Catholics and Muslims:

Two Faiths, One God

by Kevin Regan Islam is in the news. Pictures crowd your television screens. Muslims, as we call those whose faith is Islam, kneel in prayer, forehead touching the ground. Countries with large Muslim populations, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, dominate the headlines. uestions about Muslims, mos!ues and Mecca spark discussion in your history and religion classes. Muslims are center stage in the drama being acted out in your lifetime. Muslims number over one billion members, or "# percent of the population, worldwide. $ver seven million live in this country. %hey are your neighbors, your classmates and perhaps your friends. &hat do you know about these people and the religion that leads them to 'od( &hen you hear the word Muslim, what image enters your mind( If it is an image of $sama bin )aden, it has little to do with the Allah he invokes. %his issue of Youth Update seeks to help you in your !uest for knowledge and understanding. &herever possible, familiar Catholic practices and beliefs will be used to help you understand Islam. As you discover how Islam guides the Muslim people to live in service and love, you may gain a deeper appreciation for the beliefs and practices of your own faith. )ooking at Islam can become a window for you to consider the ways 'od is working in your life.

Rooted in Time
Catholics believe that *esus is the pivotal person in all of human history. +our lives of faith revolve around your belief in *esus. Muhammad, born in Mecca around ,-# A..., holds a prominent place in the Islamic religion, but as a prophet and teacher, not as 'od made man. /e used to spend time praying in a cave. &hile in prayer, the 0#1year1old Muhammad heard a voice believed to be that of the angel 'abriel tell him that he was the prophet of Allah. A short time later Muhammad was told 2to recite3 what the angel said. It took him "4 years. %hat recitation, as written, is called the 2to recite.3 uran 5formerly spelled6pronounced 7oran in 8nglish9. %he word simply means

%he uran is the holy book of Islam, the very words of Allah as heard by Muhammad and written down by his listening helpers. Muslims commemorate the night when the uran was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad as 2%he :ight of Power and 8;cellence.3 As Christians, you believe the :ew %estament is the word of 'od<s revelation for you. Its verses are used by the Church in the eucharistic liturgy and public prayer, and by you in your personal prayer. %he )ord<s Prayer is but one of its treasures. +ou may even memori=e verses that help you to follow *esus. Many people know the 8ight >eatitudes 5Matthew ,?41 @@9 by heart, for instance. 2)ove one another3 5*ohn @4?409 is another often1!uoted verse. A big difference is that we would say these verses in our own language. Muslims learn the uran in Arabic. %hey use its Arabic verses in public prayer and in private prayer to help them submit their lives to Allah. Allah is not a 2new3 'od. Allah is the Arabic word for the same, single 'od we both honor? the 'od of Abraham. Muslims memori=e verses of the uran by heart. %heir imams, or teachers, have memori=ed them all. It may surprise you to know that the Airgin Mary is mentioned more in the uran than in Christian Scriptures. Muslims pray to Allah using BB different names, such as %he Compassionate, %he Merciful, %he /oly, %he Most 7ind. %hese names are almost all taken from the uran.

One Word

%here is a saying, 2A picture is worth a thousand words.3 %hat may often be the case but in Islam, 2$ne word may be worth a thousand pictures.3 Salam is the Arabic word meaning submission or peace. Islam is derived from salam and means 2submission to 'od.3 +ou may think that surrender means to be forced to give up something against your will. %hat is not the meaning it has for MuslimsCor for many other religious people, to be sure. Submission in a religious conte;t is more like the love of wife and husband. A husband and wife entrust their lives to each other out of love. %hey surrender to each other not only on their wedding day but also in many ways on each day of their married lives. In word and action as well as in silence and rest, Muslims seek to hand themselves over to Allah. Isn<t it true that you love 'od because 'od has first loved you unconditionally( .oesn<t 'od, through *esus, repeat to you over and over, 2I love you, I have loved you and I will love you3(

Pillars of Faith
&hat do you believe( %his is an important !uestion because your actions will follow your beliefs. Dor e;ample, if you believe that friends influence your behavior, you will choose your friends carefully. +ou will choose friends who do not get involved with addictive substances. If you believe friends have no influence over you, then it doesn<t matter who you hang out with. It won<t matter if people around you use foul language, are racist or are habitual liars. As Catholics, you believe that *esus is 'od<s son who offers you a way of life to follow. Since *esus lived a life of forgiving love, you, his follower, will be forgiving to those who harm you. +our actions follow your belief. If you believe that *esus gave his followers guidelines to help them to do 'od<s will and to become closer to 'od, then these will become one guide for living your everyday life. Muslims believe that to submit their whole lives to Allah is to e;perience true freedom. *ust as you need help to live in union with *esus, Muslims need guidance to submit to Allah. Muslims have maEor beliefs that shape their religious practice. %he five pillars of Islam e;press their fundamental way of life. As you look at them, it may help to consider similar beliefs of your Catholic faith. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church also uses this language of pillars. %he four pillars of the Catholic faith are the Creed, the sacraments, the commandments and the )ord<s Prayer. %hese are familiar to you, Eust as these ne;t five are basic to Muslims. 1. Faith is first. %he first pillar is the profession of faith. It states, 2%here is no 'od but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.3 %his affirmation of one 'od makes Islam a monotheistic 5mono1 means 2one3F theo1 means 2god39 religion like Christianity and *udaism. %his pillar also affirms Muhammad as the prophet of 'od and the last and greatest prophet or 2the seal of the prophets.3 Muslims believe in many prophets. Among them are Abraham, Moses, :oah and *esus. Muslims believe *esus is one of the greatest prophets but they do not believe he is the Son of 'od. Muslims also believe in the virgin birth. 2. Pra er e!"resses faith. .aily prayer is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is the name given to that special communication between you and your 'od. &ords are one way to e;press the longings of the heart. %his is true between you and your best friend as well as between you and 'od. Dor Muslims, prayer is one form of worship. It e;presses their love for Allah, the All Merciful. %he prayer of Muslims is an act of faith in Allah that strengthens and supports their effort to submit to Allah in all things. Muslims pray in private and also with the community at their place of worship, called a mos!ue. Muslims pray five times a day facing the city of Mecca. %hey follow certain rituals for washing and for standing, bowing or kneeling during prayer. %he position of a Muslim<s body during prayer reflects an inner attitudeCEust as your kneeling or genuflecting in church reflects an attitude of respect and of worship.

Some Muslims also use a tasbehCwith its BB beadsCto praise 'od using the BB names. In fact, the use of the tasbeh is thought by some to have inspired the Catholic custom of the rosary. #. $o%e follows "ra er. %he third pillar of Islam is almsgiving 5alms means 2something given freely to the poor39. Muslims care for the poor in their communities by giving two and one half percent of their annual income to provide for the needs of others. %hey believe sharing their wealth purifies their will from selfishness. 'iving alms helps Muslims to submit all things to the will of Allah. Such almsgiving is also part of the way Christians seek to love 'od, especially during the season of )ent. +ou may remember St. *ohn<s reflection that you cannot love 'od whom you do not see unless you love your neighbor whom you do see. )ove for both Christians and Muslims is not about words but about faith in action. &. Fastin' ma(es lo%e the "riorit . Another pillar of Islam is fasting. .uring the holy month of Gamadan, Muslims go without food, drink and se;ual intercourse from sunrise until sundown. %he fast is to remind people that life is more than the body and its physical needs. 8very part of life is a gift from Allah, and proper use of Allah<s gifts is a way to praise him and submit to his will. Dasting has always been recogni=ed as a way to purify the will from selfish attachment and to see clearly the e;perience of others in the world. $n .ecember @4 of this past year, Pope *ohn Paul II asked Christians to fast and pray for peace. %his date coincided with the end of last year<s holy month of Gamadan. %he pope offered a prayer that 2the shared action of faithful mortification Hdenying oneself foodI will cause an increase in mutual understanding between Christians and MuslimsCwho are called, now more than ever, to come together as builders of Eustice and peace.3 +ou can see that the pope was inspired to make this invitation because of the events of September @@, "##@. ). Pil'rima'e is a *ourne of lo%e. %he final pillar of Islam is the obligation to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. %he pilgrimage is to be completed by those in good health who are financially able to make the Eourney. Catholics are familiar with the idea of pilgrimage, though it<s not seen as a religious re!uirement. Catholics may make pilgrimages to Gome to visit St. Peter<s >asilica or Eourney to *erusalem to visit the places where *esus, our savior, lived and preached the gospel. Some visit the places where Mary is said to have appeared. %he shrine to $ur )ady of 'uadalupe in Me;ico and the shrine to $ur )ady of Datima in Portugal are such places. &hen you take a trip, you prepare for the Eourney. Pilgrims say prayers and worship 'od with specific rituals at the holy places they visit. Mecca is the site of the 7aaba, believed to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Medina is also holy to Muslims, though not as central as Mecca. Muhammad was buried in Medina and the first Islamic community was established there. *erusalem is also sacred to Muslims. Muslims believe that Muhammad traveled from Mecca to *erusalem and ascended to heaven at Solomon<s %emple, where the .ome of the Gock now stands. >eing able to visit these holy places is a great privilege to Muslims that helps them to deepen their faith and love. If you could visit the holy shrines where Christ walked and taught in the /oly )and you might share a similar deepening of faith. %he gospels would probably come alive for you in a new way.

+ihad and ,e ond

Muslims have many other beliefs, practices, traditions and accomplishmentsCEust as Catholics do. I<m going to summari=e Eust a few that have either been over1emphasi=ed or totally neglected in recent reports about Islam. 1. +ihad. +ou have heard the word jihad in the conte;t of terrorism and battle. Dor Muslims, this word refers to the struggle and e;ertion necessary to overcome selfish appetites in order to do the will of Allah. Media references to jihad as holy war reveal a more controversial understanding of a defensive struggle to protect Islam, much like the Eust war tradition in Catholicism. 2. Frida worshi". >efore midday prayers on Dridays, a religious leader 5imam9 will give a talk based on a passage from the uran or a story about Muhammad. >efore coming into the mos!ue or room designated for prayer, Muslims remove their shoes and prepare by ritual washing. &orshipers will find no images in a mos!ue, but an empty niche shows the direction of Mecca.

#. Muslims ha%e made 'reat contri-utions to (nowled'e and culture. Muslims are a people whose faith has inspired splendid architecture. *ust as faith led Christians to build :otre .ame Cathedral in Paris and St. Peter<s >asilica in Gome, the Islamic faith has inspired buildings such as the %aE Mahal in India and a magnificent structure in Spain called the Alhambra. Muslims have pioneered in math, giving the world algebra. %heir philosophers and scientists have contributed to a greater understanding of the material and spiritual world.

.onorin' God/s Will

Islam is not something far from you. It is a living, dynamic e;perience of people living in submission to Allah. Muslims invite you to understand who they are, what they believe and why they live as they do. Many of them are glad to know about Christianity and to learn from you the meaning of your religious beliefs and practices. Submission to 'od<s will is central to Islam. It is also central to you as a Catholic Christian. It is found in the )ord<s Prayer, 2+our will be done.3 %his mutual commitment to 'od<s will unites you to your Muslim sisters and brothers. In your living faith, the hope of peace is born in the world. Kevin Regan teaches at LaSalle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island. He consulted with an imam, a Muslim teacher, in writing this issue.

0urfin' the 1et on 2slam

Catholic We- sites:
J Search for Islam at www.uscc-.or'. %his print1heavy site contains official Church statements. J Search for Islam at www.catholiceducation.or'. Actually designed to assist teachers, this site collects important Catholic commentary on many subEects, including Islam and recent news events. %aking a peek could make you appear !uite knowledgeableK

Other useful sites:

JClick on the Islam button at www.-eliefnet.com. %his is a mi;ed bag, but could be helpful. J Dollow the links at www.me"c.or'3lin(s3educat.html. %hese links are cultural and geographical as well as religious in scope. %hey offer an 8astern perspective, which is generally an eye1opener. J Check out www.disco%erislam.com. %his site is comprehensive, succinct and useful. J Dill in the knowledge gaps at www."-s.or'3em"ires3islam3siteinde!.html. %his public broadcasting1sponsored site provides support for the film Islam !mpire of "aith, with detailed information. Some is intended for teachers. Much would benefit anyone who wants to know more. Angie #aly $%&'( Marie #aly $%)'( Mi*e +afferty $%)' and Chris ,icholson $%-' are active members of St. /ernadette 0arish in Amelia( 1hio( 2here Kelly +afferty is head of the 0arish School of Religion. 3hese four teens( 2ho assist in teaching younger children( too* time to read this issue( suggest changes and as* important 4uestions.

4.

/ow do Muslims see Catholics(

5.

%o many Muslims, Catholics are viewed as sincere worshipers of 'od, people trying to live 'odLs will in the same way that Muslims try to submit to 'od 5Allah9. $ther Muslims see us as caught up in &estern values that they believe lead to immorality, influenced by &estern economics and militarism that create harmful conse!uences for the poor in

many parts of the world. &hat Muslims think 5as is true of us9 depends on what they see and what they are taught.

4.

.o you think that Muslims know about the connections that you pointed out(

5.

I'm sure some do and others may not. The imam (Muslim teacher) who spoke to the seniors I teach pointed out many ways the two religions are related. He knew and emphasized the similarities, which include claiming A raham as a common ancestor, honoring Mary, gi!ing prayer an important place and encouraging moral li!ing. "!ery Muslim knows that oth #aiths honor $esus.
%he religious tradition of fasting is described in the $ld and :ew %estaments. *esus fasts for 0# days and 0# nights. %he ways people fast may change but it almost always has to do with eating little or nothing, not Eust because itLs hard, but also because it is supposed to lead us to rely on 'od for strength in our weakness. %he time of Gamadan changes because the Muslim calendar is based on the cycles of the moon. %hese cycles donLt line up with our &estern calendar. Gamadan recalls the time of the first revelations by Allah to Muhammad. If we fast when we know others are fasting, it connects us at the level of spirit.

4.

%he pope asked us to fast on the last day of Gamadan, which is a whole month of fasting for Muslims. &hen is that and how would that connect us(

5.