Christianity also teaches that one can only have one master.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
SO Christianity teaches that we should serve God and God is a master. A servant or slave is a person who serves. But still this doesn't prevent God from taking friends or for us to draw closer to God. It's the same type of thing in Islam but we do not have the father-children concept in name. This is to prevent the blasphemies connotations the Christians have of Father and Son, meaning that God shares His essence with another created being.
You've clearly never been to a church. Different people worship in different manners in Christianity, in accordance with sect and personal beliefs. Many will get on their knees and pray throughout a service, reciting verses - such as in Catholicism. Orthodoxy has lots of tradition in its services - but I couldn't give you a detailed description off hand since I've only been to a few of their services. People are expected to stand throughout their fairly long services though, unless one can't because they are old/young/etc.
Protestants emphasize the personal nature of our relationship with God and so tend to minimize the amount of prescribed ritual in worshiping God - but they come together, sing God's praises, listen to God's Word, and go out and help those in need.
But they don't have a Salaah kind of thing where they could worship God as a congregations with body and spirit? All Muslims do salaah which can be done in congregation. It's very symbolic of unity.
For Christians, the study of God's Word and the doing of his will (helping those in need, spreading the Gospel, etc) are acts of worship, and they draw us closer to God.
Just so in Islam too. Everything could be an act of worship if we do it in the name of God and only God.
As far as prayer goes - Christianity treats prayer much differently from Islam. Prayer, for the Christian, is a private matter between God and the individual. Same with fasting and the like.
This is a common misconception among Christians. Muslims have two kinds of "prayers". Ritual and non-ritual. The ritual is Salaah could be in congregation, or private or could be supererogatory. We also have Dua which is resembles the Christian form of prayer. Fasting and Sadaqah (any form of charity) can be supererogatory too in addition to the obligatory.
"My servant continues to draw near to Me with
supererogatory works so that I will love him.When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, hishand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] ofMe, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant limit." Hadith Qudsi
“The likeness of those who spend for Allah’s sake is as the likeness of a grain of corn, it grows seven ears every single ear has a hundred grains, and Allah multiplies (increases the reward of) for whom He wills, and Allah is sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower).” (Qur’an, 2:261)
“Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day,
in secret and in public have their reward with their Rabb (only God and Sustainer). On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.” (Qur‘an, 2:274)
“…that which you give for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase); it is those who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Qur’an, 30:39)
“Only those who believe in Our Signs, who when they are recited to them fall down in adoration, and celebrate the praises of their Rabb (only God and Sustainer), nor are they (ever) puffed up with pride.
They forsake their beds of sleep, the while they call on their Rabb (only God and Sustainer), in Fear and Hope. And they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance which We have bestowed on them. Now no person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden (in reserve) for them -- as a reward for their (good) Deeds. Is then the man who believes no better than the man who is rebellious and wicked? Not equal are they. For those who believe and do righteous deeds are Gardens as hospitable Homes, for their (good) deeds.” (Qur‘an, 32:15-19)
“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women for devout men and women for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s remembrance for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.” (Qur’an, 33:35)
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O you who believe! Do not render vain your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men and he does not believe in Allah nor in the last Day.” (Qur’an, 2: 264)
“And whatever you spend in charity or whatever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all. But the wrongdoers have no helpers. If you disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well,
but if you conceal them and make them reach those (really) in need, that is best for you. It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is well acquainted with what you do.” (Qur‘an, 2:270-271)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) said, “Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: 1. a just ruler, 2. a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, 3. a man whose heart is attached to the mosque, 4. two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting for that. 5. a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position but he says, “I fear Allah”, 6
. a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity, and 7. a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari (Eng. translation) vol. 2, hadeeth no. 504)
"The Hypocrites - they think they are over-reaching God, but He will over-reach them:
When they stand up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men, but little do they hold God in remembrance; (The Noble Quran, 4:142)"
"
So woe to the worshipers Who are neglectful Of their Prayers, Those who (want but) To be seen (of men), But refuse (to supply) (Even) neighbourly needs. (The Noble Quran, 107:4-7)"
The Muslim understanding of God is not a just one then - if you think that God cares only of repentance and thinks nothing of the damage that one's sins cause. For instance - in Christianity one who has been forgiven is expected to likewise forgive. If one refuses to forgive, then they are not forgiven.
God freely forgives - but when one forgives, this does not undo the damage. The damage exists and must be dealt with.
If you wrong someone and He forgives you would you have to pay him back? What's forgiveness then?
When we wrong others we must pay back if they do not forgive you. Same with God. If God forgives what more is needed?
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) asked his Companions (Sahaaba) "Do you know who is poor and empty handed?" The Companions said "We think that the one who has no property or money is poor." The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) remarked "Be sure the poor in my Ummah (followers) is he who comes with the wealth of Fasts, Namaaz (Prayers) and Zakaat (Charity) alongwith the misdeeds of having abused someone, blamed someone, snatched someone's property, slained someone unnecessarily.
In consequence his virtues will be awarded to those whom he has hurt. If his virtues are finished, sins of the claimants will be awarded to the opressor and surely he will be sent to Hell. Such person is termed as poor.
Repentance itself is enough. The purpose of Justice is to balance the scales. But if the wronged chooses to forgive then there is no retribution. In Islamic Law a murderer could be forgiven without facing death.
Even if Jesus died to pay the wages of our sins why should we believe in such a sacrifice after repentance? Repentance itself is enough.
Or do you think it idolatry to honor Muhammed and follow the teachings that he has passed on?
And Jesus doesn't rob God of his uniqueness - there is only one God, the Father.
The Jesus of the Christians shares some divine attributes with God. Hence God is not unique.
Muhammad does not have any divine attribute. He does not rival God nor is he some sort of avatar or incarnation or shade of God. He showed us the way like the Prophets before him and that's all
