Christianity and Islam — Inside the Classic

A Methodological Opening

Becker begins by categorizing possible approaches to comparing religions: the missionary’s practical aim, the apologist’s search for superiority, and the historian’s interest in influence and development. He aligns himself with the last, stating his goal is “to trace the course of analogous developments and the interaction of influence.” This opening is not merely prefatory; it establishes a tone of scholarly caution. Becker repeatedly qualifies his claims, as when he says Christian influence on Islamic state theory “seems more than probable” but could be explained without external influence. The reader is thus primed for a work that argues through accumulation of evidence rather than bold declaration.

Evidence of Ethical Borrowing

Becker provides specific examples of Christian ethical precepts appearing in Muhammedan traditions. He notes that J. Goldziher found “an almost complete version of the Lord's Prayer” quoted in written traditions. The command to love enemies, which Becker says “would have been unintelligible to Muhammed,” nevertheless appears: “the most virtuous of acts is to seek out him who rejects thee, to give to him that despises thee and to pardon him that oppresses thee.” The Golden Rule (Matt. vii. 12, Luke vi. 31) also appears in Arab traditions. Yet Becker adds a sobering observation: in practice, “a man's 'neighbour' has ever been, despite the teaching of Jesus, to the Christian and to the Muhammedan, his co-religionist.”

Parallel Attitudes Toward State and Economy

Becker argues that both religions developed a similar “abhorrence of the state” when independent of religion, a feeling “unknown in the ancient world.” He compares the Christian struggle for recognition and predominance with Islam’s initial identity with the state, later separation, and persistent ideal of a divine polity. The example of Saladin seeking investiture from the Caliph illustrates the theory’s practical force. On economic life, Becker notes that Thomas Aquinas “directly stigmatises trade as a disgraceful means of gain,” while Muhammedan tradition says “The pious merchant is a pioneer on the road of God.” Both religions condemned usury. Becker presents these parallels as evidence of Christian influence, but always with the caveat that independent development is possible.

Becker’s study is best approached as a series of carefully hedged arguments rather than a definitive account. He builds his case through specific textual parallels—prayers, ethical maxims, institutional forms—while repeatedly acknowledging alternative explanations. Readers interested in the mechanics of religious influence will find a model of cautious scholarship. Those expecting a broad survey of doctrines or practices should note that Becker focuses on points of contact, not comprehensive description.

Sometimes, when I shelve the old 1909 comparison of Christianity and Islam—that patient, scholarly voice tracing shared metaphysical currents—my mind drifts to a quieter shelf, where Eastern discipline stills the breath. Both books whisper of paths to the divine through rigorous thought, yet each keeps its own silence. I find myself touching their spines as old friends. The Religion of the Samurai A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan — Themes and Context holds a similar stillness, a different door to the same hush.