Comparing Christianity And The Five Pillars Followers Of Islam

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Unlike Christianity, the main teachings of Islam are summed up in six articles of faith, which emphasize Muslims’ belief in the One God, the angels of God, the books of God (especially the Qur’an), the prophets of God (especially Muhammad), the day of judgment, and predestination. Like Christians, Muslims believe all humans will be subject to God’s final judgment, which will determine whether they go to heaven or hell. In Islam, the term ‘predestination’ does not imply that God chooses the destiny of humans (heaven or hell) and that they have no free will. Instead, the term refers to God’s all-encompassing knowledge of the decisions humans will make, even before those decisions are made (Barnes). In addition to the six articles of faith, …show more content…

In addition to the six articles of faith and the Five Pillars, followers of Islam are encouraged to practice Sharia Law, which is a moral code (based on the teachings of the Qur’an) by which Muslims should live …show more content…

While Christians looked to the teachings of Jesus, Muslims looked to the Prophet Muhammad. Consequently, the perception of divinity is not the same in Christianity and Islam. According to Christians, God is one in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. In addition to being the spiritual leader of Christianity, followers of the religion consider Jesus divine. This is in sharp contrast to Islam, which explicitly teaches that Christianity is absolutely wrong in its acceptance of Jesus as God. In Islam, the most important teaching is that Allah is One and Unique, which explains why Muslims reject the concept of the Trinity. Though they reject his divinity, Muslims acknowledge that Jesus was an important prophet (Molloy 415), just as they acknowledge that Muhammad was a great prophet. In their eyes, Muhammad was even more important than Jesus, though still not divine. According to the textbook by Molloy, Christians and Muslims ultimately “worship the same God” (414). When considering that both Christianity and Islam are rooted in a similar belief in the God of Abraham, the textbook’s statement is somewhat true. However, the textbook’s claim is also a generalization that ignores the primary difference between the two religions: their take on divinity. Ultimately, Christians do not acknowledge the existence of

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