Islam – peace, love and hope introduction

So - I feel like God’s been pushing me into doing research on Islam.

Not nudging - or guiding - or anything like that.

Because I've been ignoring those.
No - it's pushing.

The people of three religions claim Abraham as the father of their religion. Is it realistic to think that he'd want the three of them to hate each other?

If we look at Genesis 21:11 -13 to see how Abraham reacted when Ishmael was sent away - I think we can get the answer to this question -

Ge 21:11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

So we see the Abraham cared about what happened to Ishmael.

And, we see the God promised to make him into a great nation.

To tell the truth - for a long time I thought maybe God made Ishmael into a great nation so his offspring could attack the nation of Israel and be the opposing force at Armageddon. To some extent, that may still be true. However - that would ignore too much of what the Bible says regarding the events surrounding Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael and even God. There has to be more to it.

So - I'm going to write this as if it's addressed to a Muslim - one who is curious about how Islam, Christianity and to some extent Judaism all fit together as religions that have to do with the descendants of Abraham.  There's much that will also be of use to Christians as well - for the same reasons.  But I had to pick an audience - had to choose, for example, whether to use Isa or Jesus for the name of the person that Christians know as Jesus and Muslims know as Isa.  I will try to explain things like this as I go along - where two names match the same person or thing.  However - should it not be clear, or if there is another name by which someone or some thing is also known - please feel to use the comments section at the bottom of each page to let me know. 

 So - I've been reading a bunch of books - like -

• World history from the Muslim view (very interesting)
• Some conversion stories of people who have become Christian after having been born and raised Muslim - both in Muslim countries and in Western countries. (Talk about “counting the cost!”)
• Some Christian apologetic books on why Christianity is God’s true religion -
  and why Islam is not. (One of the big reasons I’m writing this section is because much of it - in my opinion - would do little to convert people and may even make them upset, just at reading them.)
• And - of course - I have 4 copies of the Qur’an. (4 of them to pick up different translations into English and to get commentaries from Muslims on the meaning of the verses)
• Along with some Hadiths that seem relevant to what I want to talk about.

One thing that’s noticeable from the very beginning is that there are a lot of misunderstandings between Christians and Muslims.  That should be no surprise, as there are misunderstandings between pretty much any two people let alone groups of people.  Even different sects within Christianity and Islam have disagreements, let alone talking about between Christianity and Islam.