Comparison of Islam, Judaism and

Christianity

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity. As a monotheistic faiththat originated in the Middle East, Islam holds many beliefs and practices in common with Judaismand Christianity.

Judaism, Islam and Christianity are collectively known as "Abrahamic religions" because they tracetheir history to the covenant God made with Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.

The Prophet Muhammad met both Jews and Christians during his lifetime, and Islam has come intofrequent contact with both of its fellow monotheistic faiths throughout most of its history.

As a brief guide of the similarities and differences of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the followingchart compares the statistics, origins, history and religious beliefs of these three great monotheisticfaiths.

Please note that, as with all charts of this kind, the information is oversimplified and should not beused as a sole resource.

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Comparison of Statistics and Basics Islam Judaism Christianity

adherentscalled

Muslims Jews Christians

currentadherents

1.3 billion 14 million 2 billion

current sizerank

2nd largest 12th largest largest

majorconcentration

Middle East,Southeast Asia

Israel, Europe,USA

Europe, Northand South

America, rapidgrowth in Africa

sacred text Qur'an (Koran) Bible Bible (JewishBible + NewTestament)

other writtenauthority

Hadith Talmud,Midrash,Responsa

church fathers,church councils,papal decrees(Catholic only)

religious law Sharia Halakhah Canon Law

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clergy imams rabbis priests,ministers,pastors,bishops

house ofworship

mosque synagogue church, chapel,cathedral

main day ofworship

Friday Saturday Sunday

church andstate

integrated separate separate

Comparison of Origins and History Islam Judaism Christianity

date founded 622 CE unknown c. 33 CE

place founded Saudi Arabia Palestine (def) Palestine

founder Muhammad Moses orAbraham

Jesus

originallanguage(s)

Arabic Hebrew Aramaic, Greek

early expansion within 12 years,entire Arabian

peninsula;within 100

years, Muslim

littleexpansion;

mostly confinedto Palestine

within 60 years,churches in

major cities inPalestine,

Turkey, Greece

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world stretchedfrom the

Atlantic toChina

and Rome(map); entire

Roman Empireby end of 4th

cent.

major splits Shia/Sunni, c.650 CE

Reform/Orthodox, 1800s CE

Catholic/Orthodox, 1054 CE;

Catholic/Protestant, 1500s CE

Comparison of Religious Beliefs Islam Judaism Christianity

type of theism strictmonotheism

strictmonotheism

Trinitarianmonotheism

ultimate reality one God one God one God

names of God Allah (Arabic forGod)

Yahweh, Elohim Yahweh, theHoly Trinity

other spiritualbeings

angels,demons, jinn

angels anddemons

angels anddemons

revered humans prophets,imams

(especially inShia)

prophets saints, churchfathers

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identity ofJesus

true prophet ofGod, whose

message hasbeen corrupted

false prophet Son of God,God incarnate,savior of the

world

birth of Jesus virgin birth normal birth virgin birth

death of Jesus did not die, butascended intoheaven during

crucifixion

death bycrucifixion

death bycrucifixion

resurrection ofJesus

denied denied affirmed

second comingof Jesus

affirmed denied affirmed

divinerevelation

throughMuhammad,recorded in

Qur'an

throughProphets,

recorded inBible

throughProphets andJesus (as God

Himself),recorded in

Bible

view of sacredtext

inspired, literalword of God,inerrant in

originallanguages

views vary inspired, somebelieve inerrant

in originallanguages

human nature equal ability todo good or evil

two equalimpulses, onegood and one

bad

"original sin"inherited from

Adam -tendency

towards evil

means of correct belief, belief in God, correct belief,

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salvation good deeds,Five Pillars

good deeds faith, gooddeeds,

sacraments(some

Protestantsemphasize faith

alone)

God's role insalvation

predestination divinerevelation and

forgiveness

predestination,various forms of

grace

good afterlife eternalparadise

views vary:either heavenor no afterlife

eternal heaven

bad afterlife eternal hell views vary:either eternal

Gehenna,reincarnation,or no afterlife

eternal hell,temporarypurgatory

(Catholicism)

view of fellowAbrahamicreligions

Jews andChristians arerespected as

"People of theBook," but they

have wrongbeliefs and only

partialrevelation.

Islam andChristianity are

falseinterpretationsand extensions

of Judaism.

Judaism is atrue religion,

but withincompleterevelation.

Islam is a falsereligion.

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