JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS COUSINS IN RELIGION? Chief Editor: Rahseed Ahmed Chughtai
Chief Editor: Rahseed Ahmed Chughtai Jews, Christians and Muslims believe that the creation of humans began with Adam, who was the first human to receive guidance directly from the Creator. The three Abrahamic religions therefore agree in rejecting the theory of evolution. Islam does not refute the fact that there were human looking creatures like monkeys, apes, Neanderthals, etc. before the creation of Adam, but it
acknowledges that they were merely human-looking animals, possessing no intellect, nor were they receiving guidance from God nor were they judged for their actions. They existed and survived just like other animals did. However, with the creation of Adam, God has made it clear that bestowing knowledge to humans began with Adam, in levels even higher than angels. {And He thought Adam all the names of (everything), then He showed them to the angels and said tell me the names of these if you are truthful. They (the angels) said, glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily it is You, the All-Knower, the All- Wise. } (Al Baqarah 2: 31-32) Some scholars believe that here, the names includes the knowledge of many things taught to Adam by his Lord. This implies that from the creation of Adam and his wife, and through their progeny, they were granted knowledge and intellect no other creature possessed before them. Of course, with knowledge comes responsibility. The first responsibility was obedience to Allah s commands, which Adam and his wife Eve failed to achieve due to Satan s temptation. This resulted in their expulsion from Paradise. God's Guidance From that time on, the ever merciful God guided them by sending successions of messengers to what was then, one community. But they differed over time after beeing given the knowledge.
{Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guides whom He will unto a straight path.}(al-baqarah 2: 213) One of the most critical issues for non-muslims to consider is the understanding of the nature and succession of the message. If it was from other than one God, there would have been disharmony in the message. Yet Allah expresses the stubborn nature of humans in rejection of guidance from their Lord: {Then We sent Our Messengers in succession. Every time there came to a nation their Messenger, they denied him, so We made them follow one another (to destruction), and We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). So away with a people who believe not!} (Al-Mu minoun 23: 44) To make it more clear and as a reminder, Allah mentions names of Prophets and their missions: {And We (*) sent no messenger before you but We inspired him, (saying): There is no God save Me (Allah), so worship Me.} (Al- Anbiyaa 21: 25)
Jews, Christians and Muslims believe that the creation of humans began with Adam, who was the first human to receive guidance directly from the Creator. The three Abrahamic religions therefore agree in rejecting the theory of evolution. Islam does not refute the fact that there were human looking creatures like monkeys, apes, Neanderthals, etc. before the creation of Adam, but it acknowledges that they were merely human-looking animals, possessing no intellect, nor were they receiving guidance from God nor were they judged for their actions. They existed and survived just like other animals did. However, with the creation of Adam, God has made it clear that bestowing knowledge to humans began with Adam, in levels even higher than angels. {And He thought Adam all the names of (everything), then He showed them to the angels and said tell me the names of these if you are truthful. They (the angels) said, glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise. } (Al Baqarah 2: 31-32) Some scholars believe that here, the names includes the knowledge of many things taught to Adam by his Lord. This implies that from the creation of Adam and his wife, and through their progeny, they were granted knowledge and intellect no other creature possessed before them. Of course, with knowledge comes responsibility. The first responsibility was obedience to Allah s commands, which Adam and his wife Eve failed to achieve due to Satan s temptation. This resulted in their expulsion from Paradise. God's Guidance From that time on, the ever merciful God guided them by sending successions of messengers to what was then, one community. But they differed over time after being given the knowledge. {Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guides whom He will unto a straight path.} (Al-Baqarah 2: 213)
{Then We sent Musa (Moses) and his brother Harun (Aaron), with Our signs and manifest authority to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they behaved insolently and they were people self-exalting} (Al-Ma ida 5: 45) Allah gave to some of His prophets (and messengers) scriptures and some were sent to confirm previous messages, but without scriptures (prophets). {And indeed We gave Musa (Moses) the Scripture, that they may be guided.} (Al-Ma ida 5: 49). Many prophets were sent after Moses with the same message. Jesus was the last prophet sent to Finally, and repeatedly Allah clarifies that for Him, the religion is ONE and God is ONE, but sadly enough humans have made religion a source of mission: the Children of Israel with the same {And in their footsteps, We sent Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirming the Torah that had come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Torah that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for the pious} (Al-Ma ida 5:46) He further explains the mission of Jesus as proclaiming Allah s sovereignty and pure Monotheism: {[ ] and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) and We supported him with the Holy Spirit[ ]} (Al-Baqarah 2: 253)