Jesus' Greatest vs. Muhammad's Best

In light of the events of recent days, or perhaps I should say the "better" part of the past 1400 years, the following contrast would seem to be a timely one. Those Muslims who say they love God and their neighbor, and who, in keeping with this, few though they may be compared to the greater body of Muslims in history, condemn the many irreligious and inhumane acts of their co-religionists, should weigh the following carefully. -------------------- According to Jesus, the greatest commandment is to love God above all else and with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself: One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is one, and there is no one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:28ff.) According to Muhammad, the greatest deed is to believe in Allah and his apostle, and the second is to participate in Jihad in Allah's cause. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet was asked, "Which is the best deed?" He said, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle." He was then asked, "Which is the next (in goodness)?" He said, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." He was then asked, "Which is the next?" He said, "To perform Hajj-Mabrur. " (Bukhari 2:26:594; see also 1:2:25) -------------------- The disparity between the teaching of Jesus on the one hand, and that of Muhammad on the other couldn't be clearer. But for the sake of those who are slow of mind and heart, consider the following brief commentary on the differences: 1. With respect to the first commandment/greatest deed, there is a monumental difference between merely believing in God and actually loving Him. Furthermore, even if we accept the baser idea suggested by Muhammad to be the greatest duty or the best deed, there is still a trenchant difference to be found between a faith that is directed at God alone, and one that is directed at God and a creature in addition to Him. 2. With respect to the second commandment/greatest deed, there is a difference of mammoth proportions between loving your neighbor, which clearly includes more than just fellow believers according to Jesus (cf. Luke 10:25-37, esp. 30-37), and engaging in Jihad, the full implications of which include warring against those who do not believe. What Jesus taught about the first (and second) greatest commandment is undeniably greater than what Muhammad taught; what Muhammad taught about the first (and second) best deed is undeniably bested by what Jesus taught. It takes a very special person to say otherwise, and all too often they make the news saying it….just ask Major Nidal Malik Hasan.

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