ISLAM
versus
CATHOLIC TEACHING
and PRACTICE
ISLAM
CATHOLIC
One God (Allah), eternally existing,
Creator of the universe
One God, infinite and eternal,
all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving,
Creator of the universe
God relates to us mainly by
His will, which all must obey
God relates to us primarily by His love,
which He wants us to imitate by loving
Him and loving all other people He made
One person in God; no Trinity
One God (one divine nature) that is
completely owned by each of three
Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit –
the Blessed Trinity
Obligatory conduct is:
–faith in, and submission to, Allah
–prayer five specified times a day
–fasting sunrise to sunset
during holy lunar month
–almsgiving
–pilgrimage to M ecca, once
Obligatory conduct is:
-–faith in God and Jesus Christ
–-reverence and love for God
–-love for neighbor, caring for needy
–-keeping the Ten Commandments
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are helps
to accomplish the above
ISLAM
CATHOLIC
Jesus Christ is a prophet but
M ohammed (lived 600 years
later) is the greatest prophet
Jesus Christ is God, Second Person of the
Blessed Trinity, Who added human nature
to His eternally existing divine nature.
He is the Messiah the Jews were waiting
for and the fulfillment of all Messianic
prophecies. There are no later prophets.
Honor M ary, virgin mother of Christ
Honor Virgin Mary as earthly mother of
divine Person, since she agreed to allow
Him to take human nature through her
No claims of redemption
by atoning for original sin
By His sacrificial suffering and death
Christ made satisfaction for original sin
by first parents of the human race and so
makes possible eternal life with God
Sacred Scripture is the Quoran,
which M ohammed claimed
was dictated by Angel Gabriel
Sacred Scripture is the Bible, 72 books
(45 in Old Testament, 27 in New) not
dictated but whose human authors were
inspired by God
Tradition (hadith) is 9 th century
collections of M ohammed’s words
that are help to interpret Quoran
Sacred Tradition is writings of Church
Fathers, decrees of Councils, papal
encyclicals and official statements from
Vatican. These, with Sacred Scripture,
constitute divine revelation
ISLAM
CATHOLIC
No central authoritative
teaching office but some
interpreters have influence
Central teaching office (magisterium) is
bishop of Rome and all bishops united
with him
Later interpreters of M ohammed
can contradict earlier ones, as if
God changed His mind
Christ’s teachings are fixed from death of
last Apostle. What is implied in this
teaching can be developed, not changed.
Claim Christian Scriptures were
corrupted but have never shown
before-and-after
Have hundreds of fragments from first
century that show agreement, in three
languages, with what we have today
No witnesses or evidence for
revelation to M ohammed
Christ chose twelve men, Apostles, to be
witnesses of all He said and did in his
public life. They suffered persecution and
(all but one) death for truth of what
they proclaimed
No miracles claimed for M ohammed
Christ worked miracles, usually for
healing, on almost three dozen occasions,
often healing all the sick and infirm in a
town. He often healed instantaneously, at
times at a distance, and restored to life
three people from the dead. He Himself
rose from the dead on the third day after
being crucified
ISLAM
CATHOLIC
No claims that M ohammed
drove out devils
Christ drove unclean spirits out of people
they possessed, merely by ordering the
devils out
M ohammed’s followers claim
some events as miracles,
such as winning a battle
against great odds
Christ’s Apostles worked healing miracles
shortly after His death. Miracles
continue to present day at Lourdes;
miracle of the sun at Fatima (1917) was
seen by 50,000 people
No sacraments
Seven sacraments, including baptism,
reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, to provide
supernatural help to gaining eternal life
Heaven is a state of sensual pleasure
(food, drink, sex)
Heaven is a state where one has the
companionship of the all-loving God
Law (Sharia), based on Quoran and
Hadith, specifies severe punishments
(lashing, amputations, stoning),
and is enforced by civil authority.
Church & state are functionally separate.
Natural law is a law of just conduct that
God implants in human nature. God also
revealed Divine law to give specifics (e.g.
Ten Commandments). Church and state
enact their own laws, which must not
contradict natural law. Severe physical
punishments are generally forbidden.
ISLAM
CATHOLIC
In many countries women are
subordinate to men, in public
must cover entire body except eyes.
Court testimony worth half of man’s .
Men and women are essentially equal.
Men can have four wives and can
divorce wife merely by telling her.
Girl can be contracted into marriage
at any age, and marriage
consummated at age 9.
Homosexual acts severely punished.
Matrimony is a sacrament and requires
free consent by both. One man, one
woman. No outside partners, lasts until
death and no contraception. Minimum
ages: women 14 men 16. Civil divorce
does not end Church marriage, but
separation or annulment in some cases.
No sex outside of marriage.
In many countries, no toleration of
non-Moslems, who are second-class
citizens, subject to high tax
and cannot practice religion
Respect for individual and his freedom of
will allows toleration of other religions.
Seeks to convert all people,
and extremists claim Quoran
authorizes using force, even killing
Seeks to convert all people by truth of
the Faith, not by force or trickery.
Apostasy punished by death
Relies on spiritual penalties; forgiveness
possible
CATHOLIC EVIDENCE GUILD
NEW YORK CHAPTER
OFFICE OF ADULT FAITH FORMATION
ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK
1011 FIRST AVENUE, SUITE 1327
NEW YORK, NY 10022
Phone or Fax: 1-877-635-8205
E-Mail:ceg@ureach.com
Web Site: www.catholicevidence.org
Copyright 2014 Catholic Evidence Guild New York
e908V