What are the Differences between the Abrahamic Faiths?

InLove said:
I do so enjoy your friendship. Nice to know this can happen.
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wa aleykum salaam sister

Me too. It just goes to show you doesn't it, all those people telling us it is our duty to hate each other. I wish they had a smilie that blows raspberries. :p

Big hugs

Salaam
 
Faithfulservant said:
ROFL thanks for the laugh. :)
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Hi FS. So I am guessing that you have one of those "CR Anonymous" cards in your pocketbook, too? :)

InPeace,
InLove
 
Shalom/Salaam/Peace To All Here :)

Thanks for being so patient with me, Muslimwoman. It has been quite some time since I’ve posted here on this thread, but this is in part because I feel it is important to carefully consider what I say and how I say it on this board. I am so glad to be welcome here, and I don’t want to mess that up.

Muslimwoman said:
I would be interested to know which sites you have found.
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Well, I have been to so many sites since I last spoke to you that now I am not sure which ones I was referring to at the time! I think one of them may have been The Islamic Garden site. I am really appreciative of all your help. I am reading the Qu'ran--all of it this time and not just the parts that were emphasized at the Baptist university I attended for a while ;). They meant well, but I think that they left out some really important stuff! Anyway, I usually have windows open all over the place when I am reading.

Please also be aware that it can be very difficult at times to find which sites are Sunni and which are Shia, whose doctrines can be very different - if you are not sure just ask.
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You weren’t kidding about that! It is extremely difficult for me at times, but I think I am beginning to be able to distinguish. And I have run across several places in my research where it is obvious that there is a deep desire from many Muslims to reconcile what differences they can or at least to regard one another in brotherly love in respect for and in devotion to Allah. I think that is good—the rest of the world needs to hear this, and no one but Muslims can do it. Same with the Christian community.

Okay, so I have about a gazillion questions I could ask. Where to start? I’ve thought a long time about this, even prayed about it. Finally, this morning, I was reading back through this entire thread when I noticed something I had not noticed before: The consensus here so far seems to be that the differences between the Abrahamic faiths all boil down to either our various interpretations of Messiah-ship (ß--is that even a word?), the authority and/or reliability of our Holy Books and Sacred Texts (which seems to be just as much an intra-faith issue as an inter-faith one), or the characteristics of G!d/Allah.

What we do seem to agree on is that Allah/G!d is constant, merciful, just, wise, and even loving, and that it is humankind who distorts matters. Sometimes inadvertantly and sometimes on purpose (and a thousand woes to the latter, we all say).

But I am wondering, since most of us seem to believe that the ways of the One we worship are not completely knowable—that is, they are for the most part a mystery, at least for now—then how do we determine if and exactly when someone came along and purposely distorted the truth? I don’t know about you guys, but I think that we have to be very careful about where we place the blame, if we even dare.

I had some other questions I was going to ask, because I am drawn to some details in our respective literature (I hope it is okay with everyone that I have referred to our beloved Texts in this way--if not, I apologize. Feel free to beat me over the head with your version of choice. :D) And I probably will ask them in the future. But I think I may go to the individual boards to increase my knowledge in these areas. For now, I guess I just wanted to toss the thoughts on this post out here and see what comes back.

InPeace,
InLove
 
InLove said:
then how do we determine if and exactly when someone came along and purposely distorted the truth? I don’t know about you guys, but I think that we have to be very careful about where we place the blame, if we even dare.
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wa aleykum salaam InLove

I am so happy that you are reading the entire Quran, rather than the randomly selected verses used to shore up arguments - thank you. I hope you will be as surprised by it as I was when first reading it.

alfa salaam
 
Muslimwoman said:
wa aleykum salaam InLove

I am so happy that you are reading the entire Quran, rather than the randomly selected verses used to shore up arguments - thank you. I hope you will be as surprised by it as I was when first reading it.

alfa salaam
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wa aleykum salaam, dear MW :)

Yes, it was the textbook that emphasized certain passages. But I was fortunate to have an instructor who realized this and spoke a few words of Wisdom to us on the subject.

I must admit that, like so many here in "the western world", reading those passages first served only to invite anger and fear into my soul. But before I took these classes, I had almost married into a Muslim family, and so I knew that there was more to it. But they were not inclined to talk much about their religion, and I always felt like I was prying when I asked questions.

One of the things I have wanted to talk about for a while is the story of Ishmael and Hagar, but I am not sure whether this is a subject I should bring up. I have always thought that the passage in the Old Testament about them in the desert was so profound. Hagar's desperation, and G!d's promise, and the water. I know that the Bible and the Qu'ran do not tell exactly the same account, but both are beautiful. I have been reading along on the thread here somewhere about the Zamzam water, too. Anyway, I will probably be looking around for discussions about this subject, and maybe I can post my questions there. What do you think? I know it can be a sore spot when it comes to interfaith study attempts.

A thousand blessings of Peace to you, too, habibty :)

InPeace,
InLove
 
InLove said:
One of the things I have wanted to talk about for a while is the story of Ishmael and Hagar, but I am not sure whether this is a subject I should bring up.
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Hello my sister in peace

Of course you should bring it up, it is certainly a subject I would like to discuss and hear others views on. Find a relevant thread and let's start those opinions rolling - if we can't discuss religious issues here where can we discuss them? ;)

Perhaps the family you nearly married into simply found it difficult to discuss our religious differences, if they really liked you (which I am sure they did), they may have been afraid to offend you or cause 'ripples' between you and your intended?

I know what you mean about selective verses, we hear them all the time about the bible. Yet look at the thread about seeing your father naked and seattlegal's brilliant post regarding the mothers nakedness belonging to the father - a little light went ping in my head and all became clear. So there is one misconception cleared up through dialogue.

Please let me know where you put the Ismael & Hagar thread so I can see if any more lights go on.

alfa salaam my dear friend
 
Do Muslims know the root meaning of their Arabic word, "Islam"? Do they know for example that the word is derived from the Hebrew word for peace, "shalom" and that the Hebrew word is derived from the Canaanite name for the Evening Star worshiped on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem as the god of peace?

It amazes me that modern Muslims can still believe a 7th century man can write a book holding all the correct answers to life. Well, the Christian true believers were brought up short pretty quickly in the 20th century but Muslims seem still at the infallible literal belief stage with their Qurans. It would do the world a world of good if Muslims joined the modern world and stopped obeying ancient men's rules and ideas about things.

Same thing can be said of Evangelical Christians too. The world doesn't need any more blind faith believers willing to ignore universal morality if their god so commands.
 
post-abrahamic said:
Do Muslims know the root meaning of their Arabic word, "Islam"? It would do the world a world of good if Muslims joined the modern world and stopped obeying ancient men's rules and ideas about things.

Same thing can be said of Evangelical Christians too. The world doesn't need any more blind faith believers willing to ignore universal morality if their god so commands.
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Could this possibly be the same fellow that derided us for making such generalist and racist statements?

Do you feel your statements are beneficial to discussion or are you painting large groups into corners where an expected response would be to come out swinging?

Maybe you are ahead of the curve...and the abrahamic discussions are not the place for one who has moved on to post-abrahamic...
 
post-abrahamic said:
Do Muslims know the root meaning of their Arabic word, "Islam"? Do they know for example that the word is derived from the Hebrew word for peace, "shalom" and that the Hebrew word is derived from the Canaanite name for the Evening Star worshiped on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem as the god of peace?
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I've been told Islam means "submission" or "surrender."

A definition from Islam: Definition and Much More from Answers.com sheds some light on the matter:

Arabic ’islam, submission, from ’aslama, to surrender, resign oneself, from Syriac ’ašlem, to make peace, surrender, derived stem of šlem, to be complete.
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post-abrahamic said:
It amazes me that modern Muslims can still believe a 7th century man can write a book holding all the correct answers to life. Well, the Christian true believers were brought up short pretty quickly in the 20th century but Muslims seem still at the infallible literal belief stage with their Qurans. It would do the world a world of good if Muslims joined the modern world and stopped obeying ancient men's rules and ideas about things.

Same thing can be said of Evangelical Christians too. The world doesn't need any more blind faith believers willing to ignore universal morality if their god so commands.
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Are you talking about all Muslims and Christians or just some of them? ie. those living in the progressive and dynamic West or those in ..... not so progressed countries?

Does that include modern-minded Muslims?
Are you talking just about Evangelicals?

Sometimes those that are despised are really just misunderstood people. Once you get to know them, they're not so bad.....

They have strange ways, and their actions seem nonsensical. But then you start living and breathing in their shoes, and maybe you start to realise and understand what they live for, stand for and their beliefs and goals. Even then you might not agree with them, but to appreciate and understand -- it's a complete paradigm shift. A completely different reality.

Reality Before: these people are just a bunch of nuts.:eek:

Reality After: I never knew I could see things that way.:):D
 
Thankyou Saltmeister, that saved me a job. You are correct about the root of the word Islam and it's meaning, it is "surrender" or "Submission". There are however many words in arabic and Hebrew that share the same root, if you go back far enough. Just look at the english language and the many languages/cultures our vocab has come from.

Postabrahamic, if you wish to have dialogue it may be better to ask respectful questions or ask for opinions of your 'understanding' of my faith? Just a thought.
 
hi all, could somebody please explain to me or even better compare and contrast the three Abrahamic faiths in these four categories:

1.Sacred persons (patriarchs, prophets,etc)
2.Sacred places (pilgrimage, worship,etc)
3.Sacred times (holidays, etc)
4.Rituals (prayer, eating,etc)

If anyone could explain it to me in point for it would be great.
Thank you all, i read as much as i could of all the posts! But its just too much information!
 
the_seaker said:
hi all, could somebody please explain to me or even better compare and contrast the three Abrahamic faiths in these four categories:

1.Sacred persons (patriarchs, prophets,etc)
2.Sacred places (pilgrimage, worship,etc)
3.Sacred times (holidays, etc)
4.Rituals (prayer, eating,etc)

If anyone could explain it to me in point for it would be great.
Thank you all, i read as much as i could of all the posts! But its just too much information!
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I know you asked for all three, but the truth is that I can only comment on Christianity, and that from an orthodox perspective.

so, here we go.

1. Persons: Jesus Christ (number one), the Apostles, the Saints, the Angels, the Virgin Mary, 9 Patriarchs, ( Constantinople, Africa, Antioch & the East, Jerusalem & Israel & Palestine & Jordan & Arabia, Russia, George, Serbia & Kosovo & Montenegro, Romania, and Bulgaria), The Pope (to Catholics) bishops, priests, and the laity

2. Sacred Places: Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem (the list goes on and on)

3. Sacred Times:
(man, there is a lot, so here are a few big ones)

The Nativity - Birth of Jesus Christ

Theophany/Epiphany - The Shining Forth and Revelation
of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and his baptism

Pentecost - The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Pascha (Easter) - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Great Lent - super-fasting time

The Annunciation - When Gabriel told Mary that
she would conceive the son of God

The Ascension - When Jesus ascended to Heaven

4. Rituals: (I'll try to keep this as general and not specifically orthodoxy)

Fasting

Prayer

Baptism

Almsgiving

Communion/Eucharist

Repentence

Marriage
 
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