Christian and Muslim?

[Muslim Woman]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

I am a Christian, ...... If I am seeking to submit my will to the will of God in my life, in a sense, am I not also a follower of Islam?

by any chance , u want to be like her ? I mean , not the veil but ..... kay:

Redding (R) performs Muslim prayers

Redding attends the Sunday morning service at St. Clement's of Rome Episcopal Church in Seattle. Picture


Being Muslim and Christian





Islamic Perspective


http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/...gename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah/LSELayout

 

[Muslim Woman]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

Salaam/peace;

If I am seeking to submit my will to the will of God in my life, in a sense, am I not also a follower of Islam?

ummm....Muslims are those who submitted themselves to God Almighty.

A follower of Islam must accepts Prophet Muhammed (p) as the seal of the Prophets (pbut) ..i.e last Prophet .

If so, why must I leave Christianity to become something else?

because in Islam , Jesus (p) is not God , holy Spirit (p) is not God.

.. does one need to be a perfect follower of all the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) to be a follower of Islam?

but Christians don't believe that Muhammed (p) is a true Prophet ..is not it ???

then how can there be any true followers of Islam, for none of us are perfect?

IF we don't commit shirk , murder , adultery ...then InshaAllah ( God Willing ) our minor sins will be forgiven & we will get tickets to heaven :statisfie

we don't have to perfect but must not commit any major sin specially shirk/ blasphemy. If anyone dies without repentance after committing shirk , result is ..... u know oh:

 

[believer]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

I am a Christian, and don't see myself ever leaving that, but yet, I have always been taught that one aspect of being a Christian is to seek after and follow God's will in one's life. If I am seeking to submit my will to the will of God in my life, in a sense, am I not also a follower of Islam?

If so, why must I leave Christianity to become something else?
If not, why not?


It is true that I view Jesus differently than followers of Muhammad (pbuh) do; but does one need to be a perfect follower of all the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) to be a follower of Islam?

Again, if so, then how can there be any true followers of Islam, for none of us are perfect?
If not, then what makes where I fail to follow less Islamic than where say a terrorist or non-practicing Muslim fails to follow?

Salaamu'alaikum warahmatullah sister... Greetings from a former Catholic Seminarian and former Born-again Christian who Reverted to Islam.

I hope I can answer all your question...

1. for your first question."If I am seeking to submit my will to the will of God in my life, in a sense, am I not also a follower of Islam?"

.. ISLAM means Peace and Surrender and Complete Submission to Allah... it is a misnomer to say 'follower of Islam'... One who completely Submits, Surrenders and Follows Allahs' commandments is called a Muslim. ... If you are a Christian but you believe, submit and surrender and follow ONE GOD, the GOD of all the Prophets and the Messiah who is ALLAH! then - technically - you are already a Muslim.

2. "If so, why must I leave Christianity to become something else?
If not, why not?"

Christianity in the first place is a human made religion... particularly the Romans. Christ (pbuh) never established the Christian Religion per se. so technically.... Christianity is in itself a wrong religion. For the sake of not having conflicts in the family... you have to deal with your newfound truth with utmost proprietiness, modesty and ethical conduct. I suggest you should leave Christianity but not your family, friends or community. You don't become something else if you embrace Islam... you will only be freed from the bondage of slavery under a Man-made religion. Islam is the only Religion prescribed by God himself... Allah (SWT) and this is a fact. Islam has no sects. There is only one Islam Religion. the Shia, Sofi's and other sects who claim to be Muslim sects are not recognized as Muslims by the Real Muslims. Real Muslims do not practice SHIRK. Islam doesn't have a pope, nor a hi-priest since there is only one High above all human and that is Allah... all men or women for that matter is equal... no one is better than the other. The shia's and the like are no less different than the Christians, Catholics or the Jews - they all have a Heirarchy of Men in their church. and they all associate others with Allah. In Islam, there is no compulsion... Allah guides whom He wills and in God's time - you shall embrace Islam - soon Insha'allah!

3. "It is true that I view Jesus differently than followers of Muhammad (pbuh) do; but does one need to be a perfect follower of all the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) to be a follower of Islam?"

First of all... Muslims are not followers of Muhammad (RAW)... Muslims are followers of Allah (SWT)... Muhammad (RAW) like all the other Prophets must be treated with great respect and there has to be no distinction. Muhhamad (RAW) is a Messenger and Slave of Allah... his mission... to convey the Message of Allah for all humanity. a.) The Promise of Paradise; b.) The Warning of Hell. This two messages is a clear message and Allah used Muhammad (RAW) as his instrument to deliver this message to us. To worship or exult the Prophet/s is a sin called SHIRK! It is not proper to call real Muslims as Muhammedans nor followers of Muhammad (RAW)... this is indirectly a mockery of their faith.

If Muslims would treat Muhammad greatly to the levels of Ezra and Issah (Jesus) (pbut)... they will be only repeating the same mistake that the Jews and Christians made. Although Prophet Muhammad was considered the leader and the final prophet since no more prophets will be sent anymore after him... He cannot be regarded as a deity to the same levels where the Jews and the Christians are putting Ezra and Jesus (peace be upon them). this will defeat the purpose of the prophets as the carrier of the main message of God.

The main message of God...

from the Old Testament (Torah): commandment #1. "Thou shalt not have any other gods before Him (Allah)..."

from the New Testament (Bible/ Injil): "The Greatest commandment: "Love God above all- with all your heart! and with all your mind! and with all your soul!"

from the Final Testament (Qur'an): "La Illaha Ilallah! / There is No other god but Allah! Alone! No one has the right to be worshipped but HE."

Three Books from God - all bearing the same important Message and Commandment... God is ONE, not Two, not Three! but ONE! and his proper name is Allah (Subhanahu wata'allah!)


4. "Again, if so, then how can there be any true followers of Islam, for none of us are perfect?"

Basically! your answer is already in your question... What's the use of sending the Scriptures if all of us are perfect in the first place? Jesus (pbuh) was not sent for the perfect people... he was sent for the sinners. Basically - all prophets are sent to a nation because of their sins. But, it doesn't mean that after discovering the truth - we will not strive to purify ourselves... this is where Free-will comes in. God doesn't care even if your sins is as many as the foams of the ocean... He will forgive it as long as we repent... All kinds of sins except one - SHIRK.


5. "If not, then what makes where I fail to follow less Islamic than where say a terrorist or non-practicing Muslim fails to follow?"

Both sides of the same coin... Allah will be the judge of every single individual. No one can bear another ones sins. This is the reason why Muslims cannot rely on the Prophets to take away the sins of the world. This is not to be taken literally... taking away the sins of the world can be achievable in a way when we follow the ways of the prophets... this is where prophethood sets in or an increase in Iman.

I hope this answers most of your questions.

Salaam!

 

[Muslim Woman]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

Salaamu'alaikum warahmatullah sister...

a correction .. ….
G Seeker is a bro , Pastor

 

[believer]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

a correction .. ….
G Seeker is a bro , Pastor

Oh thanks sis! I stand corrected... I dont have the habit of looking on the left column... but I also realized GraceSeeker is a bro. Pastor and his first name starts with the letter G as well. ... normally - a habit of mine whenever I call my sobordinates for a meeting - they are all men - I always address them "Good Morning Ladies!"... eace:

Peace Grace Seeker!

I once actually believed that I can really have salvation even if I stayed as a Christian... because there were passages in the Qur'an that suggests it so. But as I read on... I realized - I have to cross the bridge. And only to find out that it was a point of no return.

We have a saying in our country... "If you got sprinkled on, ...take a shower, or best ...take a swim".

 

[Grace Seeker]

Re: God's Blessings as a Christian

We have a saying in our country... "If you got sprinkled on, ...take a shower, or best ...take a swim".

hahaha

You sound like some Catholics I know who keep inviting me to "join the Tiber swim team." I don't plan on doing that either.


What is your country?

 

[believer]

Dear Grace Seeker,

The difference between Mumin and a muslim as I said earlier is due to differences in practising the religion however the shia- sunni issue is a different ball game.
Islam reached us today globally thro different scholars who understood and interpreted Quran differently from one generation to another and in the process some sects emerged where all beleived to be Muslims but differed on some issues as far as practyising the religion is concern.
This is where groups like shia,sunni,shafi,hanafi and malik emerged.
All these groups claim to be the true follwers of Islam but Aisha one of the prophets wife said that the prophet life was Islam...so whoever follows his way then he is following Islam.
My knowledge is limited to know which one is the correct sect to follow and which one is not

Allah knows best.

Salaamualaikum Brother...

I perceive you are a fellow revert... here's my piece on the issues discussed.

1. first of all... every child born is a MUSLIM. until the time wher society or their parents change their religion. So basically and technically speaking - every human soul is a Muslim. - don't take my word for it - read the Qur'an - it's there.

2. The Sunni Muslims is a Misnomer... sunni connotes - adherence to the Sunnahs (Ways of the Prophet and the Qur'an). The so called Sunni Muslims never classify themselves as such but as merely - Muslims. They are the original muslims until sectarianism came after the 4th ruler or leader of the Muslim world which is Ali - the son in law of the prophet.

3. It is the duty of each and every true Muslim to seek for knowledge. If our knowledge is limited - it is recommended to increase this so as to keep our iman and deen stronger. Satan is our clear enemy... enriching ourselves with islamic knowledge is our best defense.

I am a bit concerned about your last sentence..."which sect to follow"?....

I advice you not to follow any sects... the reason they are salled sects in the first place is because they have deviated and innovated the doctrines and concepts...

I would strongly recommend that you finish reading the Qur'an by heart. ... and after you read it - Read it again... and again... and again... You will be surprised how much wisdom and knowledge you will find in there... it will also be your strength.

To involve yourself in a debate concerning things we know little of can defeat the purpose of your Da'wa. remember, each and every Muslims duty is not only to seek knowledge, but also to preach the message and warning of 1. the Promise of Paradise... and the 2. Warning and Reality of Hell for those who are astray.

The Devil can play many tricks in our mind... if you are intellectual by nature - the Devil will throw in intellectual chanllenges for you that you will find it hard to resist... and this is only a trap. If you are not well equiped with the strength that you can only find in the Qur'an... it will be easy to be led astray with the wrong ideas.

Keep in Mind the TRUTH!

There is no other god worthy of praise and worship but Allah alone.
He neither begets nor is he born!
He is ONE! not 2 nor 3!
To Him belongs the Heavens and the Earth and what is in it both Seen and Unseen and to Him will return everything.
His throne extends beyond the bounds of the unlimited universe.
He is the only source of life, and He has the power to Harm and put Death on anything or anyone... and Give life again afterwards.

This is the Truth! preached by all the prophets of old from Adam up to the final Prophet and Messenger - Muhammad (SAW).

To confuse ones mind with any other things beyond his understanding with the effect of going farther away from the above mentioned truth is to play with the ploys of Satan.

May Allah bless and guide you in this temporary life may you have benefit from this.... Ameen.

 

[believer]

I thank both you and Malaikah for you answers. But I am now more confused than before. I am having trouble understanding how and why Muslims attack each other. (I don't understand it when Christians do either, btw.) It would seem to me that to be Muslim is to practice Islam. And the practice of Islam is to surrender one's self to God. Unless one is attacked, that then leads one in a way of peace. But, what I see in much of the world is anything but peace. And I don't see anyone really wanting to even try to stop. Thus my question is maybe they are not practicing Muslims. But know you say they are Muslims, just not Mumin. So, in essence you are saying that one does not have to practice Islam to be Muslim -- or at least it seems that way to me. I await greater clarification.

Salaamu alaikum warah matullah to you Brother Grace Seeker!

Regarding World Events... WAR & VIOLENCE... there is a trend of placing every violent acts of terror like war, bombings as an act of Muslim Terrorrists. Many concspiracy theorists knows where to point their finger as to who is behind all this political movie show. Basically, War will always be present - anywhere or everywhere where Oppression, Corruption and Greed are present, whether Muslim country or Not. How can we stop this? - I guess we better ask the President of America that question... he is the most informed Man in the world technically speaking.

When one surrenders and submits to God - He is technically a Muslim. As a Muslim, He is expected to practice his religion - ISLAM.

The Muslim has 3 levels... the Mumin - is a pious Muslim - pleasing to the Eyes of Allah... He is a good Muslim and he is benefitial to the Muslim Prayer community... this is his mark...
A Muh'sin is higher than the Mu'nin that his marks are he is benefitial to both the Prayer community or the Spiritual Community and Humanity as a whole.

Muslims are not concerned about this subjects... because being a Mu'nin or Muh'sin is a personal concern entirely left for Allah alone. No one knows which level one is. One may feel very spiritually high one day - then start to lose it another day. Man is generally weak and is always succeptible to sin. It is not really adviseable to be conserned with ones' rank or position in the eyes of God.

The best way to practice ones faith is to surpass his own standards... conquer his own weaknesses... and become a better person. Perfection and purification of ones character is the key to have your personal peace with your God.

since everyone is a Muslim by birth - when you come back to your state of submission to that of the time when you were born... You are then technically a Revert. Ever noticed the closeness to the term Re-birth or Being Born -Again! as what Christ (AS) has often mentioned.

Being a revert to Islam is actually - what Being Born Again is all about. A person who experiences being born again in the Christian churches undergoes a state of Islam for a short while... up to the time he is given more ideas afterwards. But - that short silent part while he is undergoing complete submission and surrendering to God the Almighty... He is having the sweet taste of ISLAM.

May Allah guide you and increase you iman and deen and decide once and for all to cross that bridge and finally be with the company of the righteous.

Hey - I am not forcing you here OK - don't get me wrong. There is no compulsion in religion...

Last words on Islam: Islam is the religion of nature. So there is nothing in Islam that goes against the true nature of Man and the Universe... It is a Religion of Benefit! We don't collect money from the parishioners... instead, poor people are actually receiving money in this religion... This is perhaps some of the things that make Islam distinct. It is the only one of it's kind.

 

[believer]

Well, 6-7 more months of conversations on this board, and I understand the difference between Muslim and Mumin a little better now.

But I still don't understand how a person can call himself/herself a Muslim and continue to attack other Muslims. (I'm not talking about Mumins now.) I'm talking about FaTAH and Hamas, or Sunni vs. Shia violence, or a few years ago why Iraq invade Kuwait and attacked Iran, or why PKK Kurds create terror in Turkey. It is as if some of these people have put political goals ahead of their faith. Should such people be recognized as true Muslims? Would it not be wise for the Muslim world to repudiate those who behave this way as behaving non-Islamicly?

some answers are already in your question...

You mentioned political goals... Real Muslims have no political goals.

Real Muslims do not create terror.

Real Muslims have a set of codes in going for battle, and terrorizing innocent civilians isn't one of them.

You mentioned it yourself, they are behaving Un-islamically.

The last leader of the Muslim Ummah was Usman or Ottoman in turkey.

since then, the Muslim ummah has been without a leader. But Islam has continued to grow in spite of that.

If there are some people who needs to be more afraid it is the Muslims... since everytime a prominent local Muslim leader would appear - terror breaks up somewhere and it is normally caused by so called Islamist-Rebels... then the Muslim Imam or leader will be jailed and framed up as part and accessory to the crime. Nothing can be farther than the truth.

Most of these so called Islamic militants who are causing terror are so good they are hardly caught... Who trained these people???

Moreover, physical war or vioence is an old battle format... the real battle is in the hearts of men. Who will you believe?

The nature of Lies: ... you need to have another explanation, and another one, again, some more... there always a hole somewhere and it needs to be plugged.

The Nature of Truth: .... no need to explain.

Salaam bro.

 

[kwolney01]

Hi, thanks for your interest in Islam. I was christian once like you and I to felt the same way..It all depends on what you believe. One big difference in Islam compared to christianity is about Jesus (peace be upon him)..Muslims believe that he is a prophet not the son of God. I think some chirstians already believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) was just a prophet..so if you believe that I think the transiton would be much easier.. I wish you all the best..