Common in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity

Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are very similar in their own ways. “Judaism Christianity, and Islam, in contrast to Hinduism and Buddhism, are all monotheistic faiths that worship the God of Adam, Abraham, and Moses-creator, sustainer, and lord of the universe.” Also these faiths, ’share a common belief in the oneness of God (monotheism), sacred history (history as the theater of God’s activity and the encounter of God and humankind), prophets and divine revelation, angels, and Satan. All stress moral responsibility and accountability, Judgment Day, and eternal reward and punishment.”

Another way these religions are similar is “All three faiths emphasize their special covenant with God, for Judaism through Moses, Christianity through Jesus, and Islam through Muhammad. Christianity accepts God’s covenant with and revelation to the Jews but traditionally has seen itself as superseding Judaism with the coming of Jesus.” Another way these religions are similar is “Peace is central to all three faiths. This is reflected historically in their use of similar greetings meaning “peace be upon you”: shalom aleichem in Judaism, pax vobiscum in Christianity, and salaam alaikum in Islam. Often, however, the greeting of peace has been meant primarily for members of one’s own faith community.”

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are three of the most influential world religions in history. While Judaism isn’t as large as Christianity and Islam, its impact on the world has still been as profound. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are sometimes called “Abrahamic religions” because they trace their history to the ancient figure of Abraham, first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. “Islam is similar to Judaism in its emphasis on practice rather than belief, on law rather than dogma. The primary religious discipline in Judaism and Islam has been religious law; for Christianity it has been theology. Historically, in Judaism and Islam the major debates and disagreements have been among scholars of religious law over matters of religious practice, whereas in Christianity the early disputes and cleavages in the community were over theological beliefs: the nature of the Trinity or the relationship of Jesus” human and divine natures.”

Another similarity is “The conception of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is monotheism, the belief in the existence of a single indivisible God. The three of religions maintains that there is only one God, who is active in and concerned about the world. These religions are also patriarchal, male-dominated, which has resulted in God being described as “He.” However, how Christians, Judaism and Islam conceptualize God in their respective theologies is actually quite different.” Also these religions believe God did not leave us without guidelines for behavior. God provided us with sound basic rules to live by as well as a rational mind to learn how and when to apply those rules to our everyday life. All three religions, for example, abhor murder, the arbitrary killing of innocent people. Likewise, God wants us to be telling the truth and not to take from others what rightfully belongs to them.

Another similarity is their views on the future. “No matter how difficult the past and present may be, the three religions are hopeful about the future. Evil and suffering cannot ultimately prevail. God has provided a condition for which our three religions have different names, but we agree on the term Paradise. This future will bring about God’s unchallenged rule; unconditional bliss for all who live with God.”

A similarity that these religions have in common in their Divine Human Encounter. “The three Abrahamic religions believe that God and human beings can and should communicate with each other. By revelation God communicates to people, among which the most important are revelation through prophets. These revelations are recorded in the Holy Scriptures of each religion. While the Holy Scriptures of the three religions are not the very same, nevertheless the younger two religions acknowledge God’s truth as found in the previous religions, and encourage respect to the Holy Books.”

Committed Jews, Muslims, and Christians agree that attending and attuning one’s life to the serious study of Scripture and of other prescribed classical sacred books of their respective traditions are of the greatest importance. For Jews, becoming increasingly conversant with the details of the covenant/contract and the traditions of our foremothers and forefathers is nothing short of critical. Through it we discover who we are: personal identity converges with a people’s history. For Muslims and Christians, being part of a faith community is undoubtedly a very good thing. Also, “Most Jews will also, at times, refer to themselves as a faith community but they think of themselves foremost as a Folk community and not a Faith community. The sense of allegiance to the folk stands at the epicenter of whatever faith Jews profess.”

In conclusion, these religions are very similar in every aspect that you look on it. All of these religions act, and do everything the same way. In short, this contract, or agreement, Torah, that both God and the Jewish People have agreed to keep, is referred to in Judaism as covenant, or Brit. It is the same Brit that every Jewish boy and girl enters soon after birth as the first life-cycle event after birth. Therefore, the single operative word that defines Judaism is covenant. A covenant is a form of contract and all contracts are formulated to realize and actualize justice– even when the parties to the contract are not equals.