Christianity and Islam

Christianity is older than Islam. But in the Philippines, Islam arrived earlier than Christianity. Today, one of our major problems is world terrorism and, sad to say, that is still an extension of the old conflict between Christians and Islam. In the 11th century, for instance, there was Hassan ben Sabbah, who was notoriously known as The Old Man of the Mountains. He has contributed one word in the English language – assassins, meaning killers by treachery and violence. The original assassins were Moslem fanatics in Persia. Their terrorism was directed at the Turkish Seljurs which ruled Persia, Syria and Asia minor. They were called hashishin because they dosed themselves with hashish before they engaged in murderous assaults.

We have always believed that if Christians and Muslims both lived up to the teachings of their respective religions, both would live in peace, Oscar M. Ante, OFM, said:

"Christianity and Islam are both monotheistic religions. They believe in one God. For the Christians, the key verse of the Torah (Taurat) of Moses says: "The Lord our God is one Lord . . . " (Dt. 6:4). Jesus Christ also said: "The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Mk. 12:28), Muslims also believe in one God. The first and greatest teaching of Islam is this: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah." Among the many verses from the Qur’an, we can cite this key sura (chapter) of the Qu’ran: "Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten, And there is none comparable unto Him" (Qu’ran 112).

"Moreover, when they talk about God, they are speaking about the same God. When they refer to God, Allah, Yahweh, or Elohim, they mean the God who is the Only One, the Creator, the Loving, the Just, the Holy, the Merciful, the Living and Eternal, the Wise and Knowing. The Christians believe in the God revealed in the Bible, the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. This the Muslims who also affirm in the Qu’ran.

"While the Christians and the Muslims believe in God, in one and the same God, there is a divergence in the understanding of this God. The Christians believe in one God three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Muslims understand this in a different way, asserting that Christians believe not in monotheism but in tritheism. Moreover, each of the two has its own distinctive tone and emphasis in expressing the total mystery of God. Islamic imagery tends to interpret the experience of divine mystery in terms of transcendence. On the other hand, Christianity’s central doctrine of the Incarnation tips the scale toward divine immanence."

Islam uses a lunar calendar and Ramadan is the month the Koran was revealed. It is the Muslim Holy Month, or their equivalent of the Christian Lent. When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared the start of Ramadan a national religious holy day throughout the country, the Muslim world hailed it as a landmark move in strengthening Filipino Muslim-Christian relations. Now, Mindanao leaders (Muslim and Christians) again welcomed her decision to make the end of Ramadan this coming November 26 as another non-working day throughout the nation.

The Philippines can set the example of peace between Muslims and Christians.