format_quote Originally Posted by
glo
I guess the problems arises because the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught things which go against what Christians believe about Jesus (pbuh).
Yes, it does go against what Christians believe about Jesus (peace be upon him), but not against what Jesus taught. As Muslims we believe that all the Prophets taught the same thing and brought the same message from the same God, the same Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them).
format_quote Originally Posted by
glo
In fact, many had some serious flaws.
As Muslims we do not accept that God sent people who committed major sins which they warned people against, drunkards, adulterers and murderers, as prophets and messengers, and we reject the Biblical allegations as totally false, as brother MustafaMc has mentioned. We believe that the prophets and messengers were the purest and noblest of humanity, chosen and sent by God, for their uprightness and noble characters, to convey His message to us. They were bearers of the most honourable and righteous conduct among their respective communities, and were role models for people, showing how to put into practice the guidance God sent them with.
They taught that people should be under no misperception that they can commit themselves to God as their Lord, and then combine this with accepting others as their Lord, or associating others in His Divinity, in whatever way. They taught that we should strive hard to translate our belief in the One True God into practice, by obeying God and the messengers He sent, who were also role models and examples for us, showing us practically how to put the guidance they were sent with into practice in our daily lives, explaining the scriptures, warning against wrongdoing, and giving additional legislation from God.
As to whether blaspheming/rejecting a prophet or messenger, is tantamount to blaspheming/rejecting the One who sent them, Allah knows best, and the Qur'an says this :
Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to adopt a way in between,
Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful punishment.
But they who believe in Allah and His messengers and do not discriminate between any of them - to those He is going to give their rewards. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (4:150-152)
He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away - We have not sent you over them as a guardian. (4:80)
That Day, those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish they could be covered by the earth. And they will not conceal from Allah a [single] statement. (4:42)
And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, therefor did He grip them with a tightening grip.(69:10)
Allah chastises the Jews many times in the Qur'an for their blaspheming, rejecting and killing of prophets and messengers, even though they professed belief in Him.
In the Qur'an, Allah praises (mentions the good qualities of) the Prophets time and time again, in beautiful and sometimes tender terms, sometimes as a group, and sometimes by name.
And We gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good.
And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous.
And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot - and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.
And [some] among their fathers and their descendants and their brothers - and We chose them and We guided them to a straight path.
That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whomever He wills of His servants. But if they had associated others with Allah , then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture and authority and prophethood. But if the disbelievers deny it, then We have entrusted it to a people who are not therein disbelievers.
Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example. Say, "I ask of you for this message no payment. It is not but a reminder for the worlds." (6:84-90)
So when he [Abraham] had left them and those they worshipped other than Allah , We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and each [of them] We made a prophet.
And We gave them of Our mercy, and we made for them a reputation of high honor. (19:49-50)
And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - those of strength and [religious] vision.
And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best! (38:45,47)
Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah]. (38:17)
Peace be unto Noah among the peoples!
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants. (37:79,81)
Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds. (3:33)
Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping. (19:58)
These are just a few examples.
Imagine giving the Biblical stories of prophets and the Quranic stories of prophets to a child. A Muslim child takes inspiration, and learns to respect and honour them, and strives to be like them. People would hesitate to show children TV programs or books that contain scenes similar to the explicit verses in the Bible, and would make sure they didn't see them, as it would be deemed unsuitable and a bad influence. Which of these can truly be from God? The answer is evident. One has to open one's heart and eyes to it, and think about it.
To blaspheme, reject, discriminate, or at the other extreme, to deify any prophet or messenger, takes one outside the fold of Islam. We believe in them as they were, nothing less and nothing more. All the Prophets and Messengers of Allah are accepted, believed in and honoured wholeheartedly as amongst the noblest and purest of humanity that ever walked the face of the earth, and chosen and sent by God to convey His message to us. We don't pick and choose which ones we believe in, nor which parts of their message we believe in.