Similar origins of mormonism and Islam

Overview- Similarities exist between the origins of Islam and those of Mormonism: -Both Muhammad and Joseph Smith were reportedly inspired to start their movements by angelic visits: the Archangel Jibreel (Gabriel) in the case of Muhammed, and the Angel Moroni for Joseph Smith (following a visit Smith claimed to have received from God and Jesus Christ three years earlier). In each event, the angel in question helped to prepare the prophet to receive a series of revelations from God. -Both Muhammad and Joseph Smith left behind authorized books they claimed to be direct revelations from God, books that their followers accept as Scripture. -Both Muhammad and Joseph Smith were persecuted by hostile locals and later forced to relocate (from Mecca to Medina, and from Missouri to Illinois, respectively) during the formative periods of their careers. -Both Muhammad and Joseph Smith established theocratic city-states during their respective ministries, Muhammad being invited to take the rule of Medina, while Joseph Smith would found Nauvoo, Illinois. Qur'an: Islam holds that the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad by the archangel Jibrīl (Gabriel) over a period of approximately 23 years, beginning in 610 CE when he was forty years old, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. He first began receiving the 114 revelations that would comprise its contents while secluded for meditation and prayer in the Cave of Hira in the mountains outside of Mecca, in what is now Saudi Arabia. According to Islamic tradition, the illiterate Muhammad was confronted there by Jibrīl, who commanded him to "recite". Although deeply distressed by this event, Muhammad was comforted by his wife Khadijah and her Christian cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who encouraged him to accept the angel's visit. Following a three-year period without any further visits from Jibrīl (during which Muhammad continued to pray and devote himself to spiritual practices), the angel returned once more, and the other 113 Surahs of the Qur'an were revealed over the next 23 years, which were memorized by their hearers. Muhammad himself did not collect the Qur'an into a single, written volume; this was largely done after his death. Mormon sacred texts: Mormons believe that when Joseph Smith, Jr. was seventeen years of age, an angel of God named Moroni appeared to him[30] and told him of a collection of ancient writings engraved on golden plates by ancient prophets, buried in a nearby hill in Ontario County, New York. These writings became the Book of Mormon, and were said to have described a people whom God had led from Jerusalem to the Western Hemisphere 600 years before Jesus’ birth. According to the narrative, Moroni was the last prophet among these people and had buried the record, which God had promised to bring forth in the latter days. Smith stated that he was instructed by Moroni to meet him at the hill annually each September 22 to receive further instructions; four years after the initial visit, in 1827, he was allowed to take the plates and was directed to translate them into English. In addition to the Book of Mormon, Mormons believe the Doctrine and Covenants to be a series of modern-day revelation from God. These were written by Joseph Smith over a 21-year period (1823–44), from ages 17 to 38. The first 134 sections were written by Joseph Smith, while the last three sections and two official declarations were added to the Doctrine and Covenants by Smith's successors. The revelations include instruction on church procedures and organization, admonitions to Smith and other church members, interpretation of scripture such as the Book of Revelation and records of visions such as that of Jesus Christ in the Kirtland Temple. Latter Day Saints also accept the Pearl of Great Price, which contains selections from Joseph Smith's "New Translation" of the Bible, which he claimed were corrections to the King James Version received by direct inspiration from God. It also contains the Book of Abraham, an alleged translation by Smith of an ancient Egyptian papyrus, together with the Mormon "Articles of Faith" and an extract from Smith's official history. Despite the similarities between the alleged origins of the Qur'an and Latter Day Saint sacred texts, neither Islam nor Mormonism accepts the scriptures of the other as canonical. Mormons and Muslims- God: Perhaps the greatest single area of difference between Mormons and Muslims lies in their religions' differing concepts of God. In Islam, Allah (the Arabic term for God) is seen as being absolutely and indivisibly one; this concept is called Tawhid, and does not admit the possibility of division in the Godhead either in personality, essence or otherwise. It holds that God is one (wāḥid) and unique (ahad). The very term "Allah" itself is singular, and does not have a plural form in Arabic (unlike English, where "God" can be pluralized into "gods"). Allah is perceived by Muslims to be a unique, independent and indivisible being, who is utterly independent of and who precedes all of creation, having created all of it ex nihilo. Hence, the idea that there could be more than one God, or that God could be composed of distinct persons (however united these "persons" might be alleged to be in substance – as is held in the mainstream Trinitarian theology of Christianity – or in purpose alone, as alleged by the Mormons in opposition to the Christian doctrine), is all heresy of the worst possible kind for a Muslim. In fact, such ideas are referred to as Shirk, which is the most serious sin in Islamic law, and the only one designated by the Qur'an as being utterly unpardonable for the person who dies in it. In stark contrast, Mormonism believes in a Godhead composed of three separate and distinct beings, who function as a single, unified God under the direction of the Father, who is held to be the senior member of this triad. Although the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants clearly identify the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as being "one God", this unity is seen as a metaphorical "oneness" in spirit, purpose and glory, rather than a physical or bodily union. The Mormon Book of Abraham, in its account of creation (one that generally parallels the one in the Biblical Book of Genesis), speaks of "the Gods", rather than "God", as accomplishing the act of creation. Mormon Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland elaborated upon this concept during the General Conference of the LDS Church in 2007: “We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption. I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true.... We declare it is self-evident from the scriptures that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons, three divine beings, noting such unequivocal illustrations as the Savior’s great Intercessory Prayer John 17, His baptism at the hands of John, the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the martyrdom of Stephen—to name just four.” Latter-day Saints also believe, in marked contrast to Islam, that God the Father and Jesus Christ each have physical bodies of flesh and bone, and that the Father was once a man, who progressed to become what he is today. Furthermore, they believe that man is capable, by embracing and adhering completely to the Mormon religion, of evolving into a "god" himself in the next life, the LDS equivalent of theosis. In addition, the existence of a being colloquially known as "Heavenly Mother" is affirmed by the LDS Church, though prayer to her or speaking of her as being part of the Mormon Godhead are strictly forbidden. Islam rejects all of these concepts. Whereas Muslims believe that Allah is absolutely above and separate from all of his creation, having created all of it from nothing, Mormonism considers both matter and intelligence to be co-eternal with him, and beyond even his power to create or destroy; rather, God (according to Mormonism) merely "organizes" the elements into planets, stars, living beings, and so forth. Islam considers this concept to be a deification of creation, which it sees as another form of Shirk. Family relations: In Islam, several hadith stress the importance of keeping family relations alive and recommend that the distant relatives ought to be visited, even if took a year to travel to them. Brothers and sisters at home should help their mother when she becomes unable to support her children alone, while at the same time they should be equally benevolent to each other. Muhammad insisted that the most important person in one's life (after Allah) is one's mother, saying: "Paradise lies underneath the feet of mothers". In Islam, all Muslims are considered brothers and sisters in the faith, and are often addressed by the titles "brother" and "sister". The same holds true in Mormonism. Mormons also stress the importance of family relations. They designate Sunday as their Sabbath, a day of rest from worldly concerns and endeavors, to concentrate on spiritual matters (including communal worship) and family activities. They also designate Monday evenings as "Family Home Evening", an evening where all Mormons are encouraged to devote themselves exclusively to family togetherness and joint activities – temporal, as well as spiritual. Though Islam does not have a designated Sabbath (Friday, while the designated day for corporate worship, is otherwise mostly an ordinary work day for Muslims), it does encourage family togetherness. Mormonism teaches that families can be together throughout eternity, through the rite of eternal marriage and sealing ordinances as performed in Mormon temples. If a Mormon in good standing receives these rites and continues faithful to his or her religion until death, he or she is guaranteed to be reunited in the next life with all other family members who have done the same. Islam declares that all of those who remain faithful to Islam and achieve Jannah (Heaven, or "Paradise" as it is often called) will be reunited with their families there, or at least so many of them as have remained equally faithful to their religion and achieved the same reward.