Table of Contents
Chapter 4: THE MORAL TEACHIN GS OF ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY
Both Islam and Christianity exhort men to virtuous deeds and pious life. They condemn falsehood, dishonesty, hypocrisy, injustice, cruelty, pride, ungratefulness, treachery, intemperance, lust, sloth, jealously, selfishness, apathy, hurtful speech, anger and violence. Both enjoin upon their followers faith and trust in God, repentance, truth, purity, courage, justice, charity, benevolence, sympathy, mercy, self-control, and uprightness. The chief virtues enjoined by Islam and Christianity alike may be grouped under two headings. Firstly, those that prevent a man from injuring the life, property and honor of others, such as chastity, honesty, peacefulness, and politeness. Secondly, those that prompt a man to do good to others, such as mercy, forgiveness, truthfulness, courage, patience, sympathy, kindness, and love.
Now I shall give a brief summary of the moral teachings of Islam and Christianity in the words of the Scriptures of the two religions.
| CHRISTIANITY | ISLAM | |
| Chasity | ||
| ” ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after he hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.
(Mathew 5:27:28) |
(And come not near unto adultery (totally abstain from its preliminaries and everything that is likely to lead unto it). Lo! It is an abomination and an evil way) (the quran 17:32) (draw not nigh to lewd things. Whether open or concealed)
(6:152) “The adultery of the eye is to look with an eye of desire on the wife of another, and the adultery of the tongue is to utter what is forbidden”. ( sayings of Muhammad) |
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| peacefulness | ||
| “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: by ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”. (Mathew 5:5)
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of god”. (Mathew 5:9) |
(Whosoever killeth a human being … it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and who so saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of ail mankind). (Qur’an 5:32)
“A muslim is he from whose tongue and hands people are safe, and a muhagir is he who forsakes what god has forbidden”. (sayings of Muhammad) “Shall I inform you of a better act than fasting, alms and prayers? Making peace between one another, enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the roots”. (Sayings of Muhammad). |
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| Politeness | ||
| “But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of Hell fire.” (Mathew 5:22) | (Turn not your cheek in scorn and anger towards folk nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! God loveth not each bragger braggart boaster. Be modest in your bearing and subdue your voices. Lo! The harshest of all voces is the voice of an ass.) (Qur’an 31:18,19)
(O ye who believe! Let not folk deride a folk who may be better than they are, nor let women deride women who may be better than they are, neither defame one another nor insult one another by nicknames. It is evil to call by a bad name after faith. And who so turneth not in repentance, such are evildoers. O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion, for lo! Some suspicion is a sin. And spy not, neither backbite one another.) (Qur’an 49:11,12) “A man cannot be a Muslim till his heart and tongue are so”. (sayings of Muhammad) |
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| Honesty | ||
| “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his man servant nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.”
(Exodus 20:17) |
(And covet not the things in which god hath made some of you excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned) (Qur’an 4:32)
(and eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity, nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that ye may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully) (Qur’an 2:188) (Give full measure, and be not of those who give less than the due. And weigh with the true balance. Wrong not mankind in their goods, and do not evil, making mischief in the earth) (Qur’an 26:181-183) “On the day of resurrection I shall be the adversary in dispute of a person … who employs a servant and receives fully the labor due from him, then does not pay his full remuneration.” (saying of Muhammad) |
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| Truth and Justice | ||
| “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”. (Exodus 20:16) “thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which altogether just shalt follow, that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the lord thy god givest thee”.
(Deuteronomy 16:19,20) |
(O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for god in equity, and let not hatred of any people for you seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to God. Lo! God is informed of what ye do)
(Qur’an 5:8) (O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for god, even though it be against yourselves or your parents or your kindred, whether the case be of a rich man or a poor man, for god is nearer unto both than ye are. So follow not passion lest ye lapse or fall away, then Lo! God is Ever-informed of what ye do) (Qur’an 4:135) “No man is true in the truest sense of the word but he who is true in word, in deed and in though” (sayings of Muhammad) |
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| Courage and patience | ||
| “And brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child, and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death and ye shall be hated of
All men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they presecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the son of man become… fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach, ye upon the housetops. And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:21 – 28) |
(observe your duty to god. Lo! God is informed of what ye do) (Qur’an 5:8)
(O ye who believe! Seek help in patience and Prayer. Lo! God is with the patient) (Qur’an 2:153) (And surely we shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops: but give glad tidings to the patient and the steadfast, who say when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! We are god’s and lo! Unto him we are returning) (Qur’an 2:155,156) (those unto whom men said: Lo! The people have gathered against you, therefore fear them. The treat of danger but increased the faith of them and they cried: God is sufficient for us! Most excellent is he in whom we trust) (Qur’an 3:173) |
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| Forgiveness | ||
| “Peter said unto him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven”. (Matthew 18:22) | (And vie one with another for forgiveness from your lord, and for paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off evil, those who spend of that which God hath given them on others, in ease and adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving torward mankind, god loveth the doers of good to others) (Qur’an 3:134)
(Many of the people of the scripture (i.e., followers of the other revealed religions) long to make you disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the truth hath become manifest unto them. Forgive and be indulgent toward them until God give command. Lo! God is able to do all things) (Qur’an 2:109) (So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them upon the conduct of affairs) (Qur’an 3:159) |
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| Doing Good to others | ||
| “And jesus answered ansd said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell
among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a levite, when he was at the place came, looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed came where he was, and when he saw him, he has compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Then said jesus unto him, go, and do thou likewise.” (Luke 10:30-37) |
(Hast thou observed him who belieeth religion? That is he who repelleth the orphan and urgeth
not the feeding of the needy. Ah, woe unto worshipers who are heedless of their prayer, who would be seen at worship, yet refuse small kindnesses!) (Qur’an 107:1-7) (those who spend their wealth in the way of god, and afterward make not reproach and injury to follow that which they have spent, their reward is with their lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. A kind word with forgiveness is better than almsgiving followed by injury. God is absolute, clement: O ye who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in god and the last day.) (Qur’an 2:262-264) “All god’s creatures are his family, and he is the most beloved of god who tries to do the greatest good to god’s creatures”. (Sayings of Muhammad) “What actions are the most excellent? To gladden the heart of a human being, to feed the hungry, to help the afflicted, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful, and to remove the wrongs of the injured” (Sayings Of Muhammad) |
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| Love And Sympathy | ||
| “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (mark 12:31).
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34,35). |
“Do you love your creator? Love your fellow-creatures first.” (sayings of Muhammad)
“No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” (sayings of Muhammad) “Thou wilt see the faithful in their having mercy for one another and their kindness towards one another like the body, when one member of its ails, the entire body ails, one part calling out the other with sleeplessness and fever.” (sayings of Muhammad) |
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Non-resistance to Evil
In some of its teachings, however, Christianity is apt to be too one-sided and unpracticable. For , Jesus is reported to have said:
“But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”
(Matthew 5:39,41)
This was perhaps a necessary corrective to the hardheartedness and vindictive spirit produced by the literal observance of the teaching of “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” But can this teaching of “turn the other cheek also” be regarded as universal? Can it be practised as a wholesome moral precept in all cases and on all occasions? Non resistance to evil when the target of evil is not one’s self but someone else is the sign of cowardice and apathy. Submission to bullies and tyrants can bring no good, it will only increase evil and human woe. It will encourage them to exploit and subdue others and increase disorder and injustice. Islam declare that evil in all cases must be repelled. If the evil doer can be reformed and prevented from doing violence and injury by kindness and mercy, then there can be nothing better than this. But if kindness makes it bolder in doing harm to others, then chastisement in proportion to the crime must be meted out to him. The teachings of the Qur’an in this respect also are universal and applicable to all cases. It says:
{The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is good then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity will become as though he was a boscm friend.)
(Qur’an 41 :43)
{The gnerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the like thereof But whosoever pardoneth and ainendeth (the evil doer by kindness and love), his wage is the Affair of God. Lo! He loveth not wrongdoing.
(Qur’an 42:39)
Monasticism and Celibacy
Christianity is too other-worldly. Jesus Christ is reported to have told the people,
“If a man comes to me, and hates not his father and his mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”
(Luke 14:26)
And again:
“Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”
(Luke 14:33)
When a man told him that he would follow him but he should be allowed to go and bury his dead father, Jesus is reported to have said,
“Follow me; and let the dead bury the dead.”
(Matthew 8:22)
He even told the people to
“Make themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.”
(Matthew 19:12)
The outcome of such a teaching can only be the production of stunted and contorted hypocrites instead of full grown human beings.
Islam keeps a healthy balance between this world and the next. It says that the spirit cannot grow by crushing the body. Human instincts are not intrinsically bad. They must not be killed, but wisely controlled, channelized and purposefully used to make the life of man richer and better. This world has a meaning and a purpose, and it is only by leading a normal and fruitful life in the world and by appreciating and enjoying the beautiful Gifts of God that man can come near to God, be of service to others, and prepare himself for the other world. Islam favors the middle path. The Prophet declared that there was no monkery in Islam.
Wine, Sex, Gambling
While, on the one hand, Christianity favors monasticism, on the other hand, it nowhere seems to have prohibited the three gateways to most crimes and sin — wine, gambling and the improper display of physical attractions. Wine, in fact, forms a necessary element of the Holy Communion, and the first miracle of Jesus, as reported in John’s Gospel, was the converting of water into wine. It is in the Glorious Qur’an, which contains complete moral guidance, that these evils are prohibited and condemned. Regarding wine and gambling, the Glorious Qur’an says:
(O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan’s handiwork;. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seekth only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance, and to turn yon from Remembrance of God and from Prayer. Will ye then done 7
{Quran 5:90-91)
Jesus prohibited his followers from looking with eyes of lust at the wives of others, but Islam goes further. It prevents men and women from unnecessarily staring at each other, whether with lust or without lust, and wants them to be decently dressed. lt condemns the shameful display of physical charms in the following words:
Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! God is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment.
(Quran 24:30-31)