Comparing Christianity and Islam Essay

Christianity and Islam are the two most prominent religions in the world. Both draw their bases from the Ancient Hebrew religion. The two religions can be personified as a set of twins: nearly identical, but with different (and sometimes opposite) personalities, as well as more subtle differences that can be used to tell the two apart. In the following paragraphs, both the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam will be covered, as well as their roots in the Ancient Hebrew traditions. Christianity and Islam have much in common, and that is mainly due to their ties to ancient Judaism. Both are monotheistic religions with their own holy book. Both believe that one all-powerful, omniscient God created the world and humans. The two religions have prophets that spread the word of God. Christianity’s main prophet was Jesus and Islam’s was Muhammad. Although their main prophets differ, Muslims do consider Jesus a true prophet who was born from a virgin. Both religions state that to attain salvation, a person must believe that the God (Allah) is the one and only god. Christianity and Islam both have an eternal paradise for the saved and an eternal punishment for the damned. However, because He is omniscient, God has already seen the lives of every human and, based on what they have done and will do, has already determined where each soul will go. This is considered fair among the followers of both religions because no person is being influenced in any way. God allows one to choose his or her own path; He simply knows what everyone is going to choose before they choose. Because these religions are so similar, it could be argued that, in the event that one is true, the followers of the other could be saved as well. Even though Christianity and Islam appear, at a glance, to be the same religion, there are unmistakable differences that set them apart. The biggest difference is the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe that Jesus is the actual son of God, the messiah, and the human incarnation of God Himself. Muslims, however, do not believe any of these. Rather, Islam states that Jesus is a prophet of Allah, but his story was twisted. To believe that Jesus was the human form of God would be considered blasphemy, as there is only one true God, Allah. Christians, however, believe that Jesus was the human half of the same God, like two sides of the same coin. It is therefore not blasphemous to consider Jesus as God. Christians also believes that Jesus was crucified and killed, then later resurrected and ascended to Heaven. Muslims state that Jesus did not die, but rather ascended directly to heaven, while one of his disciples was crucified instead. Another major difference is the credibility of their holy books. Muslims believe that their book, the Qur’an, is the literal word of Allah. It is believed that Allah spoke his will to the prophet Muhammad and instructed him to write it down. The Christian Holy Bible, however, has a less definitive origin. Some say that it, like the Qur’an, is the actual word of God. Others believe that the Bible (namely, the New Testament) is of human origin, stories written by humans who

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