The Common Beliefs Christianity And Judaism Share With Islam
Islam and Christianity are two popular and wide spread religions in world bearing utmost similarity apart from few differences. The religion of Islam is a monotheistic religion that is the mere acceptable religion in sight of Allah and the one who entirely adheres to Islam is Muslim by submitting his will to Allah Almighty. Religion of Allah has flourished through the Sunnah of Muhammad (PBUH) and book of miracles i.e. Holy Quran. Those who are direly holding unto the legacy of Prophets are the successful ones and part of Salaam meaning peaceful religion as narrated in Hadith:
“O mankind! I have left behind over you that which if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the book of Allah and the sunnah of His prophet.” [Bayhaqi]
Christianity out of semantic religions on other hand is the second most widespread which has dominated a large population of world. The doctrines that Christians follow are of Jesus to whom Christians regard God and divine in Trinity encapsulation.
Common Beliefs in Islam and Christianity
Muslims and Christians do exhibit common beliefs that comprise oneness of Allah, His sovereignty in realm and accountability in eternal life at Day of Resurrection. Coherent beliefs in both religions entail:
1. Oneness of Allah (Tawheed)
Islam circulates around the dogmas of Tawheed that is oneness of Allah and declaration that there is no God but Allah. Muslims and Christians agreed upon the oneness and consider Him the supreme deity worthy to worship. Without instilling the belief of Tawheed no one can enter in religion Islam hence, the heretic scale is all-dependent on the declination of Allah being the sole Lord. According to both religions, Allah is supreme, omnipotent, everlasting, and omnipresent. Allah says in Quran:
“And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.” [Quran 2:163]
2. Allah’s Sovereignty
Along monotheistic attribute Muslims have sheer faith in the sovereignty of Allah. Christians and Muslims do believe that whatever is created in the world since start explicitly belongs to Allah and He verily is the sole creator. The world and human beings are all dependent on Him who is all-powerful and omnipotent. Allah says in Quran that shed light on Him being the ONLY originator and sustainer of universe:
“…Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness equivalent to light? Or have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the creation [of each] seemed similar to them?” Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Prevailing.” [Quran 13:16]
“.. and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned.” [Quran 41:21]
The followers of both the religions believe in the sacramental presence of Angels and evil lullabies that provoke worshippers to go astray. Angels without gender distinction have created from light by Allah Almighty for the purpose of His divine message revelation. Angel Gabriel was sent down towards Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for the revelation of last Book of Allah Quran during the era of his prophet hood in order to guide followers towards the righteous path.
“[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.” [Quran 35:1]
Both religions believe in the virgin birth of Jesus because Allah has clearly stated in Quran regarding the birth of Jesus comprehending by the entire Surah in Book of Furqaan by the name of Surah Maryam. Both the religions have firm faith in the identity and second coming of Jesus in world as narrated:
“And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.” [Quran 43:61]
Knowledge of hour indicates the “Dooms day” in aforementioned verse, the time when he will come back to earth prior the final judgment day for accountability of deeds.
Dissimilarities Between Christianity and Islam
Despite being, the similarities there exist few dissimilarities that avert the total coherent beliefs in both religions. Christians believe that Jesus has three forms being Allah’s son, being divine and being God that has totally refuted by Allah and Quranic scriptures as Allah says:
“They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, “Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?” [Quran 5:17]
1. Allah Has no Son Nor He is Father to Anyone
Allah was the only one when nothing was there and will be when no one lasts, this all makes Him eternal with no son and family. The major belief that has grotesquely rendered the image of God for Christians is that they consider Allah as Jesus’s father with is equivalent to invoking Allah’s wrath that too when Allah has clearly declared in Holy book of Quran as:
“Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He neither begets nor is born; And there is none like unto Him.” [Quran 112: 1-4]
2. Means of Salvation
Christians believes that the means of salvation for them is to secure it through firm faith in Jesus and offering some prayers but Islam resolutely believes in salvation through utter devotion to Allah Almighty and to invoke him through five pillars of Islam that are deemed compulsory upon every Muslim. Christians consider Bible as their source of deliverance and knowledge whereas Muslims consider them people of books.
Islam is a complete way of life whereas Christianity lacks major things that link back to the divinity of prophet hood and Tawheed that makes two religions quite different from each other as stated in Quran by the Exalted Rab ul Aalameen:
Say, “O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah .” But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].” [Quran 3: 64]
