What do Christians and Muslims Pray?
A Comparison of the Lord's Prayer and the Islamic Fatiha
More people pray to their gods regularly in Asia and Africa than the inhabitants of industrialised nations can imagine. Hindus, Buddhists, Jewish people, Muslims and adherents of other religions have not lost the ability for sincere meditation. Often, they adhere to strictly regulated prayer-times. Prayer appears natural to them. Not to pray would be considered a sign of decadence.
The innermost values of a person and his culture are expressed in his prayers. For this reason, when we recognise someone is praying, we should conduct ourselves with deepest respect.
Both Muslims and Christians possess their own prayer which they consider to be superior to all others: the Fatiha and the Lord's Prayer, respectively. Let us compare these two prayer treasures, so as to be better able to understand what unites and what divides these two world religions.