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| Islam: you are born pure (fitra), then things go to hell
Christianity; you are born broken, then are purified |
Thursday, January 08, 2026
Comparison Of Selected Passages In The Bible And the Quran Episode 2
Comparison Of Selected Passages In The Bible And the Quran Episode 3
Eternity
Islam: eternity means infinite time to enjoy earthly pleasures such as sex
Christianity Eternity means another dimension entirely, a timeless dimension, a vertical dimension, an absolute that judges all horizontal movements in time, by its own standard. For its standard is the true God.
These two views represent distinct eschatological frameworks, contrasting a "horizontal" continuation of perfected earthly experience with a "vertical" transcendence into the nature of God Himself.
Islamic View: Infinite Earthly Pleasure
In this perspective, eternity is often seen as the perfection and endless extension of human fulfillment.
• Physicality of Paradise: The Islamic Jannah is traditionally described with vivid, sensory detail—gardens, rivers of milk and honey, and fine silk.
• Continuation of Desires: Earthly pleasures such as eating, drinking, and sexual intimacy are not discarded but perfected, occurring without physical consequences like illness or fatigue.
• Relational Fulfillment: The inclusion of houris (pure companions) emphasizes the continuation of gendered, relational, and physical joy as a divine reward for earthly restraint.
• Spiritual Nuance: While many emphasize these literal rewards, some Islamic traditions (like Sufism) interpret them symbolically, viewing the ultimate pleasure as the "Vision of God".
Christian View: Timeless Dimension and Absolute Standard
This view, rooted in Classical Theism, treats eternity as a state of existence entirely separate from the linear flow of time.
• Timelessness: Eternity is not "a long time" but a "timeless now" (tota simul), where God exists outside the succession of moments.
• Vertical Dimension: Rather than moving forward horizontally (time), eternity is "vertical"—a transcendent reality that encompasses and judges all of history from a fixed, divine height.
• The Beatific Vision: The primary goal of eternity is not sensory gratification but "unity with God". Earthly metaphors (like a city or a feast) are viewed as symbols of a spiritual state where the soul is fulfilled by God’s presence alone.
Standard of Truth: Eternity acts as the absolute reference point. Every "horizontal" movement in time is measured against the unchanging character of the "True God
| Feature | Islamic Perspective (as described) | Christian Perspective (as described) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of Time | Infinite extension of duration | A timeless, atemporal dimension |
| Focus of Reward | Perfected sensory and earthly joy | Spiritual union and the "Vision of God" |
| Role of the Body | Resurrected to enjoy physical delights | Resurrected to a spiritual/glorified state |
| Relation to God | God as the Provider of eternal bliss | God as the very Essence of eternity |
Miracles
In the Catholic Church, a miracle is defined as
a "sign or wonder" that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws and is attributed solely to divine power. These events are viewed as God's direct intervention to prove revelation, testify to a person’s sanctity, or share His compassion.
Categories of Catholic Miracles
• Biblical Miracles: The foundation of the faith, including Jesus’ miracles such as turning water into wine, walking on water, and the Resurrection.
• Eucharistic Miracles: Extraordinary events where the consecrated host and wine visibly transform into human flesh and blood. Notable examples include:
• Lanciano, Italy (8th Century): A doubting priest saw the bread and wine turn to flesh and blood. Scientific tests in 1970 confirmed the tissue is human heart muscle.
• Buenos Aires (1990s): Investigated by then-Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio (now Pope Francis), where a discarded host transformed into heart tissue.
• Marian Apparitions: Reported appearances of the Virgin Mary, often accompanied by miracles like the 1917 Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, Portugal, witnessed by roughly 70,000 people.
• Incorruptibles: The bodies of certain saints, such as St. Bernadette Soubirous and St. Catherine Labouré, which have remained preserved for decades or centuries without embalming.
• Intercessory Healings: Miraculous recoveries from terminal illnesses following prayers to a specific candidate for sainthood. These are strictly scrutinized by the Vatican's Miracle Commission.
The Strict Approval Process
For a modern event to be declared a miracle (especially for sainthood), the Church applies a rigorous standard:
• Elimination of Natural Causes: A medical board (the Consulta Medica) must confirm the healing was instantaneous, spontaneous, and complete.
• Scientific Scrutiny: Experts, including non-believers, use modern medicinal to ensure no natural explanation exists.
• Theological Verification: A committee ensures the event occurred following prayers specifically for that person's intercession.
Recent Approved Miracles
• Sister Bernadette Moriau (2008): The 70th miracle at the Marian Shrine of Lourdes involved a nun who was paralyzed for 40 years and was instantaneously healed.
• St. Carlo Acutis: A Brazilian boy with a malformed pancreas (2013) and a woman with a severe head injury (2022) were healed after prayers to the "Millennial Saint," leading to his canonization in 2025.
In Islam, there is
no centralized equivalent to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints or its formal medical/theological committees to scientifically "confirm" modern miracles.
Instead, the Islamic approach focuses on strict theological categorization and the "miraculous nature" of the Quran itself.
1. Classification over Investigation
Unlike the Catholic process, which investigates events to advance canonization, Islamic scholarship classifies extraordinary events based on the source rather than verifying them through modern labs:
• Mu’jiza (Prophetic Miracle): Extraordinary acts performed by Prophets (e.g., the splitting of the moon) as proof of their mission. These are considered historical facts within the faith and cannot happen after Prophet Muhammad, who is the final prophet.
• Karamat (Wonders of Saints): Supernatural events occurring through a pious believer (Wali). Scholars "verify" these not by scientific tools, but by the character of the person—if they strictly adhere to Islamic law (Sharia), the event is accepted as a gift from God; if not, it is dismissed as sorcery or devilish deception.
• Ma’unah: Spontaneous divine aid given to common believers during crises.
2. The Quran as the "Scientific Miracle"
While the Catholic Church uses science to rule out natural explanations for physical events, many modern Islamic apologists use science to rule in the divine origin of the Quran.
• I’jaz al-Ilmi: This is the study of "scientific miracles" in the Quran—verses that supposedly describe phenomena (like embryology or the Big Bang) unknown in the 7th century.
• Verification: This process involves linguistic and scientific "peer review" where experts in Arabic and natural sciences compare scripture with modern data.
3. Institutional Differences
• No Central Authority: Because Islam lacks a hierarchical structure like the Papacy, there is no single "official list" of verified modern miracles.
Secrecy vs. Publicity: Catholic miracles (like Lourdes) are meant for public testimony. In contrast, Islamic tradition often emphasizes that a true Wali should conceal their Karamat to avoid pride, making formal investigation difficult
In Islam, miracles are primarily categorized into Mu’jizat (prophetic miracles) and Karamat (wonders of the saints). While there are no exact institutionalized equivalents to the Catholic categories you mentioned, several phenomena share striking similarities in their spiritual function and physical manifestation.
- Karamat of Maryam: The Quran records "Karamat" experienced by Mary herself, such as receiving miraculous, out-of-season food while in seclusion.
- Visions of the Prophet or Saints: Instead of "apparitions" for public messaging, Muslims often report Ru’ya (true dreams) or visions of the Prophet Muhammad or holy figures (Awliya). In Sufi traditions, these are seen as divine guidance or "openings".
- Shared Shrines: In places like Zeitoun, Egypt, thousands of Muslims and Christians witnessed what was described as a Marian apparition in 1968, showing that the phenomenon itself can cross religious boundaries in "folk Islam".
- Multiplication of Food: Numerous Hadiths describe the Prophet Muhammad miraculously multiplying small amounts of food to feed hundreds of companions.
- Water Gushing from Fingers: Similar to the physical "living" nature of Eucharistic miracles (like bleeding hosts), Islamic tradition records water flowing from the Prophet’s hands to allow for ritual washing (wudu).
- Natural "Signs" (Ayat): On a popular level, many Muslims find "natural miracles" similar to seeing a holy image in a host, such as finding the name of "Allah" or the Prophet written in watermelon seeds, clouds, or honeycombs.
| Feature | Catholic Context | Islamic Context |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Validate Church teaching or devotions | Validate a Prophet (Mu'jiza) or reward a Saint (Karamah) |
| Publicity | Often public and heavily investigated | Karamat are ideally kept secret by the recipient |
| Intercession | Saints often appear to "intercede" | Miracles are purely by Allah's permission; direct prayer is to God |
Persecution
• Early Political Power: Christianity began as a minority sect within the
Roman Empire
and was persecuted for nearly 300 years before gaining state support. In contrast, Islam became a political and military power within the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, allowing it to govern territory and protect its followers much earlier in its history.
• Expansion into Power Vacuums: Early Islamic expansion moved rapidly into weakened territories like the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, where Muslims were often the ruling class rather than a persecuted minority.
• Legal Status of Minorities: Islamic law historically provided a "protected" status (Dhimmi) for Christians and Jews. While this status involved discriminatory taxes and social restrictions, it generally allowed these groups to survive as communities.
| Feature | Early Christianity (c. 30–313 AD) | Early/Medieval Islam (c. 622–1400 AD) |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers Persecuted | Significant portion of early followers; likely thousands martyred, facing state-sponsored executions and confiscations of property across the Roman Empire. | Difficult to quantify; instances of targeted violence against specific Christian communities (e.g., Coptic forced conversions in Egypt, massacres during Crusades' counterattacks), but generally not systematic state-wide persecution by Muslim rulers in the early era. |
| Time Period | Concentrated and official under Roman Emperors like Decius and Diocletian for about 250 years. | Throughout the centuries, but often localized episodes or results of war, rather than a continuous, systematic campaign across the entire Islamic world. |
| Brutality | Severe, including execution by various methods (crucifixion, burning, exposure to wild animals in arenas), forced labor, and torture. Public executions served a performative function. | Brutality was significant in specific conflicts (Crusades, Mongol invasions), often involving massacres of civilians. In periods of civil rule, violence was episodic but could include capital punishment for specific offenses like apostasy or defiance of dhimmi status rules. |
Christianity was a persecuted minority in its formative centuries, facing systematic violence and legal discrimination under Roman polytheistic rule. This ended when it became the dominant state religion under Constantine I. Once in power, Christian states often became the persecutors of pagans, heretics, and later, Jews and Muslims.
Muslims' Historical Persecution:
Islam was a political-military power from the start. As Muslim empires expanded, they typically did not face "persecution" as defined by a larger, dominant external state trying to eradicate them. Instead, they faced war (Crusades, Reconquista) and internal conflicts.
The victims of persecution within Muslim-ruled lands were often the Christian and Jewish minorities (dhimmis), who, while generally protected, faced social marginalization, discriminatory taxes, and episodic violence.
Modern Context (21st Century):
Today, the dynamics have shifted: Christians face harassment in a slightly higher number of countries than Muslims, according to data from organizations like the Pew Research Center and Open Doors. Islamic extremism is currently a dominant driver of anti-Christian persecution in many regions, especially Africa and the Middle East, with extreme brutality reported in places like Nigeria and Pakistan.
FGM
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies female genital mutilation (FGM) into four major types, based on the severity and specific anatomical areas affected.
According to the WHO, the four types are:
• Type I: Clitoridectomy This involves partial or total removal of the clitoris or clitoral hood.
• Type II: Excision This type includes the removal of the clitoris and labia minora, potentially with the labia majora.
• Type III: Infibulation This is the most severe form, narrowing the vaginal opening by cutting and repositioning the labia, with or without removing the clitoris. Deinfibulation is a surgical procedure to open the sealed vagina.
• Type IV: Other Harmful Procedures This category covers other non-medical, harmful procedures to the female genitalia.
230 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). This number has increased by approximately 15% (30 million cases) over the last eight years, largely due to population growth in countries where the practice is common.
Global Distribution of Cases
The "global burden" of FGM is concentrated in three main regions:
• Africa: Over 144 million cases.
• Asia: Over 80 million cases.
• Middle East: Over 6 million cases.
• Other Regions: Between 1–2 million cases are estimated in destination countries for migration, including Europe and North America.
Key National and Regional Statistics
• Highest Prevalence: In countries like Somalia (98% to 99.2%) and Guinea (94.5% to 97%), the practice is almost universal among women aged 15–49.
• United States: An estimated 513,000 women and girls have either undergone FGM or are at risk.
• European Union: Approximately 600,000 women are believed to be living with the consequences of FGM.
• United Kingdom: In the 2023–2024 reporting year, there were 14,355 total attendances at NHS trusts and GP practices where FGM was identified.
Annual Risk and Trends
• Annual Risk: More than 4 million girls are estimated to be at risk of undergoing FGM every year.
• Early Childhood: Over 2 million girls are subjected to FGM annually before their fifth birthday.
• Medicalization: About 1 in 4 survivors (roughly 52 million women) were cut by healthcare personnel rather than traditional practitioners, a trend most common in Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea.
Islam does not have a single, unified stance on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). While many modern religious authorities and institutions
condemn it as a harmful cultural practice with no basis in the Quran, statistics show practice is widespread in Islamic-majority states.
classical and regional interpretations of Islamic law vary significantly.
Core Theological Views
• The Quran: There is no mention of female or male circumcision in the Quran.
• Hadith (Prophetic Traditions): References to the practice are found in secondary sources. Many of these hadith are considered "weak" (da'if) or unreliable by modern and historical scholars. One frequently cited hadith (Umm Atiyyah) advises a practitioner to "cut slightly" and not "exaggerate," which some use to justify a "sunna" type of the practice, while others view it as evidence the Prophet merely tolerated a pre-existing custom while trying to mitigate its harm.
• The Principle of No Harm: A fundamental Islamic legal maxim is "Do not harm and do not be harmed" (La darara wa la dirara). Because modern medical science has proven FGM causes significant physical and psychological damage, many modern scholars use this principle to declare the practice prohibited (haram).
Positions of the Major Schools of Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
Classical Islamic schools differ on whether female "circumcision" is a duty or merely an honor:
• Shafi'i: Historically considered it obligatory (wajib). This is why it remains common in regions like Indonesia and Malaysia.
• Hanbali: Some scholars viewed it as obligatory, while others saw it as an "honorable" act but not a requirement.
• Hanafi & Maliki: Generally viewed it as recommended (sunnah) or "honorable" (makrumah) but not a religious obligation.
• Shia: Most Shia authorities, including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, consider it prohibited or not a religious requirement.
Modern Consensus and Legal Action
• Fatwas Against FGM: Major institutions such as Al-Azhar University and Egypt's Dar al-Ifta have issued official decrees declaring FGM religiously forbidden and a "crime".
• Criminalization: Most Muslim-majority countries have laws banning FGM. For instance, Indonesia criminalized it in 2024, and Egypt has strict bans in place.
• International Denunciation: Organizations like Islamic Relief work to "de-link" the practice from Islam, framing it as a harmful cultural tradition that predates the religion.
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