Conflict between religion and science part 3

The greatest split between the church and science since Galileo  was with the publication of Charles Darwin's book called On the Origin of Species in 1859.  Many Christians were shocked by the idea that man evolved from the ape.  That they were not created in God's imagine as interpreted from the bible.

Again the bible is take very literally.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Adam was flesh and blood and the bible tells us that God is spirit and exists without a body.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

In Latin the image of God is imago dei and that refers to the immaterial party of humanity.  It
sets humans apart from animals.  It helps humans to estables a bond with God.  The likeness is mentally, morally and socially.

Genesis  1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Mentally, humanity was created as a rational, volitional agent. In other words, human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.

Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image.

Every time someone marries, makes a friend, hugs a child, or attends church, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God.

Part of being made in God’s image is that we have the capacity to make free choices.

Adam’s body did mirror the life of God insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death, until Adam and Eve made an evil choice to rebel against their Creator. In so doing, they marred the image of God within themselves, and passed that damaged likeness on to all of their descendants.

Romans 5:12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

The argument still rages to this day, although the weight of evidence is overwhelmingly in favour and very few biologists now question the basic idea of evolution.

However, some Christians - those who believe that God created the world as described in Genesis – have called for Creationism or “Intelligent Design” to be taught alongside evolutionary biology in school science lessons.

The Church of England issued a posthumous apology to Darwin last year, saying that it showed too much “anti-evolutionary fervour” when his book was published.

Conflict between religion and science 2

Man's quest for knowledge is timeless. 
 where man came from.  How the earth was created.  How the animals and plants came into existence. There is so much that is not known.  It would be so simple just to believe what the bible tells us.  God created earth and everything on it and on the 7 day he rested.

The problem is not in the believe that God created the earth in 6 days but how people take the bible so literally. For example that each day was 24 hours.

The bible in fact does not mention the age of the earth.

How the bible was used to date the earth.

James Ussher a Bishop took the genealogies of Genesis and used it to arrive at a date for when the earth was first created.  That was Sunday, October 23, 4004 B.C.

It was taken for granted that the genealogies was completed. Recording the entire course of human existence and that the days were exactly 24 hours.

If this was so then it would mean that the earth came into existence  a full thousand years after the domestication of the guinea pig.

If we look at Genesis 1, there are two days of the 6 that stand out.  This is what is said in Genesis for the third day.

Then God said, "Let the earth sprout, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:11-12)

God did not plant fullgrown  plants.  God created seeds which he planted.  This we can gather from the word sprout.  Since fruit trees take several years to mature and produce fruit, the third "day" must have been at least several years long.

The sixth day was also a very busy "day." On the sixth day, God created the nephesh (soulish) animals, including the wild animals (carnivores), cattle (herbivores) and "creeping things" (rodents?) (Genesis 1:25).

Then God created Adam, the first man (Genesis 1:27, 2:7). He placed the man into a special garden that He had planted (Genesis 2:8). Again, God was playing farmer by planting the garden and letting it grow (Genesis 2:9). Adam was placed into the garden "to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). We don't know how long Adam worked the garden before God gave him another assignment.

However, it wouldn't have been much "work" if Adam was there for less than 24 hours. Next, God had Adam give names to "all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air" (Genesis 2:19). The process would have required Adam naming tens of thousands of species (minimum). Even naming one animal every ten seconds would have taken Adam several days, at minimum.

Then God put Adam to sleep and created Eve from part of Adam's side (Genesis 2:22-23). Adam's response to Eve's creation is also telling, since upon seeing Eve for the first time, Adam said "at last."  This is not exactly the response one would have expected from a man who had waited for less than one day (or else Adam was the most impatient man in the history of humanity). So, we must conclude that the sixth day was much longer than 24 hours, and probably took at least several years, based on Adam's response.

Besides the biblical evidence that at least some of the Genesis "days" are long periods of time, Genesis 2:4 refers to all 6 days of creation as one day:


Scientists
Radio dating using lead ores suggests the Earth is around 4.54 billion years old, while the age of the Universe has been put at around 13.7 billion years. This has been established partly by looking through powerful telescopes at distant stars; the Hubble Space Telescope’s Deep Field Image shows galaxies over 13 billion light years away, in the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

Scientists never wanted to threaten religious believes.  Scientists look for evidence to support their theories and religion believers look for things to support what they think are the true answers.  As a result scientist have provoked hostility and panic from the religious believers.

When Edwin Hubble proved the existence of an expanding universe, the evidence was so convincing and the conclusion so irrefutable that it became the domain of common sense.

When Charles Darwin recognized evolution through natural selection, the unambiguous utility of its application to all facets of the natural world gave us a tantalizing avenue to pursue our origins.

With the Big Bang, evolution, and a wealth of other knowledge-based advances, science has inadvertently forced the reinterpretation of religion in places where its dogma is in conflict with overt truth

Religionists believe that God created earth in 6 days without sufficient evidence.  All they actually got to work with is the bible.

Religious people find it difficult to  believe in anything else that proves a contradiction in what they have been lead to believe.  It's in the bible so it must be gospel.

God, religious believers and scientists - the conflict

I have read that science and religion cannot coexist and I don't understand this.  Why the hell not. God is all powerful and he created all, therefore he created the scientists also. God gave us the intelligence to think and question.  Why is scientists and religious believers in conflict over so many things?  Evolution for instance.  Is God who was supposed to created everything not strong enough to create evolution?

Are the conflicts due to the fact that man gets so comfortable with how they were taught to think, so when new discoveries are  found by scientist it shakes the foundation of everything that they were taught.  Is this not a condratiction in the believe that with God all things are possible?

Mathew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I went to a Catholic school for most of my schooling and religion is based on blind trust.  To question things is a sign that one is not very devoted to ones religion. I must say something for those few Nuns that taught at the school.  The Nuns never forced their religious believes on their students and as a result there were students of other religions attending that school.

Jesus taught in parables.  He taught in such a manner that all that heard him could understand.  Is the bible also not written in this fashion?

A parable is like a riddle written as a story that compares two things one of which you understand and the other you're trying to understand.

The Bible has plenty of parables, mysteries and riddles waiting for you to discover in the way that you learn best.

When the disciples asked Jesus why did He talk to the people in parables this is what He said:

Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Some people believe this means only the chosen can understand the mysteries of God.

I have read that science is thought by some that it  is a religion. There is no blind worshipping in science just a life time didication  to find out why and how.  Many break throughs in science has saved many lives.

Francis Collins is the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In a 2007 book about the intersection between science and faith, Collins described how he converted from atheism to Christianity and attempts to argue that the idea of a Christian God is compatible with Darwin's theory of evolution.

"I have found there is a wonderful harmony in the complementary truths of science and faith. The God of the Bible is also also the God of the genome. God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God's majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.

If people are so accepting why are there so many different religions out there.  The bible is open to many different interpretation and if people did not like how religion was taught they just changed over to another religion.  Just like to day if we not happy with our cellular provide we can move to another and even keep the same cell phone number.  Move over to a new religion and still keep the same God.  The thing is we accept things as factual only if it suits us and confirms what we think its right but if it should challenge our believes we bail out and find something else that supports our believes.

The question that I have asked and nobody can answer.  What religion did God follow?  God did not follow or create a religion.  God created man and man made religion.  In fact God hated religion.

Isaac 1:13 It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins.

In the story of Adam and Eve, it was a snake that intised Eve to eat the apple  from the tree of knowledge.  Man already not taking responsibility for his own actions?  This part of the bible teaches  us how sin first originated.  What is so bad in eating the apple?  It was a direct command from God not to eat the apple.

Another verse in the bible which was taken very literally and therefore does not fit with evolution.

Genesis 2:22 Then the LORD God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.

Extracts taking from this site
http://discovermagazine.com/1995/sep/darwinsrib561

I challenge them; tell me how a human female skeleton differs anatomically from a male.

The male and female skeletons I display are exemplary in their difference, and since most students should be able to guess what that difference is if they don’t already know, I usually feel confident that the final answer is a giveaway. I say usually because seven years ago, the first time I taught the course, I got a surprising answer that still crops up with
 alarming regularity. Five minutes into the lab period, a young woman announced that she could answer the question without even examining the human skeletons.

I waited silently for her to explain that the female pelvis is shaped slightly differently from the male’s, with a larger opening for childbearing. That part was the giveaway. The real purpose of the exercise was to make her prove her conjecture with measurements--to translate the theory to practice. I also wanted her to explain why this sexual dimorphism--that is, this sexually determined physical difference--is not nearly so pronounced in nonhuman primates, such as chimpanzees.

She spoke: Males have one fewer pair of ribs than females.

I was totally unprepared for her answer. My mandible dropped. After a moment’s reflection, I realized she must be referring to the biblical story in which God creates Eve from one of Adam’s ribs. My student was someone who believed in the literal truth of the Bible, and it was her religious belief, not her previous knowledge of human anatomy, that made her so sure of her answer. This was going to be a challenge.

Nobody knows for sure how many ribs that God created Adam with.  It is a know fact that ribs comes in pairs.  That a normal human is born with 12 sets of ribs but humans have been born with an extra pair of ribs or even born with less ribs.  Is this to be taken as another parable.  Told in such a way that it was easy to understand?  With discoveries made by scientist humans have been around much longer than the 6 thousand years, according to the bible.

Scientist have not yet proven the exsistance of God and at the same time they have not proven that God did not exsist. 51% of scientist do believe in God which is more than the rest of the population all over the world.  More people are not believing in God these days.

The age of God
In fact, the Bible is clear that God has always existed. There has never been a time when He didn’t exist and there will never be a time when He stops existing. “Before the mountains were brought forth…Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God,” the psalmist wrote (Psalm 90:2).

Why should religion have an impact on a relationship?

Why should religion have an impact on a relationship?  People should respect other people’s believes.  People in a relationship should have a clear understanding of how and why their partner’s faith is important to them.  Like all subjects, religion, people should be able to discuss with their partner’s why their faith matters to them, and how it effects their life’s

Religion choices are usually dictated to us by our parents.  Whatever religion our parents adopted, is the religion we will follow.  How our parents handled their religion would be how we would. 

I look how religion affected me growing up.  My father placed no value on religion, but he always respected my mother’s religion. My mother’s religion was Methodist at first; I guess that is the religion that her parents followed.  As time went on, it was the Catholic Church that inspired my mother. It was the Catholic priest that took the time to visit my mother, in hospital, when she was a little girl.  Let me explain my mother’s life for you, so you can have a better understanding.

When my mother was about three years old, she got polio, in those days, many children died.  The doctors did not know about polio in those days, that muscles affected by the illness could be kept alive by the simple method of keep those affected muscles warm.  My mother was in hospital for a very long time.  Many times they thought she would die.  She went through many operations, where they cut out the dead muscles.  They put her in a body cast.  She could only lie on her back and stare at the ceiling.  Her mother taught her to read at the age of four.  The Catholic priest also visited my mother, for the priest, my mother’s religion had no bearing on his visits.  He saw a little girl that needed attention.  I know that the priest never tried to convert my mother.

Later on in my mother’s life, the Catholic priest came back into her life.  Again the priest came and just talked to my mother.  My mother was in a wheel chair, and could not drive a car.  The few friends my mother had were amazing; they would come and fetch her and take her to their house, or take her to have her hair done.  My mother was not always in a wheelchair, she wore catapults on both legs, with special shoes attached to the bottom of them.  One day the dog, jumped up at her, she fall and useable muscles in her legs were damaged. 

My parents were not rich people, and for a while my mother got around on a piano stool, that had wheels on the legs.  You know coming to think of it, I never gave it a thought how my parents took care of us children.  They send us to a Catholic Convent, not because of the religion, but because it was a private school and the education level was much higher than the government schools.  The sacrifices they made for us.

My father had no religion; he never took my mother to church.  The visits from the priest, the kindness he showed her.  This is what convinced my mother to change her religion, and become a Catholic.  The priest would come once a week and hold a mass for her.

My mother insisted that all her children convert also.  Even though we all went to a catholic school, we were never made to take part in the religion lessons or attend church.  I never gave it one minute thought about converting, religion had never played a part in my life before, and I just went with what my mother wanted.

When my eldest daughter was born and I wanted to have her baptised in the Catholic Church.  There was no opening for to be baptised for a while.  They were booked for a while with christenings.  As soon as the priest learned that I was a single mother, he arranged for my daughter to be baptised immediately.  This is something I did not like about the Catholic Church; they believe that the child is born with the sins of the parents.  I had a hard time in understanding this belief.  Though I think it came from Adam and Eve, when sin was first brought to this earth that all babies would then be born with sins, because of Adam and Eve.

When my second daughter was born several years later, I never got her baptised in the Catholic Church.  I was much older then, and I decided, I will let my children decide what religion they would follow.

Today, both my daughters today don’t follow any religion or go to church.  They are good people, and have very good values, and personally I feel this is all that one needs these days.

I, myself don’t follow or practise religion.  Yes, I do believe in God and try and live my life the way God wants me to.  When I look at people that practise and follow a religion, my heart grows heavy with sadness.  You would think that because these people do have a religion, they would be better people.  Not so, it seems that they don’t practice what is preached to them.  Hurting other people and not helping others, seems to be the trend these days.  People lack of compassion for others, they hold grudges and rarely do they forgive another people.

There is no religion that is better than another religion.  Why religion could have an impact on others, not because of the religion itself, but because of the way religion is practised by individuals.  Those few individuals that actually practised what is the bible:  practise their religion by going out and doing good deeds, these people inspire others to follow their certain religion.

Oh how I hate those people, that don’t even practise their own religion, and then they make such an issue of theirs partner’s religion, because it different from their own.  All of a sudden religion matters to them? Why?  It’s beyond my understanding.  If your partner has a different religion and you don’t even follow your own, why must this become a problem?  Even if people did follow their religion, have very strong beliefs, why must this be a problem?

Explore your own religious identity.  . Take the time to remember your past – your childhood, your family, the moment you decided to pursue your faith regardless of what your parents or friends told you to do. Have you had any life-changing religious experiences? After reflecting and remembering these things, take a serious inventory of life as it is now. Find the most important aspects of your faith, the practices that mean the most to you, and the “deal-breakers” you have, if any.

Once both people in a relationship have examined their religious identities, it’s time for discussion. While discussions about religion can be uncomfortable, emotional, and downright antagonistic at times, letting these issues simmer will only cause trouble. In that regard, it’s no different from other potentially difficult issues. Unlike some other issues, religious differences can take a longer time to resolve.

Another useful thing to do is to separate your culture and your religion. Are you attached to a practice because you remember it fondly from your upbringing, or because your faith is a part of that practice? Prayers before bed, coming of age ceremonies, and more are often regarded as religious activities. They are often still practiced by people who do not consider themselves very religious. It’s important to know where you stand. If your diet or your morning routine is things you’ve done all your life but don’t impact your beliefs, could you give them up for the sake of the relationship? Or, do you truly believe those things are necessary for your spiritual growth?

Realize that if a compromise is reached, it must be one that will not cause either partner to resent the other. Having core beliefs challenged is difficult for everybody – remember that in conversation about these issues. You’re in a relationship with your partner for a reason. Remembering why you love them in the difficult moments will bring you back to a healthy, non-destructive perspective. Though hard, it is possible to have honest anger or frustration while still loving somebody. Our culture demonizes anger, but healthy couples understand how to express it without harming their partner.

When you discuss the differences in religion, share the stories you took the time to remember and reflect upon. As Mr Rogers, perhaps the kindest and wisest man America has seen, said, “It’s hard not to like somebody once you know their story.” Sometimes the people we love are the hardest people to like. You may discover a new facet of your partner that is beautiful and strong. It may not be easy to understand, and you may have a hard time relating to it, but spiritual intimacy adds new depth to a relationship. You knew before how they relate to you, but now you can see how they relate to God, the universe, or the world in a more accurate way. It may amaze you.

The Muslim Religion - Islam

Islam is a religion that began in the 17th century. Muhammad is their profit. The Muslims follow the teachings of the Qur’an and strive to keep the five Pillars.


The History of Islam
The angel Gabriel visited Muhammad. The angel Gabriel revealed the words of Allah too Muhammad, for about 23 years until Muhammad’s death. Allah is the Arabic word for “God” used by the Muslims.

These revelations are known as the Qur’an, Islam’s holy book.
These dictated revelations compose the Qur'an, Islam's holy book. Islam means “submission,” deriving from a root word that means “peace.” The word Muslim means “one who submits to Allah.”

It shows respect when Muslims put “peace be upon him” or “sallallahu alayhi wasallam” when mentioning Muhammad.



The Doctrine of Islam
Muslims summarize their doctrine in six articles of faith:
Belief in one Allah: Muslims believe Allah is one, eternal, creator, and sovereign.
Belief in the angels.
Belief in the prophets which include the biblical prophets. Muhammad is the last prophet.
Belief in the revelations of Allah: Muslims accept certain portions of the Bible, such as the Torah and the Gospels. They believe the Qur'an is the pre-existent, perfect word of Allah.
Belief in the “last day of judgment”, and the “hereafter”: Everyone will be resurrected for judgment into either paradise or hell.
Belief in predestination: Muslims believe Allah has decreed everything that will happen. Muslims testify to Allah’s sovereignty with their frequent phrase, inshallah, meaning, “if God wills.”

The Five Pillars of Islam
These five tenets compose the framework of obedience for Muslims:

1. The testimony of faith - there is only one God 

2. Prayer (salat): Five ritual prayers must be performed every day.
3. Giving (zakat): This almsgiving is a certain percentage given once a year.
4. Fasting (sawm): Muslims fast during Ramadan in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

   They must not eat or drink from dawn until sunset.
5. Pilgrimage (hajj): If physically and financially possible, a Muslim must make the pilgrimage to Mecca     in Saudi Arabia at least once. The hajj is performed in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

A Muslim's entrance into paradise hinges on obedience to these Five Pillars. Still, Allah may reject them. Even Muhammad was not sure whether Allah would admit him to paradise (Surah 46:9; Hadith 5.266).

The Testimony of Faith

The testimony of faith (shahada): “la ilaha illa allah. Muhammad rasul Allah.” This means, “There

is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” A person can convert to Islam by             stating this creed. The shahada shows that a Muslim believes in Allah alone as deity and believes 

that Muhammad reveals Allah.  This is the first pillar.

Prayers

The saying of prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has attained to the age of discretion. It is said five times a day as follows:

1. Salat al-Fajr, or the morning prayer, is said after dawn and before sunrise.

2. Salat al-Zuhr, or the early afternoon prayer, is said when the sun begins to decline, and its

    time extends till the next prayer. On Fridays, the Friday service takes the place of this prayer.

3. Salat al-`Asr, or the late afternoon prayer, is said when the sun is about midway on its course 

    to setting, and its time extends to a little before it actually sets.

4. Salat al-Maghhrib, or the sunset prayer, is said immediately after the sun sets.

5. Salat al-`Isha, or the early night prayer, is said when the red glow in the west disappears, and its time extends to midnight. But it must be said before going to bed.  This is the second pillar.

Compulsory Charity - Zakat

Charity is not just recommended by Islam, it is required of every financially stable Muslim.  Giving charity to those who deserve it is part of Muslim character.  Zakat is viewed as "compulsory charity"; it is an obligation for those who have received their wealth from God to respond to those members of the community in need.  Devoid of sentiments of universal love, some people know only to hoard wealth and to add to it by lending it out on interest.  Islam’s teachings are the very antithesis of this attitude.  Islam encourages the sharing of wealth with others and helps people to stand on their own and become productive members of the society

In Arabic it is known as zakat which literally means "purification", because zakat is considered to purify one’s heart of greed.  This is the third pillar.

Ramadan

Ramadan in 2016 will start on Monday, the 6th of June and will continue for 30 days until Tuesday, the 5th of July. Note that in the Muslim calender, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Sunday, the 5th of June

What is Ramadan

Muslims all over the world abstain from all food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours (such as smoking or sex). Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking; it is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-discipline and sacrifice.

Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits -- essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for "fasting" (sawm) literally means "to refrain" - and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.  Ramadan is one of the fourth pillars of Islam.  

Pilgrimage
Hajj - Pilgrimage To Mecca

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so.

Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.

The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, unsown white garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).

The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a festival, called Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere

Eid-al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) in Qatar

Eid-al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr, Eid ul-Fitr, Id-Ul-Fitr, Eid) is the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. It marks the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and prayer. Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity in the form of food) during Eid al-Fitr.

Many Muslims attend communal prayers and listen to a khutba or sermon on the first day of the month of Shawwal. These prayers are held outside or in large venues, such as sports arenas, in some places. Many Muslims may travel far to participate in these activities. Some communities organize different festivities, such as communal meals or events for children, on this day.
If a Muslim has not given zakat al-fitr during Ramadan, he or she can give this on Eid-al-Fitr. Zakat al-fitr is a form of charity consisting of a quantity of food, such as barley, dates, raisins or wheat flour, or its monetary equivalent given to the poor. Many Muslims may also prepare festive meals to share, wear new clothes, visit relatives and give presents or candy to children. Cards can also be sent, often featuring the words “Eid Mubbarak” (blessed Eid).

The Islamic Calender
The Islamic calendar is quite different from the one we use in the West. It begins, not with the birth of Christ, but with the Hijra, the day Muhammad "emigrated" from Mecca to Medina to set up his new social order. Muslims date everything from that event, usually considered to correspond to September 20th, 622 in the Gregorian calendar.

Then, the Hijri calendar is lunar, and not solar like the Gregorian calendar. The Qur'an stipulates (10:5) that the new moon be used to mark the first day of each month. Since the average interval between new moons is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds, the lunar months alternate between 29 and 30 days in length. Any given month will have 29 days some years and 30 days in others. The new moon must also be visually sighted for the new month to start; mathematical calculation is not valid. 

Because of this requirement one can never be sure in advance precisely when the month of Ramadan will begin and one should start fasting. Because of this, although the Islamic lunar year has 12 months, it has only 354 days on an average. The Qur'an (9:36-37) forbids the periodic insertion of a 13th month to keep it in line with the solar year. Hence, the Islamic calendar travels backward through the solar calendar about 11 days per year, returning to the same solar time in about 33 lunar years. Thus, 33 lunar years equal 32 solar years.
The names of the Islamic months in numerical order are:
1 - Muharram
2 - Safar
3 - 1st Rabi`
4 - 2nd Rabi`
5 - 1st Jamadi
6 - 2nd Jamad
7 - Rajabi
8 - Sha`ban
9 - Ramadan (Fast month)
10 - Shawwal
11 - Dhul-Qu`da
12 - Dhul-Hijja (Pilgrimage month)

Friday noon is the one time in the week Muslims must worship together at the mosque, but Friday is not a day of rest. In recent years, however, many Muslim countries have adopted the Western practice of closing offices one day in seven, and some have opted for Friday instead of Sunday

An Evaluation of Islam
Compared to Christianity, Islam has some similarities but significant differences. Like Christianity, Islam is monotheistic. However, Muslims reject the Trinity—that God has revealed Himself as one in three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Muslims claim that Jesus was one of the most important prophets—not God’s Son. Islam asserts that Jesus, though born of a virgin, was created like Adam. Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross. They do not understand why Allah would allow His prophet Isa (the Islamic word for "Jesus") to die a torturous death. Yet the Bible shows how the death of the perfect Son of God was essential to pay for the sins of believers (Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16; 14:6; 1 Peter 2:24).

Islam teaches that the Qur'an is the final authority and the last revelation of Allah. The Bible, however, was completed in the first century with the Book of Revelation. The Bible warns against anyone adding to or subtracting from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Galatians 1:6-12; Revelation 22:18). The Qur’an, as a claimed addition to God’s Word, directly disobeys God’s command.

Muslims believe that paradise can be earned through keeping the Five Pillars. The Bible, in contrast, reveals that sinful man can never measure up to the holy God (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Only by God’s grace may sinners be saved through repentant faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Because of these essential differences and contradictions, Islam and Christianity cannot both be true. The Bible and Qur’an cannot both be God’s Word. The truth has eternal consequences.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-4; see also John 3:35-36).

Things that Jews, Muslims and Christians have in common

Abraham is the father of the three faiths, Jews, Muslims and Christians.  Abraham is not the only spiritual commonality these faiths share.

One God

The Muslim believe in one God, called Allah in Arabic.  The root of this Arabic word for God is identical to the root of the Jewish word for God.

The Jews believe in one God.  Names of God in Judaism. The name of God used most often in the Hebrew Bible is the Tetragrammaton YHWH (Hebrew: יהוה‎). It is frequently anglicized as Jehovah and Yahweh and written in most editions of the Bible as "the Lord" owing to the Jewish tradition of reading it as Adonai ("My Lords") out of respect.

The Christians believe in one God.  God has many names mentioned in the Bible. It would be a blog on its on.

All three religious groups believe that there is only one God

Divine Assistance

Christians take seriously these words of Jesus: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7); "Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28); "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours" (Mark 11:24).

Jewish history, as recorded in the Old Testament, views such divine intervention or assistance as a given. The Passover angel, Red Sea parting and manna from heaven are but a few examples of what God has done for them in the past, is doing right now and will continue to do in the future.
Psalm 88 reflects that confidence: "O Lord, my God, by day I cry out; at night I clamour in your presence. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my call for help" (Psalm 88:2-3).

The Muslim prayer of supplication can be equally intense, but more general in its direction. These petitions focus rather on submission to the will of the Beneficent and Merciful One. They ask for divine help to stay the course, for guidance and for aid following Allah's plan during the midst of adversity.

All three religious groups believe that God comes to our assistance, and their members pray accordingly.

Daily Prayer

A practicing Jewish person is expected to utter acclamations of praise or a berakah prayer at least 100 times daily. A brief exclamation, "Blessed are you, Lord," acknowledges with adoration and gratitude the major and minor gifts from God received each day: for example, sleep and water, air and food, friends and work, health and medicine, a rainbow and a sunset.
An invocation before eating and a gathering with several others for small-group daily prayer in the synagogue are likewise common elements of the Jewish tradition.

Muslims must pray five times a day with each prayer requiring five to 10 minutes. These occur at dawn, afternoon, later afternoon, following sunset and at night.
The prayer is recited facing Makkah or Mecca, the sacred spot where Muslims maintain that the Angel Gabriel first spoke to Muhammad. The believer kneels on a prayer mat, if possible, with forehead touching the ground. The posture and words convey a sense of submission, adoration and trust.

Christians who follow the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours pray seven times a day as the Psalm
suggests. This covers the Office of Readings, Morning, Evening and Night Prayer, plus three brief Daytime Prayers. Others probably observe a more informal pattern of morning and evening prayers with a grace, blessing or prayer before meals.

All three religious groups have a shared value of daily prayer.


Weekly Worship

Muslims the day of the week is Friday

Jews the day of the week is Saturday

Christians the day of the week is Sunday

All three religious groups observe a weekly day set aside for public prayer


Fasting

Christians, following the example of Jesus who fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, recognize the need for some fasting or self-denial in their lives. In the early centuries, Wednesdays and Fridays were generally observed as days of fast.
In more contemporary times, the Lenten season from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday is the extended period (40 days, if you count only weekdays) of Christian self-denial. That generic type of fasting takes many forms, but has as its purpose to recall the sufferings of Jesus and to purify or prepare our hearts for the Resurrection.

Jewish persons practice a strict and total fast on Yom Kippur, the major holy day in the fall, with no eating or drinking from sundown to sundown. They do it for reconciliation or cleansing from personal sins or misdeeds. Many also fast in August on Tisha B'av, in mournful memory of the Temple's destruction.

Muslims fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is based on lunar calculations.
The Ramadan fast makes Christian or Jewish fasts seem like child's play. For the Muslim, the fast begins with a light meal before daybreak, then no water, food or drink until after sunset. Moreover, during that time there is to be no sexual intercourse, tobacco, backbiting or lying.
Ramadan is for Muslims a long, hard month. Nevertheless, the fast helps them to obey God, be more sensitive to the sufferings of others, develop self-discipline and appreciate their unity with all other Muslims fasting at the same time in similar fashion.

All three religious group fast.

Almsgiving

The following words of Jesus in Matthew 25 can make any Christian uncomfortable. I was, he observes, hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill and in prison, but you did not care for me. "What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me" (25:45).
In response, Christians try to share a portion of their time, talent and treasure with others, especially the poor, sometimes giving to individuals and sometimes channeling contributions to group efforts. For example, at our Syracuse Cathedral, an emergency center provides nearly 500 households each month with food donated by several local parishes. For a dozen years now, volunteer laypersons have funded and staffed a program that provides a hot breakfast every Wednesday to about 100 homeless men. The church subsidizes at great expense our school whose student body is mostly non-Catholic, black and drawn from below-poverty-level-income homes.

Muslims would applaud this almsgiving. The Prophet said, "He is not a believer who eats his fill while his neighbor remains hungry by his side." Every Muslim has the duty to pay a specified tax, the proceeds of which are used for good causes or for the poor.
These alms can be given directly, but Muslims are encouraged to give secretly. That prevents the giver from feeling superior and the poor person from being embarrassed.

Jewish persons likewise approve of such sharing with others. Early sections of the Hebrew Scriptures remind the Chosen People of their obligation to care for landless and thus poor persons—especially widows, orphans and strangers. A local rabbi, following that injunction, co-chairs the interfaith fund-raiser in Syracuse and dishes out food for a project that feeds a hot meal each afternoon to 200 homeless people.

All three religious groups support almsgiving.



Holy places

Muslim - Ten Things Muslims Must do During the Mecca Pilgrimage. In the largest gathering of people in the world, over two million Muslim pilgrims make the annual journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia each year.

Jews - While Solomon's Temple stood, Jerusalem was the centre of the Jewish religious life and the site of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, and all adult men who were able were required to visit and offer sacrifices (korbanot) at the Temple.

Christians - Pilgrims are eager to visit the Holy Land and follow the footsteps of Christ and his apostles. Most of the pilgrimage sites are listed as World Heritage Sites, such as the Old City of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela in Spain, a symbol of Spanish Christians' struggle against Muslims. Pilgrims, especially those who take the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, travel on foot to reach their destination.

All three religious groups go on pilgrimages

Holy Book

Jews - The Hebrew Scriptures, referred to by Christians as the Old Testament, are called the TANAKH

Muslims - The Qur'an is the holy book for Muslims

Christians - The Christian holy book is the Bible

All three religious group have a holy book.

Abraham

Jews hold Abraham close to their hearts.

Christians hold Abraham close to their hears

Muslims hold Abraham close to their hearts

All three religious groups hold Abraham in great esteem.

Jesus and Mary

Muslims speak of both Jesus and Mary with reverence and respect. They believe that Allah or God gave revelations not only to Abraham and Moses, but also to Jesus and all prophets. For them Christ is not messiah, savior or divine, but one of God's holy messengers.
In the Quran, Mary is the only woman's name mentioned. Moreover, Surah 19, one of the longest chapters in the Quran, carries the title "Maryam: Mary." It is said that in our times as well Muslims have a special place for Mary in their devotional lives.

Jesus is the focal point for Christians. He is their teacher, healer and savior. He is a model for them. He is divine, the Son of God and the one who revealed the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.
Mary's frequent appearances in the New Testament make her a necessary ingredient of Christian life. The honor given to Jesus' mother by Roman and Orthodox Christians is well known, although some Christian traditions tend to find that honoring excessive.

Respect and affection for Jesus represent a real challenge for Jewish people. They reject him as the long-awaited Messiah. They also disapprove of his divine claims and his teachings about the Trinity.
Still, he was born of a Jewish mother, grew up in a Jewish home and prayed regularly in a Jewish synagogue. He also frequently cited the Hebrew Scriptures, and many of his words are consonant with Jewish religious principles.

Mary, likewise, grew up in a Jewish home, practiced Jewish religious traditions and, according to some scholars, would have been of the house and lineage of David. Her famous Magnificat (Luke 2:46-55) bears a close resemblance to Hannah's prayer of praise in 1 Samuel 2 of the Old Testament. 

Comparison Table between Christianity, Islam and Judaism

Comparison Table between Christianity, Islam and Judaism

The differences and similarities between the three great monotheistic faiths: Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Topic	Christianity	Islam	Judaism
Origin of the Name	From the Greek:christos, 'Anointed' - referring to Jesus Christ.	Derived from an Arabic word for 'submission'. Also related to the Arabic word salaam, 'peace'.	From the Hebrew:Yehudim, 'Judah'.
Founder	Jesus Christ (c. 4 B.C. - 30 A.D.)	Mohammed (570 - 632 A.D.) 1	Abraham (First Patriarch, born c. 1800 B.C.)
Divisions	Three main groups: Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic.	Two main groups: Sunni and Shia (The division occured due to a dispute as to the legitimate successor of the prophet Mohammed). There is also a mystical/ascetic movement in Islam known as Sufi.	Several divisions, including Hasidic, Conservative and Reform Judaism. Ethnic groupings include Ashkenazi (The majority) and Sephardi Jews.
Followers (2009 Estimates)2	2,200 Million (2.2 Billion)	1,500 Million (1.5 Billion)	14 Million
Nature of God	One God, who exists in three distinct persons (The Trinity): Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).	One God (Arabic: Allah), who is not a trinity. The Islamic view of God is called strict Monotheism (Quran 112:1).	One God (known in English as 'Yahweh' or 'Jehovah') - "...Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Holy Book(s)	The Bible (from the Greek:Biblos, 'books'), given by God to man. The Bible writers were inspired by God in their writings. Thus Christians refer to the Bible as the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).	The Quran or Koran (Arabic: 'recitation'), revealed to the prophet Mohammed over a period of about 20 years. The Quran is the final revelation given by Allah to mankind.	The Hebrew Tanakh, similar to the Christian Old Testament, comprised of the Torah (Hebrew: 'Law'), Nevi'im ('Prophets') and Ketuvim ('Writings').
Jesus Christ	The second person of the Trinity and born of the Virgin Mary. "...true God from true God" (Nicene Creed)	A prophet, sent by Allah and born of the Virgin Mary, but not divine (Quran 5:17).	An ordinary Jew, not the Messiah nor a divine person.
Jesus Christ, The Mission of	To reconcile Man to God, through his death as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.	To proclaim the Injil, or gospel. This gospel has been corrupted over time by human additions and alterations.	As Judaism rejects the idea of Jesus as Messiah, his mission is of no relevance.
Jesus Christ, The Death of	"...For our sake he was crucified...he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again...he ascended into heaven..." (Nicene Creed)	Jesus was not crucified (Quran 4:157), but was raised to Heaven by Allah (4:158).	Jesus was crucified for his claim to be divine.
Holy Spirit	The third person of the Trinity, truly divine: "....with the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified." (Nicene Creed)	Identical with the Angel Gabriel, who appeared to the Prophet Mohammed giving him the Quranic text.	Not a distinct person, but a divine power which for example, was given to the Prophets.
Other Traditions	The writings of the early church fathers and ecumenical councils, including the Creeds.	The Hadith, a collection of traditions/sayings of the Prophet Mohammed. The Hadith functions as a supplement to the Quran, giving guidance to Muslims for daily living.	The Talmud, an oral tradition explaining and interpreting the Tanakh. It includes the Mishnah - a code of Jewish law.
Examples of Rituals	The Sacraments, including Baptism and Holy Communion(Eucharist). In Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, five more are added, viz: Confirmation (Chrismation), Marriage, Penance, Holy Orders and Anointing of the sick. Prayer is also an important part of the faith.	Five important rituals (known as the pillars of Islam): 1. Shahadah - A profession of faith. 2. Salat - Prayer five times daily. 3. Zakat - alms giving. 4. Sawm - Fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan. 5. Hajj - Pilgrimage to the Holy city of Mecca.	Rituals include the Circumcision of newly born Jewish males, Barmitzvah - a ceremony marking the 'coming of age' of Jewish Boys and observation of the Sabbath (Shabat). As in the other faiths, prayer is important. The Jewish prayer book is called the siddur.
Sin	We inherit a sinful nature through our common ancestor Adam, who rebelled against God. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins through his death on the Cross (Romans 5:12-17).	There is no concept of original sin, nor vicarious atonement. All Humans are born sinless, but human weakness leads to sin.	Judaism rejects the doctrine of original sin. Atonement for sins commited is made through seeking forgiveness from God in prayer and repentance. In addition, the day of atonement (Yom Kippur) is set aside specially for this purpose.
Salvation	By grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).3	Achieved through good works, thus personal righteousness must outweigh personal sin (Quran 23:101-103).	Through good works, prayers and the grace of God. There is no parallel to the Christian view of substitutionary atonement.
Hell	A place of everlasting punishment for the unrighteous (Matthew 25:46). There is no crossover between Heaven and Hell.	A place of torment and fire (Quran 25:65, 104:6-7). In Islam, Hell is known as Jahannam. Jahannam has several levels and a person may not necessarily spend eternity there.	Tradtionally, there is the concept of Gehinnom or Gehenna - those who die in sin may suffer temporary punishment, but certain sins merit eternal punishment. However, Judaism's ideas of the afterlife have varied widely among different groups and in different time periods. For the most part, Judaism does not emphasize the afterlife.
Topic	Christianity	Islam	Judaism

Notes:
¹ Muslims regard Mohammed more as the restorer of the true monotheistic faith, rather than the founder of a new religion.
² Figures taken from The World Almanac and Book of Facts.
³ Salvation in Christianity is discussed in more detail on the Comparison between Orthodoxy, Protestantism & Roman Catholicism page.

source :  http://christianityinview.com/xncomparison.html

Abraham, the Father of three Faiths

Abraham was the Father of three Faiths. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

1.  Judaism 
     Abraham was the first to practice the worship of one God.  Abraham faith was in Yahweh.  The holy
     Jewish texts tell us that he was willing to give up his only son, Isaac, because the Yahweh commanded
     it.  Because of Abraham's devotion the request was withdrawn.

    One of the stories found in the sacred Jewish test is that of Abraham asking his father why
    he worshiped idols if they had no life or power.  Abraham smashed all of the idols that his
    father worshiped in order to show that Yahweh was the only God.

    Abraham it was, the story continues, who took up and     moved, from Ur to Canaan, the land promised him by       Yahweh. He changed his name from Abram to                 Abraham. He brought with him his wife, Sara, and his       nephew Lot. Abraham had worshiped other gods             before, but he heard       the commandment of 
    Yahweh, the holy books tell us, and agreed to worship     Yahweh only and     go to Canaan in search of a place     to raise many descendants who would make up a           great nation. This was part of a series of 10 tests set     out for Abram by Yahweh.

    Thus it was that Abraham the city-dweller became         Abraham the nomad. He moved from place     to             place, settling in Canaan. He was later buried in
    Hebron, alongside his wife, Sara.
    Abraham and Sara were very old when Isaac was           born. They were older than most people who had           children. The holy books tell us that Abraham was 
    100 and that Sara was 90.

    Isaac had a son eventually, named Jacob. Jacob it         was who founded the nation of Israel.

2. Christianity 
    Isaac was the couple's first son. It is               through Isaac that Jesus, the central figure
    of Christianity, can be traced back to             Abraham. In the Bible, Christianity's 
    holiest book, one of the New Testament's         books, Matthew, lists all of the ancestors
    of Jesus, from his father, Joseph, all the           way back to King David and then all the 
    way to Abraham and Isaac.
    Thus, Abraham is the father of Christianity       as well, since he is a distant ancestor of         Jesus.






3. Islam
    Abraham had another child, Ishmael (who was actually's Abraham's first). Father and son later     built the Ka'aba, Islam's holiest shrine, in Mecca. Muslims, followers of Islam, believe that the       worship of the one God, Allah, is a restoration of the faith in one God that Ibrahim began many     years ago. Ibrahim is revered by Muslims as a most important prophet.

    One of the stories found in the sacred Muslim texts is the story of Abraham being willing to         sacrifice his son because his God commanded it. Muslim tradition holds that that son was 
    Ishmael.  Muslim holy texts also include the story of Ibrahim smashing his father's idols. Islam       holds that Ibrahim worshiped only one god, Allah.


Today, many Jews refer to themselves as the "sons of Abraham" and Muslims end each of their     five repetitions of daily prayer with a reference to Abraham. Christianity also teaches, through     the words of the Apostle Paul, that Abraham is an example of salvation by faith, meaning that     he was willing to give his own son to God so God rewarded him with good things and many           descendants.

Abraham (Abram/Ibrahim), then, can rightfully be called the Father of Three Faiths.