Al-Bannā
resumes his article “The evolution of the Coptic discourse from goodwill and salvation to antagonism and dispute” saying that
there is another side addressed by the Coptic discourse: the huge similarity between Christianity and Islam. This is
represented in the relations that took place during the very first days of Islam when the Muslims immigrated to Ethiopia
because its king was just and no one is misjudged there.
A lot of people think that Islam is against Christianity and
fights its beliefs. However, these thoughts appeared due to their ignorance about what Islam, in fact, says about
Christianity. Besides, any researcher who pays due attention to all the verses mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān about
Christianity and Christians would find out the following two important points: Firstly, the prophet of Islam has preserved
for Christianity its status, proved the correctness of a lot of its teachings, and called for the importance of respecting
its command, fulfilling them, and most importantly showing due respect towards its Holy Books. Secondly, the Holy Qur’
ān did not attack the Christianity established by the Christ, as claimed by some people, but rather the new
innovations that appeared with teachings contrary to Christianity, and which were fought by [mainstream] Christianity as
well.
Al-Bannā quotes Anba Gregorius, Bishop of Theological Studies, who wrote in 1981: “One thing that serves
the cause of national unity between Muslims and Christians, the sons of one nation ... is for the sons of one nation to
discern the matters that unite them spiritually and in faith, which would promote love among them ... and strengthen unity,
making them a nation that cannot be overcome, solid and unvanquishable.”
The author then adds: that is not a call for
the rejection of the distinguishing characteristics of Islam or Christianity, nor is it a call for a kind of vague religious
creed, God forbid; we don’t mean that at all! The essence of our purpose is to calm the fever of ideological disputes
between Islam and Christianity, so that it does not emanate a mist that stifles our love, we the members of one family, and
which would turn into a dark haze that obscures our vision of what unites us in reality, joint, shared origins dear to all of
us.
Al-Bannā proceeds to list some of the many things Islam and Christianity have in common, citing the Qur’
ān and scripture.
Afterwards, al-Bannā stresses that there is no doubt that both Christianity and Islam
call for worshipping Allāh; the two of them admit that Allāh is One and He is the only One who created
every thing and has the ultimate power and will to do any thing and every thing at any time without the help of any one. Both
have a common lofty target, namely, spreading peace, goodwill and love and getting away from struggles, disputes and
hatred.
العربية