Friday Sermon: What Are We Fighting For?

By Babatunde Jose

Christianity and Islam share much common ground.   Both trace their roots to Abraham.  Both believe in prophecy, God’s messengers (apostles), revelation, scripture, the resurrection of dead, and the centrality of religious community; what the church is to Christianity the “Ummah” is to Islam. The questions then arise: Why then do we fight over a God that is common to us? Why kill ourselves? Why are we intolerant of each other? Why do we loath each other so much that we go the extra mile of burning down each other’s homes, maiming each other and destroying properties: All in the name of God? Why, brothers and sisters, why  can’t we live together? Endless questions, but simple answers.

In this part of the world, where we were colonized, politically, culturally and spiritually, generations of our people have lived together professing different religions before the men in ‘agbada’ entered the scene  and started sowing seeds of division and discord among us. My mother, late Hulaimot Jose was of Christian parentage, but was raised a Moslem by her Uncle and Aunt with whom she lived because her parents were itinerants of the railway system. Her mother a devout Methodist did not have any issues or objections to her marrying a Moslem. Her immediate brother, ‘Babalaje’, had lived all his life in Kano and by induction had subsequently embraced Islam. Howbeit, all members of the family have always treated each other’s faith with respect and understanding. One family under one God. In my circle of friends, only two of us are Moslems and we have come a very long way; my longest standing one being of sixty years and still counting: He is as Christian as they come; observing Lent in full, keeping the ‘Commandments and regular at the 7’Oclock service every Sunday, except when he is airborne. Yet, we have all lived together and enjoyed each other’s hospitalities during festive occasions. Why then is our society becoming another ‘Bosnia’?

We are this way because we are being used by our leaders for their selfish political ends; with the active connivance of the mass media and its penchant for luridness and unreasonableness: It has become fashionable to see every social problem through the prism of religious divide. When a Moslem kills his neighbor in a communal fight, he is quickly reported as being a ‘Jihadist; even if a rivalry over a girlfriend is the root cause.

Christians and Muslims are more alike than different. They both teach that there is only One God and Only God should be worshipped as taught in Deut 6:4,“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one”. Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God the Lord is one. Muslims also believe this as taught in the Quran, as in Sura Al-Nisa (The Women)

O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him: So believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity”: desist: It will be better for you: For Allah is One God: Glory be to Him: (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all. (Quran 4:171)

Jesus didn’t eat pork as taught in Leviticus 11:7, And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. And neither do Muslims as taught in the Qur’an Sura Al-An’am (The Cattle).

Say: “I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine, for it is an abomination-or, what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah’s.” But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 6:145)

Jesus greeted with the words “as salaamualaikum” (Peace be with you) in John 20:21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Muslims also greet each other this way.

Jesus always said “God Willing” (Insha Allah), Muslims say this too before doing anything as taught in the Quran:

Nor say of anything, “I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow”. Without adding, “So please Allah!” And call thy Lord to mind when thou forgettest, and say, “I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road.” (Quran 18: 23-24)

Jesus washed his face, hands, and feet before praying. The Muslims do the same. Jesus and other prophets of the Bible prayed with their head to the ground (see Matthew 26:39) And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”. Muslims do too as taught in the Quran Sura Al-Imran (The Family of Imran):

“O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly: Prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.”  (Quran 3:43)

Jesus followed the law and believed in all the prophets, (see Matthew 5:17-19) ‘Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to complete. 18 Truly I tell you: so long as heaven and earth endure, not a letter, not a dot, will disappear from the law until all that must happen has happened. 19 ”Anyone therefore who sets aside even the least of the law’s demands, and teaches others to do the same, will have the lowest place in the kingdom of Heaven, whereas anyone who keeps the law, and teaches others to do so, will rank high in the kingdom of Heaven.. Muslims do too as taught in the Quran 3:84, Say:

“We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).(Quran 3:84) 

The Apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles. “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles.” And they say “We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.”  (Quran 2:285)

Considering the hullaballoo over the veil or hijab, history tells us that it was a socially correct mode of dressing for women in ancient Palestine, even before the time of Jesus.  Even the revered mother of Jesus,  Maryam dressed modestly by fully covering her body and wearing a headscarf (hijab) as found in 1 Corinthians 11:6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. Muslim women modestly dress the same as taught in the Quran.

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): That is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 33:59)

Jesus and other prophets of the Bible fasted up to 40 days: Matthew 4:2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungered. (See also Exodus 34:28 (KJV). And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.  Also,Daniel 10:2-6. 1Kings 19:8; and Muslims do so too during the month of Ramadan: Muslims are required to fast the full obligatory 30 days:

 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint. (Quran 2:183)

Some take it a step further by fasting an additional 6 days to increase their rewards.

Jesus taught to us say, “Peace to this house” when entering it, see Luke 10:5-6 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.  And to also greet the people in the house with “peace be unto you”. Muslims do exactly what Jesus did and taught. When we enter our homes and the homes of others we say “Bismillah” and also greet with “as salaamu alaikum” (peace be upon you) as taught in the Quran:

. . . . . . But if ye enter houses, salute each other, a greeting of blessing and purity as from Allah. Thus does Allah make clear the Signs to you: That ye may understand. (Quran 24:61)

Jesus was circumcised; circumcision is one of the five fitrah in Islam, so Muslim men are required to be circumcised. According to the Bible in Luke 2:21, And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus. . . In the Torah, Allah/God stated to the Prophet Abraham that it is an “Everlasting covenant” (see Genesis 17:13:  He that is born in the house and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.. In the Quran we also read:

So We have taught thee the inspired (message), “Follow the ways of Abraham the True in Faith, and he joined not gods with Allah.” (Quran 16:123) 

Muslims are required to follow the religion of Abraham. The Prophet Muhammad said, “The Prophet Abraham circumcised himself when he was eighty years old.”

Jesus spoke Aramaic and called God” Elah”, which is pronounced the same as “Allah”. Aramaic is an ancient, Semitic language that also include Hebrew, Arabic, Ethiopic and the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian language of Akkad. The Aramaic,”Elah” and the Arabic “Allah” are the same.

Once again, we ask: What are we fighting for? Rather, we should follow the commandments of God in all our dealings with each other and perhaps, this world will be a better place for all. Salaam alaikun: Peace be unto you!

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend.
+234803311082