Jesus and Mohammad
There are many differences between the messages of Christianity and Islam. After researching both religions, I also see, however, many similarities. One major similarity is included in Islam’s five pillars of faith. Muslims believe in the book of God which includes the Bible of Christianity and Judaism. They also include the Koran in their book of God. Judaism and Islam have many of the same prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The similarities between the religions are indicative that Islam and Judaism come from the same origins.
The Islamic prophet, Mohammad, brought to light the beliefs of Islam. Have Muhammad’s words been twisted and turned to meet different Islamic sect’s needs? The answer is yes. There are many different sects in Islam showing how many different interpretations of the Koran there are. An example of differing sects of Islam include Sunnis, Sufis, Baha’is, and Amadiyyas. Sunni Muslims are the majority of all Muslims. They include all of the traditions of Muhammad in their beliefs. Sufis are a type of Muslim that is very spiritual. They serve Allah through meditation and concentrate on spiritual growth. The Baha’is and Amadiyyas Muslims seem like a “Modern Muslim.” They haven’t been around as long as Sunnis or Sufis and are, therefore, considered apostates. These groups have supposedly corrupted Islamic beliefs.
The Bible of Judaism and Christianity has been interpreted differently in Islam as well as in Christianity. One example of the Bible being interpreted differently Christianity would be the beliefs of Mormons. Most Christian groups deny that the Book of Mormon is a legitimate book of God. This book has defined the beliefs of Mormons, however, and is seen as a true source of words from God.
It is obvious that people would interpret these Holy Books differently. Through history the point of view of mankind has changed drastically. It is, therefore, easier for mankind to change beliefs through interpretation than to completely toss out a religious system. Most people have a belief system in place from the time they are born so it becomes essential to who they are.
I think the main reason that Christians and Muslims cannot get over their differences is the way that each groups sees God. Muslims believe Allah is all-powerful and that they cannot know him personally. Allah also judges them based on their good and bad deeds when they after they have died. Christians believe that they cannot know God personally. They also believe that Jesus of Nazareth was God’s son while Muslims believe that Jesus was a great prophet like Mohammad. There are too many similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam to list. Each religion’s beliefs originated from the same place, but have been altered over hundreds of years to meet the needs of each group of believers.
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