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Rating: 
Summary: A Troubling Book
Review: As a religious scholar, I have studied many books on world religions. Comparing religions is a tricky business, because not all religions are created equally. This is especially true of Christianity and Islam. One of the reviewers for this book stated:
"Here's how ignorance plays out. For example: Are you a Muslim?? Now let me tell you what the Arabic word "Muslim" means in English. "One who submits or surrenders to God." Now tell me whether you're a Muslim or not." The answer is, I am not a Muslim. The idea of Islamic faith is not found in the definition of the word "Muslim" alone. It is found in the fact that as a Muslim, when you submit, you become a slave to Allah. The result being that a Muslim cannot have a relationship with God. This leads to a very fearful existence...one without the hope of guaranteed salvation. A Muslim puts his life in the hands of an arbitrary God...a God that demands works of faith without the assurance of heaven. This God can cast the Muslim into Jahannam (Hell) regardless of whether or not the Muslim led a devout life. A Christian, however, though he indeed "surrenders" to God, does not live as a slave. Thus the major difference between Christianity and Islam. The Christian religion is founded on the principle that a person can have a relationship with God. This leads to an existence of peace...one with the knowledge of guaranteed salvation. A Christian puts his life in the hands of a God filled with grace, a God that is not arbitrary. The Christian God, or "Jehovah", grants a Christian salvation because of his faith in God and Christ alone. Many Muslims struggle with this concept, which is truly startling, because in the bible, God granted Abraham salvation based on his faith alone. And Abraham is seen as a major prophet in Islam. Before reading this book, I suggest that you first decide what kind of God you choose to follow...one that treats you as a slave (Islam), or one that desires a relationship with you, as a Father desires a relationship with his Son (Christianity). Yes, all religions, not just Christianity and Islam, share things in common: chastity, moderation, charity, prayer...but these things alone do not make religions equal. The only purpose of religion is for man to define his relationship to God (or Gods). It's very simple then:
-In Islam, there is no relationship
-In Christianity, there is only a relationship We can talk about the similarities between Christianity and Buddhism later if you would like...
Rating:
Summary: A Troubling Book
Review: As a religious scholar, I have studied many books on world religions. Comparing religions is a tricky business, because not all religions are created equally. This is especially true of Christianity and Islam. One of the reviewers for this book stated:
"Here's how ignorance plays out. For example: Are you a Muslim?? Now let me tell you what the Arabic word "Muslim" means in English. "One who submits or surrenders to God." Now tell me whether you're a Muslim or not." The answer is, I am not a Muslim. The idea of Islamic faith is not found in the definition of the word "Muslim" alone. It is found in the fact that as a Muslim, when you submit, you become a slave to Allah. The result being that a Muslim cannot have a relationship with God. This leads to a very fearful existence...one without the hope of guaranteed salvation. A Muslim puts his life in the hands of an arbitrary God...a God that demands works of faith without the assurance of heaven. This God can cast the Muslim into Jahannam (Hell) regardless of whether or not the Muslim led a devout life. A Christian, however, though he indeed "surrenders" to God, does not live as a slave. Thus the major difference between Christianity and Islam. The Christian religion is founded on the principle that a person can have a relationship with God. This leads to an existence of peace...one with the knowledge of guaranteed salvation. A Christian puts his life in the hands of a God filled with grace, a God that is not arbitrary. The Christian God, or "Jehovah", grants a Christian salvation because of his faith in God and Christ alone. Many Muslims struggle with this concept, which is truly startling, because in the bible, God granted Abraham salvation based on his faith alone. And Abraham is seen as a major prophet in Islam. Before reading this book, I suggest that you first decide what kind of God you choose to follow...one that treats you as a slave (Islam), or one that desires a relationship with you, as a Father desires a relationship with his Son (Christianity). Yes, all religions, not just Christianity and Islam, share things in common: chastity, moderation, charity, prayer...but these things alone do not make religions equal. The only purpose of religion is for man to define his relationship to God (or Gods). It's very simple then:
-In Islam, there is no relationship
-In Christianity, there is only a relationship We can talk about the similarities between Christianity and Buddhism later if you would like...
Rating: 
Summary: important reading in these times
Review: Bill Baker, a Christian and a former college Professor of ancient history and biblical studies, manages to present in a cogent, and succinct manner the important outlines of a great religion while dismantling numerous misconceptions and outright falsehoods spoken against Islam. In a measure of his success, the book's back cover bears testimonials from two prominent American religious leaders: Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui (Islam) and Dr. Robert Schuller (Christian). Dr Baker is the founder and president of CAMP, Christians and Muslims for Peace, and he writes in the final chapter: "The only hope to resolve and end the wars and acts of hatred and intolerance between Muslims and Christians is to seek and promote dialogue, and this is precisiely the purpose and function of CAMP. Through the establishing of CAMP Chapters, Christians and Muslims meet together to discuss the greatest needs of their villages, citites, and nations. Working together, these two great religions carry out the primary command of both faiths, to take care of tht poor, the homeless, the helpless and the innocent, and to demonstrate Mercy, Compassion and Tolerance in political policies and everyday living." More people should read this book. Many Christians will be surprised to find how much of their values are shared by Muslims.
Rating: 
Summary: Free Book at Mosque
Review: Do we, Muslims and Christians of the world, really need to build a bridge between Islam and Christianity? In my opinion, It's not the aftermath of 9/11 that calls for an answer to the question and it shouldn't. However, one needs to bring to mind and heart decades and centuries of mutual understanding and coexistinace between members of the two faiths. This is why, my wife (Dr. Laila) and I, had to have this great book at times like these for better ones when PEACE governs our hearts and actions. Blessings and prayers from Mecca, Saudi Arabia Esam Mudeer
A Saudi writer
Rating:
Summary: Free Book at Mosque
Review: I got my copy free at a Mosque. Well written by a Christian Apologist for Islam. He has on p58 "God does not forgive for associating something with him; He forgives anything beside that. Anyone who gives God associates has indeed invented an awful offense" Quran 4:46 and this will be punished on the p54 "Day of Retribution and Wrath" [contrast with 'Day of Judgement'], but does not explain it. Thus praying to Jesus is a moral sin in Islam, while John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son..." The book has a useful description of Holidays and religious practices, but be wary when he discusses 'misunderstandings'. His other books "Kasmir, Happy Valley, death Valley" and "Theft of a Nation" slander Hindus and Jews.
Rating:
Summary: Abrahamic Faiths Thru Muslim Eyes
Review: Muslim Belief: How the Qur'an Fits Into Abrahamic History
Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah (God). They believe that it was dictated to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel over a 20+ year period 1400 years ago. They believe that it has Allah's personal mark of protection over it, so unlike any other religious book, it is supposed to be exactly in the same pure state it was in when it was first revealed a millennia and a half ago (the Arabic Text part anyway). And they believe that it is the "Last Testament;" that it marks the end of the Revealed Scripture from Allah and that there will be no more additions to The Book. It is now complete.
For its part, the Qur'an itself claims (written in first-person narration as the Voice of God Himself talking directly to the Prophet and sometimes to us) that it is the last part of a larger Book that came to many peoples before. It claims that this last part is the universal message for all of mankind, whereas the previous major Books, the Torah of Moses and the Gospel of Christ Jesus were only specialized, specific messages for a local population.
Now because Muslims believe that every dot, squiggle, fathah, kasra and dumma in the Qur'an is the actual Word of Allah on Earth, when they read the Old and New Testaments, the parts that back up what the Qur'an claims tend to really stand out to them in a very obvious manner; to the point where they sometimes just can't believe that Christians and Hebrews don't see it too. For example, in Sura XXVI verses 192-199 Allah says:
"Verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds:
With it came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth-
To thy heart and mind that thou mayest admonish
In the perspicuous Arabic tongue.
Without doubt it is announced in the mystic books of former peoples.
Is it not a sign to them that the learned of the Children of Israel knew it as true?
Had we revealed it to any of the non-Arabs, and had he recited it to them, they would not have believed in it."
That last part is in reference to the fact that when the high ranking Rabbis in the Hebrew tribes of Makkah and Medina heard the Qur'an recited for the first time they immediately believed in it. In Deuteronomy 18:18/34:10 they had the old prophecy of a Prophet with a book coming from their brother nation of Arabs, so they were expecting him. The Qur'an mentions elsewhere that Muhammad's coming was foretold in the previous messages, so when Muslims come across passages like that they are not surprised at all.
The Qur'an also claims that the religion of Islam that it propagates is the same religion and message that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob practiced. Hebrews and Christians dismiss this statement for seemingly obvious reasons, but in recent studies of the contents of the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls, the scholars have discovered that the message taught by James the Just from the first Christian Church as given to him by his brother Christ Jesus is the same as that taught in the Qur'an and is not the same as that taught by the Torah or even by Pauline Christianity (see The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered and James the Brother of Jesus). Muslims simply accept these findings because the Qur'an already said so, but in actually reading the Old and New Testaments the reasons for these statements again stand out obvious to them.
The Religion/Faith of God as practiced by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was called "Torath Yahve" or instruction/moral law of God. It was also practiced by Jacob's kids (especially Joseph) and his great grandson Moses. At that time the Torath Yahve had never been written down; it was always an oral message and everyone was apparently A-Okay with that.
And then came the Exodus. Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt towards the land that Allah had promised to give to the offspring of His friend Abraham. But it was not easy. They gave Moses and Aaron hell the whole step of the way. And it was by no means simply the bone-weary complaints of the traveler, no. Despite the many, many, many (and MANY) signs and wonders Allah showed them almost daily, the Children of Israel would drop God's teaching and worship idols, doubt and disobey God's word and everything. God was (literally!) always getting fed up and about to wipe them out and start over when Moses had to jump in and remind Him of the promise to Abraham, and then God would calm down. This would happen almost every week during the entire journey. And every time it happened, as punishment Allah would give the Children of Israel new strict and ever more complicated laws to follow to make up for what they were putting Him and His Apostles through. These laws not only grew longer and longer but they also got a long list of Curses that would happen to them if they didn't follow all the laws to the letter. This was the punishment for the Children of Israel for their continuous rebellion.
When they reached the edge of the Promised Land across the river Jordan, Allah told Moses to write down the Law. Thus the complex, super-strict burden of the Laws called the written Torah was born. God said it had to be written where they all could come and see it. And He prophesized through both Moses and Joshua that the Children of Israel would rebel again and annul the Abrahambric Covenant and be destroyed. Of course it did happen. The only child of Israel left is Judah who has the burden of caring for the written Torah of Moses and the oral message of the Torath Yahve which is only taught to the higher ranking Rabbi or the "...learned of the Children of Israel" as the Qur'an called them.
The Torath Yahve was not for the Children of Israel to follow, their only job was to carry it and safeguard it; they had to follow the super-strict Torah until their Messiah, the last of the Hebrew Prophets came to release them from its heavy burden and allow them to practice the far easier Torath Yahve again. Unfortunately for the Children of Israel, the spirit of rebellion was still upon them. Despite the fact that they had fulfilled the prophesy of their destruction and had been smashed down to only one remaining tribe, and the fact that they had abused the written Torah in their safekeeping and taken on all kinds of wicked, selfish practices they still suffered under the illusion that they were Allah's chosen people. So it was no surprise at all that when their Messiah did come to release them from their centuries old burden, they rejected him because he didn't aid and abet the foul practices they had grown into. They tried to kill him and cursed themselves further.
The Messiah of the Children of Israel was none other than Jesus, son of Mary. He told them that he alone held the key to their salvation; that if they didn't go through him and receive the guidance of the Torath Yahve then they had to remain under every tot and tittle the Torah demanded of them. Jesus said that the secret to getting to heaven is to keep the commandments. Muslims recognize that the concept of the Divine, Son-of-God Jesus came completely out of the imagination of Paul and is not to be taken seriously. Because the gentiles of 2000 years ago were already worshipping beings similar to Paul's Divine Jesus, plus the fact that some of the Hebrews still had that idol-worshipping rebellious spirit upon them, it really comes as no surprise to Muslims that they took Paul's ideas and ran with them with enthusiasm.
Jesus told his twelve companions that he could not stay and spread the Gospel amongst the world-wide community; that wasn't his job. His message was only for the lost sheep of the Children of Israel. If he stayed then the Spirit of Truth couldn't come to give all of mankind the universal message.
Now three points stand out about that last part when Muslims read it. First, the Qur'an said that previous messages (including Jesus') were local, so that is confirmation to them. Second, Muslims know that the reason Islam spread so rapidly in the very beginning of its message among those who knew Muhammad best, was because his nicknames were "Spirit of Truth," "Truthful One" from when he was a very small boy. His wife Khadijah proposed to him because of his upright morality and uncompromising honesty. Third, Muslims remember that there were two Christians in Muhammad's history who told him that they were expecting another prophet because of Jesus' prophesy. It's only been very recently that Christians have been interpreting "Spirit of Truth" and "Comforter" as the Holy Spirit, an aspect of Allah's manifestation in human lives that even the Old Testament gives ample evidence of having already been here.
When the Dead Sea Scroll scholars discovered that the Torath Yahve of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was the same message that the Children of Israel were safeguarding as their sacred oral tradition, which was the same message that Jesus was trying to exchange for the Torah with God's mercy, which was the same message the Christ gave to his younger brother James the Just who taught it in the first Church of Jerusalem, which is an identical message to the Holy Qur'an, Muslims merely see what they knew all along.
So with this information and a more detailed insight into how Muslims see Islam fitting into the Abrahamic Religious History perhaps you can be even more effective in your ministry approaches. You're welcome.
Rating:
Summary: Understanding Islam rather than condemning blindly
Review: William W. Baker has written a clear and concise text that calls for both Christians and Muslims to better understand the similarities and shared historical origins of each other's great faiths to reach a common ground that will provide for a better working relationship to meet the challenges facing the societies where the practioners of both religions coexist. As a Christian theologian, Baker understands that there are differences between Islam and Christianity, but these differences do not warrant tensions and hostilities between peoples. He provides a brief but poignant presentation of the historical foundation of Islam and its relationship to the other monotheistic faiths, Judaism and Christianity, whose scriptures it has embraced.(p) Baker's main emphasis and hope throughout the book is for the reader to enhance his understanding of the need for a common ground between Christians and Muslims because of shared origins and beliefs and to use this knowledge to do further investigation on how stereotypes and misperceptions that currently exist between the two pepoles may be overcome. This is certainly a must read for everyone interested in building a society based on trust and respect for the constructive values of each other's religious beliefs.
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