I believe in Allah and America

Myself included, there are over one billion humans on earth who call God by his Arabic name, Allah. Out of that billion, over seven million of us call America our home. Many of us are born as Americans, study in American institutions and go on to work and pay American dollars to our tax system. Like everyone else, we eventually find our better half, have chubby babies, go to zoos, get season tickets to the Chicago Bulls, go on our childrens' field trips and fix the leak in our roofs. With all the growing pains in the life that we lead as normal Americans, everyday we turn our face to Mecca to pray to what our Christian brothers call God, our Jewish sisters call Yahweh and whom we call Allah.

Islam, Christianity and Judaism have exactly the same origin. We each believe in the monotheistic deity of Abraham, who was the father of all three of these noble religions. Islam's moral and ethical standards are equivalent, if not more stringent, than those of modern day Christianity and Judaism. We, as Muslims, believe in every prophet of both Judaism and Christianity. We believe the world began with Adam and Eve and great prophets, namely Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Joseph and Jesus (peace be upon all of them) were all divinely inspired by God.

We revere Jesus as a great prophet and the messiah of God. He is mentioned by name in the Quran 33 times. We equally revere the Virgin Mary as the mother of the Messiah. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran and she is mentioned 34 times. Anyone who says Muslims don't respect women, read the entire chapter dedicated to Mary (peace be upon her). How many times was our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned by name in the Quran? Five.

In Islam, a woman receives a monetary dowry from her husband, of which he has no legal claim. A woman is not obligated to change her maiden name. CNN happily broadcasts women being oppressed by the Taliban regime. Islam abhors the oppression of women. The Taliban says women are not allowed to work, yet the Prophet Muhammad's wife, Khadijah, was one of the most successful merchants in all of Arabia. Should we base our belief on a bunch of tribal warlords or the teachings of our Prophet?

In Islam, both men and women have to dress modestly. One aspect of this modest dress for women is the hijab (head covering). This is a religious mandate, but whether a woman decides to wear it or not, is an issue between her and Allah, because as the Quran categorically states, "there is no compulsion in religion." The hijab symbolizes empowerment, not oppression of women. It allows women to be judged on the content of their character, rather than the physical features that we men today objectify onto them. When we see a nun covered from head to toe in her habit, we commend her on her devotion to God. But when we see a Muslim woman wearing hijab, she is oppressed. In how many likenesses of the Virgin Mary, sculptures or paintings, is her hair not covered? Not one. Was she oppressed? Hardly.

Muslim American is not a paradox. As Muslim Americans we currently live in a diaspora having to deal with an attack on our, yes, our, country. We also have a dual anxiety because our way of life, which is not far different from our Christian and Jewish counterparts, is under attack.

I am a law student. I study international human rights. I have been to U2, Sarah Maclachlan, Dido and Outkast concerts. I have been a ball boy for the Chicago Bulls. I have owned a Ford Mustang. I pray for peace and have read Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech ninety-six times. I may be a dreamer, but I promise you, I am not the only one.

I am a Muslim and I am an American. I am proud of both and will compromise neither.

At least the Jews don't force their belief on others by violent, "accept our way or die" means, nor do we.

The violence of the Quaran can be denied till doomsday, the evidence is very much to the contrary. There have been many posters on FR that have posted the verses(?) from the Quaran saying it's ok to lie and decieve infidels, it's ok to kill those that refuse to embrace their religion. The Quaran goes on and on about the innocent, but you are only innocent if you embrace Islam, other than that you are an infidel. I get the feeling that anyone can take any view they want and be justified by the Quaran depending on what stage of life Muhammad was in. Or just look around the globe at present for representatives of this religion.

While they may grant Jesus status of "prophet" and "messiah", which to them means a mere mortal man, Christians do not grant Muhammad the status of prophet. Anyone that makes the claim that they must restrain themselves from performing miracles should make anyone cock an eyebrow.

While I don't know that I agree with everything on this thread "St Paul Foresaw Islam warned against Preterism" it gives an indication of what many Christians believe about Islam.

In Aramaic scriptures the word "paraclete" is used when talking about the "comforter" and the "advocate".

Why are there any Greek words in the "Aramaic Scriptures?" The short answer is that you were working with the "Peshitto" which is otherwise known as the West Palestinian "Peshitta" that was made to conform to the pre-Christian Septuagint of the Greek church.

We know that Jesus did not speak Greek because the Aramaic speaking people in the time of Jesus considered it sinful to speak any other language. This had to be true because the Aramaic Estrangelo Script was the lingua franca in Palestine at the time of Jesus.

Aramaic in this script is similar to Arabic and this was the language of commerce and industry. A growing number of scholars now recognize that Jesus spoke this form of Aramaic, not Greek.

The square letter Aramaic in Hebraic characters came much later. (See "Western Christian Scholars Awaken to Truth" in the Table of Contents on the Aramaic Bible Society Website). See Eusebius' "Ecclesiastical History", first published in 1928! Also, "The Age of Faith", Will and Ariel Durant's "The Story of Civilization", Vol. 4.

Trace the Biblical history of this Greek word "Paraclete". At one time the word read "Periklytos" and "Paraklytos", which is the name for "Muhammad" in Greek. Both words mean "Praised" or "Celebrate," the meaning and character of the man "Muhammad." (1 Jesus in The Qur'an, One World Publications, (c) Geoffrey Parrinder 1965, 1995, ISBN 1-85168-094-2. Knowing this, there is a need for us to study the life of Prophet Muhammad in depth to see if it all stands up.

Of special interest always is what the name for Muhammad was in his mother tongue, Palestinian Aramaic. For this we have to look to the Hebrew and Aramaic scriptures.

According to the present day Aramaic scriptures, the word for Muhammad would read "Paraqleyta" or "Paraklytos" in Greek and "Menahem" in Hebrew! In the ancient Aramaic scriptures, before these changes, it read "Ahmad," then Munahammana" which is the Aramaic/Syriac rendering for the name "Muhammad." These are names, not simply words, and they mean "Comforter" or "Muhammad" in Arabic.

There is no Aramaic dictionary where you'll find the word "Paraqleyta" because there is no such word in that language. Therefore, two questions are asked:

Why was "Periklytos" changed to "Paraklytos"?

Why was Ahmad changed to "Munahammana" and then to "Paraqleyta?"

History tells us that Muhammad was the only prophet who came shortly after Jesus and did everything Jesus said he would. Read Luke 6:40, "There is no disciple who is more important than his teacher; for every man who is well developed will be like his teacher" (Lamsa) or "The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master" (KJV).

Christians are often told that no one can go to heaven except by Jesus. This tells us that the only way anyone can go to heaven is to be Christ-like. Muhammad was such a man. Muslims make a stronger case. They say that Jesus says the only way one can be with Jesus in Heaven is to be as Him, i.e., one who submits to Alaha's Will (Aramaic), Allah's Will (Arabic). To do this is to be a Muslim! But let us return to the study of the word "Comforter."

John 16:7-13

But I tell you the truth, It is better for you that I should go away; for if I do not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I should go, I will send him to you. And when he is come, he will rebuke the world concerning sin, concerning righteousness, and concerning Judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; Concerning righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you will not see me again; Concerning judgment, because the leader of this world has been judged. Again, I have many other things to tell you, but you cannot grasp them now. But when the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth: for he will not speak from himself, but what he hears, that he will speak: and he will make known to you things which are to come in the future. He will glorify me; because he will take of my own and show to you. Everything that my Father has is mine; this is the reason why I told you that he will take of my own and show to you. (Lamsa)

The difference between Muslims and Christians is that Muslims use the original words that Jesus and all the prophets used. In speaking of John 16:7-13, most Christians will tell you that the "Comforter" Jesus will send is the Holy Ghost. But keep in mind that the Holy Ghost was around before Jesus.

In the Aramaic we see that the translation is "Spirit." Jesus, peace be upon him, was talking about the one who would ONLY appear when He joined His Father in Heaven*. In other words, this Spirit of Truth (a man) was never around before. The man Jesus sent was Muhammad. .

I don't want to say this but it is the only way a simple person can explain it. Not that God can be put in a box, but basically to my mind that is what he did as a figgure of speech.

The Old Testament and the Torah, relates mans attempt to be as pure as God, and it was a failure, man couldn't make it. In the New Testament is the new covenant, part of the Godhead, Jesus, came to earth in flesh and paid for our sins so man in the flesh, unable to overcome sin, can lay their sins on Jesus and accept the Holy Spirit that makes sin a hated thing in oneself to be overcome.

God has taken a hands off attitude as far as individual punishment goes allowing each man his lifetime to make his decision. We are told to live in peace with all other men as much as possible until He returns. The Jews, still the apple of God's eye have preserved for all these many thousand years His word, were expecting a Messiah, not the Messiah, to come defeat their enemies through war. Jesus came in peace and delivered all men from their worst enemy death.

The Jews as Jesus said, "missed the hour of their visitation". So you are right earthly battles is not what Jesus was here for. As far as who Muhammad is, we have no idea, it seems his teachings lead to destruction and death, totally against the principles and commands of Jesus.

FWIW, anyone's free (obviously) to believe whatever they wish.

It's just MissAmericanPie there seemed to me making some kind of "issue" over differing beliefs about the divinity of Jesus Christ, which had nothing whatsoever to do with the article's point.

If you're going to press some sort of "litmus test" of this kind, however, you have to be fair and consider that while Muslims don't believe Christ was the Son of God as we Christians do, they do revere Him as a Prophet; in fact, in their religion Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ and Muhammed are the "big four."

Jews don't even believe He was any kind of "big deal," and in fact (as I mentioned in my response to her) there are even some who despise His very Name, because of the persecution they believe they've suffered because of Him.

Fair enough, but better be uniform in your application of that kind of logic. It's now "in" to hate Islam here on FR, but these purveyors of hatred aren't being honest in their arguments.

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