The Greatest Commandments
In the Bible, Jesus responds when asked for the greatest commandment, not with something from the pre-established Law, but something entirely new that nevertheless encompasses it. “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind.” In the Koran, the first listed fundamental principle is at the beginning of the verse, with “Keep up prayer,” and at the end, with “bow down with those who bow down.” Jesus continues His speech with the second greatest commandment which is “like the first: Love your neighbor as yourself.” The corresponding part in the Koran is similar: to pay the poor-rate.
At first glance, there are similarities that make these a good set for comparison. In both cases, the first principle involves God while the second involves others. However, as before, the difference is in the details!
Do what with your God?
The commentary/translation note for the first part of the Koran verse, “Keep up prayer,” explains prayer as worship. I remembered the very first section, the seven-verse prayer known to be so much more important to the Muslims than the roughly corresponding Lord’s Prayer is to Protestant Christians. Upon looking up the word ‘worship’ in the dictionary, I came up with a similar word picture. The first principle for Muslims is to acknowledge Allah’s greatness and power, to show proper respect, and to exalt Allah to a proper place, being at the top of everything. This is not a bad thing for Christians to do when dealing with whom I refer to as “Yahweh” as from the Old Testament. However, Christians are asked to do so much more. Love the Lord your God.
Placing worship of a deity as the top priority is nothing new in the myriads of religions before and after Islam. In this, I admit that Mohammed disappoints me a great deal. Jesus encourages us to call to God using names that translate to a very close father-child relationship. The idea of loving your God rather than simply exalting Him is extraordinary, as well it should be. In the Old and New Testaments, God consistently breaks ground, confounding mortal wisdom. What we find in the Koran, which is supposed to be further revelation from this same God, is a step backwards to the common practice of so many other religions throughout history, a simple exaltation of Allah, who so far has seemed disinclined to draw very close to us. Furthermore, while Christians are told to love God with their hearts, minds, and souls, it seems that simple religious observance of prayers and acknowledgments at proper times is sufficient for Allah.
Is this connected in any way to the difference between the two religions of how badly we need salvation and from what? Yahweh, saving us from our sins and restoring us to a right relationship, may rightly speak of a love encompassing every part of us. Allah, only apparently having need to save us merely from ignorance and the consequences of sin accidentally committed, may therefore require less from us.
Who needs our help?
The second principle contrasted with the second commandment is something of which I have much less to speak, mostly because I have not read enough of the Koran to know if all of your neighbors are addressed at another juncture. I will, however, point out that Christians are required to do much more than to pay a poor-rate and otherwise support those who do not have enough material possessions. Jesus requires of us that we reach out not only to the poor but to the rich. When He said that if a man makes you carry his burden for a mile that you should go two, He was not speaking of aiding the poor. He was speaking not only of the rich, but of the rich oppressors over the Jews at that time. I will need to read more of the Koran to know if Mohammed addresses this issue in more detail.
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