Page 20 - A Call for Unity

… always try to be kind to each
he true faiths have provi- other and to everyone else. (1 Thes-
ded the same basic belief salonians 5:15)
and ethical model. They
In many verses of the Qur’an, our
T all possess the same es-
Lord describes moral virtue, good-
sential beliefs regarding the exis-
ness and the importance of res-
tence and oneness of God, the
ponding to evil with good, and He
purpose behind the creation of
commands Muslims to treat Jews
mankind and all beings, the ideal
and Christians, the People of the
behavior and life style that is plea-
Book, with affection.
sing to God, the nature of the
We are explicitly told in the Qur’an
concepts of good and evil, right
that the People of the Book are
and wrong, and what one must do
closer to Muslims than are idolaters
for the eternal life.
(meaning pagans or the irreligious).
When we look at the Gospel, the
The People of the Book possess
basis of Christianity, the Torah, the
moral criteria, based on revelation
basis of Judaism, and the Qur’an,
from God, and the concepts of
the basis of Islam, we see that the
lawful and unlawful. For that rea-
finest speech and behavior is re-
son, it is lawful for Muslims to eat
commended in interpersonal rela-
food prepared by the People of
tions. The form of behavior that
the Book. In the same way, Muslim
believers should adopt towards
men are permitted to marry
other people is described as follows
women from the People of the
in the Gospel:
Book. These are things that will

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