07-02-2005, 08:22 AM
Bismillah
Reepicheep
I am sure you have read about this verse on other Islamic forums, since it is one of the most asked verses Christians do ask about.
Since the answers in this thread are clear about whom it is about, that seems not to be what you wonder about.
I can only say how I comprehend this, since I know that a Christian today do not have the 'qualities' of the Christians mentioned in the Qur'an, please take no offense.
But to me a Christian according to the Qur'an is someone that did followed the teachings of prophet Isa, pbuh and the Injeel that brought to his people, the Children of Israel. And as their prophet they followed him and did as he did, and since he was a Jew that would have meant going to the synagouge to pray, in the way that he prayed, fasted, done circumcision on their boys, not have eaten pork and more.
And to try to look at it a bit objective, IF there are any such followers today, I would call them Muslims. Since they must have followed HIS teachings and done as he did, and believed in Allah SWT as a unity God. They would not have been Jews that I am quite sure of, since Jews do not even acknowledge Isa, pbuh, as a prophet.
Christians today do in much follow the teachings of visions of Paul, and the Church and Augustinus. I know perhaps you will not agree on this point, but this is the view of Christianity and Christians from an Islamic point of view. That Christians today are not FOLLOWERS of Christ, but of course Christians believe in his death and resurrection, but that is a belief in, not to be a follower of. No offense. But this is how it looks like.
And one more important thing is, that Christians today do not acknowledge the last prophet Muhammad saws sent to mankind. And according to Islam to deny ONE prophet is to deny them all. We have to accept them all, that is the Islamic point of view.
Regards