ISLAM FOR BEGINNERS BRS 107.pdf - CUEA

ja⎺far said that he had, the Negus commanded him to read it to him, so he read him apassage from the Qur’an. Then the Negus said, ’of a truth, this and what Jesus broughthave come from the same niche... I will never give them up to you and they shall not bebetrayed.”This long but important notice illustrates the attitude of the Negus before Islam. Surat-al-Maryam (19) recited by the Emigrants was sufficient for the king to conclude that the tworeligions are the same. In acting this way, he ignored or maybe neglected the realmeaning of both Jesus of the Gospels and the Qur’anic Jesus; he adopted a wide viewthat does not help us in knowing what makes us different from others and what we needfrom others for progress and perfection.A too wide view of Islam takes Islam as being equal to Christianity because of the few ormany similarities in doctrines and expressions that someone may find without deepenthem. Since Christians and Muslims worship one God, their Scriptures contain the names“Jesus and Maryam”,…, they are not different but the same. Such view does not go farbeyond appearances and, indeed, no question is asked about the other.We observed this attitude in many of our contemporaries who, perhaps tired of religionswhich are becoming more than the computers in the markets or out of ignorance whichhas been increased by inadequate knowledge overlook the rich differences that insist on tocollaboration. They ignore moreover that differences do make sense, especially whenthey are well examined. Have you not been asked this question: what is the differencebetween what it said in Churches and Mosques? Do you not forbid evil and encouragegood? What are you still looking for? Do you not know that both Christians and Muslimsdo work for good?Once more, this too wide view is identified, sometimes, to a relativist attitude, which doesnot confront truths that are accessible to reason. The relativist says: “Everybody has hisown truth”. I wonder how such thought could be held in a pluralist society. In thecontrary, if I really discovered truth in my neighbor, this could be a change, for my owngood as well as the good of the others. Anyway, unlike the first view, the wide view doesnot entertain fight but a heavy and dangerous sleep. Both are still in a stage, which needsabsolutely reason, and openness, frankness and sincerity.Frederic N. Mvumbi,OP Page 8 of 85