In researching Islamic history I have found in many cases that some of the Christian’s who lived during the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), and also during the times of the 12 imam’s from his Holy household (pbut), stood up for them when they were being oppressed. It makes you wonder, why did these people stand up to defend the Prophet and his family when they belonged to a different religion? The Prophet and his family’s character were so impressive to people that even the idol worshippers, who hated him, could not come up with anything bad to say about his morals. The Prophet’s title, even before the Prophet hood, was Al-Ameen (the trustworthy) and As-Saadiq (the truthful). These Holy personalities shined their light on everyone they came in contact with. It was amazing for people to witness such sublime morality in a human being. Also during their times they treated everyone equitably and just. The Christian’s felt safe under the Prophet and Imam Ali’s rule and they were taken care of by them. The Ahl ul Bayt (The Prophet and his family) felt it their duty to help their fellow human being if they were able to do so. When the Christians witnessed the Prophet’s family being oppressed some of the monks acknowledged the right of their Imamate (divine leadership) and they stood up for justice and died defending them. In this humble attempt I have compiled some historical accounts of Muhammad (pbuh) and his Family’s treatment towards Christian’s during their respected times. Also I have included historical accounts of Christian’s who protected the Holy Prophet and some who gladly laid down their lives for his Holy family. I hope this book will show the reader of how the true relationship between Islam and Christianity was and how it should be today. This is the Islam that was practiced by Muhammad and his Family, not the Islam that was hijacked by the corrupt rulers after our Prophet’s martyrdom. Prophet Muhammad treated everyone with justice and equality, but the rulers who took away the divine leadership from his family performed a lot of terrible deeds in the name of Islam. We need to recognize the bad things these corrupt rulers did and disassociate them and their actions from Islam and show people the true form of Islam as taught to us by our Prophet Muhammad and his Household. It is up to us as God fearing people to bridge the gaps that have been built between the two religions of Christianity and Islam and to treat each other kindly with the aim to please the one and only God that created us all. Imam Ali is reported as saying “Know that people are of two types: they are either your brothers in religion or your equals in creation.”
Published by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau
Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau is of French-Canadian descent. He was born in the United States to a Christian family, and later chose to convert to Shi’a Islam in 1999 at the age of 17, having studied both faiths. He started studying Islamic Seminary classes (Howza) in March 2013 at Imam Ali Center in Springfield, Virginia and studied abroad in Najaf al-Ashraf and Karbala and received his ‘amama (turban) from the esteemed marja’ Ayatollah Sayed Muhammad Taqi al-Modaressi in 2018. He earned a certificate from Harvard University in Islamic Studies, has filmed many documentaries about his journey to Islam, authored several books, taught in the Islamic Seminary (Howza), and is the founder of the nonprofit organization 2nd Chance Books (2014). He has lectured throughout the United States and various other countries spreading the message of Ahl ul Bayt (as). Since 2022 he has been residing in Antalya, Türkiye where he is the resident scholar of the local community and continuing his work with 2nd Chance Books. View all posts by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau