Islam And Christianity

1866 Words4 Pages

The basic beliefs of both Christians and Muslims are practically the related. Both the Christian and Islamic religion believes that a God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and Mary exist ("Basic Beliefs"). In addition, both religions believe and agree on the life of Abraham and the stories of Jesus, David, and Moses. The religious history of the two mainly revolves around one person, Abraham. Abraham was the first Father or ruler of the Hebrew people. Abraham was also seen as "Abram" in the earliest citations. According to Genesis, "Abram" means the "father of love" or and exaltation of the father. Abraham, if he existed at all, lived sometime between 2100 and 1500 B.C. in Ur, Mesopotamia in present day Iraq. At this time, especially in Ur, people believed in multiple gods, polytheism. "How Abraham's thinking evolved into monotheism—thereby [putting him into the position of becoming the first ruler] of both the people of Israel and the Arabs—is speculative" (Life 17-18). According to the Bible, Abraham's people journeyed all the way to Ramat al-Khilil, Arabic for "Heights of the Friend," Allah's friend was Abraham (Life 17-18). At one point God vowed to Abraham that if his people stayed faithful to him, then they would be granted Canaan, modern day Palestine. It would be their "everlasting possession [Gen. 17:4-9]." Both Genesis and Muhammad's stories are basic accounts of Allah's words in the Qur'an. Both agree on whom Abraham was and what it was that God promised to him. God also tested his faith by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham was about to do so atop Mount Moriah when God extended his hand to give him a ram to sacrifice instead. He wanted Isaac to grow, who with his brother Jacob's help, found the Je... ... middle of paper ... ... greatest rewards. In order to achieve God's reward, a follower must have faith as well as works. All human beings have an open door to forgiveness, left open to them by God until the day they die. If a person sincerely repents to God and asks for His forgiveness, and forsake their evil deeds before their hour comes then He will forgive them. There is nothing more pleasing to God than to forgive someone who comes to him and sincerely repents his or her sins. If you have faith in God, believe in His messengers, and obey His commands, then He will multiply every good deed you do and forget about the evil deeds. Until the Day of Judgment His mercy will cause your good deeds to far outweigh you evil ones and this will grant you passage into an ecstasy and Paradise so great that we cannot even imagine it. After there is no longer work, just reward ("Basic Beliefs").

Open Document