by Scott Creighton
Let's begin with level flight.
And now for a little post-Christmas AI slop (?) to mark the passing of the old to the New Year of Indifference in America.
The beatitudes:
Luke 6:20-37 King James version
20 And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples and said, “Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh.
22 Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven; for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 “But woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 “But I say unto you that hear: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you.
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not back.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them that love you, what thanks have ye? For sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thanks have ye? For sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them from whom ye hope to receive, what thanks have ye? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest; for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
Matthew 5:1-12 King James version:
5 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: 2 and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 [a]Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
The question:
'is there a Muslim equivalent to the beatitudes' Matthew 5:1-12 King James and Jewish Bible versions
The AI slop (?) answer:
Islamic Parallels
The Qur'an mentions Jesus (Isa in Arabic) as a highly revered prophet, and his ethical teachings, including the spirit of the Beatitudes, are largely considered consistent with Islamic principles. Islamic scholars and thinkers have drawn parallels between the Sermon on the Mount and key Islamic texts, such as the Qur'an and the Hadith (sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad).Key parallels and concepts include:
- The Qur'anic concept of Tuba: The Arabic word tuba (طُوبَى), meaning "blessedness," "goodness," or "felicity," appears once in the Qur'an (13:29) as a "quasi-beatitude" upon believers who perform good works. This verse promises a "goodly state and a goodly return" for those who believe and act righteously.
- The Farewell Sermon: The Prophet Muhammad's Farewell Sermon is sometimes compared to the Sermon on the Mount as a comprehensive moral and spiritual guide.
- Moral Injunctions (The "Ten Commandments Verses"): The Qur'an contains passages that outline fundamental divine instructions similar in nature to the Ten Commandments, which focus heavily on monotheism, honoring parents, avoiding sin, and social justice (Qur'an 6:151–153 and 17:23–39).
- Emphasis on Forgiveness and Humility: Islamic texts strongly encourage virtues found in the Beatitudes, such as mercy, forgiveness, and humility. For example, specific verses encourage believers to "pardon and overlook," for "Allah loves the doers of good" (Qur'an 3:134).
In essence, while the form of the Beatitudes as a single, poetic list of blessings is unique to the New Testament, the underlying moral virtues of humility, mercy, purity of heart, and the promise of divine reward for the righteous are central to Islamic faith and practice.
Experts posit the differences between Luke's sermon on the plain and Matthew's sermon on the mount may be because they were different sermons given in different locations at different times or because the two simply received the messages at the same location in different ways.
However... some suggest a more interesting explanation (and by 'some' I mean our AI overlords):
' Luke's sermon seems tailored for a broader, perhaps Gentile, audience, focusing on practical ethics and social justice, while Matthew's addresses a Jewish audience familiar with the Law.' AI
Blessed are the poor (financially) to blessed are the poor in spirit (depressed)... the gentile version verses the Jewish version... one focused on economic and social justice... and the other seemingly trying to erase that beatitude from biblical history... draw your own conclusions from that.
Indifference.
We were being conditioned early by the money changers, weren't we?
Also notice how the Muslim or Islamic versions of the beatitudes reflect more akin to Luke's version and not Matthew's.
In Judaism they are taught that Christ was a fraud, a huckster, a false prophet yet in the Islamic faith he was considered one of the true prophets along with Adam, Moses and Muhammad who's teachings emphasized peace and social justice.
And for centuries we have been taught to fear and loath the Muslim.
This is part of what the beatitudes can teach us about compassion today and the metastasizing indifference in America today.
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away” Dave Gilmore
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