The Muslim and Hebrew Holy Books Show That These Religions Have More in Commom than in Discord - Essay Example

The Muslim and Hebrew Holy books show that these religions have more in common than in discord.The Muslim and Hebrew religions are the two religions the people of which have been opposing each other from the day of their existence. The two religions have been said to be the opposite of each other. Their people have been fighting each other for centuries to prove their religion as the righteous one. But, when we come to study and analyze these two religions from their very roots and basics, we realize that these two religions have more things in common than any other religions. comparing these two religions with each other and then with the other religions of the world, more similarities have been found in between these two religions than in any other religions of world. To start with the most basic and important thing, the followers of both these religions believe in ONE GOD. Both the religions have rejected the existence of more than one God and have advised their followers to worship the one and only true God who is the creator of this whole universe. The Islam and Judaism are supposed to guide their followers towards a life which is full of harmony, peace and divinity. Both these religions share much in common when it comes living everyday life. Islam and Judaism guide their followers towards prosperity. When it comes towards laws, the followers of both the religions tend to live their lives according to the laws handed down by their God and stick to the way of life defined by their religions. Both the Islamic and Hebrew laws (Shria’ and Halakhah) guide their followers in living everyday life, in family matter, in their personal behavior towards others and in their jobs. Both these religions tend to guide their followers more in following what is ordered by the God than following personal attitude and what the world has to say. The followers of both Islam and Judaism live their lives as defined by the God and the messengers sent by the God: Muhammad and Abraham. (Rosen 2003) Islam and Judaism both have stressed on a day of judgment when one will have to answer about all the things he did in his life. He will be rewarded for what he did good and will be punished for his sins. The idea of the life here after and the rewards in it are praised by both the religions. if we look into the Holy books of these religions i.e. The Quran and The Torah, we find many similarities, not only in the messages sent down by the God but also in the instances that have been described in these Holy books narrating the history of God’s Messengers and their lives. For example the instance of Abraham and His Wife Sarah about Sarah being too old to have a child are narrated almost similarly in both the books. “Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah had stopped having her monthly periods. So Sarah laughed to herself. Then the Lord asked Abraham, Why Sarah laughed and said, 'Can I really have a child when I am so old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (The Torah) The same instance is described in The Quran like this: “And his wife (Sarah) was standing by; she laughed, therefore We gave her the glad tidings of Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob. She said, 'Woe is me! Shall I bear, being an old woman? This assuredly is a strange thing.’ They said, 'What, dost thou marvel at God's command? The mercy of God and His blessings be upon you, O people of the House! Sure He is All-laudable, All-glorious.’” (The Quran) The description of these two instances proves the similarity even in the Holy books of the two religions. Moreover, the Holy books of these two religions have delivered the message of the God through His messengers. The followers of both the religions have faith in God, His messengers and the Day of Judgment. The followers of both the religions believe that there are much similarities in these religions as they are all the descendants of Abraham and also according to the ritual of Abraham the males of both the societies are circumsized (Rosen 2003). One more thing that creates a similarity between Islam and Judaism is that the people of both the religions are the “People of the Books” i.e. on the people of both the religions, Holy books were sent by the God through angels and were transferred further onto them through God’s Messengers who conveyed His message through their teachings and their actions. The importance of God’s messengers has been mentioned in the Holy Books of both the religions, the importance of The Day of Judgment has been mentioned in the Holy Books of both the religions. The Quran and Torah have both emphasized in following the God’s orders and leading a life which is advised by the God. Both the holy books have almost the same definition of sin and good deeds with the same rewards and punishments described in this life and the hereafter. A close study of both the books and the religions certainly prove the fact the both Islam and Judaism have much more similarities than differences. The differences are merely created by the followers of the religion who have somehow forgotten the true teachings of their religions as both the religions preach peace and even more both the religions have a common Holy Place which is The Jerusalem. (R. Firestone, “Children of Abraham”, Ktav, 2001) Work Cited The Quran The Torah R.D Rosen, The Jewish Muslim Relations, Past and Present, 2003, Print. Abualrub, Jalal, and Alaa Mencke. Holy Wars ... Crusades ... Jihad: In the Torah, the Gospels and the Quran. Orlando, Fla: Madinah Publishers and Distributors, 2002. Print. S?ubh?, ?Abd -M, Wa'il A. M. Shihab, and 'Ali E.-S. El-Halawany. Good Argumentation with the Doubters of Islam: From the Qur'an, the Torah, the Gospels & Science. El-Mansurah, Egypt: Dar Al-Manarah, 2001. Print. Read More