Muslim view of the material and immaterial aspects of Creation

[YehoiakhinEx232]

I’m developing an interest in evangelizing Muslims, and one of the things that’s strikes me about Islam is that they seem to have the polar-opposite view to the Protestants’ gnostic view of creation. What I mean by that is, while Protestants over-emphasize the immaterial aspects of creation while downplaying or rejecting the physical aspects, Muslims seem to over emphasize the material aspects of creation. The reason for me getting this impression of Islam, is their carnal portrayal of paradise, and the fact that they object to God having a Son on the grounds that, according to them, He would need a wife in order to have a Son.

Is this an accurate understanding of the Muslim view of creation? What is the Muslim view of the material and immaterial aspects of creation?

 

[Erikaspirit16]

Christianity is interior; the emphasis is on intention. Creation is real, and good; but it is not the ultimate reality. What you DO is not as important as what you INTEND to do. (I fired the gun by mistake and killed my friend–I am not guilty of murder, although I may be guilty of carelessness, etc.)

Islam is exterior; the emphasis is on externals, not intention. Thus the emphasis on material creation you notice. (For examples of “externals” simply do a search on “Islam what invalidates prayer.”) The emphasis is on performing various rituals correctly. But of course this doesn’t go for all Muslims, esp. Sufis, who are more spiritual.

For a practical example, let’s take Coalition bombing in Afghanistan, Syria, etc. The various air forces involved do NOT intentionally target hospitals, weddings, civilians, etc. but sometimes they bomb them by accident. They are sorry for their mistakes, and they often pay compensation. But they do not accept blame for bombing civilians.

Muslims, on the other hand, ignore the intention. They focus on the actual results. Civilians were killed. Therefore whoever bombed them is guilty–whether they intended to bomb them or not. Intention is irrelevant.

I’m simplifying a bit since I’m writing a post, not a book, but that’s the general idea.

 

[adgloriam]

the emphasis is on intention.

Some say: “Hell is full of good intentions.”

 

[adgloriam]

Christianity is interior; the emphasis is on intention.

Saint John Paul II said to Cardinal-Bishop José Saraiva Martins: “You are about to take on the most important congregation of the church, because the church is built on Sanctity.”