A Common Word between Us and You
Sami Zaatari
As many of you might know there has been a recent initiative by over 250 Muslim scholars which has been called A Common Word
The initiative of this group is to find a common ground between the 2 faiths of Christianity and Islam, to not look at our differences and argue/debate them, but to rather ignore the differences and concentrate on the similarities:
Never before have Muslims delivered this kind of definitive consensus statement on Christianity. Rather than engage in polemic, the signatories have adopted the traditional and mainstream Islamic position of respecting the Christian scripture and calling Christians to be more, not less, faithful to it.
It is hoped that this document will provide a common constitution for the many worthy organizations and individuals who are carrying out interfaith dialogue all over the world. Often these groups are unaware of each other, and duplicate each other's efforts. Not only can A Common Word Between Us give them a starting point for cooperation and worldwide co-ordination, but it does so on the most solid theological ground possible: the teachings of the Qu'ran and the Prophet r, and the commandments described by Jesus Christ u in the Bible. Thus despite their differences, Islam and Christianity not only share the same Divine Origin and the same Abrahamic heritage, but the same two greatest commandments.
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So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual goodwill.
So this is the basic outline of what this group is all about.
Now off course it would be very nice for all of us to sit around a table and unite solely on our similarities, however so this is not the reality.
The fact is this, Christianity is false, the Bible is false, and the truth must be known. You cannot say that we encourage Christians to be more faithful to their religion when their faith is completely wrong, and when this means they should not come to Islam.
As the Quran itself says:
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YUSUFALI: O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
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YUSUFALI: In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every - one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things."
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YUSUFALI: If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).
So as you can see the Quran condemns the Christian belief of the Trinity, and even states that anyone who desires any other religion than Islam will be lost.
Hence how can we as Muslims tell Christians to HAVE MORE FAITH in a belief system in which the Quran explicitly condemns? The answer is you that can't!
It is our duty as Muslims to expose their false beliefs, and make them see the light of Islam or else they will be lost.
Now I am sure that this will be unpopular with many, as many would simply like to dialog and forget the differences, and just get on with it. However so unpopular or not the truth cannot be compromised, so while I am sure that many will disagree, I am also sure that many will agree with my stance and will feel the same way as I do.
Now there is a fundamental problem with the document of a Common Word, for instance they write:
So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual goodwill.
This is simply mere ignorance and ignoring the reality my friends. The Bible in which Christians believe contains full of horror stories of mass genocide and murder, mass genocide and murder which CHRISTIANS ARE ALLOWED TO CARRY OUT, and will carry out according to their Bible. For all the references visit these links:
Is Christianity a Religion of Peace debate?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=e8VghX...eature=related Part 1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ9yOD...eature=related Part 2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YbtfuE...eature=related Part 3
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vEJe1xClfEY Part 4
Genocide, terrorism, and violence in the Bible:
http://muslim-responses.com/Violent_..._Christianity_
http://muslim-responses.com/Terror_i..._in_the_Bible_
http://muslim-responses.com/Commenta...iolent_verses_
http://muslim-responses.com/Biblical...al_on_Slavery_
http://muslim-responses.com/Biblical...d_Orders_Rape_
http://muslim-responses.com/Is_the_B..._a_Book_peace_
http://muslim-responses.com/Violence...Old_Testament_
http://muslim-responses.com/Hate_Speech/Hate_Speech_
So the fact is this, the Bible allows Christians to commit mass genocide against none-believers, and every true Bible believing Christian believes they will kill us all when Jesus returns according to the parable of Luke.
Hence it is simply fallacious to want to live in peace with Christians when their own Bible allows them to kill us all, and promised that we will indeed be all killed by their hands according to Luke 19!
Now off course many of the Christians today are a peaceful people, but what is to stop the next generation or the ones after from committing the brutality and genocide of their ancestors based on the Bible?
Secondly we are ignoring a fact, most peaceful Christians today are mainly liberal seculars who hardly read their Bible! Hence their peaceful nature is not due to the Bible, but due to their own kind and humble nature, it is the Bible that turns the heart rotten and makes one into a violent person.
So in reality the document a Common Word is not a reality, and it contains some serious flaws, we simply CANNOT ignore the violence of the Bible as it poses a serious threat to our safety!
Now I completely agree that we and the Christians must find a common word as the Quran states, hence I have come up with these fundamental common issues we can agree with:
The Bible is filled violence, terrorism, and genocide.
The Bible allows Christians to follow the violence, genocide, and terrorism of the OT.
The New Testament says that Jesus will return and that all none believers shall be killed before him.
That Christians have used the legitimacy of the Bible to commit their violence throughout the generations of the past. So there is nothing to stop them from doing it again as it is fully lawful and advocate by their Bible.
Christians must condemn, and apologize for the genocide and terrorism of the Bible.
Christians must revoke, remove, and change all violent passages of the Bible.
Christians must cease their unlawful worship of the man Jesus, and acknowledge that he was a prophet, the messiah, and that he was not God as he himself taught within the Bible.
Christians must cease their belief in the pagan ritualistic supposed sacrifice of Jesus for their sins, Jesus never died rather he was saved as God has told us.
Christians must accept the prophet hood of Muhammad as he was foretold in their own scriptures and has met the true criteria and obligations of a true prophet according to their own Bible.
This I believe is the common ground that we Muslims and Christians must come to for there to be any real and TRUE unity.
Now off course I am not demanding they come to these terms, they are more than free to continue and practice their beliefs, however so what I am saying is that IF we Muslims are looking for a Common Word then the Common Word MUST BE based on the above, and not based on ignoring our core differences and just concentrating on the similarities since truth is truth and falsehood is falsehood.
I urge all Muslims who agree with the outlines of this document to pass it around and get the truth out!
And Allah Knows Best!
http://www.muslim-responses.com/
Appendix
Just incase some may think I am being harsh or spreading discord, simply go to this Christian link to see what many Christians feel about the Common Word initiative:
http://www.********************/Letters/common_word.htm
Even after the Muslim scholars have offered dialog and unity the above evangelical Christian missionaries are yet to be satisfied which is why I firmly believe that we must not compromise with falsehood but expose it head on until it is crushed.
In fact the above site with the support of many other Christians have often called for us Muslims to change our Quran and main beliefs to suit their own false doctrine of Christianity. Hence why should we Muslims sit back and call for unity when they call for us to change our book and beliefs?
I say the opposite, if these false preachers have a right to tell us what to change and believe, then us Muslims who are on the path of truth DEFINATELY have a right to tell the army of falsehood to change their lies and distortions for the truth.