Understanding the misunderstanding in God & Religion: Perspectives in Judaism, Christianity & Islam.

By Ahmed Ibrahim Khalil

Khalil

The interest of this topic is to examine God’s message against the contumacy of how people make a mockery of themselves in a shameless display of ignorance of what they claim to be, or represent; in the entire three religious divide. My consistent references to the Qur’an at the introductory part of the paper are because it is the latest edition of the divine books. Expectedly, there are mentions of the other divine books and religious rites of the earlier people. The second reason being that it accepts the others.

وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَمُهَيْمِناً عَلَيْهِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً وَلَـكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَـكُم فَاسْتَبِقُوا الخَيْرَاتِ إِلَى الله مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُو

48. And We have sent down to you the Book with The Truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and prevailing over it (old Scriptures). So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from The Truth that has come to you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.

- Ma’idah

The above revelation was consequential upon Judicial matters raised/appeal to Prophet Mohammad by the Jews, and, or Christians of Medinah then; refusing the option of applying the Cannon Law as commanded in the Bible. The point to be noticed here is that the Qur’an is confirming the earlier scriptures and prevailing over them. It also gives the Jews and the Christians the right to use their Bible to judge between themselves. But they also can decide to seek alternative in the judgment from the Qur’an.

The third reason why most of my quotations would come from the Qur’an is because most of the misunderstandings and fanaticism comes from the supposed Muslim. Therefore we would start by asking the following question:

Who are the major characters mentioned in the Qur’an?

The Leading Characters in the Qur’an.

The following two verses should unveil to us the identity of the characters if there is any.

لَتَجِدَنََّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ , وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّـهِدِينَ - وَمَا لَنَا لاَ نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّـلِحِينَ - فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُواْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَآ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَحِيمِ

82. Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers are the Jews and those who commit Shirk, and you will find the nearest in love to the believers those who say: "We are Christians.'' That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not proud. 83. And when they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of The Truth they have recognized. They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses.''  84. "And why should we not believe in Allah and in that which has come to us of The Truth And we wish that our Lord will admit us along with the righteous people.'' 85. So because of what they said, Allah awarded them with Gardens under which rivers flow, they will abide therein forever. Such is the reward of good-doers. 86. But those who disbelieved and belied Our Miracles, they shall be the dwellers of Hell.

The Characters mentioned are four.

1.       The Believers i.e. People that believe in the prophet hood of Muhammad(SAW).

2.       Jews i.e. followers of Mosaic religion (Judaism).

3.       Mushriks i.e. Unbelievers(Atheists)

4.       Christians i.e. followers of Jesus Christ

Jews and Christians are referred to in other places in the Qur’an as ‘people of the Book’ or “people of the Scriptures”.

(To be continued)