Message #5136

[Mark]

Through the Demon Queen of Heaven known today as Mary, she is bringing all faiths together for the end time one world interfaith religion.

Mary and Other Religions

The maternal and sympathizing figure of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is so close to the human heart - of any human heart - whatever its culture, its time, its religion that the Blessed Virgin is loved and venerated beyond the Christian world!

The Virgin is universally honored as being pure; she is the Mother who is able to understand the human heart and man's need for love which is always the same on every horizon.

Thus for example, in Buddhism or Hinduism, religions so remote from the Christian Revelation, Mary is perceived as a Mother full of love whose tenderness is matched only by her courage to defend her beloved Son.

For this reason, many followers of these non-Christian religions are attracted to the Mother of Jesus and go to extent of even praying to her, as they would to their own mother.


Mary and Islam

Mary is known and respected - she is even prayed to at times - in Islam.
Mary is well-known in Islam because she is mentioned on several occasions in the Holy Qur'an, and in particular in the Sourate 19, as a virgin and mother - by divine intervention - of the Prophet Jesus.

Mary is venerated in Islam primarily for her virtues: her virginal purity, her humility and her piety, which makes of her a model for believers.

Muslims do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God

But Mary is not regarded as the Mother of God because the Muslims don't recognize Jesus as the Son of God incarnate, as God Himself. However, in Islam Jesus is just a great prophet, born by miracle, of an exceptional virgin.

Actually, the main point of convergence between Islam and Christianity is the recognition of a common Patriarch, Abraham from whom the Muslims, like the Jews and the Christians, hold their monotheist faith (belief in only one God).

But in spite of common references among the figures in the Bible who can be found again in the Qur'an, the Muslim and the Christian faith differ on the question of the origin of Mary herself because of a confusion in the Qur'an between Mary - Mother of Jesus - and Myriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, who lived in the 13th century B.C. 

Mary in the Holy Qur'an

What does the Holy Qur'an say about Mary and Jesus? (1)

And mention Marium in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place;
So she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man.

She said: Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficent God, if you are one guarding (against evil).

He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy.

She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?

He said: Even so; your Lord says: It is easy to Me: and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed.

So she conceived him; then withdrew herself with him to a remote place.
And the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!

Then (the child) called out to her from beneath her: Grieve not; surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you;

And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates:

So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent God, so I shall not speak to any man today.

And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). They said: O Marium! surely you have done a strange thing.

O sister of Haroun! your father was not a bad man, nor, was your mother an unchaste woman.

But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle?

He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet;

And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live;

And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed;
And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life.

Such is Isa, son of Marium; (this is) the saying of truth about which they dispute.

It beseems not Allah that He should take to Himself a son, glory to be Him; when He has decreed a matter He only says to it "Be," and it is.

And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path.

But parties from among them disagreed with each other, so woe to those who disbelieve, because of presence on a great.

How clearly shall they hear and how clearly shall they see on the day when they come to Us; but the unjust this day are in manifest error.

And warn them of the day of intense regret, when the matter shall have been decided; and they are (now) in negligence and they do not believe.

Surely We inherit the earth and all those who are on it, and to Us they shall be returned.

(Verses 16-40 of chapter 19 "Marium" from the Holy Qur'an)
 
- (1 ) It is interesting to note, while reading these passages, that Mary, although she is recognized by the text to be a virgin and the mother of Jesus, she is not considered to be the Mother of God. She is simply the mother of a prophet. In the Qur'an, Jesus is not considered to be the Son of God incarnate, but merely a simple prophet.

Do Muslims Believe that Mary Can Intercede for Men?

The Qur’an speaks of Mary in respectful, even admiring terms, and frequently invites the faithful to “remember her”: yes, “mention Mary” (Qur'an 19: 76). The common sight of Muslim men and women in Marian shrines invites one to ponder: Does Islam teach anything about Mary’s intercession like the Catholic Church (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 62 or 69)?

An example from Algiers

In Algiers, Algeria, the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa wasn’t Islamized during the recent push of Islamism, but has remained a place of pilgrimage. In the apse of that sanctuary is the inscription:

“Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Muslims!”

This is a prayer written by Christians, accepted and tolerated by Muslims.

An example from Mozambique

In 1948, in Nampula, a delegation of Muslims interrupted a procession for Our Lady of Fatima, and their president, Galamussen R. Bangy, delivered an address to the Virgin by reading the following declaration:

 

“The Islamic community of S. A.Aga Khan, from the province of Niassa, united in the veneration of Our Lady of Fatima, cannot fail to pay its most sincere homage to the venerable Pilgrim statue who, from the Cova da Iria is being carried throughout the world and who, in this moment of historic importance, gives us the great honor and privilege of coming to us.”

 

O Our Lady of Fatima, bless our city

O Our Lady of Fatima, bless the whole human race, so that it may follow a path of peace, human fraternity and spiritual elevation.

O Our Lady of Fatima, grant concord to all men on earth.

O Our Lady of Fatima, allow us to pay you this homage, although insignificant, which comes directly from our hearts full of veneration and true love.[1]

 

This speech could partly be one suited for the occasion, to entertain local conviviality. We can’t dismiss the possible confusion for the Muslim audience between “Our Lady of Fatima” and “Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet” either. The fact remains that what you have here is an expression of the Muslims’ popular trust in Mary’s intercession. This Muslim prayer is a blessing for peace that could take root – although indirectly – with the surah of Mary, where the son of Mary is described as a non-violent being on whom Peace rests (Qur’an 19 : 33).

The Teaching of Islam

The Qur’an teaches that intercession is possible, but does not say who can intercede. Some verses warn that at the last Judgment, no one will be able to intercede before Allah, who will remain the only patron (surah 2: 48 or surah 6 : 51). (Cf. what has been said about determinism.)

 

In particular, there won’t be the possibility of intercession for those who will not have recognized in Muhammad the messenger of Allah (Surah 9 : 80).

Popular faith expects a certain intercession from Muhammad

 


Muhammad is the only one who can intercede because all others have sinned:


Adam ate of the fruit of the tree,


Noah did not take care of those who were sent to perdition,


Abraham argued about the religion agreeable to God,


Moses killed a man,


Jesus and his mother were adored as if they were gods. [2]

 

In such a context, speaking objectively of an intercession from Mary, whether in favor of Muslims or non-Muslims, doesn’t make a lot of sense in Islam.

An example that happened in Jordania

A monk from the abbey of Latroun in Israel shared a story he heard from the very mouth of Father Joseph, pastor of Anjara:

 


Nasser, a young Muslim serving as a paratrooper for the Jordanian army in Amman, was bedridden after making a bad landing and hurting a vertebra. He wasn’t recovering. Nasser’s fiancée was a young Muslim girl, raised by the Sisters of the Rosary. The young people felt a great sadness about the future. Nasser was sent to London where an unhappy injection left him paralyzed for life. Back at the military hospital of Amman, he learned that his fiancée’s parents wanted to break off the engagement and he himself agreed.


However, a friend of the girl, Sister L. of the Rosary, went to visit Nasser through an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and gave him a Miraculous Medal. He kissed it and accepted to wear it. Sister L. told him: "What the doctors can’t do, God will do and heal you."


That night, Nasser heard a voice telling him: "Nasser, you are healed now, get up."


He answered: "It’s impossible, I am paralyzed for life."


A second time the voice said: "Nasser, you are healed now, get up."


Same answer.


The third time, the voice said: "I am the Mother of Jesus, in his Name, I have healed you, get up." At that moment, he felt two strong hands pulling him up. He was healed. Exulting with joy, truly healed, he woke up the whole hospital. Doctors and nurses couldn’t believe their eyes.


The next day, he asked for a certificate stating that his recovery was miraculous. He only received a certificate attesting that his recovery was humanly unexplainable. No matter, Nasser became an apostle of Mary and proclaimed everywhere that “Sittna Mariam,” Our Lady Mary, healed him. He attended a Mass of thanksgiving with his fiancé. Now nothing prevented their marriage. And Bishop Sinnaan, the bishop the Amman, was informed of the fact and of Nasser’s desire to become a Christian. [3]

 

Sister L. entrusted the paralyzed man to Mary’s intercession. This was the meaning of her gesture when she had given Nasser a Miraculous Medal. However, the Muslim faith does not teach that Mary intercedes for men.

 

This is where another revelation came in for the young Muslim, which occurred in a private manner, through a voice he heard (it is of little relevance here how he heard it, interiorly or exteriorly).

 

To remain a Muslim wasn’t for Nasser the coherent and harmonious thing to do while he had gained this new consciousness of Mary’s intercession; so he decided to become a Christian.

 

 

________________

[1] P. Demoutiez – M. T. Pereira da Cunha, Nossa Senhora de Fatima, Peregrina do Mundo, Lisboa 1953,- cité da E. Oggé, La Madonna Missionaria, Edizioni Missioni Consolata, 2° editino, Turin 1968, p. 333.

[2] (SMITH J. AND HADDAD Y., The Islamic Understanding of Death and Resurrection, Albany 1981, p. 80)

[3] Article de "Message et Messagers" #163, 1984, - Told in "Recueil marial" (1986) by Brother Albert Pfleger, Marist

OUR LADY AND ISLAM: HEAVEN’S PEACE PLAN
 Fr Ladis J. Cizik, Blue Army National Executive Director

OUR LADY AND ISLAM: HEAVEN’S PEACE PLAN
Fr Ladis J. Cizik, Blue Army National Executive Director

Islam Islam is an Arabic word that can be defined as "to make peace." Islam is the religion founded by Mohammed, which considers the Koran as its holy book. In addition, Islam accepts the New Testament of the Christians and the Old Testament of the Jews as Divinely inspired works. Followers of Islam are known as Muslims (also: Moors, Turks, and Moslems) and, just as Jews and Christians, believe in only one God. Yet, over the centuries, Muslims have engaged in tremendous wars with Christians and Jews. It would seem that there is little hope for peace. However, Heaven's Peace Plan, involving Our Lady, is evidenced at Fatima, Portugal as well as other places around the world.

Fatima

The Moors once occupied Portugal. The village of Fatima was given the Islamic name of the well-loved Princess of the nearby Castle of Ourem. She died at an early age after marrying the Count of Ourem and converting to Catholicism. Baptized with the Christian name of Oureana, she was named at birth "Fatima," like many other Moslem girls, in honor of the daughter of Mohammed. Of his daughter, Fatima, the founder of Islam, Mohammed, said: "She has the highest place in heaven after the Virgin Mary."

It is a fact that Moslems from various nations, especially from the Middle East, make so many pilgrimages to Our Lady of Fatima's Shrine in Portugal that Portuguese officials have expressed concern. The combination of an Islamic name and Islamic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a great attraction to Moslems. God is writing straight with crooked lines, as we will see. Fatima is a part of Heaven's Peace Plan. It is hope for the world.

The Koran

In the Koran, the holy name of the Blessed Virgin Mary is mentioned no less than thirty times. No other woman's name is even mentioned, not even that of Mohammed's daughter, Fatima. Among men, only Abraham, Moses, and Noah are mentioned more times than Our Lady. In the Koran, Our Blessed Mother is described as "Virgin, ever Virgin." The Islamic belief in the virginity of Mary puts to shame the heretical beliefs of those who call themselves Christian, while denying the perpetual virginity of Mary. Make no mistake about it, there is a very special relationship between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Moslems!

The Holy Land

The Holy Land has been a real battleground between the Islamic peoples and Christianity over the centuries. Evidence of this are the numerous churches and basilicas that have been built by the Church, destroyed by, the Moslems, rebuilt by Catholic Crusaders, leveled again by the followers of Islam, and so on over the course of history. However, there is one remarkable exception: the Basilica of Saint Anne in Jerusalem.

The Crusaders built this church and named it in honor of the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Crypt of St. Anne's Basilica, a statue of the Infant Mary is venerated on what is believed to be the exact spot where Our Lady was born. Their great reverence for Our Lady precluded the Moslems from destroying her birthplace. The foundation for Heaven's Peace Plan at Fatima, Portugal, can be found in the Land of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spain

As the Moslems swept through Spain in the 8th century, a great religious treasure was buried for safe-keeping in the earth, high in the Estremadura Mountains. It was a much venerated statue of Our Lady holding the Divine Child Jesus that was a gift of Pope Gregory the Great to Bishop Leander of Seville. After the overthrow of Moorish occupation, the image was uncovered in the year 1326, subsequent to a vision of Our Lady to a humble shepherd by the name of Gil. Our Lady's very special statue was enshrined in a nearby Franciscan Monastery next to the "Wolf River."

The Moslems, during their Spanish occupation, had actually named the river. The Islamic term for Wolf River is "Guadalupe" (Guada = River; Lupe = Wolf). Hence, the famous Catholic image in Spain has been known, since the 14th century, by the Islamic name of "Our Lady of Guadalupe."

Mexico

In the fullness of time, we can be sure that Almighty God knew that the Islamic religion would pose a serious threat to Christianity. God also knew that the Spanish missionaries would face grave resistance in the "new world" from the mighty Aztec Indians. The Aztecs worshipped an evil stone "serpent god" that demanded human sacrifice. It was extremely difficult to win souls for Christ from these bloodthirsty savages. However, with God all things are possible. Our Lady appeared to a humble Aztec Indian convert by the name of Juan Diego in 1531. When asked her name by Juan Diego, at the request of the local bishop, Our Lady's response, in the Aztec language, included the words "te coatlaxopeuh" (pronounced: "te quatlasupe") and meant "one who crushes the head of the stone serpent."

To Juan Diego and his fellow Aztecs, this revelation had great meaning, coupled with the miraculous image of Our Lady standing on top of a "crescent," the symbol of this evil serpent god. A tidal wave of conversions to Catholicism ensued. However, Bishop Zumarraga, who was from Spain, made what was no doubt a "heavenly mistake" that one day may lead to the mass conversion of Moslems. To the Bishop's Spanish ears, Our Lady's Aztec name of "Te Quatlasupe" sounded just like the name of the revered Madonna from Spain with the Islamic name, "Guadalupe." Hence, the bishop named the Mexican Madonna "Our Lady of Guadalupe." It is interesting that the "crescent" is also the symbol for Islam and that America's Shrine to Our Lady has an Islamic name.

Battle of Lepanto

On October 7, 1571, a great victory over the mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between "oared" ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world, a Moslem force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers. The patchwork team of Catholic ships was powered by the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, the holy pontiff, St. Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory.

We know today that the victory was decisive, prevented the Islamic invasion of Europe, and evidenced the Hand of God working through Our Lady. At the hour of victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, is said to have gotten up from a meeting, went over to a window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: "The Christian fleet is victorious!" and shed tears of thanksgiving to God.

What you may not know is that one of three admirals commanding the Catholic forces at Lepanto was Andrea Doria. He carried a small copy of Mexico's Our Lady of Guadalupe into battle. This image is now enshrined in the Church of San Stefano in Aveto, Italy. Not many know that at the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, one can view a huge warship lantern that was captured from the Moslems in the Battle of Lepanto. In Rome, look up to the ceiling of S. Maria in Aracoeli and behold decorations in gold taken from the Turkish galleys. In the Doges' Palace in Venice, Italy, one can witness a giant Islamic flag that is now a trophy from a vanquished Turkish ship from the Victory. At Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome, close to the tomb of the great St. Pope Pius V, one was once able to view yet another Islamic flag from the Battle, until 1965, when it was returned to Istanbul in an intended friendly token of concord.

The Rosary

At Lepanto, the Victory over the Moslems was won by the faithful praying the Rosary. Even though they had superior numbers, the Turks really were overmatched. Blessed Padre Pio, the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army, said: "The Rosary is the weapon," and how right he was!

The Battle of Lepanto was at first celebrated liturgically as "Our Lady of Victory." Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716 (who canonized Pope Pius V in 1712).

And with that we are back to Fatima, Portugal where Our Lady, when asked her name, said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary." At Fatima, Our Lady taught us to pray the Rosary every day. Heaven presented its peace plan at Fatima and truly gave us hope for the world. Conversions were promised at Fatima: the conversion of sinners; the conversion of Russia; and what also appears to be the conversion of Islam. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!