What does Islam teach about sin and how to overcome sin? What does Islam teach about salvation and how to inherit the kingdom of heaven?
If Allah is so powerful how come the Biblical God managed to make his word more accessible to anyone and everyone throughout the world while Allah could not?
1) Islam reminds us that we're only human and our nafs(soul) is dominated by carnal impulses. It symbolises our carnal nature as a serpent. Practicing islam (eg praying the salah on time, performing ablution, fasting in the month of ramadan etc) safeguards us from the serpent within us. When we die and go into the grave, we suffer according to the extent of our carnal attachments.
Furthermore, Allah's Mercy outweighs His Wrath. Allah has bestowed many ways of obtaining reward and forgiveness from Him. The biggest one being true belief.
eg
Narrated 'Ubada: The Prophet said, "If anyone testifies that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's Slave and His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few." (Junada, the sub-narrator said, " 'Ubada added, 'Such a person can enter Paradise through any of its eight gates he likes.") (Book #55, Hadith #644)
^^
on that, if you're offended by the word Slave for Jesus, in Isaiah 53 and others, he was also called God's SLAVE(ABD), so this is consistent with the OT messianic prophecies. If you're wondering why islam 'denies the son' then remember, the Son was just a metaphorical term for the Logos (the Word of God), as you can see Jesus is specifically called 'HIS WORD' here and Mohammad doesn't refer to himself with that title.
There are many different ways of obtaining reward. Now don't get me wrong, this isnt some superficial act done just for a 'reward'. It goes without saying the intent in the act matters and nothing is hidden from Allah. So there are many who think they are believers, but they only believe because their religion is part of the identity...they don't actually seek to understand and learn the religion therefore their iman is defective. Similarly there are people who only act to be seen (which im sure you're familiar with based on what Jesus himself accused the pharisees of).
There is obviously a lot of information on this topic in islam. I can't do it justice in a single post. For example, one tradition is that a muslim dying in the persuit of knowledge (a university student even) will be granted martydom. This is subjective though, since the argument is that knowledge has to be beneficial knowledge, something that benefits people for real. Now for example a person seeking knowledge/an education/qualifications in order to be able to provide for his/her family, would also later be liable to more Zakat based on their increased earning...in a sense that too means that person was doing so 'for the sake of Allah'.
Now, I believe Christianity is far more difficult, let me explain why. Jesus said to even call someone a fool, you're risking HELL. Jesus said 'pluck out your right eye if it causes you to sin'.
the truth is, Jesus was not comfortable with our carnal nature..and humans living in our carnal state, he won't be able to do anything for. in fact even in islamic eschatology it says on the day of judgement..people will seek intercession through Jesus.and he will refuse them.
What Christianity is all about, is the DEATH of the serpent eg martydom itself. In this case, by a spiritual connection to Jesus (the true vine) and that's the only way to be saved.
Christians do not seem to understand this topic at all. Many christians have told me in response that they only need to confess/believe and it is all given to them. The spiritual connection to Jesus, is called 'fana fi rasul' in sufi islam, it basically means that through Love, you effectively become absorbed in the object/person of persuit..that is annihilation in that person. This sounds odd the way it's written, but all it really means is that a person would have to truely love Jesus more than anyone on this earth, more than his/her own life and attachments...so much so that the light in Jesus, reflects in that person. The metaphysical aspects of the 'death' here, take root in that person as a result.
I have read the NT many times over, ive thought about this topic and was already familiar with it through sufi material.
(Fana'). Self-annihilation or self-effacement or dissolution or passing away from self. Through being joined to Allah, the Real; man is annihilated from himself - the 'limited existence' of the traveller is overpowered by the 'absolute existence' of Allah, so that the traveller becomes unaware of his own self and the creation. Fana' is the last stage on the ascent to Allah. When travelling to the Source, the seeker passes through different levels of fana', each of which brings him closer to his Goal. There are hundreds, even thousands, of fana's. Every time a form of ignorance is removed to be replaced by knowledge, the murid has experienced fana'. He has tasted the annihilation of an ignorance. And, every moment of existence is in fact a moment which is pregnant with its own particular knowledge. So, for the aware one, each moment can be a fana'. However, within the higher teaching of Tasawwuf there are three major types of fana', through which the murid must travel if he is to reach the Absolute. These are Annihilation in the Murshid/Spiritual Guide, Annihilation in the Messenger and Annihilation in Allah.
in fact in the case of the common christian, you are not even a branch, but a branch of a branch of a branch and so on...as it's effectively a link through a true church that links ultimately back to Jesus. This is 'the ORDER of Melchizedek'.
just as sufism has Orders/tariqahs/silsila's, the original silsila was this particular one.
The path of Jesus via this 'death' (fana), passing away from this world and existing in a state of mind where only God remains, is what Jesus meant by the single EYE (eg to only see the ONE/God in All). in islam, this is the highest stage of faith, Ihsan.
So to me, i'm not mocking authentic christianity when i talk about it being 'difficult', i'm saying it's the highest stage of faith representing Ihsan as opposed to Islam (submission). THIS is what being a 'Son' was about..and in this case you'd have to become connected to Jesus through this 'fana' experience..to the point where 'because Christ died, WE DIED with him' eg the effects in Jesus would take root in you, through this direct connection, since your heart becomes an extension of his.
The problem is the vast majority of people cannot abide by this path. Jesus himself said he will reject many. I dont need to go any further on that.
Islam on the otherhand has told us that even if a mustard seed of faith remains, we will be redeemed even from the depths of hell, should we end up there (that is despite every source of mercy we had before than, that means the most savage muslims with the least of iman would still be redeemed after suffering).
one reason why muslims dont always just act like 'we're already saved' in the way Christians do, is because we know it's a slippery slope if you just insist you're saved. It is better to just trust in God quietly and know that God is All-Merciful.
2)
If Allah is so powerful how come the Biblical God managed to make his word more accessible to anyone and everyone throughout the world while Allah could not?
firstly Allah isn't 'seperate' to the biblical God, it is the same God, there is only ONE God. You agree with that at least right? if in your mind you only strictly believe there is one Absolute God, that's exactly what every muslim believes.
the Quran states many times that the Torah and the Gospel are 'a truth and a guidance' and furthermore Allah has guarded them. So actually i have a more favorable view towards the Bible in general.
inf act if you'd even read the Quran eg Surah Ar-Rum (The romans), it's about the byzantine-sassanian war..and it tells us the Romans (believers) will rejoice. So even back then the byzantine christians were still regarded as 'believers' because he message of islam through Mohammad had not yet reached them. So the idea of this competition between the 2 religions is all in your head. The Quran didnt give us that view.
in fact
Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah 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.
(سورة البقرة, Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #62)
To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute;
(سورة المائدة, Al-Maaida, Chapter #5, Verse #48)
also, why is it that all the places associated with early christianity, every one, whether it's jerusalem or damascus or constantinople or even bethlehem or 7 cities...all except Rome..have long been muslim?
All christianity really did was absorb into the roman empire. it didnt build anything of it's own accord the way islam did. islam was a total restructuring.
Btw, you know something..i believe islam to be the microcosmic side to the messianic promise. a precursor and actually the prophecy of the 'one calling out in the desert' has dualistic aspect since Jesus has a second coming.
the one calling out in the desert was Mohammad...'make my PATH STRAIGHT'
now, Jesus is going to destroy the end times beast right? the entire image in Daniel 2.
yet, take a look at how islam ended babylon (babylon actually was destroyed by muslims in the end, not by christians, in fact christians continued to live there until muslims destroyed it), persian empire was ended, the greek empire, all those lands in the arab levant to turkey are all muslim. let's be honest, muslims defeated the byzantines and the crusaders.
is that not a sign?
colonialism was a new phase as in the end times rome, the 'feet of iron/clay' part..and im confident of that because in Revelation 6, the entire prophecies begin with the white horse conquering..that was european colonialism.
You think the story is going to end right here?
islam has told us of the malhamma, the great war between rome and islam.
since we know rome is the beast..yet in the prophecies rome is also christianity (i mean, you guys are rome right?).
the european colonial powers were all former roman colonies and hence, extensions of rome.
you bragging about the spread of christianity is you bragging about the end times Beast.
i have to maintain my position of defending authentic early christianity, from modern roman/beast/antichrist xtianity.
the Quran has an entire chapter (18) based on the story of the 7 sleepers.
it has a chapter called The Romans where it defends those christians.
In the hadith, St George (Juraij) is spoken of highly.
Authentic christianity was connected to islam.
xtianity today is a different animal...
LASTLY i personally feel the bible is the biggest proof against you. so it's not even a bad thing for the Bible to be the most read book in the world (assuming it is) as it just means all the evidence in it against you, you're holding onto on a subconscious level, collectively.
it's like jews who reject Jesus..despite rejecting him, they're still paying the price by all that they've manifested for themselves due to the hidden guilt complex they carry due to texts like Leviticus 26.
I suppose for you guys, texts like Jude 1 live in you all..and it's no wonder you're producing flipping DAVID WOOD as your religious superhero.