Comparative Theology · Common Ground
You cannot serve God and money
In short
- 1.Matthew 6:24 sets God and money in direct opposition.
- 2.Surah at-Takathur names competition in accumulation as a distraction.
- 3.Both are a critique of the same modern habit.
The claim being examined
Jesus (PBUH) warns that no one can serve two masters, God and wealth.
The Islamic position
The Qur'an warns repeatedly against the distraction of accumulation and names it a rival to remembrance of God.
Analysis
The critique of wealth is one of the strongest shared ethical strands between the two traditions and often resonates with people who hold no faith at all.
From the Qur'an
أَلْهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ ٱلْمَقَابِرَ
alhākumu l-takāthuru ḥattā zur'tumu l-maqābira
Competition in worldly increase diverts you, until you visit the graves.
From the Bible
No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money.
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