Judaism, Christianity And Islam Similarities And Differences

The question of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, similarities and differences, is debated and interesting for truth seekers to follow. These three Abrahamic religions share a common divine origin but also diverge significantly in their beliefs and practices based on their different contexts and scope.

Understanding their similarities and differences is essential for truth seekers to reach the ultimate truth.

This article explores the key commonalities and distinctions between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, focusing on their concepts of God, prophets, scriptures, and the paths to salvation. The article concludes with the ultimate truth for this subject. Keep reading for deeper insights!

Judaism, Christianity And Islam Similarities And Differences

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are Abrahamic religions that share a common origin but differ in several key beliefs and practices. These similarities and differences stem from their shared belief in one God and the acknowledgment of prophets like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (PBUH), yet they diverge significantly on concepts like God’s nature, salvation, and scripture preservation.

Similarities include:

1. Belief in one God and many Prophets
2. Fasting, charity, and some dietary laws
3. Modesty
4. Shared prophecies of a final prophet matching Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 

Differences emerge since the Bible was delivered for specific timing to specific people with teachings suitable for this context and then it was altered and abrogated by the universal message of Islam. Here is a selection of the key differences between Islam, Christianity and Judaism: 

1. Concept of God: God’s nature, with Judaism focusing on God’s human-like traits, Christianity is altered to the Trinity, and Islam emphasizing God’s absolute oneness. Christianity also distinguishes itself by revering Jesus as the Son of God, while Islam views Jesus as a prophet. 
2. Preservation: Their scriptures also differ in preservation. Islam’s Quran remains unchanged, while the Jewish Torah and Christian Bible have undergone alterations. 
3. Salvation meaning: Furthermore, the religions differ in their approach to salvation, with Judaism emphasizing repentance, Christianity focusing on Jesus’ atonement, and Islam rejecting original sin, instead emphasizing personal accountability and sincere repentance.
4. Scope: Islam also has a universal message meant for all of humanity, while Judaism and Christianity target specific communities and are abrogated by the coming of Islam.
5. Growth rate: Finally, growth patterns show Islam as the fastest-growing religion, while Judaism remains exclusive, and Christianity decreases in numbers. 

Let’s explore in detail:

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Similarities

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a significant number of similarities due to their common divine origin and belief in the same Creator. These include:

1. Unipersonal Monotheism

All three religions uphold the belief in one true God in their original sense with scattered traces in their current versions. This concept is evident in the sacred texts of each faith:

1. In Islam, the Quran declares: “He is Allah—One ˹and Indivisible˺” (Quran 112:1).
2. In Judaism, the Old Testament affirms: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me, there is no god” (Isaiah 45:5).
3. Similarly, Christianity highlights monotheism in Jesus’ words: “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Mark 12:29). However, the current common practice among Christians is different following the creed of trinity inserted later in their book by humans.

2. Belief in Prophets

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam recognize and honor many of the same prophets, including Abraham and Moses (PBUT). Muslims also believe in Jesus (PBUH) as a prophet and the Messiah, whereas Christians view him as the Son of God, and Jews await the Messiah.

3. Fasting

All three religions practice fasting as a spiritual discipline, with some overlapping methods. For instance, Jews observe a fast on Yom Kippur, Christians traditionally fast during Lent, and Muslims fast during Ramadan.

4. Dietary Laws

Certain dietary laws are common across the three faiths, such as prohibitions against consuming pork. Additionally, Muslims and Jews share similar slaughtering rituals (halal and kosher) and dietary ethics rooted in divine guidance. Although the teachings of Jesus confirm the same tradition of forbidding pork, it’s not the common case among Christians.

5. Charity and Almsgiving

Charity is a fundamental obligation in all three faiths:

1. In Islam, Zakah is a pillar of faith, alongside voluntary charity (sadaqah).
2. In Judaism, Tzedakah is a moral and religious duty.
3. In Christianity, giving to the poor is emphasized in the teachings of Jesus.

6. Modest Dressing and Behavior

All three religions promote modesty, especially for women, emphasizing clothing and conduct that reflect spiritual humility.

1. Islam: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except that which [necessarily] appears thereof.” (Quran: 24:31)
2. Judaism: “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” (1 Timothy 2:9)
3. Christianity: Jesus’ mother Mary was dressed modestly by fully covering her body and wearing a head scarf as found in 1 Timothy 2:9 and Gen, 24:64-65.

7. Scriptural Prophecies of a Final Prophet

Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was foretold in the Torah and the Bible, identifying him as the final messenger of God:

• The Quran states: “They find him written ˹in the Torah and the Gospel˺” (Quran 7:157).

The Bible refers to the same fact of prophecy:

• Deuteronomy 18:18 in the Old Testament mentions: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers.”

The prophecy matches Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as follows:

1. Muhammad is like Moses: natural birth, brought new covenants, and led a natural life, had children, and died naturally, defeated their enemies, and led their people.
2. Muhammad is among the brothers of Israelites, i.e., the Ishmaelites.
3. Almighty God revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

These similarities demonstrate the interconnectedness of these Abrahamic religions, emphasizing their shared values, principles, and origin. Despite being changed, the Bible still contains hints for truth seekers to accept Islam as the final divine message to all humanity.

Judaism, Christianity And Islam Differences

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are Abrahamic religions that share a common origin but differ significantly in their beliefs, practices, and perspectives out of the human insertions and changes placed in the Bible. Here are the main distinctions among the three:

1. Concept of God

1. Judaism: Depicts God with human-like qualities, such as rest after creation (Genesis 2:2), suggesting distortions over time.
2. Christianity: Believes in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), diverging from strict monotheism.
3. Islam: Upholds God’s absolute oneness and perfection, free from human traits (Quran 42:11).

2. Scripture Preservation

1. Judaism: The Torah shows evidence of human alterations (Jeremiah 8:8).
2. Christianity: The Bible’s original content has been lost and distorted.
3. Islam: The Quran is divinely preserved, ensuring consistency since its revelation.

3. View of Prophets

1. Judaism: Portrays Prophets with flaws, such as Noah’s drunkenness (Genesis 9:21).
2. Christianity: In addition to negative depictions of Prophets, Christianity reveres Jesus as the Son of God.
3. Islam: Considers Prophets as noble role models, with Jesus (Isa) being a revered prophet, not divine.

4. Salvation

1. Judaism: Focuses on repentance and adherence to the law, with practices like Kapparot using a hen as a symbolic transferring of sins.
2. Christianity: Teaches salvation through Jesus’s atonement for original sin.
3. Islam: Emphasizes personal accountability and sincere repentance, rejecting original sin (Quran 17:15).

5. Universal vs. Exclusive Messages

1. Judaism: Aims its teachings at the Jewish people as a “chosen group”.
2. Christianity: The message of Prophet Jesus was limited to his nation. As he said, “I have not been sent but to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). This is because there would be another Prophet with the final message to all humanity to come.
3. Islam:  Islam’s message is universal, meant for all of humanity as the final divine revelation on Earth. Almighty God says in the Quran: “We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world” (Quran 21:107).

6. Social Laws

1. Judaism: Practices like male-dominated inheritance and restrictions during menstruation.
2. Christianity: Less focus on detailed social laws, emphasizing spiritual salvation.
3. Islam: Provides balanced and practical laws, ensuring justice for men and women (Quran 4:11).

7. Growth of religion

1. Islam: Researches show that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. 
2. Judaism: In contrast, Judaism maintains a unique identity, refraining from accepting newcomers unless under specific conditions.
3. Christianity: While Christianity is currently the world’s largest religion, Muslims will make up 30 percent of the world’s population by 2050, compared to around 25.8 percent of the population in 2024, based on Pew research.

Do you want to know why Islam is the fastest-growing religion? Read these articles:

1. The Spread of Islam With Timeline and Map!
2. Why is Islam the Fastest-growing Religion?
3. 8 Reasons Why You Should Be a Muslim?

By examining these key differences, one can see that Islam provides a more practical, just, and reasonable approach as a divine final law and guidance to humanity.

Conclusion: Islam is the Final And Abrogating Divine Scripture

To conclude, this article delves into the key similarities and differences between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, highlighting their shared beliefs in monotheism, prophets, and spiritual practices, while also addressing their distinct views on God, scripture, and salvation. 

Despite these differences, the article underscores that certain prophecies within the Bible point to the truth of Islam, offering a path for truth seekers to follow the final divine message.

Islam acknowledges Prophet Moses and Jesus and the Bible as central to its faith, yet it teaches that the current versions of the Bible have been altered.

Finally, Islam has the final divine revelation preserved for humanity by a divine promise. That’s why Islam abrogates all previous scriptures and becomes the only accepted divine version for humanity to reach guidance since the coming of Prophet Muhammad PBUH till the end of the world.

Do you want to learn more about Islam and why it’s the only truth preserved for eternal happiness? Start a conversation with our team right now!