A Muslim study of the origins of the Christian church

by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

some EIGHTY GENERATIONS of Christians have gone to the grave believing reasonable confidence that Jesus was the son of God. Twenty five percent of the world's Population, we are told, still entertain no doubt on the subject. Many talk about Jesus with great familiarity and certainty, as if they knew him Personally, or had witnessed the events of his life. Some people know their New Testament so well, and have analysed it so minutely, that they have been able to erect wonderful descriptive edifices and theories on rather modest foundations If any Christians begin to experience doubt the utmost discquiet ensues, because love of Jesus has always been seen by them as the highest of all possible callings, and service to him the noblest way of life . The claim with which they have been familiar is that the self- sacrifice of God in the form of Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation This book is a fascinating read as it delves into Christian and Islamic viewpoints on the Prophet Jesus. The author provides a coherent and logical argument behind why much of the early 'Christian' teachings as taught by Jesus were lost so soon after he had 'left us', and why so much of modern Christian theology is little more than a mish-mash of pagan beliefs and political manoeuvring on the part of the early Christians. A great read for anyone interested in who Jesus really was and the conflicts between the teachings of Jewish Christians (including James, the brother of Jesus), the Trinitarian Christianity of Paul, and the Unitarian Christian as followed in the east at the time.

Genres: Religion, Christianity

Hardcover

First published July 27, 2000

About the author

Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood (Rosalyn Rushbrook/Kendrick) is the author of some forty books on Islam and other subjects. She gained her honours degree in Christian Theology at the University of Hull in 1963, and Post Graduate Teaching Certificate in 1964, with distinctions in theory and practice. Her professional life was spent as Head of Religious Studies at various tough UK inner city secondary schools, until she retired in 1996, to concentrate on writing and lecturing. She has since made the GCSE course in Islamic Studies available to students and converts to Islam of all ages, especially to those who have not had the opportunity to study it at school.

She grew up a devout Christian, but converted to Islam in 1986. Already established by then as an author of books on Christian and educational topics, she has since devoted her time to writing on Islam and doing dawah (explaining the faith) work to both Christian and Muslim audiences. She regularly addresses school and church groups, explaining Islam and educating in the basics of Islam, with a keen interest in presenting Islam as a world faith. She strives to raise the awareness both of non-Muslims and also of born Muslims of the traditional immigrant ethnic backgrounds living in the UK, that these numerous varieties of cultural backgrounds, tastes and emphases are all part of Islam, including cultures that are not limited to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North Africa.

Reviews

[Obbrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of heart and well-researched, bearing witness to Maqsood’s half-century in religious studies. But the book desperately needed an editor.
Best used as a primary+secondary source catalog.
جزاها الله