2. ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS
Muslims and
Christians have a lot in common.
Thus, we find that the Christian belief system
is much
closer to that of the
Muslims, whereas significant
differences exist between Christians and
Islamic doctrines on the one hand and the Jewish creed
on
the other. In this respect, we shall first consider the common features of the teachings of Jesus Christ and
Prophet Muhammad (Peace
be upon them) and then we shall deal with five crucial points that
are shared by Christians
and Muslim.
A number of misunderstandings are prevalent among Muslim scholars regarding the teachings of Prophet Jesus (Peace be upon them) as they appear in the four Gospels. Indeed, if one is to compare the teachings of the two religions in a superficial and casual manner, he can no doubt point out a number of disagreements. However, a deeper study of the teachings of Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) will reveal that there is no fundamental disharmony between the two. This point needs to be elucidated, as follow.
The methodology of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) -- in his struggle to bring about an Islamic Revolution -- consisted of two distinct approaches. The first can be described as the primary or elementary approach which was employed by the Prophet to assemble a group of highly dedicated, committed, and thoroughly trained men. The second one can be described as the ultimate or the final approach, which was employed by the Prophet to make use of this group in the actual confrontation or conflict with the guardians of the status quo.
The primary or elementary approach of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) can be understood with the help to four Qur’anic terms. These are: Recitation of the Divine Revelations (Tilawat-e-Aayat), Purification of the souls (Tazkiyya), Instructions regarding the Do’s and the Don’ts (Taleem-e-Kitab), and the Inculcation of wisdom (Taleem-e-Hikmat). These terms appear at four different places in the Holy Qur’an (Al-Baqara 2:129 & 151; Aal-e- Imran 3:164; Al-Jum’ah 62:2), and represent the four dimensions of the fundamental duties of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them).
It is significant to note that, among the previous Revelations, we find and interesting division with regard to the different aspects of Divine Guidance. That is to say, the Torah of Prophet Moses contained only the instructions regarding the do’s and the don’ts (Kitab), the Psalms of Prophet David was composed only of hymns of God the Almighty (Aayat), and the Gospel of Prophet Jesus consisted predominantly of wisdom (Hikmat). The Holy Qur’an – being the last of divine Revelations -- is the most comprehensive Book in that it contains all three elements of Divine Guidance, plus it is also the source for purifying human hearts (Tazkiyya).
All apparent discrepancies between the teachings of Prophet Jesus and those of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) are, in fact, a direct result of disregarding the crucial fact that the Gospels deal primarily with the inner and esoteric element of Deen and not with its legal and formal aspects. Therefore, if one is to compare the teachings of the two religions without losing sight of this fact, the apparent inconsistencies would ceases to disturb him, and he will soon realize that both religions actually teach the same things, but from different perspectives.
The ultimate or the final approach of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) consisted of two distinct phases: the struggle in Makkah, which was characterized by passive Resistance, when the order of the day was to remain peaceful and not to reliant under any provocation whatsoever: and the struggle in Medina, which was characterized by Active Resistance, and the accompanying armed conflict against the defenders of the status quo, when the believers were not only allowed but were actually encouraged and ordained to fight in the way of Allah.
Some Muslim scholars have a tendency to disparage the teaching of passivity that is found everywhere in the four Gospels, labeling it as unnatural and impracticable. However, this issue can be easily resolved if we realize that the instruction of Jesus Christ to “turn the other cheek” was not a permanent part of his message, but that he had ordered his followers to remain passive and peaceful only till the time when they had enough strength the challenge the unjust and ungodly system. This instruction is identical to the order of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) that was given by him to his Companions during the phase of Passive Resistance in Makkah. However, in contrast to the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them), we see that the stages of active resistance and armed conflict never arrived in the brief career of Prophet Jesus (Peace be upon them), because Almighty Allah had raised him up into the heavens in order to save him from being crucified. Muslims believer that, after his second coming, the Christ will lead the army of the believers against the followers of Dajjal, and that he will thus complete his unfinished mission.
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