Islam Menstuff® has information on Islam. Islam Wikipedia 15 Surprising Similarities Between Christianity and Islam Noble Quran or Holy Bible? These Pranksters Read Bible Passages to People, Telling Them It Was the Qur’an; They Were Shocked Understanding the Differences Between Sunni and Shia The Theology of ISIS: What Do They Really Believe? 15 Surprising Similarities Between Christianity and Islam 1. What unites us is as important as what divides us, and Christians and Muslims might be surprised to learn that their respective faiths have many beliefs in common. 2. Christianity and Islam (as well as Judaism) are Abrahamic religions. They believe God revealed himself to Abraham and that God is a transcendent creator and the source of moral law. Religious texts feature many of the same figures and histories. 3. Both Muslims and Christians believe that the Bible is holy scripture and contains revelation from God. 4. Muslims and Christians venerate Adam and Eve and their roles as father and mother of the human race. 5. Muslims and Christians love and revere Jesus. For Christians, he is the savior and the central figure of the faith. For Muslims, he is one of God’s greatest messengers to mankind. 6. Christians and Muslims accept the peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus. They also believe that Jesus performed miracles, such as curing the blind and bringing the dead back to life. 7. Both Islam and Christianity share prophecies that Jesus will return to establish peace and justice on Earth. 8. Mary, mother of Jesus, is a significant and revered figure in Islam and Christianity. Mary actually has a more prominent position in the Quran than the Bible; she is mentioned 34 times and is the only woman to have her own chapter. 9. Muslims and Christians believe that the Angel Gabriel visited the chaste, virgin Mary and informed her she would miraculously give birth to a son. 10. Both Christians and Muslims believe Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, John the Baptist, and Jesus were prophets sent to reveal God's message. 11. Love of God is a foundational tenet of Christianity and Islam, and to be fully content in both religions means surrendering to God. 12. Both Christianity and Islam teach that those who love God, believe in God, and do good deeds will receive rewards — the ultimate reward being eternal life. 13. Followers of both religions also believe in Satan, a day of judgment, and that sinners will be condemned to Hell. 14. The Bible and the Quran calls believers to love their neighbor and the stranger and to be charitable to orphans, widows, travelers, and the poor 15. Both Islam and Christianity place importance on faith and works — the idea that faith must be accompanied by good deeds. Although Islam doesn't exactly have its own "Ten Commandments," it does have versions that sound very similar to the Bible's Ten Commandments. Source: www.patheos.com/Galleries/Christianity-and-Islam?crt=1 Noble Quran or Holy Bible? Recently, Dutch pranksters, Dit Is Normaal, ran an experiment disguising the Bible as the Quran and asking passersby for their thoughts on the text—the results were surprising. Do you think you could pick which holy book each of these passages come from. #7 is shocking! Editors Note: All references to God or Allah have been replaced with the generic "Lord." After each verse, click next to see if you got it right. How well do you know your scripture? Questions #1—Bible or Quran? "And Jesus shall be a Sign for the coming of the Hour of Judgment: therefore have no doubt about the Hour, but follow ye Me." #2—Bible or Quran? "And the angels said, "O Mary, indeed the Lord has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds." #3—Bible or Quran? The angel came to [Mary] and said, 'You are honored very much. You are a favored woman. The Lord is with you. You are chosen from among many women.'" #4—Bible or Quran? "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked." #5—Bible or Quran? "Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love." #6—Bible or Quran? "The Lord has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward." #7—Bible or Quran? "Cursed is the one who is slack in doing the Lord's work. Cursed is the one who holds back his sword from shedding blood." #8—Bible or Quran? "When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them." #9—Bible or Quran? "And [recall, O Children of Israel], when Moses said to His people, "Remember the favor of the Lord upon you when He saved you from the people of Pharaoh" Answers #1 The Quran. This passage appears in surah 43: verse 61 of the Yusif Ali translation. In its original context it describes Jesus as the house of Israel's last prophet—making way for prophethood to pass to another people, e.g. Muslims. #2 Answer: the Quran. This passage, found in surah 3: verse 42 of the Sahih International translation, extols the value of Mary as the mother of Jesus. In context, the passage clarifies that Jesus was a great prophet, and not the Son of God. #3 Answer: the Bible. This passage, found at Luke chapter 1: verse 28 of the New Life Version, is very similar to the last passage from the Quran. However, in the Bible, Luke goes on to call Jesus the Son of God—more than just a great prophet. #4 Answer: the Bible. Many think that Psalm chapter 58: verse 10 (King James Version) is a threat from David to those currying favor with their current king Saul. David promises vengeance as he seeks to replace Saul, who has lost favor with God. #5 Answer: the Bible. In this passage, Proverbs chapter 5 verses 18-19 (King James Version), Solomon praises the goodness of marital sex in order to contrast them with the sin of adultery. #6 Answer: the Quran. In this passage, found in surah 5: verse 9 of the Sahih International translation, forgiveness and reward are promised to those who hold to the rules outlined in the preceding suras. This conditional forgiveness is common in both the Bible and the Quran. #7 Answer: the Bible. The book of Jeremiah is a prophetic foretelling of the destruction of Israel's enemies. This particular passage, chapter 48: verse 10 (International Standard Version), is a warning—deal with God's enemies as instructed, or suffer grave consequences. #8. Answer: the Quran. This passage, surah 8: verse 12 (Shakir translation), is often used to justify both terrorism, and Islamophobia. In its original context the verse relates to the Battle of Badr, a decisive battle won by the Muslims after years of exile from Mecca. #9. Answer: the Quran, Since both the Bible and the Quran share a Jewish origin, both books chronicle the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. This passage, surah 14: verse 6 (Sahih International translation), is very similar to Deuteronomy chapter 7: verse 18 in the Bible. You can read more on the original Dutch experiment here. Source www.patheos.com/Galleries/Quran-or-Bible?crt=1 These Pranksters Read Bible Passages to People, Telling Them It Was the Qur’an; They Were Shocked December 4, 2015 A lot of conservative Christians like to argue, as do atheists, that the Qur’an is full of barbarism and misogyny. Unlike the atheists, though, they forget that their own Bible is also full of horrific verses. So the Dutch pranksters at Dit Is Normaal ran an experiment. They bought a Bible, but changed the cover to say it’s the Qur’an. Then they asked people to read passages and give their thoughts. It went exactly as you’d expect: 3:30 5:41 6:18 It’s almost as if these people hadn’t read their Bibles… but that’s impossible, right? Source: www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/12/04/these-pranksters-read-bible-passages-to-people-telling-them-it-was-the-quran-they-were-shocked/ Understanding the Differences Between Sunni and Shia Islam is in the news nearly every day, but do you understand the distinctions between Sunni and Shia? How are they similar? Where do they differ? Here’s a primer. Both Sunni and Shiite Muslims acknowledge the Prophet Muhammad as the one who first brought Islam to the people. Both Sunni and Shiite Muslims recognize the Quran as the authoritative word of Allah. Shiites and Sunnis share key forms of devotion, such as the five daily prayers, Ramadan, and the Hajj. The Shia believe that after Muhammad's death, leadership of the Ummah (the community) should have gone to his cousin and son-in-law, Ali. Muhammad is said to have given Ali a sword called Zulfiqar. It can be seen above the gates of Bab al-Zasr, in Cairo, Egypt. Sunni Muslims believed that the next leader of the Ummah after Muhammad's death was to be elected from the Prophet's companions. Saudi Arabia, where all Muslims try to go once in their life for the Hajj, is a majority Sunni nation. The Shia revere a succession of scholars (called Imams), who are both political and spiritual leaders. Sunnis also have imams, who are community leaders. The Shia commemorate the death of Husayn, Ali's son and Muhammad's grandson, who was murdered in Karbala (modern Iraq) in 680. This day of mourning is called Ashura, and in many places Shiites reenact the battle in which he died. Many Shiites believe in the Hidden Imam, the Mahdi (a messianic leader) who will appear at the end of time and restore justice. It was rumored that Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, was this Mahdi. He neither confirmed nor denied these rumors. The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque affiliated with Shia Islam in Shiraz, Iran. Shia Muslims account for approximately 15% of the total Muslim population in the world. The mirrored interior of the Ali Ibn Hamza shrine in Shiraz, Iran. Nearly 90% of Muslims in Iran are Shiite. Celil Hayat Mosque in Arbil City, Kurdistan, Iraq. The majority of Muslims in Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen are also Shiite. View of the grand Sheikh Zayed mosque at Abu Dhabi, UAE. The majority of Muslims in the world are Sunni. Countries including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Indonesia, and Malaysia are all majority Sunni. One of the most well-known of Sunni mosques is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, also known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles covering the interior. Pope Benedict XVI visited the Blue Mosque in 2006. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims perform the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca and the rites that commemorate key events in their faith. Source: www.patheos.com/Galleries/Sunni-or-Shia?crt=1 The Theology of ISIS: What Do They Really Believe? ISIS killed at least 129 people and injured more than 350 after a series of ruthless shootings and explosions in Paris on Nov. 13. Here, we look at the jihadhist beliefs that fueled this tragedy. 1. According to survivors, the gunmen yelled "This is for Syria" and "God is good" after they stormed the Bataclan theater, killing victims one-by-one and launching explosives. 2. The massacre across six locations was retaliation for France's "crusader campaign," referencing France's role in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. 3. A day before the Paris attack, suicide bombers killed 43 people and injured 239 in Beirut. What beliefs are motivating ISIS' bloodshed, and what do we know about their long-term plans? 4. ISIS was founded by a protégé of Osama Bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in 1999. It is a religious, millenarian group, with a theology. 5. ISIS was originally linked with Al Qaeda, but the terrorist organizations split in 2006 over ideological differences. ISIS possesses greater striking power than Al Qaeda ever did. 6. ISIS describes Islam as the "religion of the sword, not pacifism." ISIS has even opened a gift shop in Mosul, where it sells beheading swords as souvenirs. 7. In ISIS' monthly magazine, Dabiq, ISIS said the sword will continue to be drawn against Islam's enemies until Isa (Jesus) kills the Dajjal (the Antichrist). Afterward, "Islam and its justice" will prevail on the entire Earth. 8. Following takfiri doctrine, the ISIS is committed to purifying the world by killing mass numbers of people. 9. Although ISIS persecutes Christians, Shia Muslims, Assyrians, and anyone else that doesn't embrace its version of Islam, they especially focus on the genocide of the Yazidis, whom ISIS calls "devil worshippers." 10. Al Qaeda has publicly criticized ISIS for slaughtering Muslims who refuse to join or financially support ISIS. 11. ISIS' mission is to create an Islamic state, called a caliphate, across the Middle East, where Sharia Law is strictly enforced and led by a single supreme religious and political leader. 12. ISIS has a distorted, extremist interpretation of Sharia Law and frequently violates it to justify its own means. Pictured, militants prepare to punish a man for stealing (by cutting off his right hand. 13. Claiming the Quran's support, ISIS uses sex slavery as a recruiting tool for militants. Thousands of women and children, especially Yazidis, are enslaved by ISIS. 14. Up to 50,000 militants are fighting for the Islamic State in Syria alone, and the total fighting force could be tens of thousands higher. 15. Minnesota leads the United States in the number of people who have left or tried to leave the country to join ISIS. 16. ISIS has a five-year plan to take over parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. 17. Grandiose threats are nothing new from jihadists, but what makes ISIS dangerous is its will and means. It's the best equipped and well-funded terrorist organization in the world. Source: www.patheos.com/Galleries/ISIS?crt=1 *    *    * Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Statement Menstuff® Directory Menstuff® is a registered trademark of Gordon Clay ©1996-2023, Gordon Clay