A CHRISTIAN COMPARISON WITH
AND
EVALUATION OF ISLAM

AREAS OF SIMILARITY

1.   Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share much of a common biblical heritage, each claiming a common ancestry through Abraham, and sharing the prophetic tradition through Moses and the prophets.

2.   All three religions claim to worship the same eternal God; Judaism referring to Him as Yahweh, Christianity as The Father, and Islam as Allah.

3.   All three claim to be monotheistic.

4.   All three place great emphasis on “the Book” or the Old Testament as Scripture.

5.   All three hold to a view of canon in Holy Scripture, Judaism limits this to the Torah, Islam to the Quran, Christianity to both the Old and New Testaments.

6.   All three hold to a faith in the “prophetic” office, Judaism limiting this to the Old Testament prophets, Christianity to both Old Testament and New Testament prophets,  Islam adds to these Muhammad, who they believe is the final prophet of God.

7.   All three believe in angels and angelic activity in behalf of man.

8.   All three believe in the last judgment.

9.   All three believe in divine revelation.

10. All three place a heavy emphasis on prayer.

11. All three are evangelistic, although Judaism is the least evangelistic.

12. All three place heavy emphasis on teaching the “divine word”.

13. All three adopt places of worship and teaching, Judaism the Synagogue, Christianity the church assembly, Islam the Mosque.

14. All three hold to special weekly days of worship, Judaism the Sabbath, Christians the Lord’s Day or Sunday,  Islam the day of Salat or prayer on Friday.

15. All three hold to high standards of morality.

AREAS IF DIFFERENCE

1.   Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and fully divine.  Judaism rejects Jesus as the divine messiah, Islam rejects him a divine, but accepts him as a great teacher and revealer of God’s will.

2.   Judaism believe in an atoning animal sacrificial system, Christianity believes this was fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus.  Islam holds to no atoning sacrificial system.  For Christians the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the final fulfilling focus of God’s atoning work.  Judaism and Islam reject this.

3.   Judaism believes that Jerusalem is the holy center of their faith,  Islam believes that Mecca is the holy center of their faith, Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the holy center of their faith.

4.   Judaism and Islam are “monolithic” in their monotheism, Christianity believes in a trinitarian approach to monotheism.

5.   Judaism and Islam have a ‘heritage” in Holy War against unbelievers,   Christians do not, but have in times engaged in “holy wars” against unbelievers (Crusaders, Calvin, Catholic-Christian persecutions, et al).

6.   Christians believe in praying for your enemy, Islam believes in conquering or defeating the enemy.

7.    Judaism and Islam hold to fixed days or periods of religious celebration and fasting, Judaism to Yom Kippur, Islam to Ramadan.  Christians hold only to The Lord’s Day, or Day of the Resurrection, although some forms of Christianity hold to Lent, Easter, and Christmas as special holy times.

8.   Christ came to kingship by dying for his people, Muhammad came to “kingship: by raids, war, and assassinating opponents.

AREAS OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS STRENGTH

1.   Their unswerving submission to the Will of Allah.  It is from this uncompromising  “submission” to the will of God that they derive their name, Islam.

2.   Islamic devotion to their faith and in particular, the five pillars of their faith, is remarkable.

3.   Their devotion to prayer is outstanding.

4.   Their moral commitment is commendable.

5.   Their devotion to the Quran is outstanding.

6.   Their respect for their religious leaders is commendable.

7.   Muslims have a high regard for ceremonial cleanliness and holiness.

8.   Their commitment to benevolence (Zakat) is commendable, although practiced only within their faith.

9.   Their sense of “hospitality” is commendable.

AREAS OF CHRISTIAN CONCERN REGARDING ISLAM

We believe that some words of caution are worthy of notice at this point!

1.   Christians invariably criticize the sociological and political practice of Islam, or the interpretation of Islam and the Quran by various radical fundamentalist sects, and transfer these to Islam as a whole.

2.   Christians are just as widely divided over the interpretation of their Holy Scriptures and is Islam.

3.   Christianity has been just as oppressive through its checkered history as has Islam.

4.   Christian fundamentalism is as legalistic, oppressive, and harsh as are some Muslim fundamentalists.  (Remember Christian Fundamentalist “bombing” of abortion clinics, and other similar perversions of the Christian faith practiced between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.)

5.   Christians should remember that Islam is a varied and divisive as is Christianity.

6.   Christians should remember that they have a past as “stained” and “questionable” in regard to practice as does Islam.

Christian concerns with Islam.

1.   Christians have problems with the very foundation of Islam by Muhammad, and the “divine” origins of the Quran.

2.   The Quran contradicts itself in many references to old Testament events and also is at variance with the Old and New Testaments.

3.   Christians reject the Shahadah, or Confession of Islam, "There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the prophet of Allah." 

4.    Islamic monotheism rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ, which is The Pillar of Faith for Christians. 

5.   Christians reject claims that Muhammad is the Prophet of God, implying that all prophecy is culminated or fulfilled in Muhammad, and that the revelations to Muhammad supercede those made by Jesus and given by the Holy Spirit to the apostles.

6.   There is no true concept of grace and atonement in Islam, all is subject to the arbitrary choice or will of God.  Although the Quran maintains that “Allah is merciful”, this mercy is expressed only in regard to Muslims, not to Jews and Christians.

7.   Whatever notion there is of salvation there is in Islam, it is based on works, not grace.

8.    Islam is a religion that subjugates women more than any other world religion; women have no place in the practice of Islam.

9.   Although not all Muslims are radical fundamental extremists, Islam with its views of extreme submission to the will of Allah, does provide or become a fertile breeding ground for radical extremism.

10. Since Islam is not simply a religion, but a fusion of religion and state, Muslims do not understand the Western separation of Religion and State.

11. In whichever nations Muslims are in the majority, that nation tends to be totalitarian, and democracy (rule of the people) is rejected, and individual freedoms are subjugated in favor of the rights of the state.

12. In nations or communities where Muslims are in the majority the community tends to become intolerant of the rights of the minority, especially in matters of faith and religion.  In such cases nations or communities tend to become radical and extreme in their attitude toward minorities.  An example of this is Saudi Arabia, which is a totally Muslim “totalitarian” or “monarchial” state in which there is no sense of democracy. In Saudi Arabia non-Muslims may not worship even in their own homes under threat of arrest, or deportation.

13. The fundamentalist, exclusivist, and radical elements of Islam encourage “hatred” of non-Muslims and “infidels” (those who do not accept Muhammad as the Prophet of God), which leads to an intolerant mindset resulting in violent reaction.

14. In nations or communities where Muslims are in the majority there is a heavy emphasis on the concept of “infidel” rather than “non-Muslim”.  Infidel becomes a rallying point for action against non-Muslims.

15. In nations or communities where Muslims are in the minority they project an attitude of tolerance toward other faiths or those who do not espouse Islam. 

16. Islam lacks a strong sense of “respect for life” as found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.  Life is “cheap” and expendable in this life, and surrendering one’s life for the “cause” provides entrance to the “eternal bliss” to be enjoyed  especially by men in the life to come.  Islam tends to function under an extreme martyr complex.

17. The sense of “love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you” is lacking in Islam.  “Your neighbor” in Islam is defined specifically along exclusive lines as your fellow or brother Muslim.