Jesus & Muhammad
Critic :-
JESUS OR MUHAMMAD? A COMPARISON OF THE FOUNDERS
This paper compares and contrasts some of their actions and teachings. Certainly these men have affected humanity in a powerful way.
Comment:-
Jesus (saw) and Muhammad (saw) were both Messengers sent by God to do His will. It is not possible for an ordinary human being, specially a prejudiced one with low intelligence to judge them.
Each was dealing with a different set of circumstances and had a different mission. Jesus came to bring a teaching only and that to the Jews, while Muhammad was sent to Arabs and the rest of mankind notonly to bring a teaching but a whole system of living and a state.
Critic:-
JESUS: "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Luke 23:34. (said while on the cross dying).
MUHAMMAD: "May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of the prophets." (said while dying in the arms of his wife Aisha). Bukhari, Vol. 1, 427.
Christ, asks God to forgive, while Muhammad, utters a bitter curse. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate for Muhammad to have asked God to guide the Christians and Jews while he was dying?
Comment:-
That is your opinion about what is more appropriate.
The fact is that Muhammad was sent to guide them. He does not curse them for himself but because they falsified religion by worshipping the Prophets. He was telling his followers not to do the same in the most vehement manner.
Critic:-
JESUS: had no slaves. Jesus taught to do to others as you would have them do to you. No one wants to be enslaved against their will.
MUHAMMAD: was a slaver. He owned and sold many slaves, both male and female.
Comment:-
Jesus had nothing to say about abolishing slavery. History shows that Christians used the Bible to oppose the abolition of slavery - Ephesians 6:5 .
Muhammad treated his slaves well and freed them. The Quran teaches the freeing of slaves. Quran 2:177, 90:12-13
Critic:-
JESUS: was sinless. 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 John 3:5, Heb. 4:15
MUHAMMAD: was declared to be a sinner in the Quran. Sura 40:55, 48:2. Muhammad also prayed for forgiveness of his sins, Bukhari vol. 1, 795, 796.
Comment:-
The quotes are Pauls and Johns opinions. Jesus (saw) himself said:-
"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is NONE good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Mt 19:17
If God guided Muhammad (saw) to show him where he failed and forgave him then he became sinless.
Have you not read about the Prodigal son?
Critic:-
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the furst to threw a stone at her.".....up and asked her, "Woman, where are they" Has no one condemned you?" "No one sir", she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Comment:-
This is not a genuine story. It has been dropped from all modern bibles. It appears to encourage fornication and adultery which is against Jesus' own teachings. It shows Jeus to be weak which he was not. On the other hand he did not create a Law or State wher laws have to be upheld.
Critic:-
MUHAMMAD From the Hadith of Abu Dawud, #4428
"Buraidah said: "A woman of Ghamid came to the Prophet and said: "I have committed fornication", He said: "Go back". .......... He said: "Go back, and suckle him until you wean him.".......... he gave orders about her and she was stoned to death. Khalid was one of those who were throwing stones at her. He threw a stone at her. When a drop of blood fell on his cheek, he abused her. The prophet said to him: "Gently, Khaild. By Him in Whose hand my soul is, she has repented to such an extent that if one who wrongfully takes an extra tax were to repent to a like extent, he would be forgiven". Then giving command regarding her, prayed over her and she was buried.""
Here is a stark contrast of the two men.
Comment:-
This story shows the Justice, Compassion as well as the Wisdom of the Prophet. States are run on Justice. He was compassionate, but compassion would have resulted in great cruelty if as a result of flouting the law everyone thought they could flout the law and adultery became rampant and the cause of great misery to spouses, children and the whole society.
Critic:-
JESUS: In Luke 9:54, 55 Jesus rebuked His disciples when they wanted to destroy
MUHAMMAD: told his followers to aggressively make war on non-Muslims: 9:5, 29. Sura 9 was one of the last Suras given by Muhammad. Initially, when Muhammad's group was weak, he ordered his followers to try to get along with other people. After the Muslims became powerful, he ordered them to spread Islam by force. Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman continued his wars of aggression.
Comment:-
In the times of Jesus the Jews were under the Romans and his followers would have been destroyed. He was not sent to found a State but only to reform the Jews.
The first part of the mission of Muhammad (saw) in Mecca was just like that of Jsus and he nd his followers were persecuted. But he disappeared from Mecca and reappeared in Medina and the second part of his mission began there. This is like Jesus disappearing and his expected return in the future. He would then be expected to ound the Kingdom of God on Earth. If you read the Book of Revelations you will find that he would do this partly militarily. So Muammad (saw) fulfiled the second coming of Jesus. When he returned to Mecca he forgave the inhabitants and did not slaughter them.
Critic:-
Muhammad also massacred approx. 800 Jewish male captives: noted in Sura 33:26.
Comment:-
He did not. He left the judgement to a Jew.
Critic:-
Muhammad also ordered the execution of 10 people when he took Mecca. Three of these people were slave girls who had previously made fun of Muhammad.
Muhammad attacked the Jewish city of Khaibar. He took one of the Jewish leaders and tortured him to force him to tell where some buried money was. After the man refused to talk, and was near death, Muhammad ordered that his head be cut off.
Comment:-
Read the Old Testament and see what Moses and other Prophets were ordered to do. Did Jesus condemn them?
Did he not himself say he had come with a sword and not to bring peace? There cannot be any peace while there is unrighteousness on earth. It has to be fought.
Critic:-
JESUS: was not married. He healed women, forgave women, and encouraged women.
Comment:-
That is why he cannot be a role model for human beings. The race would die out if he was.
Critic:-
MUHAMMAD: told his male followers to beat their disobedient wives. He gave men the right to beat their wives who disobeyed them.
Comment:-
That is the instruction of God, not of Muhammad and is done only as a last resort to prevent worse sins. And it is meant to be light and to control, prevent and diminish the arbitrary and widespread violence which was prevalent. The Prophet did not beat his wives.
Critic:-
JESUS: said He was the Son of God: John 5:18-27, 10:36, Matt 26:63, 64
Comment:-
False. Those verses say no such thing. The phrase "son of God" refers to those who obey God and are led by the Spirit. He said:-
"And this is Eternal Life that they might know THEE THE ONLY TRUE GOD......while I was with them in the world I kept them in THY NAME..." John 17:6,12
"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Mt 19:17
That is, it is God who is good not him, he was not God.
Further proof :-
Jesus did not do or speak of himself but what God instructed. (John 6:38, 57, 7:16, 8:28, 10:37-38, 12:49)
"I can of mine own self do nothing: As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is just because I SEEK NOT MINE OWN WILL, but the WILL OF THE FATHER which hath sent me." John 6:30
Critic:-
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Comment :-
Those are John's words not those of Jesus. He misundetood or was misunderstood or mistranslated. Jesus was A Word of God. That is to say he was A Messenger, one who carried the Word of God.
Critic:-
"Christ Jesus . . . who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and Took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men . . ." Philippians 2:5-7
Comment:-
Those are the words of Paul who never met Jesus and quarrelled with the Apostles who had followed Jesus. Christians are a follower of Paul not of Jesus. It contraicts what Jesus himself said. e.g. He could do nothing himself (John 5:19) and that "my Father is greater than I" John 14:28
Critic:-
MUHAMMAD: said Jesus was not the Son of God: SURA 4:171.
Comment:-
Those are the words of God.
Critic:-
The Koran makes no distinction among Prophets and Christ is no more than a Messenger:
Comment:-
Correct
Critic:-
The Koran denies Christ's divine origin:
Comment:-
Correct, depending on what you mean. The Quran does say that Jesus was the Messiah, a Spirit and Word from God.
Critic:-
The Bible commands us to worship Jesus Christ:
Comment:-
False. Jesus says:-
"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but He THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Many will say to me in that Day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY." Matthew 7:21-23
"In vain do they worship me teaching as doctrine the commandments of men." Mark 7:7
Now some people tell us that this is not said about worshipping Jesus but is a quotation by Jesus from the book of Isaiah (Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honour me....." Mark 7:6) But if we look up Isaiah 29:13-15. we find that he did quote Mark 7:6, the words of Mark 7:7 do not appear there.
Critic:-
". . . all should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which sent him." John 5:23
". . . let all the angels of God worship him." Hebrews 1:5
Comment:-
All Paul's words, not those of Jesus.
Critic:-
JESUS: taught His disciples to pray simply, and from the heart. God listens to the heart, not the outward form: Matt: 6:5-13
MUHAMMAD: taught formalized prayer ritual: (all quotes are from Bukhari, >vol. 1)
Comment:-
Nonsense. Jesus taught the Lords prayer which is fixed, and it is a prayer to the Father only. It does not say "for Christ's sake" or "through Jesus" or Son or Holy Ghost. It is an example.
The Islamic prayer is a form of meditation which has an inner dimension. it must be performed with awareness of the presence of God and with concentration, sincerity and purity without distractions.
After it a person can pray as he likes from his own heart.
Critic:-
These men, Jesus and Muhammad, were completely different.
Comment:-
So were Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Danial and so on. But why harp on the differences? They were alike in founding a religion. All had their own missions and in so far as they obeyed God and delivered His message, they were all alike.
The Life of Muhammad was under constant scrutiny and recorded by many people even those hostile to him. Even then some witnesses gave their own opinions and did not know all the circumstances about what they saw.
Are you not lucky that little is known about the life of Jesus except what one or two devoted desciples wrote. Even then there are things Jesus said and did which can be, and have been, interpreted by hostile persons in a negative manner.
The critic tries hard to justify his obsessions and prejudices but only makes himself out to be ignorant and arrogant with it - he wants to be a judge of God and His Messengers and wants people to follow his naive opinions.
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