O People of The Book!

"Christianity, Islam and Judaism are known as Abrahamic religions because of their common origin through Abraham. Ishmael, the firstborn son of Abraham, is considered the "Father of the Arabs"(through whom Islam came) and Abraham's second son, Isaac, is called "Father of the Hebrews"(through whom christianity and Judaism came)

Quran commonly refer to Christians and Jews as "People of the Book" , people who follow the same general teachings in relation to the worship of the One God as known by Abraham.
Sabians are also religious people who are among the people of the books. Some scholars agree that Zorostranism is to be also included. There was also a relgion in India that was to be in the people of the book.. infact there were many religions all around the world that were of this category , but most of them declined. The prominent of the people of the book are Judaism and Christianity and its addressed time to time in the Quran.
The Jews and Arabs are Semitic people, both they and their languages are related. Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic are in the same subfamily of languages. Neither Jesus and Moses referred to God as ‘God’ but rather as Elah or Alah. God of the bible and the Quran are but the same Almighty God.


Interfaith gathering
Quoting from the Catholic Catechism:
«The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day»


QURAN VERDICT ON THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
some of the verses in the quran about people of the book:-
And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced out way. Had God willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto God ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ. The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 , Verse 48.
"O People of the Book! Ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Torah, (and) the Gospel." - Qur'an Surah 5.68.
3:3-4 Say : He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Torah and the gospel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the criterion.
2:213 Say :Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed
"Be courteous when you argue with the People of the Book, except with those among them who do evil. Say: "We believe in that which is revealed to us and which was revealed to you. Our God and your God is one. To Him we surrender ourselves."
5:69 'If only they had stood fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course
V.2:42 "And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth [Muhammed is Allâh's Messenger and his qualities are written in your Scriptures, the Torah and the Gospel while you know (the truth)."
V.2:97 "Say (O Muhammad) : 'Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel(let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (this Qur'ân) down to you heart by God's Permission, confirming what came before it [the Torah and the Gospel)] and guidance and glad tidings for the believers.'"
2:62 "Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."(the Quran here is not making a generalization from the context it is understood that it is about a particular jew/christians/sabians(POB) and not a generalization)"...'
V.2:140 "Or say you that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Al-Asbât [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya'qûb (Jacob)] were Jews or Christians? Say, 'Do you know better or does God? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony he has from God? And God is not unaware of what you do.'"
2:139 Say: Do you dispute with us about Allah, and He is our Lord and your Lord, and for us are our deeds and for you your deeds; and we are sincere to Him?
V.2:139 "Say (O Muhammad to the Jews and Christians), 'Dispute you with us about God while He is our Lord and your Lord? And we are to be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds. And we are sincere to Him [in worship and obedience (i.e. we worship Him Alone and none else, and we obey His Orders)].'
Another important fact we learn from the Qur'an is that Muslims must respect Jewish and Christian places of worship. In the Qur'an, the places of worship of the People of the Book, ie. monasteries, churches and synagogues, are mentioned as places of worship protected by God.
" ...If God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. God will certainly help those who help Him - God is All-Strong, Almighty." ( (Surat al-Hajj: 40) This verse shows every Muslim the importance of respecting and protecting the holy places of the People of the Book.

Allah often says with regards to the People of the Book --- "I will judge wherein they differ" without saying that they will be punished or anything.

Among the people of the book are Good and Bad:
"Among the People of the Book are some who if entrusted with a hoard of gold will (readily) pay it back; others who if entrusted with a single silver coin will not repay it unless thou constantly stoodest demanding because they say "There is no call on us (to keep faith) with these ignorant (pagans)." But they tell a lie against Allah and (well) they know it.Nay. Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright verily Allah loves those who act aright."

"Not all of them are alike: of the People of the book are a portion that stand (for the right); they rehearse the signs of Allah all night long and then prostrate themselves in adoration.
They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and they (hasten in emulation) in (all) good works; they are in the ranks of the righteous.
Of the good that they do nothing will be rejected of them; for Allah knoweth well those that do right."

Note-1: The verses 5:51 and 3:28 refer to transgressing/intolerant Jews and Christians, not ALL. Please see the verses 5:57-59 and 60:7-9 for clarification.

Note-2: The verses 2:65 and 7:165 refer to a group of bad Jews who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath and other prohibitions [see 2:63-66 and 7:164-166 for clarification] , who have even been condemned to death in the Bible for the same! [Exodus 31:14]!!!


LET US REASON TOGETHER
QURAN ORDERS --
SAY(to them):"O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK!
COME TO COMMON TERMS AS BETWEEN US AND YOU:
THAT WE WORSHIP NONE BUT GOD;
THAT WE ASSOCIATE NO PARTNERS WITH HIM;
THAT WE ERECT NOT, FROM AMONG OURSELVES,
LORDS AND PATRONS OTHER THAN GOD."
IF THEN THEY TURN BACK,
SAY:"BEAR WITNESS THAT WE (AT LEAST)
ARE OF THOSE WHO BOW TO GOD'S WILL (Holy Qur'an 3:64")



"PEOPLE OF THE BOOK" is the respectful title given to the Jews and the Christians in the Holy Qur'an. The Muslims is here commanded to invite - "O People of the Book!" - O Learned People! O People who claim to be the recipients of Divine Revelation, of a Holy Scripture; let us gather together onto a common platform - "that we worship none but God", because none but God is worthy of worship, because He is our Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all praise, prayer and devotion.



so let us , people of the book, let us reason together. get for ourself a better way
lets be true to the One god who has created us. And move away the misconception we have about God.

We can learn about these religion. These religion are nonetheless different form of one religion, the religion of Abraham.

It has to be ONE Religion. IF god is one , RELIGION IS ONE. Indeed it was a
there is only one correct belief in god. one of those doctrines
Quran tells the people of the book to be true to the ONE GOD and to praise him.

ABRAHAM:
who should we look at who is father of these religions?
FATHER OF THESE THREE RELIGIONS ?
all of these religions came from ABRAHAM (peace be upon him)
let us follow his example.

WHO WAS ABRAHAM.
Abraham was an Iraqi. Growing up in Iraq , the language spoken by him might have been Assyrian or Arabic or Armanic. The language spoken by the clan of Abraham was a dialect closely akin to those of Moab, Tyre, and Sidon, and it bore a greater resemblance to Assyrian and Arabic than to Aramaic.
Abraham was brought up in an idol worshiping society. his father was pagan and wanted abraham to become a pagan priest. And he tried teaching him about the religion at a very young age, but all abraham(pbuh) did was laugh at the statues(being 7 year old). As he grew up his hatred for idols and idol worship grew and he eventually became an iconoclast ,calling people to worship the only one true God that Jews, Muslims and christians(since the doctrine of trinity was not there at his time) worship.
HIS EXAMPLE: From the revolt in the house of Azar, his father, Abraham went on to challenge the polytheism of his people. Indeed Ibrahim is know as history's great idol- smasher, as the founder of monotheism and the crusher of ignorance. history knows that he was not jew or Christian or muslim technically, so we have to see how he was ; was he like a jew or Christian or muslim .

His Gift and his test:
Allah brought mercy to the agedness, loneliness, hopelessness and anguish of his trustworthy Messenger.Allah gave him a son. For Abraham, Ishmail was not just a son for a sonless father, he was the end of a life of waiting, the reward of a century of suffering, the fruit of his life, the hope after despair and the young boy of an old father
Ishmael being the promise of future generations was in some sense the whole world for Abraham.

Brothers and Sisters, Abrahim was to be tried once more. Abraham had a vision in which he was commanded by Allah to slaughter his only son.
Brothers and Sisters, why should Abraham, whose entire life was devoted to prophethood, to Jihaad, to removing ignorance, to laying the foundations of thawheed(monotheism) be tried once again ? Who should Abraham choose ? Love of God or Love of self ? Prophethood or Fatherhood ? Loyalty to God or loyalty to family ?Faith or Emotion ?
Yet he layed Ismail on the ground, putting his face away from him to give strength to his crushed soul and paralysed hand. And so he slaughtered Ismail. But, by Allah's grace, the knife did not cut.
Abraham received a sheep and was called by Allah :
"O Abraham. You have confirmed the Vision Thus indeed do We reward those who do right This is indeed the manifest trial !" (37:104-105)

majority of the majority of Jewish Biblical commentators agree that God was testing Abraham to see if he would actually kill his own son, as a test of his loyalty. Some Rabbis like Rabbi Yosef Ibn Caspi claims that Abraham's "imagination" led him astray that's a paculiar interpretation though. In christiantiy and judaic beliefs it is Isaac not Ishmail that is ordered to be slaughtered.

the majority of Christian Biblical commentators hold this whole episode to be an archetype of the way that God works; this event is seen as foreshadowing God's plan to have his Son.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Hebrews 11:17-19, NKJV). In some places of the bible Abraham really have sacrificed his son.

From this Example i come to the conclusion that Abraham was not just someone who prayed and praised God but also Entirely and devotly Submitted to him and him alone nothing on the earth did he love more not even his son!

He is also described in surat an-Nahl as a model : "Ibrahim was indeed a model. Devoutly obedient to Allah, and true in faith, and he joined not gods with Allah " (16:20).
Given the title "khalil-ul-Allah" meaning "friend of God"

Within the religion of Islam, God decreed specific rituals and practices designed to teach man to worship his Lord. These acts (Prayer, pilgrimage .... etc.) were taught first to Abraham.

All over the internet . and u see that Abraham was submission , not christrian not jew but the one who submitted to god , he did not believe in a trinity (Christian),did not believe that god had preferences(Judaic) but he submitted his will to the will of the almighty. So it all sounds islamic.

Abraham was not a Jew nor a Christian but he was true in faith and bowed his will to Allah's (which is Islam) and he joined not gods with Allah.
Without doubt among men the nearest of kin to Abraham are those who follow him as are also this Apostle and those who believe; and Allah is the Protector of those who have faith
"Ye people of the Book! why dispute ye about Abraham when the Law and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have ye no understanding?
.. why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is Allah Who knows and ye who know not!"

MOSES JESUS AND MUHAMMED(PBUT) NONE OF THEM CLAIMED TO HAVE STARTED NEW RELIGIONS.. THEY ALWAYS SAID ONE THING :- "ONE GOD"
Because people were lost , worshiping trees and stars , moon son etc
They came at different time to different places and in different situation , but they had one message and one common mission.

DOES ISLAM SUPERSEDE JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY ?

i think you dont believe this but its always great to know others point of view. I'm sure that teachings of Islam are quite simple and it would make sense to you all..

Difference between Christians, Jews and Muslim is not thicker than a ray of light. I'll lay down few facts which are often over shadowed and only sketched and stretched. 1.There is No God but one Allah. Allah is the God of Adam, Eve, Noha, Ibrahim(Abraham), Issac ( Ishaq), Ismail,Musa (Moses) , David ( Daud) ,Joseph, Samson,Yahiha (John the babtist), Esa (Jesus) and Mohammed (peace be upon them all) and other known and unknown prophets of Allah 2.There are four Messengers Noah Moses, Easa and Mohammed. All Prophets and messengers have spoken about in there revelations about one another and Mohmmad.To testify each other and to show they are beads of one string and there religion is one which is submission and there true follower are the submitters 3.There is only one Religion Islam BUT we are followers - Ommah(followers) of these prophets and Messengers.i.e. OMMAH OF MOSES - JEWS, OMMAH JESUS - CHRISTIAN AND OMMAH OF Mohammed (pbut) Muslims.
Judaism and christianity have no functional meaning meaning. Christianity(little christs) was named after Christ and Judaism was named after the tribe of Judah. Islam on the other hand has a functional meaning and is used frequently in the Quran.
The religion was always "Submission to God", doing everything for the sake of God and living consciously of him. Through the muslims eyes Christianity and Judaims are forms of ISLAM(the "dheen" of submission). Only laws changed not the religion. Salvation has been always the same. God does not change his ways u see, he has not time dimensions, past present and future are all the same for him.

WE LIVE IN THE OMMAH OF MUHAMMAD (pbuh)
So coming to the ommah of muhammed(pbuh) .The fundamentals did not change there is not big difference between teaching of the prophets, they basically taught the same things.. and that is evident in the books. Read the torah then the bible then the quran.. u see that all of them emphasis is on the same things
Muslim is a "state achieved" when used properly with the arabic meaning. Whereas jew and Christian are names given by certain tribes it has no functional meaning , although "christianity" has a metaphoric meaning.
Islam is the later stage of Judaism, by Judaism i mean the laws that were there at the time of moses.. the name of relgion was not assined by God or Moses but to the tribe og "Judah" so it does not have much significance i guess. The name of relgion has always been the same "Submission to God"
A Christian believes that Judaism has been superseded by Judaism. The Muslims too believe the same. Also with that muslims believe that the new law replaced both the Old(torah). Muslims claim that Islam is the continuation and a rectification of Judaism and christianity.. now u don't have to believe that, but we do, information for u perhaps, and a better understanding : )

Question arises why we differ then?
Holy Books and prophets/messengers before Mohammed and Holy Quran were for that particular time and place only and teachings were according to that time and human level e.g . you cannot teach Medicine to an infant or a child or a 6 grader.
.
Muslims believe in progressive revelation.
PROGRESSIVE REVELATION - TORAH -- > GOSPAL --> KORAN.
He has sent down upon thee the Book with the truth, confirming what was before it, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, as guidance to the people, and He sent down the salvation.(Qur'an 3:3-4)

We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the Jews – as did their scholars and their rabbis – by what they had been allowed to preserve of God’s Book to which they were witnesses... (Qur’an, 5:44)

Quran : "He decreed for you the same religion decreed for Noah, and
what we inspired to you, and what we decreed for Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus: "You shall uphold this one
religion, and do not divide it."
42:13
This Quranic verse, alongside numerous other verses, confirm the truth that as far as God is concerned there has always been one religion. The one religion was decreed to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

Now that u know u the face of it, what the muslim/jew/chrisitian believe , u understand more. Then , i think God will be pleased.

In short, this is an invitation to the people of the book to understand and analyse. To be sincere to the One God we ought to worship.
Correct ourselves. By settling the arguments "we are in common terms".

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