Islam and Christianity
“Now these are the generations of Ismail (Ishmael), Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.” Genesis 25:12-18
“Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Yaqoub (Jacob)'s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Yaqoub (Jacob), which were born to him in Padanaram. And Jacob came unto Ishaq (Isaac) his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Ishaq (Isaac) sojourned. And the days of Ishaq (Isaac) were an hundred and fourscore years. And Ishaq (Isaac) gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” Genesis 35:22-29
There are twelve mighty tribes out of Ismail (Ishmael). Yaqoub (Jacob) the inheritor of Isaac stole his brother Esau’s blessing from his father Ishaq (Isaac) away from him by deceiving Ishaq (Isaac) as he lay dying. “And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Yaqoub (Jacob) said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn;” Genesis, 27:18-19
Allah also raised up twelve tribes out of Jacob.
You will note a mathematical symmetry here. Out of both branches of the family of Ibrahim or Abraham as the Jews call him were raised up twelve tribes. When Isa (Jesus) came, a thirteenth tribe was added to the inheritance of Yaqoub (Jacob). A tribe called by a Prophet of Allah.
If Allah truly chose to send a Prophet to raise up such a thirteenth tribe for the inheritance of Jacob, then to keep his promise to Ibrahim to always bless Ismail (Ishmael) He would also raise up a Prophet out of Ismail (Ishmael). If He did not do so, then to a logical mind it would be an indication that Isa (Jesus) was a false prophet. If He did do so, then it would be a proof to a logical mind that Isa (Jesus) was a true Prophet. Logically, either both Isa and Mohammed are true prophets of Allah or both are false. (This was apparent to me the first time I ever read the Bible. It seems to have escaped the attention of the rest of the world.) Thus, logically, Mohammed is a proof of the truth of the teachings of Isa (Jesus).
Mecca is traditionally the place where Hagar and Ismail (Ishmael) settled. The waters of the spring Zamzam are traditionally considered to have sprung up from where Ismail (Ishmael) kicked the ground with his infant feet. Mohammed is traditionally believed to be descended from Ismail (Ishmael) through his second son Kedar. All these things are well known to Muslims but may be unfamiliar to Christian readers.
Muslim scholars can point to about as many prophetic verses in the Bible showing that a Prophet will be brought forth from Ismail (Ishmael) as Christians do to prove that Isa (Jesus) was ordained by God.
Habakkuk 3:3
God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.
Mount Paran is a mountain outside of Mecca and thus Muslims maintain that this and many other prophecies in the Bible predict the coming of a final prophet after Isa (Jesus). These issues are ancient. In the golden age of Islam good Muslims studied the books of Judaism and Christianity as well as the Koran. Christians have been attempting to refute them almost as long as Islam has existed.
Logically, given a mathematical mind, the Muslims have the stronger case. Allah should have raised up a prophet out of Ismail (Ishmael) to balance accounts as he raised up twelve tribes out of both branches of the descendants of Ibrahim (Abraham).
Most of what is offensive to Muslims in Christianity originates in the classical Greek ideas about God which have been incorporated in Christianity largely in the fourth Gospel. The Gospel of John is the oddball in the Christian Bible. The other three Gospels are very close parallels to one another. John, the last one written, the furthest removed from Isa (Jesus) is also the most different and the only one where Isa (Jesus) is actually identified as the Son of God. Modern Biblical Scholarship really supports the Muslim view of possible corruption of Isa (Jesus) teachings more than the Christian view.
Muslims accept Isa (Jesus) Musa (Moses) and virtually every other figure in traditional Christian and Jewish belief. Their teachings include these teachings as well.
“Say: We believe in Allah and (in) that which had been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Musa and Isa, and (in) that which was given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit.” Mohammed, “The Koran” “The Cow”
They simply believe that Mohammed came to correct errors that had crept in over the years. The fundamental issue of those corrections is not doubt in the teachings of Isa (Jesus), but denial of polytheism.
“Nay! do you say that Ibrahim and Ismail and Yaqoub and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.” Mohammed, “The Koran” “The Cow”
They deny that religion as practiced by Jews and Christians today is what was taught by Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus). In many ways Isa (Jesus) is as great or greater than Mohammed. Isa (Jesus) is the one who will rule after the second coming. Isa (Jesus) accomplished more wonderful miracles than Mohammed. Some Muslims may dispute this because of a body of apocryphal stories about miracles worked by Mohammed but this literature falls into the same class as similar apocryphal stories bout Isa (Jesus) childhood.
“We have made some of these apostles to excel the others among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We gave clear miracles to Isa son of Marium, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah brings about what He intends.” Mohammed, “The Koran” “The Cow”
The do not believe that Isa (Jesus) was the Son of God, and they do not believe that he died on the Cross. They believe that his death was an illusion and that he was raised up to heaven until the second coming.
“And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.”
“Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.” Mohammed, “The Koran”, “The Women”
Controversy plays a strong role in the life of ideas as J.S. Mill suggests in “On Liberty”,
“It is illustrated in the experience of almost all ethical doctrines and religious creeds. They are all full of meaning and vitality to those who originate them, and to the direct disciples of the originators. Their meaning continues to be felt in undiminished strength, and is perhaps brought out into even fuller consciousness, so long as the struggle lasts to give the doctrine or creed an ascendancy over other creeds. At last it either prevails, and becomes the general opinion, or its progress stops; it keeps possession of the ground it has gained, but ceases to spread further. When either of these results has become apparent, controversy on the subject flags, and gradually dies away. The doctrine has taken its place, if not as a received opinion, as one of the admitted sects or divisions of opinion: those who hold it have generally inherited, not adopted it; and conversion from one of these doctrines to another, being now an exceptional fact, occupies little place in the thoughts of their professors.”
One result of this is that as controversy over the essential elements of belief fade, passion and argument become concentrated on inessential elements. Additional bits of creed are added and fought over and even killed over. This process is predictable and inevitable and is constantly being condemned in the Koran. The Muslim position is that this process corrupted the true teachings of those who came before Mohammed. This is a strong position. It is inevitably true.
Muslims also believe that this process does not apply to Islam. Still Islam has its sects, it has had religious wars and persecutions between groups like Shia and Sunni Islam. Much of what is held to be holy law or Sharia in Islam today appears to be additions and corruptions.
In the sense of the importance of controversy in the life of ideas, the existence of Christianity is important to the continued existence of Islam. To quote J.S. Mill from “On Liberty” again,
“We often hear the teachers of all creeds lamenting the difficulty of keeping up in the minds of believers a lively apprehension of the truth which they nominally recognize, so that it may penetrate the feelings, and acquire a real mastery over the conduct. No such difficulty is complained of while the creed is still fighting for its existence: even the weaker combatants then know and feel what they are fighting for, and the difference between it and other doctrines; and in that period of every creed's existence, not a few persons may be found, who have realized its fundamental principles in all the forms of thought, have weighed and considered them in all their important bearings, and have experienced the full effect on the character, which belief in that creed ought to produce in a mind thoroughly imbued with it. But when it has come to be an hereditary creed, and to be received passively, not actively -- when the mind is no longer compelled, in the same degree as at first, to exercise its vital powers on the questions which its belief presents to it, there is a progressive tendency to forget all of the belief except the formularies, or to give it a dull and torpid assent, as if accepting it on trust dispensed with the necessity of realizing it in consciousness, or testing it by personal experience; until it almost ceases to connect itself at all with the inner life of the human being. Then are seen the cases, so frequent in this age of the world as almost to form the majority, in which the creed remains as it were outside the mind, encrusting and petrifying it against all other influences addressed to the higher parts of our nature; manifesting its power by not suffering any fresh and living conviction to get in, but itself doing nothing for the mind or heart, except standing sentinel over them to keep them vacant.”
A religion that is not challenged by another religion is already dying in the hearts of its advocates. The existence of Christianity is important for the health of Islam. This may be why Allah ordained the differences between the two beliefs.
This sort of death of religion can occur while formally practicing that religion as J.S. Mill describes in “On Liberty”,
“To what an extent doctrines intrinsically fitted to make the deepest impression upon the mind may remain in it as dead beliefs, without being ever realized in the imagination, the feelings, or the understanding, is exemplified by the manner in which the majority of believers hold the doctrines of Christianity. By Christianity I here mean what is accounted such by all churches and sects -- the maxims and precepts contained in the New Testament. These are considered sacred, and accepted as laws, by all professing Christians. Yet it is scarcely too much to say that not one Christian in a thousand guides or tests his individual conduct by reference to those laws. The standard to which he does refer it, is the custom of his nation, his class, or his religious profession. He has thus, on the one hand, a collection of ethical maxims, which he believes to have been vouchsafed to him by infallible wisdom as rules for his government; and on the other, a set of every-day judgments and practices, which go a certain length with some of those maxims, not so great a length with others, stand in direct opposition to some, and are, on the whole, a compromise between the Christian creed and the interests and suggestions of worldly life. To the first of these standards he gives his homage; to the other his real allegiance.”
Muslims would deny that there are any like that in Islam when discussing the matter with Christians, but it is equally certain that many Mullah’s and Imam’s mourn their existence in private.
What will happen is simple. If Muslims drive Christians out of Muslim lands, they will no longer test their faith against Christianity. Not having the Christians to differ with them in important matters of doctrine, their appreciation of these important matters will fade. Seeking as men always do to find reasons to argue, they will turn to unimportant matters and multiply differences between Muslims. Sect and strife among Muslims will grow and the important truths of Islam will be forgotten.
By tolerating a healthy Christian and Jewish presence in Muslim lands, Muslims can avoid this. They will argue with the Christians over the important issues. This will keep those issues fresh and strong in their hearts. They will not argue with other Muslims while the Christians are there to challenge them. This may be why Allah commanded respect for the peoples of the Book.
It is important for the health of Islam for it to practice religious tolerance so that it can always see the errors of other faiths at first hand, and so that it can avoid falling to sectarian errors against its Muslim brothers. This is the right attitude of Muslims to Christians and other peoples of other books living in their lands.