Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity. As a monotheistic faith that originated in the Middle East, Islam holds many beliefs and practices in common with Judaism and Christianity.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity are collectively known as "Abrahamic religions" because they trace their history to the covenant God made with Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.
The Prophet Muhammad met both Jews and Christians during his lifetime, and Islam has come into frequent contact with both of its fellow monotheistic faiths throughout most of its history.
As a brief guide of the similarities and differences of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the following chart compares the statistics, origins, history and religious beliefs of these three great monotheistic faiths.
Please note that, as with all charts of this kind, the information is oversimplified and should not be used as a sole resource.
Comparison of Statistics and Basics
|
|
Islam
|
Judaism
|
Christianity
|
|
adherents called
|
Muslims
|
Jews
|
Christians
|
|
current adherents
|
1.3 billion
|
14 million
|
2 billion
|
|
current size rank
|
2nd largest
|
12th largest
|
largest
|
| major concentration |
Middle East, Southeast Asia
|
Israel, Europe, USA
|
Europe, North and South America, rapid growth in Africa
|
| sacred text |
Qur'an (Koran)
|
Bible
|
Bible (Jewish Bible + New Testament)
|
| other written authority |
Hadith
|
Talmud, Midrash, Responsa
|
church fathers, church councils, papal decrees (Catholic only)
|
| religious law |
Sharia
|
Halakhah
|
Canon Law
|
| clergy |
imams
|
rabbis
|
priests, ministers, pastors, bishops
|
| house of worship |
mosque
|
synagogue
|
church, chapel, cathedral
|
| main day of worship |
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
| church and state |
integrated
|
separate
|
separate
|
Comparison of Origins and History
|
|
Islam
|
Judaism
|
Christianity
|
|
date founded
|
622 CE
|
unknown
|
c. 33 CE
|
|
place founded
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
Palestine
|
|
founder
|
Muhammad
|
Moses or Abraham
|
Jesus
|
|
original language(s)
|
Arabic
|
Hebrew
|
Aramaic, Greek
|
|
early expansion
|
within 12 years, entire Arabian peninsula; within 100 years, Muslim world stretched from the Atlantic to China
|
little expansion; mostly confined to Palestine
|
within 60 years, churches in major cities in Palestine, Turkey, Greece and Rome ( map); entire Roman Empire by end of 4th cent. |
|
major splits
|
Shia/Sunni, c. 650 CE
|
Reform/Orthodox, 1800s CE
|
Catholic/Orthodox, 1054 CE; Catholic/Protestant, 1500s CE
|
Comparison of Religious Beliefs
|
|
Islam
|
Judaism
|
Christianity
|
| type of theism |
strict monotheism
|
strict monotheism
|
Trinitarian monotheism
|
|
ultimate reality
|
one God
|
one God
|
one God
|
|
names of God
|
Allah (Arabic for God)
|
Yahweh, Elohim
|
Yahweh, the Holy Trinity
|
| other spiritual beings |
angels, demons, jinn
|
angels and demons
|
angels and demons
|
| revered humans |
prophets, imams (especially in Shia)
|
prophets
|
saints, church fathers
|
| identity of Jesus |
true prophet of God, whose message has been corrupted
|
false prophet
|
Son of God, God incarnate, savior of the world
|
| birth of Jesus |
virgin birth
|
normal birth
|
virgin birth
|
| death of Jesus |
did not die, but ascended into heaven during crucifixion
|
death by crucifixion
|
death by crucifixion
|
| resurrection of Jesus |
denied
|
denied
|
affirmed
|
| second coming of Jesus |
affirmed
|
denied
|
affirmed
|
| divine revelation |
through Muhammad, recorded in Qur'an
|
through Prophets, recorded in Bible
|
through Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in Bible
|
| view of sacred text |
inspired, literal word of God, inerrant in original languages
|
views vary
|
inspired, some believe inerrant in original languages
|
| human nature |
equal ability to do good or evil
|
two equal impulses, one good and one bad
|
"original sin" inherited from Adam - tendency towards evil
|
| means of salvation |
correct belief, good deeds, Five Pillars
|
belief in God, good deeds
|
correct belief, faith, good deeds, sacraments (some Protestants emphasize faith alone)
|
| God's role in salvation |
predestination
|
divine revelation and forgiveness
|
predestination, various forms of grace
|
| good afterlife |
eternal paradise
|
views vary: either heaven or no afterlife
|
eternal heaven
|
| bad afterlife |
eternal hell
|
views vary: either eternal Gehenna, reincarnation, or no afterlife
|
eternal hell, temporary purgatory (Catholicism)
|
| view of fellow Abrahamic religions |
Jews and Christians are respected as "People of the Book," but they have wrong beliefs and only partial revelation.
|
Islam and Christianity are false interpretations and extensions of Judaism.
|
Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation. Islam is a false religion.
|
comparison chart Islam vs. Judaism vs. Christianity, compare differences between Muslims, Jews and Christians
|
