ARTICLES

Priests gain insight on beliefs of Muslim religion

By Barbara Hughes
Special to The Catholic Virginian

In response to the growing interest in Islam, Father Sidney Griffith, Professor of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literature at Catholic University of America, recently traveled to three locations in the Diocese of Richmond to speak to priests about the religion of Islam. The program was part of the diocese’s Clergy Study Days.

On February 19 the author and world class scholar was at St. Jerome Church in Newport News and offered what he called a “thumbnail” view of Islam and the prophet Muhammad.

Framing the topic within the historical and cultural context, he shared insights about Christian and Muslim relations and the current challenges involving dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Father Griffith explained that the word “Islam” is derived from the Arabic verb that means surrender or submit and that the term Muslim means a person who submits to God.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam who is regarded by Muslims as the greatest prophet lived from 570–632. From the year 610 until his death, Muhammad was the recipient of mystical experiences.

“As a result of these experiences, Muhammad became convinced that the one God of the monotheistic religions was putting on his heart a message that he was to deliver to anyone who would listen,” explained the priest.

In 622 followers of Muhammad formed a community in Mecca that spread rapidly among the Arab speaking people. Eventually the messages that had been passed on orally were recorded and became known as the Qur’an.

Since Muslims regard the Qur’an as a direct revelation in God’s own words, they believe it cannot be interpreted like the Scriptures that are inspired by God.

Father Griffith pointed out that although the Qur’an doesn’t quote Scripture, Muhammad’s reference to Biblical figures suggests he and his audience had some knowledge of the Scriptures.

As a young adult involved in the trade industry, he was familiar with Jewish and Christian teachings which reflected in his messages. Some also believe that as a youth, Muhammad was educated by Arian monks.

While Islam is respectful of Jews and Christians and refers to them as “People of the Book,” it contradicts itself in that regard. At crucial points, the Qur’an critiques and challenges the beliefs and practices of the two religions.

While Muslims believe in the virgin birth and that Jesus was the Messiah, they maintain that He was only human. They dismiss the crucifixion and the resurrection and believe that Jesus was assumed into the heavens like the prophet Elijah.

The Qur’an refers to Mary simply as the Mother of Jesus and exhorts Christians not to exaggerate the bounds of their religion.

This critique contains obvious polemic injunctions to both Christians and Jews and accuses them of distorting the Scriptures and the Gospels. The Qur’an states that Muslims who submit to Allah are followers of the true religion.

As the Arab Muslim tribes moved from the desert into the settled areas, they began occupying the cities. Within a period of 100 years, Islam had spread from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Southern tip of Africa and as far west as Tours, France.

However, this was viewed as a military conquest and not a religious one.

Texts that date back to the 800s report that Christians and Muslims in the East engaged in dialogue by challenging and responding to each others’ teachings.

It was only after the West became involved that Muslims were demonized. The Greek and Latin Christians belied Muhammad personally and the Arabs responded with anti-Christ rhetoric.

“We are heirs of a strong legacy against the Qur’an, Muhammad and Islam,” Father Griffith said.

“In the context of active hostility, people demonized one another from the middle ages on through modern times. We like to believe that if everyone in the world were Catholic, everything would be fine but history has shown that’s not the case,” he said.

He pointed out that when Christians or Muslims were in control, they relegated the minority religions to less than second class status. History shows the Christians treated minorities worse than the Muslims did.

“As a result, Jews found the Islamic world a safer place to live than the Christian world,” noted Father Griffith.

“Since Vatican II and Nostra Aetate, there has been an effort by the Catholic Church to improve relations with both Christians and Jews,” he added.

Father Griffith noted that many in the Church have studied Islam to better understand the religion and that the Church offers scholarships for Muslim scholars to study Christianity in Rome.

But he added, “Few have taken advantage of the opportunity.”

Father Griffith attributes the initiative to dialogue by the Christian community to the theology of the Incarnation that calls us to be Christ to others. He also pointed out that since the only requirement to become a Muslim is to make a creedal statement pledging belief in the existence of one God and that Muhammad is his prophet, many Muslims are not well informed about their faith when they convert.

“Everywhere in the world, where Christians and Muslims live, except in the United States, there is violence,” said the priest. He explained that since religion is aligned with culture and politics, the church has a role to play.

“We will never agree on theological differences, but we must work to improve relations and promote mutual respect,” he said.

“The goal is to work towards reciprocity for freedom of religious expression. Just as countries that are predominantly Christian allow Muslims to construct mosques and worship freely, so countries that are predominantly Muslim ought to allow Christians to construct churches and practice their religion without fear of reprisal,” Father Griffith explained.

The priest pointed out that Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, said “The onus is on us to promote dialogue.”

Father Griffith did agree that the letter from the Muslim scholars that was sent to the Christian churches and to the Vatican is an encouraging first time initiative by the Muslims and said that he is encouraged by the Vatican’s response.

On a parish level, the priest sees a value in Muslim speakers talking about Islam to Catholics but suggests that a presentation about Islam precede an invitation for a Muslim to come to the parish.

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