The Three Religions
in
Peace and Brotherhood
By Dr. Asher Eder
Co-Founder Islam-Israel Fellowship
In accordance with the respective Holy Scriptures of the three ”Abrahamic
Religions”, the latter could and should live in peace and brotherhood, instead
of vying; downgrading; fighting; or missionizing one the other.
If we trace back to the original texts of the Koran and of the Paulinic
writings, and try to understand them according to their own testimonies as
complying with the “Book”, i.e. the Hebrew Bible, we would see that these three
books are not contradicting, notwithstanding that they ordain different rites
for their respective followers. That is, as soon as Jews, Christians, and
Moslems, would come to understand their respective books as integral parts of
the one Divine Truth, we could find, and play in unison, every one of us our
roles like different members of an orchestra who play under their one director.
The idea of an orchestra playing under one director, is taken from some
Psalms where one of God’s epithets is indeed menatzeah (usually rendered
in English translations as “Chief Musician”; e.g. Ps. 67): it actually refers
to the Most High who directs the course of the events unto His final government
and peace. (See also Is. 41:1-4).
Let’s have a look at the relevant Scriptures:
A) The Jewish Morning Service [Shaharit]
has the following prayer, based upon Is. 6:3, and Ezek. 3:12. The relevant
passages read:
“Blessed
art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, Former of light and Creator of
darkness, who makest peace and createst evil … All shall thank Thee; all shall praise
Thee; all shall declare: There is none holy like the Lord! All shall forever
extol Thee, Creator of all. Thou, o God, givest light to the whole world and to
its inhabitants whom Thou hast created in mercy. In mercy Thou givest light to
the earth and to those who dwell on it; in thy goodness Thou renewest the work
of creation every day, constant … they all do with apprehension and reverence
the will of their Creator; they all open their mouths in holiness and purity,
in poesy and melody, and bless, and praise, and glorify, and revere, and sanctify,
and enthrone the Name of God, the great, mighty, and aw-inspiring King, holy is
He.
They
all accept unto themselves the rule of the Kingdom of Heavens, one from the
other, and give leave to one another to hallow their Creator. In gratification,
with purified speech and sacred melody, they all exclaim in unison and
reverence:
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts:
The whole earth is full of His glory.
Then the celestial ofanim [=type of ministering angels] and the hayoth
haKodesh [=type of holy beings], rising with a loud sound toward the
seraphim, respond with praise, and say:
“Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His abode”
The threefold “Holy”, taken from Is. 6:3, could be understood in a way
that each of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism; Christianity; Islam; may
under the guidance of its respective angel say its “Holy”, i.e. the Praise of
the Most High, not in deviations from its respective scripture; and not in
dissonance, but in purified and harmonious language [[as an expression of
purified heart and thought]], in consonance and unison with one another to the
praise of the One Lord of all. It would honor His Name infinitely, in contrast
to waging “Holy Wars”; and would not put anyone to shame: Grace and Truth would
meet, and Righteousness and Peace would kiss each other, as said in Ps. 85:10.
Significantly, that threefold “Holy” sung in pure speech hallowing the
One Creator of all, is according to the Celestial Beings to be directed to the
“Lord from His Abode” (מקומו).
While His Abode cannot be confined to any specific place by us humans, He has
yet ordained Mount Moriah as the place of the Dwelling of His Name, and of our direction
of worship (1.Kings 8:26-30; 2.Chron. 3:1;
Ps. 133; et al).
Drawing the conclusion, Prophet Isaiah foresees, and foretells, in his
famous prophecy:
“… and many
people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will
go in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem… O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of
the Lord” (Is. 2:3-5).
Then will the well-known word of the Psalm come to its fulfillment even in
regard of the nations:
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for
brethren
to sit together also in unison” (Ps. 133:1).
Not
merely dwelling side by side would do, rather, a spiritual togetherness in unison
based upon the words of the Prophets as pre-condition for true peace and brotherhood
of Abraham’s descendents is required.
Consequently, Apostle Paul writes (in Rom. 15:9, quoting
from Deuter. 32:43):
“Rejoice, you nations, with His
people”.
And the Koran enjoins:
“To every one of you [=Jews; Christians;
Muslim], We have appointed a right way and an open road. If God had willed, He
would have made you one nation; but that He may try you in that has come to
you. So be you forward in good works; unto God shall you return, all together;
and He will tell you of that were you were at variance” (Sura “The
Table, 53; et al);
“…every nation will be summoned
to its Book” (Sura “Hobbling”, 28)
(quoted from “The Koran Interpreted” by A. J. Arberry, Oxford University Press).
For more details, see my articles:
a) “The Parable of the Olive Tree …” (Epistles to the Romans, chpt.11)
b) “Peace is possible between Ishmael and Israel according to Koran and
Tanakh”
Dr. Asher Eder, e-mail: avrason@netvision.net.il