Christianity, Islam and, Judaism are often called the three Abrahamic faiths since all three religions "trace their history to the ancient figure of Abraham," according to ReligionFacts (2016). Even so, Christianity, with about 2 billion adherents, and Islam, with about 1.3 billion adherents, are by far bigger than Judaism, which only has about 14 million followers around the world. What can be seen when comparing Christianity and Islam is that, while there are similarities, there are glaring differences that actually overshadow whatever the two great religious traditions have in common.
Part 1: Similarity
Christians and Muslims both believe in the concept of monotheism, the idea that there is only one God. For instance, the Bible says the following: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:4,5 King James Version). Meanwhile, the holy book of the Muslims states the following: “Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the most Beautiful Names” (Quran 20:8, Yusuf Ali). Both the Bible and the Quran, therefore, are clear in their insistence that there is but one God, and this commonly held view differentiates Christianity and Islam from many other religions that have multiple deities. In the beliefs of early Christianity, the concept of monotheism was important because it helped believers to steer clear of worshiping idols and false gods. They were constantly reminded that there was only one true God and that loyalty to Him meant rejecting all contenders to the throne. As for the concept of monotheism in the beliefs of early Islam, Köchler (1981) notes that the believer was required to express his or her belief in Allah by swearing that Allah was the only entity worthy of worship. I came to see the similarities of Christianity and Islam long before this course, but the lectures and course readings have definitely expanded the scope of my understanding. On that note, I think it’s important to state that the monotheism connection does not change the fact that there are differences, one in particular, that show how Christianity and Islam espouse incompatible views.
Part 2: Difference
A fundamental difference between Christianity and Islam concerns how both regard Jesus. The Bible holds that Jesus had no beginning or end, and is God, and this can be seen in the New Testament text that says that “[i]n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 King James Version). The Bible is quite clear that Jesus, rather than just being a good, moral man, was also God. The disciples and apostles of early Christianity preached this truth, against the wishes of the religious and political leaders of the time. The Quran, however, does not accept that Jesus was God. For instance, the holy book of the Muslims states the following: “O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah" (Quran 4:171, Yusufali). If Muslims do not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, then they cannot possibly believe that Jesus came to die for the sins of Adam’s fallen race. This highlights just how much these two religious systems are diametrically opposed.
Conclusion
Christianity and Islam, while similar in their beliefs that there is one God, nonetheless disagree on who that one true God happens to be since the God of the Bible and the God of the Quran are not the same. Meanwhile, the way both Abrahamic faiths regard Jesus, in terms of whether or not he is who He says He is, is yet another reason to view the two religions as very much different.
Reference List
ReligionFacts. (2016). Christianity and Islam and Judaism: Comparison Chart. Retrieved from www.religionfacts.com/christianity-islam-judaism
Köchler, J.A. (Ed.). (1981). The Concept of Monotheism in Islam and Christianity. Austria: Wilhelm Braumuller Ges.m.b.H.
