The following from Omar Muhammad Jackson
via Father Joe
via Martin
Islam is a monotheistic religion that acknowledges the total sovereignty of Almighty God.
President Bush tried to explain that the word, “Islam,” means PEACE. This is true but inadequate. It means SUBMISSION TO GOD. The only way to properly submit to God (Allah) is to become a Muslim.
Muhammad is the “seal of the prophets” and the QUR’AN (our Holy Book) is the completion of the series revelations received by Christians and Jews.
Allah has given us his law and we are obliged to fulfill our duties, the 5 Pillars of Faith:
1. SHAHADA (recitation of creed);
2. SALAT (daily prayer);
3. ZAKAT (almsgiving);
4. SAWM (fasting); and
5. HAJ (pilgrimage).
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The Tension …
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008Craig recently commented in this thread
guess I just like the tension that gets created in me when I hang around people with opposing worldviews.
I loved this comment. I think it strongly touches on what we are trying to accomplish at Off the Map, and also on something we’re going to have to live into if we ever really want to MTWABP (make the world a better place)
What about you–do you like that tension? Do you lean into it, or away from it? Why? How? your comments? tell us a story, if you like =)
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Muslim-Christian Dialogue Continues
Thursday, November 29th, 2007Earlier this month I posted about A Common Word Between Us and You, a statement published by 138 Muslim leaders to declare the common ground between Christianity and Islam. Scholars at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture have responded with Loving God and Neighbor Together. This statement has been endorsed by over 300 Christian leaders from around the world.
Posted in Interfaith Dialogue | 2 Comments »Loving God and Neighbor Together
As members of the worldwide Christian community, we were deeply encouraged and challenged by the recent historic open letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals from around the world. A Common Word Between Us and You identifies some core common ground between Christianity and Islam which lies at the heart of our respective faiths as well as at the heart of the most ancient Abrahamic faith, Judaism. Jesus Christs call to love God and neighbor was rooted in the divine revelation to the people of Israel embodied in the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). We receive the open letter as a Muslim hand of conviviality and cooperation extended to Christians world-wide. In this response we extend our own Christian hand in return, so that together with all other human beings we may live in peace and justice as we seek to love God and our neighbors.
Muslims and Christians have not always shaken hands in friendship; their relations have sometimes been tense, even characterized by outright hostility. Since Jesus Christ says, First take the log out your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbors eye (Matthew 7:5), we want to begin by acknowledging that in the past (e.g. in the Crusades) and in the present (e.g. in excesses of the war on terror) many Christians have been guilty of sinning against our Muslim neighbors. Before we shake your hand in responding to your letter, we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world. continue reading
A Common Word Between Muslims and Christians
Monday, November 5th, 2007I first heard about A Common Word Between Us and You when Brian McLaren talked about it at OTM Live this weekend. I learned that this statement was published in October by 138 Muslim leaders “to declare the common ground between Christianity and Islam.”
A Common Word Between Us and You
Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the worlds population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.
The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity. The following are only a few examples:
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