Thanks for lunch the other day. Let’s get together again for lunch next time you get a chance in Richmond. I enjoyed catching up with you after such a long period and appreciated hearing your account of your spiritual journey. So many people are simply caught up by materialism, life’s fast pace, etc., and fail to pursue the spiritual–you have not!

Since our thought provoking conversation, I have done a little research.

I understand that Islam has as many branches and sects as Christianity. The two major ones are the Sunnis and the Shias. They split over the issue of apostolic succession. When Islam's founder Muhammad died unexpectedly in A.D. 632, he had left no arrangement for a successor. His followers divided into two camps. The Sunnis were those who thought the leader should be elected democratically from among his closest followers, and the Shias were those who thought the leaders should be related to Muhammad. Perhaps 85 to 90 percent of all Muslims would call themselves Sunnis.

My recollection from our conversation was that you are a Sunni. The word Sunni comes from the Arabic Sunnah, which simply means "the trodden path," or "tradition." In the Islamic context, it means someone who follows the exemplary pattern of conduct established by Muhammad, believed to be the model for all humankind. Since Muhammad was just one solitary man, confined to a slice of time in seventh century Arabia, he could not foresee the problems Islam would face in its rapid expansion into other lands. His followers —— who were imbued with Muhammad's passion for law —— had to devise new laws based on their understanding of what Muhammad would have done, if he had remained among them. This process took almost two hundred years and resulted in the formation of Islamic or Shariah Law. A Sunni, then, is a person who believes that the true way of life is to attempt to keep the laws of Islam (Shariah) derived from the Quran and the other collected sayings of Muhammad. For this person, paradise is the reward of those whose good deeds outweigh their bad on the day of judgment. I believe that this is in keeping with what you explained to me.

Muhammad, in his determination to discover and execute the will of God, set in motion a movement that resulted in the proliferation of laws attempting to cover every facet of life.

This idea that God would weigh our good deeds against our bad deeds in a balance scale on the day of judgment is as ancient as Egyptian culture and is shared with minor variations by many including those holding to Judaism and with many who fill the pews of Churches throughout America.

But can the law save or does it simply condemn? As you and I discussed the case of the elderly speeder–while we admired his good driving record, ultimately that record does nothing to erase the infraction which brings him before the court. So too I commend your zeal to keep the law of God as you understand it, however I ask again doesn’t that very law ultimately condemn both of us.

One of the Christian apostles, Paul wrote "the letter [law] kills, but the Spirit gives life" (1 Cor. 3:6). Before Christ appeared to him, he persecuted Christians as a blasphemous Jewish sect who did not hold to Judaism’s teaching that required complete obedience to the written and oral laws and teachings of Moses.

Is 51 percent performance good enough to obtain salvation? What about 99.9 percent? We both know that God is holy–how could we conceive of offering to a holy God a glass which is filled with anything other than 100 percent perfection–a commodity that we simply do not have. The pollution of violating one of the least of the laws pollutes the entire body.

The Christian "Gospel" or "Good News" is that God, who is righteous and holy, gives us His righteousness through faith in Jesus the "Messiah" or "Christ."  In other words, God gives to us what we were incapable of providing ourselves--100% holiness.  We could never be good enough to satisfy God's demand for holiness.  We cannot by obedience or even submission attain 100% holiness.  Instead of climbing to God, He has come down to lift us up to be with Him, and in that new found position we are called to perform good deeds (not to attain salvation but having been awakened spiritually that is our calling). (Ephesians 2:4)

The Christian writer James wrote: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10). To this could be added Paul's words in Romans 3:20, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin," and in Galatians 3:24, "The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). In Quran 7:158,  Muhammad asked people to follow Jesus. Elsewhere in the Quran, Muhammad testified that Jesus was among those nearest to God, held in honor in this world and the hereafter (Quran 3:45). It is my understanding that Muslims understand this to mean that Jesus was sinless and all-righteous, something that the early Muslims never claimed for Muhammad. In fact, in several Quranic passages (16:61; 40:55; 42:5, 30; 47:19; 48:1-2) we read that Muhammad was exhorted to seek forgiveness for his faults, that not a single living creature would be left on earth if God punished everyone for their wrongdoing, and that one of Muhammad's military victories served as an assurance of forgiveness of his sins, past and future.

Did you visit Muhammad's grave in Medina? Where does the Quran teach that Jesus’ grave is located? Doesn’t it teach that Jesus Christ is alive in heaven with God? In the Quran (2:253; 3:45-49; 4:158-176, 5:46-48; 19:33; 89:22-30) Jesus was called the Messiah; He was born of a virgin; He was among the righteous ones —— those nearest to God; He received strength from the Holy Spirit; He could give sight to the blind, cure lepers, and raise the dead; He prophesied His own death and resurrection; He was called a Word from God and a Spirit from God; and finally, He is coming back with thousands of angels to judge the world. All these characterizations add up to a powerful picture of a Christ who was more than a prophet, and —— on Quranic terms alone. In John 1:1-14, Jesus is portrayed as the eternal Word of God. According to the Scriptures the purpose of God for Him in becoming a man was to carry out the will of God in accomplishing the salvation of lost humankind, who could not be saved by the law, either Islamic or Mosaic.

The Quran bears surprising witness to Jesus. It affirms His virgin birth, His ability to heal and raise the dead, that He is both a word from God and a spirit from God, that He is the Messiah, an all-righteous one (sinless), among those nearest to God, that He is alive in heaven now and will return to judge the earth (Quran 3:45, 49; 4:158; 89:22). In a careful reading of Quranic references (3:83-84; 5:46-47; 10:37, 64, 94; 46:12), it appears that Muhammad affirmed his belief in what was revealed to Moses and Jesus. He taught that God confirms and guards all previous scripture, that Christians are to stand fast on their own books of the Law and the Gospel, and that none could change the Word of God.

Finally, the Muslim is told that if he has doubts he should ask the Jews and Christians, who were reading the Holy Books before he was. We discussed the issue of the nature of God. God is one. Could it be that within that inseparable one, that distinct aspects of God appear in ways that are inconceivable to us–for as God is far greater than us we could not possible understand fully his nature.

As for the Shias, the Shias felt the leader should come from Muhammad's family while the Sunnis thought he should be someone of noted piety elected by and from Muhammad's closest companions. The Sunnis won with the first three successors; then the Shias, or party of Ali, assumed the leadership. But Ali was martyred, as were his only two sons. Down through the centuries, the Shias usually lost out in these power struggles. This led to their taking on the nature of a protest movement against the corrupt Sunni leaders. Inevitably, to justify their separate minority identity, they developed theological doctrines that radically differed from those of the Sunnis on at least two major points: the idea of martyrdom and the idea of divine light indwelling their leaders.

Martyrdom for the cause of the people is memorialized in the Shia calendar year during their lunar month of Muharram. Of the three martyrs mentioned above —— Ali (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law) and Ali's two sons, Hasan and Husayn (Muhammad's grandsons) —— that of Husayn is celebrated annually. The first ten days of the month of Muharram are dedicated to "passion plays" that retell the story of Husayn's betrayal and courageous stand, facing overwhelming odds, against the ruling house of Mecca (the Umayyids). On the tenth day, it is common for parades of self-flagellating men to beat themselves until the blood flows, lamenting the failure of the people to come to the defense of their beloved leader. Shias believe that the shed blood of their slain leader atones for their sins.

Shias believe that there was "divine light" indwelling Muhammad, Ali, Husayn, the early "Imams," and currently, the present leading Ayatullah, whoever that may be. (In Sunni Islam, an Imam is a leader of the prayers at the mosque. It could be anyone. In Shia Islam, the Imam is a big word. It refers to the succession of the spiritual leaders of the community.) Depending on which branch of Shia Islam one is talking about, that line of succession terminated with the disappearance of either the fifth, the seventh, or the twelfth Imam. These lines came to an end centuries ago. Each was indwelt by divine light. This light was then passed on to a lesser order of clerics called "Ayatullahs." This word means "Sign or Miracle of God." (eg., the late Ayatullah Khomeini). It was Jesus who first said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). Behind this is the idea of pure light coming through a sinless servant of God. It seems that the problem for Shias is that they are forced by their own set of assumptions to attribute sinlessness to their present-day Ayatullahs. But not even Muhammad claimed this attribute for himself. The Quran exhorts Muhammad (and others, too) to seek forgiveness of his sins (Q. 40:53-55; 42:5; 47:19). The universality of sin is mentioned in Quran 16:61. The Quran also says that whatever misfortune happens to a Muslim happens because of his sin (Q. 42:30). It further says that even when victory comes it occurs so that God may forgive one's sins (Q. 48:1, 2). From these verses, we see that no one is sinless but God alone or capable of being the "Light of the World."

An exception taught by the Quran is Jesus. In the Quran, we read that he is "among the righteous ones," that is, sinless (Q. 3:46). Could it be that Jesus is "the holy Son of God" (Matt. 1:20, 21; Luke 1:32); that He was indeed sinless (2 Cor. 5:21); that in Jesus is true spiritual life and this life is the true light of men (John 1:4); and, finally, that Jesus Himself claimed to be the Light of the world (John 8:12) and it is in His light that we see light (John 1:9)?  Will you continue to struggle to climb through good deeds hoping that this will somehow erase your faults.  I implore you to accept the benevolence of God who offers to give to you His righteousness through his faithful Servant, the Righteous One, Jesus the Messiah.

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(For More on Islam Click Here)

Contact:

Thomas H. Roberts, Esq.
Thomas H. Roberts & Associates, P.C.
Virginia Civil Rights Attorneys
105 S. 1st Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804) 783-2000
804) 783-2105

Endnotes:

(Excerpts from Translation of the Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali)

Section 20: Divine Favours on Israelites: 7:158. Say: O mankind, surely I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, of Him, Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Ummi Prophet who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided aright.

40:55. So be patient; surely the promise of Allah is true; and ask protection for thy sin and celebrate the praise of thy Lord in the evening and the morning.

2:253. We have made some of these messengers to excel others. Among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many) degrees of rank. And We gave clear arguments to Jesus son of Mary, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so some of them believed and some of them denied. And if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah does what He intends.

4:155. Then for their breaking their covenant and their disbelief in the messages of Allah and their killing the prophets wrongfully and their saying, Our hearts are covered; nay, Allah has sealed them owing to their disbelief, so they believe not but a little:

Section 23: Previous Revelation Bears out Qur’’anic Statements: 163. Surely We have revealed to thee as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave to David a scripture.

Section 24: Prophethood of Jesus: 172. The Messiah disdains not to be a servant of Allah, nor do the angels who are near to Him. And whoever disdains His service and is proud, He will gather them all together to Himself.

89:22.And thy Lord comes with the angels, ranks on ranks;

23.And hell is made to appear that day. On that day man will be mindful, and of what use will being mindful be then?

24.He will say : O would that I had sent before for (this) my life!

25.But none can punish as He will punish on that day.

26.And none can bind as He will bind on that day.

27.O soul that art at rest,

28.Return to thy Lord, well-pleased, well-pleasing,

29.So enter among My servants,

30.And enter My Garden!

3:83. Seek they then other than Allah’’s religion? And to Him submits whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned.

5:46. And We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, verifying that which was before him of the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, and verifying that which was before it of the Torah, and a guidance and an admonition for the dutiful.

46:12. And before it was the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy. And this is a Book verifying (it) in the Arabic language, that it may warn those who do wrong, and as good news for the doers of god.

40:53. And We indeed gave Moses the guidance, and We made the Children of Israel inherit the Book ––

	Eph 2:4	But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
	Eph 2:5	Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
	Eph 2:6	And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
	Eph 2:7	That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
	Eph 2:8	For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
	Eph 2:9	Not of works, lest any man should boast.
	Eph 2:10	For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.