Islam and Christianity Islam and Christianity are both extremely prominent religions. The histories of these religions, as well as their beliefs and impacts on the world today, share many commonalities. However, both Islam and Christianity are also unique in these elements. The founders of Islam and Christianity were alike because they both underwent religious experiences. Islam was founded by Muhammad Ibn Abdullah. He was born to a powerful tribe in Mecca, a city in present-day Saudi Arabia, in 570 CE. He was orphaned as a young boy, went to live with his uncle, and eventually became a trader and travelled to distant places. He retreated to mountainous regions outside of Mecca to meditate on the city’s religious corruptions. During
Islam spread much quicker than Christianity. In the centuries following Muhammad’s death, an Islamic Arab state formed and spread to Egypt, Rome, Byzantium, Persia, and Mesopotamia. The people in this state all shared a common faith, but maintained unique cultural identities (Strayer 418). This Arab state that stretched from Spain to India was able to draw on its entire population for military services, which resulted in a widespread conversion to Islam (Strayer 419). When the Arab armies conquered people, they were very tolerant of other religions. They allowed Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians to live as second-class citizens and to freely practice their respective religions as long as they paid a special tax (Strayer 420). Arabs rarely forced people to convert to Islam, but many people made the consensual decision to do so. This was because conversion to Islam came with many advantages, including exemption from the special tax and social mobility. Widespread conversion was also made easier because some elements of Islam, such as fasting and the beliefs in one God and heaven, were familiar to Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (Strayer
Islam is based on the belief that the Prophet Muhammad is Allah’s, or God’s, messenger. They believe the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad and gave him Allah’s word, which makes up Islam. They believe Allah is the “only Creator, Provider, and Commander” and that he alone should be worshiped and obeyed (Islam Beliefs and Practices). Christians also believe in a single God. However, they believe that God exists in three forms: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Together, these make up the Trinity (Karpiel and Krull 411). Christians also believe that Jesus was the Son of God and that he died and rose again, which proves that he was both human and divine. They believe this belief will grant them eternal life with God (Karpiel and Krull 410). Muslims, however, believe that Jesus was just a
Christianity and Islam are the largest religions in the world. Thirty-three percent of the world 's population are Christian, twenty-one percent Muslim. The world 's two largest religions have much in common, but they are also different in some crucial ways.
Christianity and Islam are two religions that grew from the same central idea of one divine being; they also originate from Jerusalem. However, the two religions bear great disparity but they also hold a few similarities. Both Islam and Christianity believe in Abraham as the forefather of both religions; they believe Him to be the founder of the two religions. The two religions have a holy book; Islam uses the Quran while Christians use the bible. Even though the two books do not bear the same teachings they are considered sacred in both religions. However, Christianity and Islam share a great deal of differences starting from the holy books, their beliefs, and the information contained in the respective holy book (Kavanaugh, 5).
The world religions of Islam and Christianity may have their differences to the naked eye, but when you take a closer look into their histories similarities arise. They both went through transformations that had drastic impacts on the way they were controlled and the way that the religion was taught to the followers. Christianity and Islam have both experienced splits between their members due to the fact that followers thought that their beliefs were the correct way to practice the religion. While these transformations are long in the past, the splits that have occurred within each religion continue to have lasting effects on Islam and Christianity to this day.
Most of the contemporary problems bedeviling our society are because of lack of proper spiritual anchorage. Civil and technological differentiations embodied in the media have aggravated the situation. Technological differentiation has undermined religion by taking the place of spirituality in adherents’ lives.
“Religion—or at least, religious inquiry—is something that virtually everyone has in common. In all corners of the world and in all eras of history, humans have wondered about the origins of the universe, the purpose of life, what it means to be human, and what happens after death” (religionfacts, par. 1). Christianity and Islam are two out of the 4,200 religions that give people a sense of beliefs and what it means to be human. They are also two of the most popular religions. (Chappell, par. 3) Islam gets its name from the Arabic language, which means to “surrender”. The Islamic religion believes that people should surrender to the will of Allah(also known as god.) One way that is to be believed that the Christianity religion got its name is by being a follower of christ. Another way Christians got their name according to the webster dictionary is from a greek word “Christos.” (Webster, sec. 3)
Christianity and Islam continue to be the two fastest growing religions in the world. Men and women, both Christian and Muslim, are now asking the question, must these two religions collide? Is there no common ground between them? Many Muslims are taught that Christianity seeks to eliminate Islam; that Christians have no knowledge or understanding of their faith; that Christians condemn Islam, and hold the teachings of Islamic Fundamentalism responsible for many if not all the terrorist activities throughout the world.
Islam is a major world religion. Its origin can be traced back to 610 CE in Arabia. The basis of this religion is the revelations to the prophet Mohammad. Dissatisfied with his life, he traveled to deserts, hills, and the wilderness surrounding Mecca, where he lived, to meditate and reflect. He became a new man through his revelations, which many of his followers believe Allah transmitted to him through his angel Gabriel. Islam was originally an Arab religion, but many different beliefs and practices were added to it, making it extremely popular and aiding in its rapid spread. This new religion spread to many different areas surrounding Arabia, both under Mohammad and after his death. The Muslim Empire grew to encompass Spain and the Eastern Roman Empire as well Persia and Africa. Many different practices and methods were used to spread Islam. The religion itself was appealing to, in addition to the inhabitants of Arabia, other people in the surrounding areas because of its distinct religious beliefs and practices, such as the five pillars, as well as the humility and prayerfulness of the Islamic people. They fought cruel, vicious wars with their enemies. Many different things motivated the warriors to expand, but above all, the riches they would gain from the people of the Fertile Crescent encouraged them to expand.
The conception of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is monotheism, the belief in the existence of a single indivisible God. The three of religions maintains that there is only one God, who is active in and concerned about the world. These religions are also patriarchal, male-dominated, which has resulted in God being described as “He.” However, how Christians, Judaism and Islam conceptualize God in their respective theologies is actually quite different. In Christianity, God is the supreme creator and ruler of the universe. Christians believe God is infinite, omnipotent, all-powerful, perfect, personal, eternal, unchanging, holy, all-knowing, and all-loving. Their idea of God is shown in the belief of the Trinity. God is one, but with three aspects: God is Father, the creator, ruler, and sustainer of all life, and divine judge; God is the Son, who is Jesus, God made incarnate and savior of humanity; and the Holy Spirit, who is God working in the world. Both Muslims and Christians love and respect Jesus, however, the major difference between Islam and Christianity is the Christians insistence on the supposed divinity of Christ. In Christian scriptures, God never claimed divinity while the emphasis in the Islamic theology of God is “absolute unity;” God is sublimely one. Muslims think that by believing in the Trinity, Christians believe in three Gods. For them, God is One God. Judaism views the existence of God as a necessary prerequisite for the existence of the universe, and the existence of the universe is sufficient proof of the existence of God.
The Quran reads that God is just one god and that there are no different parts of him. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of god and is part of the trinity. The Islamic people just believe that Jesus was sent has a messenger and like Muhammad, was a prophet of god. As for Christians the seem him as a messenger and also the second member of the trinity and that Jesus was God himself. The trinity is made up of three parts, the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Another big difference when talking about Jesus within the two texts is Jesus death. We see that Muslims do not believe Jesus death happen on a cross, instead believe God lifted him up of him. We can see the in the text of the Quran $156-157, as to what it suggests about what happen. “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did. God lifted him up to His presence. God is Almighty, All-Wise” When looking at the opposite side of the story we see that Christians do believe that Jesus died. They believe he willingly sacrificed himself to save mankind from sin. They believe he
Islam and Christianity seem to have very little in common; however, the two actually show strong likeness, principally in the central areas. Both Muslims and Christians are monotheists, believing in one God. While both believe in the same God, He is called by two completely different names. He is referred to as "Allah" by Muslims and "God" by Christians. Although Islam and Christianity are two different religions, their similarities in beliefs and prayers make them comparable in many aspects.
The Middle East, so called “the cradle of civilizations” witnessed the rise of the powerful civilizations and was the birthplace of the World’s most widespread religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Islam was not only about faith as some other religions; it also had political and military roots, which in turn changed the some aspects of the Middle East. In 622, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca left the town and went to Medina, where Islam had more followers. This event was called emigration, in Arabic- hijra. It is be considered as the beginning of the Islamic Period.
At the first glance, Islam and Christianity appear to have nothing in common, however; as you go beyond the surface, they appear to have many similarities such as their beliefs of God, their beliefs of life after death, their holy scriptures, and their prayers. These religions, although are two entirely different beliefs, share a similar origin. Like many other religions, they both claim to be the one and only true way to God. In order to truly see and understand their similarities, one must date back to the rise and birth of Christianity and Islam. Throughout the course of this essay, I will compare the many facets that show the alikeness between these two growing religions.
The religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are alike in many ways but they also share many differences. Judaism and Christianity use the bible in their holy scriptures, while Islam does not. Jesus Christ is a part of all three religions as Christianity and Islam developed from Judaism. Many believe that the three religions worship, pray to, and focus on the same god. They believe this as many of the prophets are they share much in common as they share many beliefs. However, the followers of the three religions pray differently and in different places. the religions believe that their god created the world and everything in the world. The three Abrahamic religions have different histories, yet they share many similarities and difference.
Islam and Christianity have a vast amount of similarities as well as differences. Islam searches for guidance from the Qur’an and Christianity depends on faith in Jesus. Islamic faith believes in the God, Allah. Above anything else, all religious Muslims obey Allah and his commandments to obtain peace. On other hand, Christianity puts faith in Jesus who is the son of God. A major concept that separates both of the religions is the fact that the God of each faith has different qualities. This means Islam and Christianity don’t worship the same God. Islam and Christianity are two separate belief systems in which two separate Gods exist.
Second, the God of the Bible is Trinity which makes up for the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit as one. Christians believe that Jesus is God's son who came to earth to die on the cross and save us from our sin. Christians also believe in the resurrection of Jesus. In Islam, their God Allah is one, this means he can not have a son or relatives. Muslim denied everything about Trinity, the crucifixion, and the resurrection of Jesus.