Perhaps a better word than internalized would be personalized. From my perspective, prayer in Christianity is more personalized as opposed to ritualized worship of God. I believe that the more religious Christians have the habit of saying a prayer of blessing at meal times and prayer of supplication for self, family and friends before going to bed. Even prayer during congregational meetings is more personal with whatever comes to the mind of the one leading the prayer. I congregational prayer the rituals include standing, bowing the head and closing the eyes.

Regarding intermediaries, I believe that Christians approach the Father through Jesus because they often end the prayer with, "In the name of Your Son, Jesus." However, sometimes they intermix praying to the Father and to Jesus in the same prayer. I know little about Catholicisms, but I know that in addition to Jesus, Mary and the saints are supplicated to for help. Wikipedia.com "A saint may be designated as a patron saint of particular causes or professions, or invoked against specific illnesses or disasters. They are not thought to have power of their own, but only that granted by God." Although they don't intend it, In Islam supplication to others besides Allah is shirk.

You are exactly right. Our beliefs about both Jesus and Muhammad to a large extent delineates the differences between Jews, Christians and Muslims.

If I may be so bold as to speak for others....

The Jew believes that both Jesus and Muhammad were basically good men, but nothing more than that.

The Christian believes that Jesus is the Son of God and at the same time God incarnate and that Muhammad was a good man, but not a prophet.

The Muslim believes that Jesus and Muhammad were Prophets and Messengers of God (the most honored position among men) with Muhammad bringing the final revelation that superseded what came before.

Greetings Mustafa

I always thought that Muslims believed the revelations given by God through all prophets were identical, but got lost and/or were distorted; and that the revelation given to Muhammed was the same as the previous ones - the final one, which followers were to ensure would not be altered.

Your post gives the impression that Muhammed's revelation was different to the previous ones, and that it replaced them.

Can you please clarify? Thank you.

Salaam/peace;


heard it for the first time.

Muslims believe Jesus (p) is a blessed Prophet of God Almighty .

Please read holy Quran , you will be surprised to see how so many verses are there about both Jesus (p) & his dear mom & how both of them are highly respected in Islam .

Salaam/peace;



don't know what the bro meant ...here is a short explanation of mine



something were allowed in the past i.e. alcohol , later forbidden regarding Quran.

There was no limit for men's having wives ....Quran fixed a limit ...maximum four.

Most probably camel meat was forbidden for Jews but Muslims were allowed to eat that.

Sabath was prescribed for Jews , not for Muslims.


So , about some rules , gradually those changed . But All holy books & holy Prophets (pbut ) taught people that God is One . That's the most imp message in holy books.



Regarding holy books , blashphemy is the most major sin.....these imp lessons are same in all holy books & will remain unchanged till the last day.

take care sis

Yes, Glo, you make a good point. We Muslims believe that the message that all prophets brought was belief in One God and to be obedient to His Will. To clarify my statement, "Muhammad bringing the final revelation that superseded what came before" means that the Qur'an was the last revelation from God and that it replaced what remnants were left of the revelations to Moses, David and Jesus because they had been lost and/or contaminated by man. We believe there are bits and pieces of these previous revelations that are still in the Bible, but that it is very difficult to discern what is authentic and what is not. The messages were the same in basic beliefs but differed in the application. One example is found in these 2 passages:

Matthew 5:38-39 Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Qur'an 42:40 The recompense for an injury is an injury proportionate to it; but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation he shall be rewarded by Allah; He does not like the wrongdoers.

Another point of revelation is the interpretation and application of the Qur'an by Prophet Muhammad in what we know as the Sunnah. The Sunnah establishes the details for the application of faith to our lives, for example how to pray.

That's the reason why I refuse to visit sites such as AnsweringIslam or AnsweringChristianity.
Such sites are so biased towards their own beliefs, and trying so desperately hard to discredit the other, that they are very damaging sites for those who seek to find common ground or a harmonious co-existance with other faiths.

I find it deeply sad to think that people should feel the need to turn to such sites at all ...
Why do people feel the need to undermine the faith of others? Is it to boost their own faith?

Why can we not acknowledge and appreciate to good in other religions?
I don't understand ...
We don't have to see each other as enemies!!!
(See this thread: http://www.islamicboard.com/general/...tml#post926850 (Let's talk about LOVE!))

If we allow the hate-mongerers of AnsweringIslam and AnsweringChristianty to influence our thinking in such a way, then we are following their human will rather than God's!

Thank you for the clarification.