(New Beginnings, No.15)
Test your knowledge of the world’s three great monotheistic religions. Willing? Ready? Have a go!
Who said the following?
- ‘We [Christians and Moslems] believe and confess one God, although in different ways, and praise and worship him daily as the creator of all ages and the ruler of this world’.
- ‘What race deserves honour? The human race. What race deserves honour? Those who fear the Lord’.
- ‘A man came to him and said, “Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship?” The messenger of God replied, “Your mother.” The man said, “Then who?” The messenger replied again, “Then your mother.” The man further asked, “Then who?” The messenger replied, “Then your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The messenger replied again: “Then your father”.’
- ‘God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.’
- ‘Why did God create a single human being, Adam, from whom all mankind is descended? So that no-one could stand up and claim, “My ancestor is superior to yours”’.
- ‘A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man said, “This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt.” So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, and gave the dog a drink. So, God thanked him and forgave his sins. The question was asked, “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” He said, “There is a reward for kindness to every animal or human.”’
- ‘God gives to all mortals life and breath. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they should live, so that they would search for God, and perhaps grope for him and find him – though indeed he is not far from each of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being.”’
- ‘If you are righteous and do what is lawful and right, if you do not oppress anyone, but restore to debtors their pledge, if you commit no robbery, give bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment, if you take no advance or accrued interest, if you withhold your hand from injustice, executing true justice between contending parties, follow my statutes, and are careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully – then you are righteous; you shall surely live, says the Lord God.’
- ‘The least of your duties to God is that you do not use God’s blessings to help you to do wrong.’
- Finally, a different type of question: Most Moslems are Arabs – true or false?
Answers
- From a letter of Pope Gregory VII to Naçir, King of Mauritania, in 1076 AD.
- From Jewish tradition, in the Old Testament book of Sirach 10.19, Jerusalem Bible.
- A saying attributed to Muhammad, in a collection called Saheeh Muslim, no.2548.
- Saint Peter in Acts 10.34–35, in the (Christian) New Testament.
- From Jewish rabbinic tradition.
- A saying attributed to Muhammad, in the Saheeh Muslim collection, no.2244.
- Saint Paul in Acts 17.25-28, in the (Christian) New Testament.
- From the Old Testament (Jewish) book of Ezekiel 18.5-9.
- Hadrat Ali, a Sufi (Moslem) mystic.
- False. Only about 20% of Muslims are Arab. The four largest Moslem countries in terms of population are Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh; all are non-Arab.