Why could Pope John Paul II pray in a mosque?

Question

This article here

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1162385930696&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE

says that Pope John Paul II could pray in a mosque because:

"[Christians] believe in one God, but that one God is understood in a different way"... (three parts - God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) ..."to the way Muslims believe in Allah (which is, after all, the Arabic name for this one God).

That is why, for example, Pope John Paul II, the leader of the world's Roman Catholics who died in 2005, and the Grand Mufti of Syria could pray together in the Great Mosque of Damascus. They were praying to the same God but had different ideas about what that God was like."

I am still not clear on this. What was the man who wrote the article talking about? Is Allah like the whole trinity or just God the Father (since in the Quran it does not say that God had a son).

I hope you can understand what I am asking?

Answer 1

There is no concept of the trinity in Islam. Instead the Islamic concept of God is summed up in this short Surah from the Qur'an:

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

1. Say: He, Allah, is One.

2. Allah is he on Whom all depend.

3. He begets not, nor is He begotten.

4. And none is like Him.

God in Islam is the creator of all things. He is one and is not divided into parts. Think back to the concept of God that Abraham, Moses and other prophets of the Old Testament had. God was one. He had no son, not did he have a father. He was the creator of all things.

The concept of the trinity is a relatively new idea. It was not completely settled upon until the Council of Nicea. Before the Council, many different groups had different ideas about God, Jesus and the relationship between the two. Some groups thought as mainstream Christianity does now, with the trinity, but at the time, they were a minority. Other groups, such as the Arians, thought that Jesus was God, but a separate and lesser god than the Father. Still others thought that Jesus was only a prophet and not divine. When the trinity was chosen as official doctrine, these groups were persecuted as heretics. This is why many of these religious ideas are not seen today.

From a Muslim point of view, the trinity is a corruption of faith. Seeing Jesus as divine is seen, to Muslims, as confusing the messenger with the sender of the message. Jesus is seen as a prophet who was said to be divine after his death against his will. In fact, Jesus never clearly states in the Bible that he is God. The term "son of God" was also used by David and Solomon. The trinity is seen as a innovation that has corrupted the true concept of God. Christians however, are still seen as believers because even if their idea of God is confused, they still worship God.

From a Christian point of view, Muslims worship God, but they reject the divinity of one of his parts. In a way, this can be seen as worshiping the Father, but rejecting the son.

The point is though, that both the Muslim and Christian concepts of God are based on God himself, the God of Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, John, Jesus and, if you take the Muslim view, Muhammad (pbutm). The controversy is not over which is God, but which is the best way to understand God.

Hope I helped.

Answer 2

Jews, Christians, and Muslims all worship the God of Abraham.

Christians, in accepting the New Testament and Apostolic Teaching, have come to believe that the God of Abraham is the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Jews and Muslims although believing in the one true God do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity.

God is everywhere (except maybe in Hell) and Christians are call to pray at all times. Therefore I see no problem with the Pope or any other Christian praying in a mosque, temple, or any other place in the known universe.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Christians, Jews, and Muslims consider Abraham a "father in faith" and worship the same God that Abraham worshipped.

Christians have a fuller understanding of who God is. Christians (which of course, include Catholics) know that God is know in three persons - The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is one God, but he is in three "persons".

Jews and Muslims do not recognize that Jesus Christ is God incarnate.

Put in VERY simplistic terms, Jews and Muslims believe in God the Father, but do not believe in God the Son or God the Holy Spirit as separate persons in the one God.

Answer 4

The rationale of the article is incorrect.

Of course it's not the same god.

The Pope can pray in a mosque because he believes the god he believes in is everywhere - why shouldn't he pray in a mosque or a temple or battlefield? As silverbird says

Answer 5

same god prayed to .. different idea about him
it don't really matter where you pray as long as you pray .. because the person receiving them [god] is the same .. only thing is Christians call him trinity .. god . holy spirit. .. whereas the Muslims call him Allah [ one true god ]
read the Quran ... preferably a Quran translated based upon shite teachings ... or .. a translated one .. or .. read the bible

Answer 6

This is confusing for some-but catholicism is not necessarily Christian. Yes, the early Christian church did 'evolve' into the catholic church. And, many catholics are Christian. But, catholicism left Christianity long ago. They will probably never return.

Answer 7

I thought prayers were to a god, not a building. Why does it matter where you are?

Answer 8

MUSLIM'S BELEIVE IN 1 GOD NO SON ALLAH IS ONE HE HAS NO PARTNER I HOPE THT HELPS

Answer 9

whoops did I say Hi !!! again ?

Answer 10

hhhmmmmmmmm....

Thats a hard one!


sorry! don't know!