Islam, Christianity, Judaism
Islam, Christianity, Judaism: Three main faiths on earth: Judaism, preached by Moses (Peace be upon him); Christianity, preached by Jesus (Peace be upon him); Islam, preached by Muhammad (SAW)—all believers in ONE GOD.
The non-believers or the followers of other religions fail to understand the symphony of faith that give rise to conflicts and wars in our world.
To them one thing is understandable that we all are crazy about converting people to our own denominations as much as possible. But this does not get across to them that why we are divided into different segregations in spite of believing in Monotheism.
So this is short and precise attempt to explain the beliefs and the conflicts prevalent among the People of the Book: Jews, Christians and Muslims.
The Jews/Yahood are usually known as the Children of Israel. Israel: who is Biblically known as Jacob/Ya\’qub. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham/Ibrahim through his younger son Isaac/ Is\’haq.
The Jews, followers of Judaism, believe in Pentateuch/Torah, popularly known as Bible\’s Old Testament: the Book originally revealed in Hebrew- the native language of Moses (Peace be upon him).
Biblically, Moses (Peace be upon him) \’ line of ancestry goes as: Moses (Peace be upon him) son of Amram, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.
The worship of Yahweh, the god of the tribe of Judah (hence the name Judaism), which had played a leading role in the emergence of the ancient Jewish state in the beginning of the 10 th Century BC and which provided the dynasty of the Jews\’ first Kings turned into the single state religion, which later developed as the cult of a single god, ruler of the world. In Judaism, there appeared at a very early stage, the idea that the people of Israel were God\’s “chosen people”.
The rabbis (“teachers of the Law”) completed the compilation of the written source of Judaic beliefs, second in importance to the Bible- the Talmud (3rd to 5th centuries AD).
Judaic religious leaders enjoy the strongest influence of all in Israel. In the USSR Judaism is to be found mainly in an orthodox form.
Zionism (derived from the name for Mount Zion in the outskirts of Jerusalem), ideology, policy and system for the organizations of the powerful Jewish middle class, which became closely allied with business and political circles in the West, particularly in the United States. The Zionist Movement has an openly anti-Communist and anti-Soviet thrust. Zionism came to link an appeal for the “exodus” of Jews from the countries, where they were actually living, with the idea of national unification within their own state. Using Judaism to further its own ends, Zionism still possesses undeniable political overtones. The links between Zionism and Judaism assumed definitive shape back in the 1930s.The reactionary implications of this union come particularly clearly to the fore in the annexionist policy of the ruling Zionist circles in Israel. [A Dictionary for Believers and Non Believers, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1985]
The Christians/Nasara, followers of Christ/ Messiah known as Jesus/Isa (Peace be upon him) are the most popular religion in our world. Moses (Peace be upon him) had prophesied Jesus (Peace be upon him) \’ coming in the Torah; but when Jesus (Peace be upon him) came, it were the Jews themselves who took his life at the Cross according to the religious beliefs of the Christians.
The Book revealed upon Jesus (Peace be upon him) was called the Gospel / Injeel, originally in Aramaic, the language that Jesus (Peace be upon him) spoke.
Only after Jesus (Peace be upon him) had gone that people realized- he was the destined Messiah. During his lifetime only a few believed in him-known as the Twelve Disciples.
It was St. Paul (not included in the Twelve Disciples) Greek by birth, who brought a revolution in the spread of Christianity in those days. The mythical concepts of Greeks got mixed to the original Christianity preached by Jesus (Peace be upon him), such as: the idea of Trinity (Father is God, Son is God and Holy Spirit is God) was introduced into Christianity by him.
In the 4th century AD, Athanasian and Nicene Creed fixed four versions of Gospels as authentic, recognized today as the New Testament Bible, from about 270 different versions of the Gospels which were burnt off.
The Christians we see today believe that there is nothing wrong in worshipping Jesus (Peace be upon him). Rather, they make it a point that only those who worship Jesus (Peace be upon him) will go to heaven.
The Christian world is itching for the moment to start a conflagration of total annihilation- what they call “Armageddon” in Palestine. No Armageddon, then no second coming of Christ! They are obsessed with this devilish thought of human carnage so staggering that the loss of human life and limb of the 1st and the 2nd World Wars combined would seem like picnic parties.
The Jews do not believe in the Christian story of Jesus (Peace be upon him) coming into the clouds to draw all surviving believers to himself in mid air and into eternity, but this Christian frenzy to bring about a quick return of Christ suits the Jews in gaining blind Christian support for Israel. [Arabs and Israel: Conflict or conciliation? , Ahmad Deedat]
Islam, the most recent of the three faiths, was preached by Muhammad (SAW) who came to unite all the earlier faiths preached anywhere in the world since Adam. To him, whether one is a Jew or a Christian did not matter, because all true faiths come from One God.
What he most strongly opposed was idolatry, as it has been opposed by all prophets of God since the beginning of human civilizations. Muslims are taught to convey this Truth to all people on earth in a most peaceful manner through words.
Jihad the most misunderstood term in Islamic context is equated with Terrorism in today\’s world.
The Warfare/Qitaal is ordained upon Muslims in situations of self-defense to guard oneself. It is not prescribed for conversion purposes.
Muhammad (SAW) was the descendant of Abraham\’s eldest son Ishmael through Hagar/Hajra.
Being an Arab, Muhammad (SAW) received the Book Quran in Arabic.
Muslims believe that the religious Scriptures of Jews and Christians have been perverted by human hands. Muslims also refuse to call Jesus (Peace be upon him), as the Son of God. Muslims believe in Jesus (Peace be upon him), but assuming him to be a Prophet of God, and not God himself.
