Islamic and Christian Mysticism

¶ … mysticism in the religious faiths of Christianity and Islam

This paper explores the meaning and use of mysticism in the religious faiths of Christianity and Islam. The author uses two sources to show the reader how mysticism impacts the faiths and allows the reader to explore the truth of the existence within the faiths.

FAITH WITHOUT PROOF

Around the world the religious faiths of people can be a powerful motivator for living a life free from anger and sin. Many people live their life according to a doctrine that they take to be truth based on little more than their own personal faith that the religion exists as does the higher power that the faith has been build upon. Mysticism in both faiths plays an important role. It guides the followers many times when the only thing they have is their faith. However, even though mysticism is woven into each faith it is used, viewed and believed in different ways.

Before one can begin to understand exactly how mysticism affects each of the two faiths it is important to have a grasp on what mysticism is in general. Mysticism as it is used in the world of religion means to have a belief or a faith in something with only subjective or little proof that the belief is real and true. The dictionary says it is a direct belief or knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality. And that this is gotten through one's direct subjective experiences regarding that faith. In addition the idea of mysticism is used for belief that has no sound proof.

All religious faiths in the world are steeped in at least some measure of mysticism because one cannot prove their faith's truth or existence until the afterlife occurs. This is something that cannot be proven until then and even after, those who remain living have no way to determine if the person's beliefs were correct or not.

The mystical dimensions of religion refer to the continued belief in the faith even with little proof. Today science has come so far as to begin to prove several theories that fly in the face of the faiths of the world. Still, the sciences are ignored or discussed with the continued faith that the higher power of that faith is all-powerful and nothing science discovers can disprove it. The mystical dimensions of religion call on believers to believe with little proof to go on and all subjective ideas in proof's place (Frankeil PG).

Both the faith of Islam and Christianity hold certain mystic qualities and values (Denny pp PG). The traditions of these faiths are founded in things that the followers are asked to hold to their hearts as truth even with nothing more than subjective speculation as to the actual truth. In Christianity the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one example of mysticism. Today the medical community knows that it is possible that Jesus was not dead, and the reason he left the cave on the third day is that he became healthier from the three-day rest. However, even given this possibility the followers of the Christian faith hold fast to the belief that he came out of the cave on the third day and was resurrected because of it. This is a classic example of mysticism in the faith of Christianity.

The Islam faith has a much more modern connection with the world of mysticism. Islam has been introduced to Sufi, which is the purposeful belief in, and practice of mystic traditions and events for the strengthening of the faith.

While mysticism plays a part in Islam by virtue of the faith being based in faith, the actual traditional practices of mysticism is reserved for different Muslim sects. The faith is divided between those who believe in and practice Sufi and those who reject it as non-Muslim (Denny pp 6).

Each faith has what it believes are the truth about the ascension toward God. In the Christian faith the ascension to God is accomplished by believing that Jesus died for the sins of the world. In Islam the belief is that each life we live, is to be lived with the truth and the end goal in mind. Marriage and suffering and other obstacles in both faiths are to be approached with the higher power always in mind as a priority and the question of what that higher power wants done to resolve the issue.