Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics

(Jacob Rumans) #1

‘‘The first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these
profess to hold the faith of Abraham.’’This statement is not
saying that Muslims actually believe in Abraham’s faith, but
only that theyprofess to hold the faith of Abraham.
Professing and possessing are two different things: for
example, there are certainly many more Christians who
profess Christ than there are people who actually live for
Him.


‘‘Together with us they adore the one, merciful God,
mankind’s judge on the last day.’’Again, this statement is
very carefully worded: it does not say that Muslims adore
the same merciful God, but only that, like us, ‘‘they adore
the one merciful God.’’ Strictly speaking, the Catechism
simply does not address the question of whether Allah, as
worshiped in Islam, is truly the same God revealed in the
Old and New Testaments. It should be noted, however, that
Pope John Paul II, commenting on this same Catechism
citation, indicated in his May 5, 1999 general audience that
Muslims and Christians believe in the same God.



  1. As you have said in the previous answer, the
    Catechism teaches that God’s plan of salvation includes
    Muslims. If this is true, then why should Catholics be
    concerned when people embrace Islam?


As you note in your question, the Catechism of the
Catholic Church and the Second Vatican Council do indeed
teach that ‘‘the plan of salvation also includes those who
acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom
are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham,

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