The Golden Rule
Four men sit down together. In the discussion they start to speak about what is called “the Golden Rule,” and how it is understood.
The first speaks. “Leviticus 19 says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” But who is my neighbour? The great rabbi Hillel, who is one of the main teachers 100 years before Jesus, and is the source of much of modern Judaism, said the way that this is put into practice, is that you “do not unto others what is hateful to yourself.” That is, this forbids me from harming another person, but does not require me to do anything to help them. If I do – that is mitzvah – a good work.”
The second speaks. “What you call the golden rule is not found in the Koran. But there is the Hadith that is the general practice based on the life of the great prophet, The 13th Hadith of Imam al-Nawawi is: “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” Truly we are told to do everything to help our brother.”
He is asked – who is your brother? And he says, “I am a brother to all other true Muslims. Infidels, non-believers, and those who are not my brother Muslim, I have absolutely no obligation toward.
The third speaks. “I am sorry to say, we have not always lived up to the way Jesus spoke of ‘The Golden Rule’. When he told us to “do unto others as you would have them do to you,” he went on to explain, that is not only to our fellow believers, but also to all people. (See Luke 6:31-35). We are to go out of our way to help others.
The fourth speaks his mind. “Well, I guess I have a different book then the rest of you. My ‘golden rule’ is: he who has the most gold, makes the rules. And I want to make the rules, so I want the most gold.”
From a sermon by Sam Cianchino, islam vs GOD, 6/9/2010