This is yet another marvelous example of Roman Catholic outreach to Muslims, a gesture of good will that U.S. Catholic’s editors and readers are likely confident will be swiftly reciprocated. Yet it will not be. Have you ever seen an article in a Muslim publication entitled something like “What Muslims can learn from Christianity about the pursuit of happiness”? No, and you never will. For Muslims, Muslim-Christian dialogue is simply a means of proselytizing and bringing non-Muslims into Islam.
“The chasm between Islam and Jahiliyyah [the society of unbelievers] is great, and a bridge is not to be built across it so that the people on the two sides may mix with each other, but only so that the people of Jahiliyyah may come over to Islam.” — Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, chapter 10. (Mother Mosque Foundation edition p. 140)
“What Catholics can learn from Islam about the pursuit of happiness,” by Zeyneb Sayılgan, U.S. Catholic, May 22, 2025:
…Islam teaches that it is a sacred obligation to build trust and respect by nurturing human relationships. As Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi put it, while solitude can be healthy, we are social creatures who fundamentally need each other. The oneness of God calls for the oneness of humanity, urging us to refrain from division and work towards unity. The Qur’an reminds us we are here to know one another: “O humankind, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should know one another. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”
Catholic traditions similarly emphasize the need for human connection and the sacredness of communal life. In fact, in both Islam and Catholicism, as well as many other world religions, we find shared values around hospitality, communal meals, spiritual gatherings, and service to others. These are not just cultural customs; they are pathways to joy and healing in an increasingly disconnected world.
In these challenging times, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad offer valuable lessons on nurturing community and joy in daily life that transcend religious boundaries. He offers a powerful model for cultivating trust, engaging with others, and creating a sense of belonging. His teachings on connection, compassion, and community can resonate with people of all faiths—Catholics included—because so many traditions share this sacred impulse toward togetherness.
Inspired by Prophet Muhammad’s teachings, I try to employ several tools from my spiritual toolbox to cultivate healthy human connections…
rick says
Well all this “happiness” will make Osama bin Laden a great spiritual person.
“Solitude can be healthy” ,means living in caves which bin laden did a lot.
“We are social creatures who fundamentally need each other” that would be the gang members he needed with who he planned 9/11. Can’t do big jobs alone.
“urging us to refrain from division and work towards unity” Yes, the unity of Islam to destroy infidels like Jews, and Christians.
“We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should know one another, ” except what was left out – that Jews came from pigs and dogs.
“The Qur’an reminds us we are here to know one another” Yes, know who your brothers are and know who your enemies are.
alberto gorin says
thats it
Bret says
Muslims will fake playing nice until it’s time. And Muslim followers will support that evil every time.
Winston 101 says
Oh yes, Catholics and Muslims share so many facets of their religions.
Except for the treating of non-believing Kafirs to violent death and abuse parts.
You know, that cutting off peoples heads part, doesn’t quite line up with being of service.
And, oh, the organized, openly practiced, gang rape of Kafir females doesn’t quite qualify as a community gathering for Catholics.
The honor killings of children don’t comport with honoring thy father and mother either, I’m afraid.
The fatwas for apostasy, blasphemy and female modesty aren’t exactly like papal encyclicals.
But other than these minor differences we share so many similarities !
I’m sure if I think about it long enough I’ll find something.
Isabella Hale says
MUSLIMS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GOD.
Muhammud was a pedophile and had more than one wife; was illiterate and they OBJECTIFY women and believe they own children and they will be rewarded for committing suicide. DEATH CULT.
END OF CONVERSATION. I am a Christian.
somehistory says
‘In later periods of time, some will fall away from the Faith; paying attention to inspired utterances and teachings of demons.” (From the Bible, written down by the Apostle Paul)
“Inspired by” a mass-murdering rapist of children, filthy son of satan false “prophet’s “teachings” (from the disgusting article written by a fool)
A True believer in Christ….Catholic or otherwise….knows that all a Christian needs to know about faith, how to live, how to treat others, how to “draw close to God,’ (Who will then “draw close to you”) is found in the Bible, mainly in the words and actions and commands of Jesus Christ
Furthermore, mozlums and those who seem to worship their fake prophet, can’t **know* or **experience** “Joy” because “Joy” is part of the Fruit of God’s Spirit. One has to have God’s Spirit (by asking for it and working with it) in order to have joy.
In addition, the fake prophet, raper of children, made his “connections” by sword to neck.
The slime’s ideas of “compassion” was to murder those who rejected his demonic demands.
The writer of the article of lies, is working to mislead people from faith in Christ to a fake faith in a servant, slave and son of satan the devil. Shame on that writer….who writes very much like every mozscum.
Wellington says
Oh brother.
Siddi Nasrani says
U.S. Catholic explains ‘What Catholics can learn from Islam about the pursuit of happiness.
And for my next joke,….
Westman says
Allah did not create man so that he could have fun. The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer. An Islamic regime must be serious in every field. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious. Islam does not allow swimming in the sea and is opposed to radio and television serials. Islam, however, allows marksmanship, horseback riding and competition.”
― Ruhollah Khomeini
That covers Islam fairly well except for making women half-person-servants to men.
One isn’t likely to pursue happiness and find it, it finds you. A young man will find “happiness and tears” in a natural life of marriage, family, and commitment. If circumstances don’t permit those things then give service where you are able to make a difference.
If Catholicism can learn happiness from Islam then immigrants should be flooding to the ME instead of the US, UK, and EU.
James Lincoln says
Simply put, what Zeyneb Sayılgan is putting out for publication is a total load of crap.
Total.
Westman says
Amen.
Billy says
Islam is murderous and totalitarian against ALL Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Quran(Quran 9:5, 29, 111; 98:6-7 and more).
Allah’s Islam, a Terrorist-Criminal Enterprise, and its predatory believers continually fund, promote, and practice ideological subversion, propaganda, bigotry, discrimination, deceit, supremacy, segregation, hatred, violence, genocide, and terrorism as taught in Islamic Law and in Islam’s Quran. Muslim actions should be legally challenged with a multi-faceted force of Western Laws like Muslims wield against Americans and Westerners because Islam violates USA Laws(Quran 9:5,29, 111; 49:15; 60:4 and more).
Like a Foreign Terrorist Organization(FTO) designated by the USA Secretary of State, Islam functions as a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION(MTO) fighting against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL religion under Western Law because Islam funds, teaches, and promotes Terrorist Criminal Organizations with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah(Quran 9:5,29, 111; 49:15 and more).
Under Islam and Islamic Law, Islam’s Mafia, Muslims have the Legal Right and the Quranic Duty to terrorize Non-Muslims because neglecting this QURANIC DUTY is a Crime against tyrannical Allah. Jihad means warfare against Non-Muslims to ESTABLISH ISLAM’S RELIGION(Quran 3:151; 9:5, 29, 111; Muslim Law Manual: “Reliance of the Traveller”, o9.0 and more).
More specifically, Islam, a terroristic-totalitarian way of life, is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Murderous, Criminal Enterprise of intolerance, continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, propaganda, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran(Quran 2:208,216; 4:65, 89,95, 115; 5:14,64; 8:12,39,60, 74; 9:5,21,29,36, 41,49, 73,88, 111,123; 21:92; 49:15; 60:4; 61:9-11; 89:14 and more).
GE says
I always have to check these people out—
Here’s a little info:
https://uscatholic.org/authors/zeyneb-sayilgan/
How do Catholics keep falling for this stuff?
somehistory says
Thanks, GE. I had surmised she was mozscum and not anywhere near being Christian. She has the stupid arrogance to *believe* she knows Christianity, and doing all she can to lead people to islime.
Wellington says
They didn’t fall for this stuff, GE, before Vatican II. That beyond useless ecumenical council changed everything. Vatican II allowed all kinds of rubbish to be entered into traditional Catholic doctrine, including liberation theology and relativistic thinking about religions in general and especially with regard to that major religion that begins with an “I.”
Wellington says
Oh, missed something. Here it is: Many Catholics would readily agree with this Muslim “assessor” of Catholicism. I believe the previous pontifex maximus would have and I hope the present pontifex maximus does not.
Emilie Green says
Q. “What Catholics can learn from Islam about the pursuit of happiness?”
A. Not one thing.
Another fool’s errand.
somehistory says
If they are smart and *real*….they can learn what not to do.
abu taleb says
Reading Quran makes me feeling ill and wanting to puke. Now, US Catholic does the same.
The warning “beware of the false phrophet” not only applies to muslims, but also to other faith followers.
Tim gallagher says
Islam is unadulterated evil so, of course, if you are an evil piece of crap who likes to murder and rape and indulge in all manner of evil then Islam will make you happy. If you are decent, civilised human being who is trying to be good then Islam has nothing to offer at all. I can find nothing good in Islam.
Luchtpint says
What we can learn from Islam is the pursuit and establishment of collective misery.
Kepha says
As a confessional Reformed Christian, I have no use for this kind of claptrap. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and the way to the Father. That’s what he said in his farewell discourse to his disciples, and so it holds. I cannot learn anything about the enjoyment of life from a faith built on a book that bears false witness against its neighbor, garbles anything “biblical” that it touches, and is fundamentally a justification for a greedy 7th century warlord’s desire for conquest, plunder, and captive sex slaves.
STJOHNOFGRAFTON says
Catholocism and Islam have damning similarities. The following article from The Berean Call explains them well:
Catholicism & Islam: Ties That Bind
“Actually, the real controversy stems from confusion created by the Church of Rome herself. In her zeal to be the spiritual voice of the world’s religions, she talks out of both sides of her ecumenical mouth. Regarding her relationship to Islam, not only has she made to those of the Muslim faith some theological overtures which contradict Christian orthodoxy, but even worse, there are ties between the two religions which go a lot deeper than most people realize. Let’s first consider some commonalities between the two faiths”.
https://www.thebereancall.org/content/catholicism-islam-ties-bind?sapurl=Lys5MjZkL2xiL2xpLyt3dm44dWs4P2JyYW5kaW5nPXRydWUmZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZT1hcHAud2ViLWFwcC5saWJyYXJ5Lmxpc3QmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQnd2bjh1azg=
Joe1 says
Islam and Catholicism have hardly anything in common. The goal of Catholicism is love, whereas the goal of Islam is to conquer the world through any means necessary, such as terrorism, murder, rape, lying and so forth.
40 rounds says
Next we’ll have interfaith services where the Catholics will be duped into worshipping the beast, of course they won’t realize it, and the islamists will have a good laugh
Andrew Blackadder says
Christians invite a muslim into Church so he can do his allo snackbar chant but no muslim invites a Christian into a mosque to sing a Prayer.
Yet its the muslims who are always screaming about diversity and islamowhatsitcalled but never seem to be willing to practice this diversity they all scream about..
islamism is the new nazism for the 21stc century.