When an Arabic speaking Muslim friend saw Mel Gibson’s movie Passion of the Christ with most of the dialogue in Aramaic, he was very surprised that he did not need most of the subtitles in English to understand the movie!

This connection is a critical bridge builder: sister languages, Arabic, and Aramaic, the written language which was once the global language, stretching from the Near East to Malabar in India and East China.

Dr. Sidney Griffith, a Catholic priest and noted Syriac scholar, states that, “neither Qur’anic nor Aramaic scholars have seen fit to make the linguistic connection and it is about time that connection was made.”

Western academia has been primarily concentrated on Biblical Greek. What we need to now consider is the Aramaic/Syriac New Testament, written in the language Jesus actually spoke, as an additional tool for comparative analysis. I have found this an invaluable tool working with the Islamic world in seeking bridges to the common ground.

Muslims respect the similarity of words, meanings, and relate to the Eastern traditions and idiomatic nuances of the Aramaic. They are very similar to the Arabic of the Qur’an and the Hebrew of the Torah; and can help unlock useful mysteries within the Eastern Holy Books.

The Prophet Muhammad and Aramaic

Some Islamic historians tell us that trusted Assyrian and Syriac speaking believers in Jesus interacted with the Prophet Muhammad and likely read to him from the Aramaic Eastern Text. The very word Qur’an, which means “The Recital,” is derived from an Aramaic/Syriac word qiriana.

Original Revelation of the Holy Books: Why the Aramaic has special meaning for Muslims

The most compelling logic for use of the Aramaic New Testament in building bridges to the Common Ground deals with the Muslim view of “original revelation.”

Islam holds that God, through the angel Gabriel, spoke the revelation to the Prophet Mohammed in Arabic and is considered the official language of “The Recital.” Thus, the only accepted written version is Arabic.

Since Jesus spoke Aramaic, Muslims believe (consistent with Islamic logic) the “Holy” written version of the Gospel would be in Aramaic.

It is helpful to note that Aramaic was the first written Semitic script of the three, followed by Hebrew and finally, Arabic. The ever widening “gulf” separating us is unfortunate, but it is my hope that studying the related Semitic languages of the East will serve as a key foundation, providing evidence that our faiths have more in common than we have believed in the past.

Compassion is a central theme in our world’s religions.  Join those working to change the conversation about religion to focus on compassion: on treating others as you would like to be treated.

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION TRAILER from TED Prize on Vimeo.

We’re happy to announce that A Deadly Misunderstanding won the 2009 Silver Nautilus Award, an award that recognizes books that “Promote Spiritual Growth, Conscious Living, and Positive Social Change.”  Past winners include titles from Deepak Chopra M.D., Barbara Kingsolver, Thich Nnat Hanh, Jean Houston, Ph.D., Eckhart Tolle and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The awards are determined by three experienced judging teams made up of book reviewers, librarians, authors, editors and book store owners.  The Silver marks the second level of judging and the Gold will be awarded later this month!

This from the Nautilus website seems particularly apt for ADM: “…with religious and secular fanaticism all growing at an alarming rate, the need for books that promote viable options for positive social change is vast, and the phrase, “Changing the World One Book at a Time” is more meaningful than ever before.”  We offer hearty agreement and are glad to see ADM ranked amongst those most meaningful books.

Mark is a featured guest on Common Threads, a show focusing on religion & spirituality.  It is a coproduction of WGVU Radio and The Interfaith Dialogue Association.

One of the endorsers for A Deadly Misunderstanding, Tawfik Hamid, published an opinion piece this week in the Wall Street Journal Online.  In Islam Should Prove It’s a Religion of Peace, he calls Islamic clerics to denounce the violence often characterized along with their religion rather than demanding that it be ignored.

We’re always glad to hear about small groups reading ADM together, so thanks to co-author John David Mann for passing on news of Hannah Ineson and the ecumenical group she is a part of in Florida.  Welcome and hello to any new visitors who found your way here from John’s recent posts talking about ADM and his emphatic belief that “This book is going to shake the world in a very big and very positive way. (That’s my story, anyhow, and I’m sticking to it!)”

Meanwhile, the Religion Blog at The Dallas Morning News posted a link to Mark’s ReadtheSpirit article and God Discussion.com, “The Place for Seekers Who Don’t Want to Go to Church,” featured ADM with a summary and reader reviews.

Mark’s has a few speaking engagments coming up, and more in the planning stages. Be sure to keep an eye on our itinerary page for new events!