You remember the well-known lines of Burns:
O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us.
The gift which the poet prays for is vouchsafed to very few mortals. Almost all of us have naturally, and often unconsciously, such a high opinion of ourselves that, even if we would, we could not see ourselves as others see us. The next best thing that we can do is, therefore, to see others as we see ourselves, to cherish the same regard for others as we instinctively cherish for ourselves. If (to take an extreme case for example) we cannot detest ourselves as others sometimes detest or hate us, we can at least try to love others as we love ourselves, "try to do unto others as we wish that others should do unto us". Thus the rule: "Love thy neighbour as thyself", is quite consistent with human nature and is the most comprehensive rule of conduct which has ever been laid down for the guidance of mankind. To my mind there is no better proof of the identity in spirit of Christianity and Islam than the confirmation of Christ's command by Muhammad himself.
| No-one will be a faithful Muslim until he loves his neighbour as he loves himself. | لا يو من احد كم حتىا حتلىا يحب اجا ره ما يوحب لنفس |
For this reason, I believe that there is no difference between the two religions if the metaphysical doctrines engrafted on both be eliminated. True Islam is but true Christianity writ short.[88] Both recognize that the source of virtue is love,
For love is Heaven and Heaven is love.
APPENDIX.