Hi, Michael —

Abraham is our father in faith; see Romans 4:16-25.

While Islam has been called a Christian heresy, it is very different from Catholicism. Perhaps the moral precepts are similar, but that's about it — moral precepts are not everything, only a part of the faith.

Central to our faith are three doctrines they deny vociferously:

1. That Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and rose from the dead.
2. That Jesus in the Son of God, and
3. Belief in the Holy Trinity.

Of course, they also reject the Bible in favor of the Koran. Their image of God is so different from ours some don't even believe it's the same God. Their view of:

• morality
• women
• marriage
• divorce
• halal
• lying
• war, and
• other things

is very different. So no, Islam does not come close to Catholicism.

I would challenge your friend to adduce where Islam is close to Catholicism and explore that.

Eric