Additional reply:-
"Zev" <zev_horn@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote
> Your previous answer implies that members of other religions should
leave their old religions and become Muslim. Quran 7:157 also implies
this. But what happens when a Jew hears this and looks into his Bible
and sees commandments like Sabbath and Passover mentioned again and
again, all over the Bible, OT and NT, frequently described as an
"eternal sign"?
Comment:-
As to the Quranic verse you referred to, we read:-
"Those who follow the Messenger - the unlettered Prophet - whom they
find mentioned in their own Law and Gospel. (See Deuteronomy 18:15, 18
and John 14:16) bidding them what is just (reasonable) and forbidding
them what is wrong (evil, unreasonable, stupid); and making lawful for
them what is good (pure), and making unlawful evil (impure) things. He
releases them from their heavy burdens and yokes which were upon them.
So it is those who believe in him and honour and help him and follow
the Light which has been sent down with him - it is they who are the
successful (or shall prosper)."
"Say: O you people! Verily, I am the Messenger of Allah unto you all,
of Him whose is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, there is no
God but He! He gives life and death. So believe in Allah and His
Messenger, the unlettered (or not learned, unsophisticated) prophet, -
who believes in Allah and in His Words - then follow him that per
chance (or possibly) you may be guided."
"Amongst the people of Moses is a section who guide with truth, and
thereby act justly." 7:157-159
What the verses are pointing out is that Muhammad (saw) is like the
other Prophets instructing what is spiritually good and forbidding
what is evil, that he is a Universal Messenger. He should be
recognised as such and the instructions he brings should be obeyed. It
also affirms that some of the difficulties that were imposed on people
in the past have been lifted. This can be regarded as referring to the
numerous rituals and rules as well as obscure, complex and hard to
understand doctrines, requirements of asceticism and monasticism, and
burdens of guilt feelings. This dispensation of Islam has simplified
and demythologised religion to a large extent.
"Allah will not require of the soul beyond its capacity. It shall have
what it has earned, and it shall owe what it deserves. "Our Lord,
condemn us not, if we forget or miss the mark; Our Lord, load us not
with a burden as Thou hast loaded those before us. Our Lord, impose
not on us what we have not strength to bear, but forgive us, absolve
us, and have mercy on us. Thou art our Sovereign, then give us victory
against the faithless!" 2:286
"And strive in the cause of Allah, with the effort which is His due.
He has chosen you, and has not laid upon you any hard****p (or
hindrance) in religion - the faith of your father Abraham. He has
named you Muslims of old and in this (Scripture), that the Messenger
may be a witness against you, and that you may be witnesses against
mankind." 22:78
"Allah desires for you what is easy, and desires not for you what is
difficult. "2:185
"Allah does not lay on any soul a burden beyond that which He has
granted it; Allah brings about after difficulty, ease." 65:7
"And their word was only to say: Lord, forgive us our sins and wasted
efforts; and make firm our footing, and help us against the faithless
folk!" 3:147
"But whoever desires the Hereafter, and strives for it with the
necessary effort, for such, their striving shall find favour." 17:19
What Islam requires is not that which is difficult but that which is
more effective. However:-
"And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for, and that his
striving shall be seen. Then shall he be rewarded for it with the
fullest reward; and that your Lord is the final goal." 53:39-43
As I indicated before, the Universal Islam is compared to a
house built of many bricks, but Specific Islam consists of the last
brick that also completes the house. In this sense conversion to
Specific Islam is conversion to Universal Islam. Its formulations and
practices tend to be more comprehensively effective.
You asked about the Specifics about each religion:-
The question to be answered is: What is the purpose of the Passover
ritual? Is it not symbolising salvation, the release of the spirit
from bondage? And what is the significance of supposing that God
rested on the 7th Day of Creation? Is it not that people should devote
themselves to the service of God. From the Islamic point of view
creation was completed on the 6th Day but God then mounted the Throne
- i.e. He devoted Himself to the administration and maintenance the
Universe. Muslims are required to set aside time five times a day to
prayer.
In the case of Christianity they have the concept of "sons of God"
which is defined in their scriptures as those who are led by the Word
or Spirit by God. But because Christians misunderstand and take the
phrase literally, Islam has changed it to "Servants of God". They have
baptism and Muslims have ablutions,; they have the sacrament of the
bread and wine which is meant to symbolically take in Christ, the Word
of God, while Muslims take in the Quran, also the Word of God.
Thus Islam incor****ates the same things.
Indeed even polytheism is incor****ated in that the many separate gods
become the attributes of Allah. Polytheists such as Hindus understand that
there is one supreme God and the various gods are really aspects of the
One.
Budhhists who also have many gods but the teachings of Buddha appear to
have
none
at all and yet Buddha is re****ted to have said:-
"There is, O Bhikkhus, an Unborn, a Not-become, a Not-made, a
Not-compounded. If there were not, O Bhikkhus, this Unborn, Not-become,
Not-made, Not-compounded, there could not be any escape from what is born,
become, made and compounded."
It is not difficult to see that this Not-made, Not compounded etc is the
same as Allah.
Nirvana is escape from limtations by surrender to this.
Hamid S. Aziz
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