What she learned there was very little difference between their Bible and the Holy Torah

God be with on your decision, mary.... Thanks for sharing..

Hi Mary,
Thanks for sharing this. Patty is right there is very little difference in what Christians call the Old Testament and the Torah.

It does read very much like most versions we see, particularly what we call the 'King James Version', which is a near "literal" translation. It can be used as a means to get to the original Hebrew words, through a work called a 'Strong's Concordance', which lists every single word in the KJV, and provides a reference number for the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries it also contains. This ability to "de-translate", is most enlightening, and allows for a more precise grasp of the meaning of many passages. It also demonstrates that the KJV, like the text you provide here in these articles, is extremely well translated, capturing very closely the "flavor" of God's original message.

I do see some minor differences, and a very few I find potentially significant, but most of it is so close, I can't be sure off hand if it is identical. Some I can tell is precisely the same. That's the Book alright.

I am curious about the differences in what we call the "New Testement", which is the part that deals with Christ, and his followers. I wonder what Muslims read of him.

God said in the Quran: "O' Mary! God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Christ, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Here after, and one of those brought near to God." (3:45)

Jesus is held in high regard as a teacher and prophet by Muslims and many sayings attributed to Jesus are found in the Quran and in Muslim tradition. Many of the Muslim saying attributed to Jesus may not in fact have been said by Jesus, but are Jesus-like enough to be attributed to him. These have been compiled in a book edited and translated by Tarif Khalidi, titled: The Muslim Jesus.

Thanks for the reference, Gary. That sounds quite interesting.

Thank you for your comment above Mary, I often wondered what the Quran says about Christ as well.
Have you ever read the Christain reading that coincides with the one you posted above?

This is a portion of Mary's Chapter (from the Quran)(verses 2 – 67)… John,

(This is) a recital of the Mercy of thy Lord to His servant Zakariya.

Behold! he cried to his Lord in secret,

Praying: "O my Lord! infirm indeed are my bones, and the hair of my head doth glisten with grey: but never am I unblest, O my Lord, in my prayer to Thee!

"Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself,-

"(One that) will (truly) represent me, and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased!"

(His prayer was answered): "O Zakariya! We give thee good news of a son: His name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We conferred distinction before."

He said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son, when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?"

He said: "So (it will be) thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before, when thou hadst been nothing!'"

Zakariya) said: "O my Lord! give me a Sign." "Thy Sign," was the answer, "Shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb."

So Zakariya came out to his people from him chamber: He told them by signs to celebrate Allah's praises in the morning and in the evening.

(To his son came the command): "O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might": and We gave him Wisdom even as a youth,

And piety (for all creatures) as from Us, and purity: He was devout,

And kind to his parents, and he was not overbearing or rebellious.

So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!

Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah."

He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.

She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?"

He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed."

So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"

But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee;

"And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.

"So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'"

At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!

"O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"

But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"

He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet;

"And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;

"(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;

"So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"!

Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.

It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is.

Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight.

But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day!

How plainly will they see and hear, the Day that they will appear before Us! but the unjust today are in error manifest!

But warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent and they do not believe!

It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon: to Us will they all be returned.

(Also mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: He was a man of Truth, a prophet.

Behold, he said to his father: "O my father! why worship that which heareth not and seeth not, and can profit thee nothing?

"O my father! to me hath come knowledge which hath not reached thee: so follow me: I will guide thee to a way that is even and straight.

"O my father! serve not Satan: for Satan is a rebel against (Allah) Most Gracious.

"O my father! I fear lest a Penalty afflict thee from (Allah) Most Gracious, so that thou become to Satan a friend."

(The father) replied: "Dost thou hate my gods, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will indeed stone thee: Now get away from me for a good long while!"

Abraham said: "Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious.

"And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides Allah: I will call on my Lord: perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord, I shall be not unblest."

When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, and each one of them We made a prophet.

And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them, and We granted them lofty honour on the tongue of truth.

Also mention in the Book (the story of) Moses: for he was specially chosen, and he was a messenger (and) a prophet.

And we called him from the right side of Mount (Sinai), and made him draw near to Us, for mystic (converse).

And, out of Our Mercy, We gave him his brother Aaron, (also) a prophet.

Also mention in the Book (the story of) Isma'il: He was (strictly) true to what he promised, and he was a messenger (and) a prophet.

He used to enjoin on his people Prayer and Charity, and he was most acceptable in the sight of his Lord.

Also mention in the Book the case of Idris: He was a man of truth (and sincerity), (and) a prophet:

And We raised him to a lofty station.

Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah did bestow His Grace,- of the posterity of Adam, and of those who We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the posterity of Abraham and Israel of those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the Signs of (Allah) Most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they would fall down in prostrate adoration and in tears.

But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they face Destruction,-

Except those who repent and believe, and work righteousness: for these will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least,-

Gardens of Eternity, those which (Allah) Most Gracious has promised to His servants in the Unseen: for His promise must (necessarily) come to pass.

They will not there hear any vain discourse, but only salutations of Peace: And they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening.

Such is the Garden which We give as an inheritance to those of Our servants who guard against Evil.

The angels say:) "We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget,-

"Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that is between them; so worship Him, and be constant and patient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?"

Man says: "What! When I am dead, shall I then be raised up alive?"

But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?

Actually, No... Dawn. Can you tell, please?

This is your belief, Gary and "To you your Religion and to me mine"

Hey Guys,

Please, this article is not for discussing neither Islamic nor Christian nor Jewish beliefs.

Put it aside...

This article is for discussing "the importance of reading world's holy books" only.

(5-69) Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

So far what you posted sounds like the beginning of the bible for us Christians. I believe this is going to be a very interesting learning experience.

Thanks Roaa…

Thanks Vonna, yes I do know…

Thanks Dawn…

Thanks John… Although, I don't know these differences, but you all agree with each other.

Thanks Gary…

Thanks Danielle…

I have read, again and again, and I may well see differently because Look NOT from the box of literal interpretation that most do ...

The conservative mind will be more restrictive on the allowance of the meanings of the words, the conservative minded person will define the limitations of their box to exclude the liberal mind that is more expansive, more allowing, more accepting (in general and specifically).

Thus is "The Church" of institutionalized religion formed to unite the like minds of like thinkers ... thus do there become offshoots of the various sects and/or denominations when some disagree with each other on certain, but not all, points at issue.

Thus are there many who have come to reject all such, some of them the most insistent about it have adopted the moniker of Atheist, others just consider themselves secular and some of those agnostically so ...

Then there are others, such as myself who are just generically spiritual, also to various degrees of differing intensities of belief and associations with others and relative truths.

Thus the concept of GOD is defined in many ways for many people and even the words such as has been posted so far in chapters one and two, can be "read" with different understandings ... I know from life experience that I can see "different" truths in those same words than others do based upon their own stated understandings and life actions associated with that.


The bottom line to me is that the words should not be as "restricted" as "orthodoxy" has demanded over the ages, God and "His" (?) creation should not be so limited in exclusivity as to cause arguments and conflicts (or hatreds) over "the words" ... the GOD that I prefer to relate to is a GOD of UNconditional Love and absolute Truth ... who yet allows, and would even encourage, relative truths (which is what all else thought by man is, relative to the ONE ABSOLUTE of GOD) ... Natural Panentheism is my belief, thus I can see the words of others differently than they may allow ... because "my" God allows that for me.

Mary, it is a fine thing that you are doing here in posting and giving us the chance to discuss our thoughts about it ... I have tried to honour your desires that we not argue nor become disrespectful of others views ... but we must also realize that God does allow free choice of to each their own ... even to what some would deem in the direction of Satan ...

The reason I write so much here on Gather is because I really believe that many who claim to be on the higher road to their God, are actually on the lower road to that other fellow they speak of ... Satan. And of course they would say the same about me ... and I guess that is what makes life so interesting ... but God knows.

The Conservative road ... OR ... the Liberal road ... ???

PS ... there is another book most Holy, the Urantia Book, that is, I believe, destined to one day become the standard reference book for our earth world, named Urantia in that very book, that gives the most complete story imaginable about all things religious and spiritual involving the very foundation of earth and it's relationship to the universe and far beyond ...

Those ignoring that book are not seeking real truth ... IMnsHO.

mary j: I did not express my belief but that of the book editor: Tarif Khalidi.

Tarif Khalidi is professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the American University of Beirut

This is what I was speaking of Mary. It is Luke 1:30-33
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

This is awesome Mary. I agree that these books should be respected and read. We share so much more than most people know I think. This is a wonderdul opportunity to learn and to share without imposing ones own beliefs.

I'm so glad that you are getting this out as most people have very little understanding of the Quran or Islamic beliefs. I hope you'll publish this on Spirituality Explorers.

Thank you for continuing to presentthe Islamic view.

Your faith is an inspiration, Mary J.

Mary, you know how I feel. I applaud you for posting the Holy books as well as the articles on the Muslim faith. I think we are all better for it. It is my true belief that if we took the time to learn and understand some of each others differences the world would be a better place.
I thank you my friend.
Patti