In June 13, 2004 Nariman Gasimoglu, Chairman of Azerbaijan center for Religion and Democracy had a presentation at Sunday religious ritual meeting of the Community On The Hill in one of the premises of National Cathedral, Washington DC. Following is the text of the speech:

“First of all I guess I need to start with clarifying the definition of the word “Islam” as the name of the religion that is mostly not only misunderstood by many peoples but also let say mispracticed by Muslims themselves at the variety of points. “Islam” literarily means submitting to God, or surrendering to God. In other words, it calls on people to believe that there is no divinity but God. Prophets or God’s messengers should not be worshipped at all despite all advantages they enjoy as being chosen by God Himself. That is the main philosophy of Islam placed in Koranic text but not other religious sources that the majority of Muslims focus on practicing their religion. This philosophy embraces all values shared by people who view the religion as a system of values that should be rather lived in their authentic and dynamic version than accepted as a system of protocol and ritual values.

One of the reasons of widely spread wrong ideas about Islam is the absence of the investigation of the very logic of the holy text both in scientific and popular publications. This logic makes the monotheistic idea absolute. People, who do not know the gist of Islam well enough, mainly learn the external manifestations of the historized Islam - traditional, protocol - ritual, and along with the further development of this religion, often nationalized and politized ones. The historic and political reasons of this are very deep and may be a subject for separate investigations. We shall only note that for these reasons Islam in the Koran's version has gone away from its pure origin, lost its dynamics and become to be considered as a system of traditional values by its supporters and opponents.

Departing from the Koranic logic, we discover that Islam stands higher than traditionalism. Thus, pagans, resisting the prophets' appeals for monotheism, justify themselves, saying they "follow their fathers". The Koran blames them for that. But it is important to remember that not tradition as a definition but simply blind observance and obedience to the "fathers' way" being painted in some religious colour are barriers against the realization of monotheism and the progress of the mankind.

Having made ourselves familiar with the Koran, we discover that the most of the Koran's ayats (approximately two-third, according to the calculations) are dedicated to secular life problems. The Koranic logic considers a man's constructive and creative actions and activities as good for God. That is why such actions represent different kinds of prayer. Of course, a secularized mind, for which religious and secular are different definitions, can hardly accept the aforesaid as different kinds of prayer.

Koranic ayats order the believers to appeal only to God, and this appeal must be only addressed directly to God, and not to anybody or anything else. According to Koran, even Muhammad, the Prophet, cannot be deified. He is God's messenger and only delivers the cosmic divine information: "But if they turn aside, we have not sent you as a watcher over them; on you is only to deliver the message"

Basing on the Koranic philosophy I have to note that there is no differences between Islam and Christianity if we look at both of them at the level of doctrines that they produce. Both of them are advocating monotheism. Moreover, Koranic text says that this Holy Book was sent down and revealed by God through His angel Gabriel as a confirmation of previous Scriptures, including Old and New Testaments. I would refer to the Koranic instruction how to get into dialogue with people who seemingly represent other faiths but in fact share the same divine values as those who are considered as believers surrendering to God’s will. It says: “When you talk to people of the Scripture except for those who do wrong say to them “We believe in that which has been revealed to you. Our God and your God is One and to Him we are submitting”.

I mentioned that on the doctrinal level there is no differences between these two religions. The differences are mainly related to the issue on how to view Jesus Christ. For Islam he is simply a messenger, a prophet. For Christianity he is Son of God. To my mind it does not make much difference in the sense that considering Jesus Christ from different points of view in both cases is aimed in the first place at bringing our attention to his teachings revealed from God. You all know well that this teaching is about great love that we are encouraged to follow and observe in all our activities whatever we want to do in this life.

The mankind has a weakness of believing in miracles. And therefore, our Lord has predetermined Jesus Christ to show miracles. Healing of ill persons, resurrection of the dead and other miracles are finding a confirmation in Koranic text. In fact I believe those served to complete the Jesus Christ’s teaching of love. Thus, the efforts of spiritual rectification are finalized with healing of physical injuries. All healed persons are those who believe in Jesus. And this is how God responses with his love that acquires a specific value in the worldly life.

The notion of miracle is expressed in Koran through the word ayat . It also bears the meaning of the evidence and the sign of the unity of God. Ayats (verses), revelations in Koran are also of God’s miracles. Our Lord advices that believing unto miracles is not sufficient. One must read and understand through reading the revelations so that he could find the true way to God. In the chapter “Believers” one of Koranic verses says that it’s a sign that Jesus Christ was born of Maryam (Mary) through the spirit of God. The Spirit of God could be interpreted as the power, the energy of God. In the chapter Family of Imran Koran says Jesus Christ himself “was given to Maryam (Mary) as glad tidings of a God’s Word”. And through understanding the Books, the universe and ourselves, through warming ourselves from the Spirit, I guess I believe we can better understand of signs of Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

Is long as I am talking in your presence and by the way I totally share your belief in Unity, on the common items Christian and Muslim believers may focus on in or third millennium, I want to share also the very interesting point regarding the Biblical principle render good for evil. It is actually about the idea that sheds light on close ties between the Bible and Koran.

It reads in the Bible: “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto them that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (St. Luke 6:27-31). This is a list of qualities that oftentimes are propagandized as Christian morals. It may seem that the principle of opposing the evil is left out completely. We further read in the Book of Mathew “That ye resist not evil” (5:39).

The list of all those generosities, if used out of this context and not in figurative sense, creates an image of beautiful words that do not quite match the reality. No doubt that tolerance to evil makes abstract and fantastic of the victory of good over evil – which may not be a willingness of God. I guess God would not like impunity and arbitrariness to rule the world. The willingness of God, the one we know from different translations of the Holy Bible and from Koran, is firstly that good things and positive factors would become the leading values in all areas of relations – children-parents, men-women, individual-society.

There is a certain interesting “tactics” observed in the policy of God, who gives the absolution, who forgives and who accepts confessions, when He inculcates those beauties to his servants. When evil deeds don’t result in a mere confession, there appears to be a sense that those evil deeds could be delt with in a positive way. Because such approach could add yet another good deed to a series of many. Koran says: “The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient – and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion in this world”. By the way and unfortunately, most of Islamic theologians in their interpretation of Koran continue to follow the principle of prevailing power of some verses over others that must be considered as “having lost their power”. Taking departure from this point above mentioned verse is recommended by some of theologians to not be followed by Muslims, as it allegedly became invalid after the following verse was sent down: “When the hallowed months have slipped away, then kill the associaters wherever you may find them, and capture them, and besiege them, and waylay them at every outpost. If they should repent, keep up prayer and pay welfare tax, let them go their way. God is Forgiving, Merciful” (The Repentance, 5). The given verse describes a specific war situation and suggests that believers act as demanded by the war period requirements against the conquerors.

However, coming back to the verse calling on believers to repel the evil with good deeds it clearly states that it is not granted to everybody to repel evil deeds with good ones. But it’s the destiny of possessors of the spirit and persons who are predetermined to be prophets. Our Lord considers such persons in first place when he speaks about such attitude. There are other calls for prophets which are in the similar context: “And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them and overlook. Verily, Allah loves good-doers”; ”Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish and don’t punish them”.

The close study of the Biblical text shows that subjects of those references I have quoted from the Bible are a small portion of believers, the disciples of Jesus Christ and those persons whom he knew at first. At those times when blasphemy ruled, they formed an absolute minority and were included into the establishing monotheistic elite. The unusual approaches and exaggerated emphasize on returning good for evil was a form of intellectual and spiritual struggle in times of disregarding of good values and dominion of false religion over true Judaism. Along with its impact of irritating with good deeds, this form of struggle had an actual, harmless and senseless, at first sight, content, thus playing an important role in proliferation of teaching of Jesus Christ. Missionaries with love for God and Jesus in their hearts, had to stand any hardship and be extremely patient so that they may be the children of the Father (St. Matthew, 5:45).

No doubt, that the first self-sacrificing missionaries, those selfless persons and masters of the spirit, occupy an honored place in the history. But it should also be taken into consideration that the concept of returning good for evil did not naturally become popular among Christians at gross, was put on the top of hierarchy of values and related with elite values formed beyond of the bulk of believers. It might be that in respect of the above mentioned “elite” groups Koran says: “You will find the nearest in love to the believers those who say “We are Christians”. That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud”.

There are interesting details in God’s policy of returning good for evil. We have mentioned above that such attitude is only common for prophets and other holders of the spirit. Our Lord does not make this a special norm of attitude of ordinary believers. Firstly because, the sufficient and functioning effect related to positive impact of returning good for evil on population and individuals, could only be achieved on the above-mentioned personalities. Secondly, God does not wish that the majority of believers be disturbed by moral-economic-physical damages caused by unfairness and meanness of other persons. Thus, God manifests images of his spiritual policy by authorizing the peculiar people to return good for evil and ordinary people to return evil for evil.

It’s typical for dynamics of such policy that “ordinary” people may not and shall not always stay “ordinary”. As a person’s faith improves, it perfects the personality, and gains it a chance to grow, be blessed in good things and come closer to God. One of those roads that lead to perfection of faith is starting to return good for evil, rather than evil for evil. Koran provides the following explanation of this road: “And if you punish, then punish them with the like of what with which you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, verily, it is better for the patient”; “The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof; but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with God. Verily, He likes not the wrong-doers”. Glory be to God! “

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