How Are Islam And Christianity Alike And Different?

In today’s world, many different religions have emerged and have taken hold of people’s beliefs and conviction.  However, the two most prominent religions that have enthralled the minds and hearts of many people are Islam and Christianity.  These two doctrines have been determined as having similarities and differences in their teachings and principles.  The focus of this discussion will be on the comparability and incongruity of Islam from Christianity.

Muslims are the most notable supporters of the Islam doctrine, where the foundation is based on several significant components.  The Islam doctrine believes in Allah, who is the only true god.  Muslims regard Allah as the creator of the universe, as well as life and death.  Muslims claim that Allah has ninety-nine good names.  Muslims believe that the names are all attributable to Allah and have pertinence in their lives.  Similarly, the Christians believe in the God the Father who is the creator of the universe.  However, Christians regard God the Father as the Lord, a complete and consummate entity, and cannot be perceived or recounted with any attributes.

As the prophets of the Holy Bible fulfilled their responsibilities to God, Islam’s Muhammad also did the same through the Qur’an and the Hadith where all Islamic teachings are found.  This shows that Islam and Christianity are similar through the utilization of textual sources, the Holy Bible and the Qur’an, as sources of their doctrines’ principles and beliefs.  However, the two religions are unalike in the basis of their textual sources, where Christians acknowledge a number of prophets who wrote the Holy Bible, and Muslims acknowledge Muhammad as the only prophet who was given authority by Allah to fulfill and instigate the Qur’an.  The prophets in the Holy Bible are diverged in the Old and New Testaments, however all prophets are God’s chosen people designated to fulfill and write His words through the Holy Spirit.

Every person is acquainted with paradise and hell.  For Islam believers, the earth is but a world of trials.  Each deed corresponds with either reward or punishment.  The Islam doctrine determines that Allah will call on all human beings to go back to life with body and soul after their death as a manifestation of their resurrection.  This resurrection is succeeded with Allah’s judgment as either having a new life in paradise for the righteous or life in hell for the wicked.  Comparably, Christians also believe in paradise and hell as places of reward and punishment.  However, Christians refer to resurrection only in terms with that of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.  After death, their souls will remain in either paradise or hell but will no longer be called upon to come back to life with a body and a soul.

Apart from the significant components recognized by the Islam doctrine, one of its particular practices where it differs entirely with Christians is the act of praying.  Unlike Christians, where prayers are said whenever and wherever they are needed to be said simply by making the sign of the cross and clasping both hands, Muslims are urged to pray five times daily, where they should bow, kneel, and able to be in a pro-static position, with foreheads touching the ground wherever they are.  Islam and Christianity may be similar and different in beliefs and principles.  However, it is noteworthy mentioning that both religions influence their supporters to what is righteous and encourage them to act in justice and concern for others.

Work Cited:

Smith, Huston.  The World’s Religions: Our Great Wisdoms Traditions.  New York: Harper Publishers, 1991.