Comparison of Islam and Christianity - Essay Example

Comparison of Islam and Christianity Introduction Islam and Christianity are both Abrahamic religions, that essentially means that both the Muslims and the Christians believe in Abraham (P.B.U.H.) as a Prophet. Christianity as a religion was introduced almost 500 years before Islam owing to the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was born almost 500 years after the Prophet Esa (P.B.U.H.). Both Muslims and Christians believe in the same chronology of births of the Prophets. Similarities between Islam and Christianity Islam and Christianity have many things in common.

For example, both religions forbid their followers to consume alcohol or the flesh of swine. The extent of similarity between Islam and Christianity can be estimated from the fact that Dr. Zakir Naik, one of the most famous religious scholars of Islam has been quoted saying, “If Christian is a person who follows the teachings of Christ (pbuh) and not one who worships Christ (pbuh). (We are more Christian than the Christians themselves)” (Naik, n.d.). There are Holy Books in both of the religions that their followers have faith in.

These Holy Books, namely the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran guide the followers with a way of life as per the wish of the Creator. The followers of both Christianity and Islam believe in the oneness of God. Both Islam and Christianity have very strict stance against homosexuality. The two Holy Books i.e. the Bible and the Quran describe it as a sin discussing the way the people of Prophet Lot (P.B.U.H.) were punished by God for not giving up the practice of homosexuality. There are many prayers similar between the Bible and the Quran.

For instance, ““The Lord’s Prayer” in the bible and the “Sura Al-Fateha” in the Quran are universal prayers. After careful observation, we can see that both the prayers carry the similar meaning with only the difference of language” (quranreading.com, 2009). Differences between Islam and Christianity Muslims and Christians differ in their concept of God’s relations, although both believe that there is only one Supreme Being and that is the God Almighty. While Muslims believe that God has not been created by anyone, He has no parents and no children, Christians on the other hand believe that the Prophet Jesus (P.B.U.H.) is God’s son and that the angels are God’s daughters.

Another very fundamental difference between Islam and Christianity is that the Christians believe that the Prophet Jesus (P.B.U.H.) was crucified whereas the Muslims believe that rather than being crucified, He was taken up from the Earth by God Almighty and that he would again come back to the Earth at a later point in time to complete His life as well as fight the evils that would exist in the world at the time of His return. Another big difference between Islam and Christianity is the trends, traditions, and events.

Christians offer prayers in Churches whereas Muslims offer prayers in Mosques. Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day unlike the Christians. Christians get married in the Churches whereas Muslims generally arrange the marriage functions in their private residences, hotels, or any area capacious enough to accommodate the guests. Wedding cake is of special significance in the Christian wedding whereas Muslims tend to arrange wedding feasts instead of making a special cake for the wedding.

A vast majority of the Christian