Synergizing Religions

First the background:

I was sitting in my Art History class a few weeks ago, looking at slides of Islamic art and architecture (which is beautiful by the way), and I had a very interesting thought--I should read the Quran! Ok, so I put it on my list of books to read. The next day, I was talking to my sister on the phone, and out of the blue, she said that she bought a Quran that day. How ironic that two nice, Methodist girls decided to read the Muslims' Holy Book!

So, I brought the Quran back with me after Thanksgiving, and I started it today. Random? Yes!

Here are three things that I've learned so far:

#1: The word "Qibla" came up about six times during my reading, and I had no clue what it meant. It turns out to be very elementary: it is simply the direction in which a person should pray. Ok, easy enough.

#2: I had no idea that the Quran would reference so many Old Testament stories such as Adam in the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark, Moses in the desert, etc. It also had the Virgin birth of Christ to Mary.

#3: This is my favorite:
"And they say: 'None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.' Those are their (vain) desires. Say: 'Produces your proof if you are truthful."
"Nay--whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, --he will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."

--Surah 2: 111-112

I love the inclusiveness of those verses.