Note: This is not comprehensive, I recommend further scholarship to get more information on the specifics, this is just a general overview for Jews and Christians. I am a Christian, though I hope this provides Jews and Christians more information on Islam for those seeking to speak with and debate Muslims on their faith.
The Qu'ran and Islam themselves are considered part of Abrahamic tradition, much like Judaism and Christianity. However, a lot is different, and here are some things to keep in mind.
1. The Qu'ran is not simply the Torah or Bible with more tacked on. It's instead it is a unique text, with a revised account of many things mentioned in the Jewish and Christian texts, and its own version of others. Lots of details are much different and certain things accepted as true for Jews and Christians are different, such as the concept of the Christian Trinity is not true (though Jesus is mentioned as a prophet).
2. The Qu'ran (also pronounced Koran) was originally written in Arabic, and is best understood in that language, according to Muslims. It has an English translation, but it's a bit strange to read due to the fact the Qu'ran's suras, or chapters, read a lot more like poetry than the books of the Torah or Bible.
3. The Qu'ran has deuterocanon called the hadith and like Catholicism, an imam or mullah may be needed to clarify certain things in the context of what is proper for Muslims, much like Catholics depend on the dictates of the Church to know how certain practices square with or oppose the teachings of the Bible and the traditions of the Church.
4. Like Judaism, Islam is strictly monotheist in intent, as the Christian Trinity is not given any credit as true. Rather, Allah (or God) is one being with no division of power, duty, or otherwise.
5. Like the Jews, the Muslims do not consume pork, and unlike Jews and most Christians, also consider alcohol verboten for drinking.
6. The final prophet deemed to have made the last true revelations of Allah is Muhammad. Anything prior may have some degree of truth, but the final form of Allah's message was delivered by Muhammad in Islamic tradition.
7. Islam has Five Pillars of Faith, which are:
A. Testimony: A profession of faith in Allah and acknowledgment Muhammad is his messenger.
B. Prayer: Five times a day a devout Muslim must pray in the direction of Mecca, and no other reason is allowed to supersede doing so.
C. Charity: Muslims are expected to give alms based on a fixed portion of their income for the needs of the less fortunate. Optional additional charity is encouraged as well.
D. Fasting: During the Muslim month of Ramadan, Muslims are expected to fast. The Catholic Lent is the closest Christian tradition to this, and fasting often requires refraining from food during the daylight hours much like Judaism's version of fasting.
E. Pilgrimage: At least once in the lifetime of a Muslim, they need to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. More is encouraged, but once is considered a must. The obligatory pilgrimage is called the "hajj".
8. Recitation and memorization of the Qu'ran are heavily encouraged and considered an act of faith.
9. Islam is not merely a religion, it is supposed to encompass all spheres of life, such as law, politics, and all other activities. Ideally, Muslims apply their faith to all activities.
No comments:
Post a Comment