s oneness in His divinity. No one deserves to be worshipped except him. In fact, anyone who wants to become a Muslim must first verbally say the Shahadah, or testimony of faith that there is no god worthy of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.
Muslims believe that Allah alone is the Lord or the Creator and Sustainer that the Christians and Jews know about. He is the creator of the heavens and the Earth. He is the sustainer of life and the One who manages every affair of his creation. He has knowledge of what He created and nothing happens to His creation except that He knows of it and that He has approved it.
Thirdly, Muslims believe that Allah possesses names and attributes that are special to Him alone. There is no one in creation that could be compared to Him in any way in his names and attributes. It is not allowed for a human to name his newborn child as Allah rather he should name his child as Abdullah, which means, the servant of Allah.
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE
Although we have mentioned basic similarities, let’s mention about the fundamental difference between Islam and Christianity which we may say comprises a small part of the doctrines of each respective which I wish to elaborate more in order for you to understand Islam clearly. These, I say with all due respect to our Christian readers and my intention is simply a comparison.
– The divinity of Christ, Mary and the Angels and Saints: Muslims believe that all acts of worship should be dedicated to Allah alone. Prayers, Fasting sacrificing animals, religious vows, having religious festivals in their memory, and others cannot be dedicated to Jesus, Mary, the angels or the saints. Muslims believe that Jesus is merely a human prophet like Adam and others in spite of his miraculous birth. He is not the son of God. Muslims don’t believe that he is the human incarnation of God or that Jesus and God is one and the same.
– Worship of Statues and Idols: Although idol worship has been forbidden in the Ten Commandments, modern interpretations of Christianity allow the worship or gaining religious inspirations from statues, crucifixes, and others. Islam prohibits any form of idolatry.
– Belief in the Crucifixion of Jesus: Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross. Rather he was brought up by Allah to Heaven alive only to come back to Earth when Judgment day is near in order to enforce the laws of Allah and disavow any acts of worship for him and he will order the annihilation of pigs which is originally forbidden to be eaten by Christians and Jews but was made lawful using his name.
– Belief in Superstitions: Although the Catholic Church itself denies any belief in superstition, the common Christian will find no difficulty in believing in good luck and bad luck, fortune telling and others. Islam finds these as opposing their belief that Allah is the only one who is managing the affairs of His creatures and good things and bad things do not happen because of an amulet, talisman, black cats or lucky charms.
– The stricter Moral sense in Islam: We Filipinos are considered more conservative than most Western countries but there has been some decline in the way people look at moral issues of how to dress in public, sex, marriage, vice, and others. Some simply shrug this off as being in tune with the times. But in Islam, laws are eternal. It does not change in time or place you are in.
This is our article for today. If you want to know more about Islam, watch Mensahe TV via Cignal channel 184 or visit www.mensahetv.com. If you have questions feel free to email me at mujahidnavarra@gmail.com.
Have a nice day.
