No God but God?

Islam is the faith of murderers and the vile! This statement is claimed among many nations and has been for many years. I would venture to say that the Islamic community is exactly the same as ours, except for one big difference. They are still people, living breathing and walking. They still go to school and work, trying to raise a family. They communicate with others and build relationships just like anyone else. The only big difference I see between an Islamic man and a Christian man is the God that he believes in.

The prophet Muhammad was believed to have a personal encounter with God as a 40 year-old sometime around 610. He had ventured into a cave and so happened to meet with the spirit of Allah, which nearly crushed him in order to get the point across, telling him to preach that there is only one God and that we should surrender to him. Muhammad, following his new orders as the prophet of God, began to preach this message, thus creating Islam in its truest form. Since then, the religion has exploded into many different sects including the Sunni, Sufi and Shi’a tribes.

Christianity has many different sects of its faith as well; Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant and non-denominational are just a few. All believe one truth: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He died for our sins, rose again, and reigns. Jesus was born to a virgin mother in Bethlehem and when He was about thirty years old He began His ministry to all people, performing miracles and teaching.

Both of these men are seen as prophets by many groups. A Christian would say that Muhammad was simply a man, and a Muslim would say that Jesus was a prophet, but no son of God. However, the question still remains: Is the God they were referring to the same God, and was this God teaching the same thing? A practicing Muslim would say yes, because there is only one God, and a Christian would say absolutely not!

The Quran is quoted as saying, “…but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth his wealth, for the love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy…” (2:177) Inferring from this passage, a righteous man or a “good” man is one who believes in Allah, the end times, angels of Allah, the Quran and the prophets. A good person is also one who cares for orphans and the poor. This teaching is not too far from the Christian book, the Bible. In the Bible, Jesus is quoted as saying “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NIV) It also says “I have shown you in every way…that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 NKJV) Jesus here is saying that we should love God with all of ourselves, and that we should take care of the poor, needy and the weak.

These two teachings, while from a different script, seem to have the same meaning. Yet as I researched further, I found another main focus of the Islamic tradition. “When he reaches maturity, and reaches the age of forty, he should say, ‘My Lord, direct me to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me … and to do the righteous works that please You…I am a submitter.’ It is from these that we accept the righteous works, and overlook their sins. They have deserved Paradise.” (46:15-16) This tradition focuses on good deeds. It seems here that an Islamic man would not receive paradise unless he lives up to the standards of good living. If this man decided to dishonor his parents, he would receive his due reward (46:19), and not receive paradise.

Many would say that Christianity holds this same doctrine, but I venture to say that it does not. Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (NKJV) Titus 3:5 also says “not by works of righteousness which you have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” The Christian doctrine clearly states that good deeds will not determine a man’s heaven or hell, but his faith in Jesus Christ alone determines his fate.

This may be one of many differences between Islam and Christianity, but it is a solid divider of the two worlds. Islam is a religion based on works, and Christianity is one based on Faith. The two will never be the same. It is now up to us, the readers and believers, to choose which one is right: works, or faith.