What are the similarities and differences between the understanding of ultimate reality (God) in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? Would you say these three religions worship the same God? Why?
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the main world monotheistic religions. Monotheism means the belief in one god. To the Jews God is known as Jehovah, in Christianity He called Father or the Lord, Muslims call Him Allah. (Paterson)
Each religion has the sacred texts where the divine history is written. The sacred book for Jews is the Torah or Pentateuch. For Christians it is Bible that derives from Thora and has two parts the Old Testament and the New Testament. Quran is the sacred book of Muslims. There are some similarities in the understanding of God in these three religions. They considered God as the creator of everything in the world. ("Patheos | Hosting The Conversation On Faith")
An essential difference in these religions is the belief in the Messiah. In Christianity, the Messiah is Jesus Christ. Jesus is considered the Son of God who was sacrificed in order to redeem people’s sins. Jesus is a part of the Holy Trinity that is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Judaism rejects Jesus as Messiah. ("Jewish Beliefs - Religionfacts")
Quran says that God cannot have a son. It is proved in the short surah 112, al-Ikhlas where we can read that “Say (O Muhammad): “He is Allah, (the) One. [Allah – the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)] He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable to Him.” (Qur’an 112) Muslims respect Jesus as the prophet of God but not recognize Him as His son.
Thus, it can be said that the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have the same God Creator but with different names. God gave His people the laws and commandments and sent His messages through His prophets. These three religions worship the same God Creator but they have some theological differences concerning the Son of God and Messiah.
What are the similarities and differences between the way Buddhism and Islam understand ultimate reality?
Unlike Judaism and Christianity Buddhism is very different from Islam. Islam is monotheistic religion and worships the God almighty while Buddhism rejects God Creator and honors different deities and enlightened beings.
There is not a sin Buddhist concept. Muslims seek forgiveness from God and people. ("Buddhism Vs Islam - Difference And Comparison | Diffen")
In Buddhist principle life on the earth is full of sufferings and people can escape them by realizing the Four Nobel Truths. The principle of Islam is that God existed, exists and will exist, He was not created and He is eternal. He created people for fellowship. He gives help and support to His creations and asks obedience to the laws in return.
Buddhists believed in karma and that people can reborn after death. In Islam, souls are judged according to their earthly life and sentence to the eternal punishments in hell or happy after death life in paradise. ("Buddhism Vs Islam - Difference And Comparison | Diffen")
The goal of Buddhist religion is to reach enlightenment, get freedom from the rebirth and death cycle and attain Nirvana in this way. The aim of every devoted Muslim is to live according to Allah commandments it means to fulfill gift and responsibility of life on the earth through the devotion and love to people and all god’s creations.
There is no a monastery system in Islam. Marriage is strongly recommended for Muslims.
In Buddhism, there are male and female monks who live in monasteries and celibacy is encouraged. ("Buddhism Vs Islam - Difference And Comparison | Diffen")
Buddha is the highest teacher for Buddhists while in Islam he can be one of the 124,000 prophets.
Thus, it can be said that ultimate reality in Buddhism and Islam do not have any coincidence.
Works Cited
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"Patheos | Hosting The Conversation On Faith". Patheos.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 5 May 2016.
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