Introduction
In this paper I will compare the stand that two books take on various issues such as the role of God, the role of Jesus, the role of Heaven, violence and war, the role of the women, and importance of prayer and fasting. I intend to demonstrate the obvious differences between these religions as they are embedded in their approach to the above listed topics. Furthermore, my intent is to demonstrate the fact that even though these two religions are fundamentally different, there are a few similarities between them. Islam and Christianity represent two largest religions in the world. Muslims and Christians have vastly different views on major points of ideology and theology. In order to be able to address these differences effectively, I will compile a short summary of early history of each of these religions.
Early History of Islam
Islam as a religion revolves around the life of Prophet Mohammed.
“Beginning as the faith of a small community of believers in Arabia in the seventh century, Islam rapidly became one of the major world religions. The core of this faith is the belief that Muhammad (c. 570-632), a respected businessman in Mecca, a commercial and religious center in western Arabia, received revelations from God that have been preserved in the Qur’an. The heart of this revealed message is the affirmation that “there is no god but Allah (The God), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” The term Islam comes from the Arabic word-root s-l-m, which has a general reference to peace and submission. Specifically, Islam means submission to the will of God, and a Muslim is one who makes that submission.” (Wuthnow 1998)
Muslim history has several phases of development that are crucial to its success. The first, and probably the most important one was during the life of Mohammed. In that time, a form of Islam was practiced that is very different from many of the forms that we see today, especially from those associated with violence. Great emphasis was placed on the fact that Islam should be a way of life separate from politics and everything else.
“In Muslim tradition the sociopolitical community that was created in Medina provides the model for what a truly Islamic state and society should be. In contrast to tribal groups, the new community, or ummah, was open to anyone who made the basic affirmation of faith, and loyalty to the ummah was to supersede any other loyalty, whether to clan, family, or commercial partnership. The political structure of the new community was informal. Although Muhammad had great authority as the messenger of God, he could not assume a position as a sovereign monarch because he was only human and only a messenger. The emphasis on the sole sovereignty of God provides an important foundation for Islamic political thinking throughout the centuries, challenging both theories of monarchy and absolutism, as well as later theories of popular sovereignty.” (Wuthnow 1998)
By the time of Mohammed’s death, Islam had been established as a very successful religion that dominated that part of the world. Following his death there was some division among Muslims, however; the religion continued to grow and expand to the point that it has more then one billion members today. Furthermore, today, Islam is considered the fastest growing religion in the world.
Early History of Christianity
Christianity is a religion that is centered on the life and teaching of Jesus. This religion is presented entirely in the book called the New Testament. This is a collection of stories as compiled by Jesus’ followers who eye-witnessed his life and work. “Its followers, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah (or Christ) prophesied in the Old Testament, the part of their scriptures they have in common with Judaism.”( Chambers 2002) Christians believe that Jesus Christ has been crucified and that in that way he allows all of his followers to be forgiven for their sins. They further believe that following his death, he resurrected and appeared several times in front of his apostles and others before moving on to heaven.
“Jesus’s death and resurrection are the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, and are commemorated by Christians during Good Friday and Easter, particularly during the liturgical time of Holy Week. Arguments over death and resurrection claims occur at many religious debates and interfaith dialogues.” (Lorenzen 2003)
After Jesus’ death, the Christian religion remained strong even though it eventually divided. It continued to grow and spread all across the world. Following a period of so-called “dark-ages” where the church slowed down any economic and academic development, the Christian faith blossomed and grew into the largest religious community on earth. In fact, many countries consider Christianity their official religion.
Unlike Muslims, the Christians use many symbols to represent their faith. Probably the most widely known symbol is that of the Christian cross. Other symbols involve many religious paintings and sculptures that can be seen in the churches across the world. Many of those paintings show various points of Christian history as outlined and described in the bible. Some of the sculptures that are found in churches are considered rare works of art and very valuable. Their age alone, as many are first century works, makes them a rarity in the religious and cultural art world.
Definition of god
One of the major differences between the two religions is in how god is defined. Islam has a very strict, monotheistic, definition of God. To Muslims, there can be only one god and there can be no except Allah. Allah, contrary to what many believe, is simply Arabic word for God. In fact, even Christians who live in that part of the world use the word Allah when they refer to God. Muslims consider god to be one and unique. In Islam, god does not have any partners in form of wife nor does he have children. Furthermore, Islam describes Allah as “The Most Gracious,” “The Most Merciful,” “The Oft- Forgiving,” “Attentive to the prayers of His servants,” “The All Seeing,” “The All Hearing,” “The Most Wise,” and “The Master of The Day of Judgment.” One of the most important prayers to Muslims is the proclamation of faith. Koran proclaims:
“Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there that can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” (2:255)
Qur’an defines God as the most gracious and merciful master of the universe. In fact, each chapter of the Qur’an begins with the description of Allah as the most gracious and merciful. The Qur’an then goes on to require of the followers to understand that they need to love, but also fear God. Even though he is the most gracious and merciful God, he alone has the power to punish for sins and therefore he should be feared. The idea is that if Muslims fear God they will stay on the right path and will not sin.
Christianity has a very different definition of God even though Christianity is a monotheistic religion, just like Islam. The writers of the New Testament took the God that was introduced in the Old Testament as granted and recognized him as the true god. One of the notable differences between Islam and Christianity lies in the fact that throughout the Bible a male role is assigned to God. However; the church has made amendments in order to remain politically correct in today’s times. The 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:
“By calling God “Father,” the language of faith indicates two main things: that God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at the same time goodness and loving care for all his children. God’s parental tenderness can also be expressed by the image of motherhood, which emphasizes God’s immanence, the intimacy between Creator and creature. … We ought therefore to recall that God transcends the human distinction between the sexes. He is neither man nor woman; he is God. He also transcends human fatherhood and motherhood, although he is their origin and standard.” (Cooper 1998)
Even though the Qur’an and bible for the most part agree on the definition of God, there are significant differences in the approach to that definition.
Jesus – God or Prophet
The second major difference between the two religions lies in Jesus. The life of Jesus is of great significance in both, Islam and Christianity. The differences between the two religions’ approach to this person lie in the nature and life of Jesus. Most of the information about Jesus is available to Muslims through the Qur’an. According o the Islamic beliefs, it is fundamental to believe in Prophets. This is why the Qur’an qualifies Jesus as a Prophet, a messenger of God. This is taken seriously to the point where somebody who does not believe in Jesus as a messenger cannot be a Muslim. In reference to Jesus Qur’an states following:
“The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). See how We make Our signs clear to them; and see where they are turning away!” (Qur’an 5:75).
Based on the above cited text, the Muslims believe that Jesus is only a Prophet, but in no way a Son of God. According to Islam, God is unique and therefore will not father anybody.
In addition to disagreeing on the claim that Jesus is Son of God, Muslims also refuse to recognize the concept of trinity. Because Qur’an teaches absolute Ones of God, this concept is unacceptable. As a matter of fact, Qur’an states following:
“People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and attribute to God nothing except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His command that He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and in His Messengers, and do not say: ‘God is a Trinity.’ Give up this assertion; it would be better for you. God is indeed just One God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. God is sufficient for a guardian” (Qur’an 4:171).
The last significant difference in respect to Jesus between the two religions lies in the way Jesus died. Christian religion claims that he died on the Cross for the greater good of all humans. The Muslims, in fact, think that Jesus was saved by God and lifted into heaven without being crucified. While it appears minor, this difference between the two religions is probably the largest one as the entire Christian faith bases itself on the fact that Jesus gave his life for others.
The status of women
The next fundamental difference between the teachings of the Qur’an and the Bible lies in the status of a woman. This is a very controversial topic, especially from Muslim perspective because many times the facts about Islam and Islamic requirements are misrepresented in the western media. In addition to that, many Muslims themselves have allowed their tribal customs to overrule Qur’an rules for women. In this paper, I will go strictly by what the Qur’an as the ultimate source of Islam teaches about women. Even though some of the rules related to women seem controversial today, the Qur’an, when it first came out was a document that placed women on an equal footing with the men in that society. It goes as far as making sure that Adams and Eve’s mistake is blamed on both equally. This is a major difference to the Bible, which blames Eve more so then Adam.
“In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain advantages over man. For example, the woman is exempted from the daily prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods and forty days after childbirth. She is also exempted from fasting during her pregnancy and when she is nursing her baby if there is any threat to her health or her baby’s. If the missed fasting is obligatory (during the month of Ramadan), she can make up for the missed days whenever she can. She does not have to make up for the prayers missed for any of the above reasons. Although women can and did go into the mosque during the days of the prophet and thereafter attendance at the Friday congregational prayers is optional for them while it is mandatory for men (on Friday). This is clearly a tender touch of the Islamic teachings for they are considerate of the fact that a woman may be nursing her baby or caring for him, and thus may be unable to go out to the mosque at the time of the prayers. They also take into account the physiological and psychological changes associated with her natural female functions.”(Badawi 1971)
According to the Islamic religion, women cannot be forced into marriage and they have a right to divorce. This is one of the most common misconceptions in the west because tribal customs in Muslim lands are often confused with Islam.
“As the woman’s right to decide about her marriage is recognized, so also her right to seek an end for an unsuccessful marriage is recognized. To provide for the stability of the family, however, and in order to protect it from hasty decisions under temporary emotional stress, certain steps and waiting periods should be observed by men and women seeking divorce. Considering the relatively more emotional nature of women, a good reason for asking for divorce should be brought before the judge. Like the man, however, the woman can divorce her husband with out resorting to the court, if the nuptial contract allows that.” (Badawi 1971)
Overall, we can summarize the status of a woman in Islam to be the equal to the men. However, due to heavy tribal custom influence in many Muslim countries, this is often not the case. I hope that they will go to Qur’an teaching as they were intended to be.
Women in Christianity have a very different history then those in Islam. Through much of the Old Testament, women were considered same as property. Only with the coming of Jesus did that status change. Jesus preached that women and men were equal. After Jesus’ death, the church disregarded these teachings and continued to discriminate against women. This is probably caused largely by the masculine structure of the bible. “Male leadership was assumed in many spheres of life, not only in the church, but also within government, society, and the family.” (Blevins 1995) Only since the 1970s have more diverse views become formalized. “Recent generations have experienced the rise of what has been labeled by some as “Christian feminism” — a movement that has had a profound impact on all of life, challenging some traditional basic Christian interpretations of Scripture with respect to roles for women.” ( Piper and grudem 1991) Today, the role of a women in the church is very different depending on what church people belong to.
The two views on womens role in christianity that prevail today are egalitarian and coplementarian. According to the egalitarian view the manner and teachig of Jesus abolished all inequality between men and female and thus give females equal rights. The complemantarian view on the onther hand gives specific roles to males and females thus creating limitations for women. In a 1991 book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood following definitions of masculinity and femininitywere created:
“At the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women in ways appropriate to a man’s differing relationships…At the heart of mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate to a woman’s differing relationships.” (Piper and Grudem 1991)
We could sumarize the differences between the status of the women in Islam and that in Christianity as very major, at least according to the Qur’an and the Bible. In all aspects of equality Qur’an seems a little ahead of the Bible by guranteeing equal rights to both, men and women. However; practically, I think that Christian women have developed to be a lot more independent and equal then Muslim women. This is not necesserily the result of religious policies within their churches, but rather a result of democratic environments which ensure equality for all. Musmim women, to the contrary, usually live within environments that are heavily influenced by traditions and tribal customs, which do not give them any rights what so ever. This is especially the case in such countiures as Afganistan.
Conclusion
The comperison of the two largest world religions from the standpoints that I chose has been a very interesting experience. It is interesting to compare the two religions to each other, not because of the differences, but because of similarities that become obvious. In Jesus’ example, there are definitely more shared beliefs between the religions then differences. For example, both believe that Jesus was son of a virgin, both recognize his mother, as the same person, and both believe that he spoke in cradle and performed miracles. This gives a lot of credibility to both of these religions. I was surprised to find that these two religions have a lot more in common then I originally thought. In my opinion, this could eventually lead to csome reconsiliation between the two, as long as people are willing to focus on similarities instead of differences.
Works Cited Page
Wuthnow, Robert. (1998). Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion. Washington, D.C. Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1998, pg. 383-393.
Chambers, Mortimer. (2002). The Western Experience 8th edition. McGraw-Hill College, 2002
Lorenzen, Thorwald. Resurrection, Discipleship, Justice: Affirming the Resurrection Jesus Christ Today. Smyth ; Helwys (2003), p. 13.
Koran. (1960). Bakara Suresi,2:255. 1960 Phillip Reclam jun. GmbH ; Co, Stuttgart
Koran. (1960). Maide Suresi,5:75. 1960 Phillip Reclam jun. GmbH ; Co, Stuttgart
Koran. (1960). Nisa Suresi,4:171. 1960 Phillip Reclam jun. GmbH ; Co, Stuttgart
John Cooper, “Gender-Inclusive Language for God,” Theological Forum, Vol. 26, No. 3 ; 4, December 1998.
Badawi, A. Jamal. (1971) The Status of Women in Islam. Information retrieved from Website http://www.islamfortoday.com/womensrightsbadawi.htm
Blevins, Carolyn DeArmond, Women in Christian History: A Bibliography. Macon, Georgia: Mercer Univ Press, 1995
John Piper and Wayne Grudem (eds.), Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism, Crossway 1991,
