Robert Shedinger
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“Islam isn’t a religion – it is a way of life.” I have heard both Muslims and non-Muslims express this sentiment. For believers this statement is meant to demonstrate how comprehensive God’s message is, covering not only the so-called spiritual aspects of life but also the seemingly secular components too. For polemicist denying Islam the status of being a religion serves to contribute to their agenda of challenging Muslim rights in western society. How should Islam be understood? And for that matter, what exactly is religion and how should we define it? Should we consider Islam a religion? Robert F. Shedinger, Professor of Religion at Luther College, addresses these questions in Was Jesus a Muslim?: Questioning Categories in the Study of Religion (Fortress Press, 2009). In this fascinating study Shedinger brings a broad spectrum of literature into dialogue to probe what we mean by religion, how Islam fits into that category, and how dialogue can exist between Muslims and non-Muslims based on these definitions. He outlines the problems with Comparative Religions, Interreligious Dialogue, and several other analytical categories more generally. Overall, he challenges us to rethinking how we conceive of the terms we use and their practical implications within real world circumstances. In our interview we explore the question if Islam is not a religion then what is it? Then with our new working meaning we ask was Jesus a Muslim? Take a listen and find out.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
the verse is chapter 60 verse eight
Dear Owen Kinnan,
I think taking phrases out of context is the main reason of misunderstanding any matter – not only religion. I invite you to read these verses again – the 109 verses which you mentioned but this time read what is preceding them from verses and if you still don’t understand please ask … and actually that was one of the reasons that God sent prophets with His messages (Books) to illustrate and show people His words and purposes.
And to prove to you that you really misunderstood these verses, I pasted to you one of the verses of the Quran (Chapter 60; verse 8) which shows how Muslims must behave with Non-believers (Not only Christians and Jews as you mentioned), that’s the verse:
“Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Ch. 60; verse 8)
Owen Kinnan and Sterling Dear your information is in need some correction Owen Kinnan said Islam order all it followers to fight all the unbelievers !! so why our prophet live with Jewish in Maddinah after immigration?? and said who harm any one of the non Muslim then he harm me?? he never ever fight non Muslims just when they made betrayal and this is what Qura’an does say .. fight the people who want fight you and who come with peace treat him kindly .. read our holly book by your self not from hatred others and you will fiend the truth lol.
to Sterling you need to go back and read the history not from Muslims book no get it from yours and you will find that Jewish and christian who was living in Muslim society enjoy all the right and when Muslims lost AL Andalus ( Spain) the Jewish and christian leave with Muslims !!! why they did that?? when Omar ibn al Khatab with Muslims army reached to Jerusalem he refused to pray in the church to keep it’s privacy and no one think to turn it to mosque and said they are under our protection no one does any bad actions to Christians or their churches … this is Islam as I said just read by your self no listening from others.
I fail to see how Islam can be considered, as Dr. Shedinger puts it, ” A religion of social justice.” The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule. Some are quite graphic. Muslims who do not join the fight are called ‘hypocrites’ and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join the fight. Who are the “unbelievers?” Christians and Jews. This doesn’t line up with what many of us (unbelievers) are told regarding Islam being a religion of peace and social justice.
The word ‘Muslim’ means one who submits to the One God. Jesus (peace be upon him) did that. The God of Islam is the same as the God of Christians; they have the same foundations. (In fact, in the language Jesus spoke – Aramaic – he would have called God ‘Allaha’.)
Muslims very much love and respect Jesus; the Qur’an mentions him often and has a chapter named after Mary, which describes his birth; and the Prophet Muhammad spoke of him as being the closest prophet to him.
It could be argued that Muslims follow his beliefs and practices more than Christians. For example:
- Jesus never called himself a Christian or claimed to be God; in fact, he emphasized that the Lord is one God, and he never mentioned any idea of a trinity. That’s closer to Muslim belief than Christian.
- He did not eat pork, he was circumcised, and he prohibited usury. Again, closer to Muslims than Christians.
- If the way he and his mother are depicted is accurate, they dressed the way Muslims dress.
- The Bible describes Jesus prostrating during prayer. That’s how Muslims pray, and it’s not how Christians pray.
If Jesus were to come back right now, who would he see as the ones who live according to his message? As opposed to the ones who live according to the message of Paul, a man who never met Jesus but changed everything that Jesus taught?
I guess the topic is “Was Jesus a Muslim ?” and not “challenging Muslim rights in western society”.
Looks like a study with an open mind. Jesus(PeaceBeUponHim) was an obedient of God(Muslim) so were the other biblical prophets. Kidos to Bob for discovering this fact.
Christians and Jews have special status in an Islamic country unlike people of other faiths. They can have their own courts of justice with their own judge, they need not serve in the army etc etc. Infact the first multicultural society that came into existance was in Muslim Spain where people of the 3 Abrahamic faith lived together and flourished.
Yet another attack on Jesus. One should compare the rights of Christians in Muslim societies before asking “challenging Muslim rights in western society”.
Christians in Muslim societies have no rights. Yes, Muslims in western world enjoy all equalities, yet they are never happy. They want to implement Sharia in Belgium, in England, in France and US.
This is a biased, one sided and poor outlook on non existent issue.