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
Joshua Charbonneau is an American Muslim. He was born in 1982 in Sumter, South Carolina. He is of French Canadian and American descent. He was born into a Christian family, and later chose to revert to Shi’a Islam at the age of 17, having studied both faiths. After reverting to Islam he chose the name Mateen which in Arabic means strong, firm and unshakable. His first language is English and he also learned Quranic Arabic. At age 26 he moved to Washington, DC area and has been an active part of the Muslim community. He took part in a documentary by Al-Anwar Hussain TV entitled Journey of the Spirit where he narrated his incredible story on how he became a Shia Muslim. Since March of 2013 he has been studying Howza (Islamic Seminary) classes in America and Najaf al-Ashraf under esteemed scholars such as Sheikh Mustafa Akhound, Sheikh Mirza Abbas Shamsuddin, Sheikh Saed Kulayni, Sheikh Mohammad Baghernejad, Sayed Ibn Abbas Naqvi, Sheikh Mohammad Jafar Danesh, Sayed Baqir Imrani, Sayed Raad al-Alawi and Sayed Muhammad Baqir Shirazi. Sheikh Mateen has also written, compiled and published some very in-depth books entitled The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (Shia) throughout History, Christians who defended and died for Prophet Muhammad and his Family (English, Spanish, French), Mystery of the Shia, a Study Guide for Logic and an extensive book of narrations entitled Prophetic Gems, A Commentary to the Faith of Shia Islam (Aqaed Imamiyya) of Allama Muzaffar (4 volumes) and Recalling the Sacrifices of Karbala. These titles are available at Amazon. In 2014 he founded a nonprofit organization to send free books to prisoners entitled 2nd Chance Books, which was filmed about in a documentary by Ahlul Bayt TV entitled Faith Behind Bars. He received his turban from the hand of Sheikh Ahmad al-Haeri on the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil (ra) / Day of Arafat in 2016 and also from Marja’ Ayatollah Sayed Muhammad Taqi Modarresi in the Holy city of Karbala on the birth anniversary of Imam Sajjad (as) in 2018. View all posts by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau
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