Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CANDON CITY
Candon City, Ilocos Sur

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD
RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
Quarter 1 – Week 7 - Module 7
Refined by: Sheryl B. Dao-asen

Lesson
Comparative Analysis of Judaism,
7 Christianity, and Islam

I. MELC:
1. Compare and contrast the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam.

II. Guide Questions:

1. What are the manifestations of the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam?
2. Why do the three Abrahamic religions trace their common roots to the Patriarch
Abraham?
3. How relevant are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the world today, with
Christianity and Islam being the world’s most popular religions in terms of
the number of adherents?

III. Discussion:
The three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all originated from
a region we now call Southwest Asia. They are also called Semitic religions since they came
from an area where people speak the Semitic languages, particularly Hebrew, Aramaic, and
Arabic. Judaism originated from a land called Canaan; Christianity began in Palestine while
Islam developed in Arabia. Looking back at the history of the three religions, we can see that
they share commonalities in certain beliefs such as belief in the same Patriarch and other
prophets; angels as messengers of God; heaven and hell; and judgment day, among others.

The Three Abrahamic Religions

1. Judaism
➢ Oldest among the three Abrahamic religions, beginning at around 3,500 B.C.E.
According to the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, the ancient Israelites trace
the origin of their nation and their religion as well to one family distinct from
other groups of people in Southwest Asia under the belief in one God.

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 ➢ The patriarch of this family was Abraham, a nomadic shepherd who entered a
covenant with God, that being the “Father of All Nations” and heir to the
Promised Land, which was Canaan. (Patriarchy is a system of society wherein
the father or eldest male is considered the head of family and lineage is traced
through the male line.) According to the narratives, Abraham and his wife Sarah
took a long time before having a child, who was Isaac.

➢ Meanwhile, before Isaac was born Abraham had a son with Sarah’s lady-in-
waiting, Hagar. They named their child Ishmael. Isaac married Rebecca and
they had two children, Esau, and Jacob, and from Jacob (who acquires the name
Israel) came the 12 tribes of Israel. Ishmael, on the other hand, became the
ancestor of the Arabs who later became Muslims.

➢ The Hebrew Bible further narrates how the 12 tribes of Israel founded the nation
of Israel and Jacob, being the heir to the covenant, made a pact with God that
they will be liberated from Egyptian enslavement if they will continue to follow
God’s commandments.

2. Christianity
➢ It was formed around 33 C.E. in an area called Palestine.

➢ Christians trace their origins to Jesus Christ, born around 4 B.C.E. while the
area was under the Roman Empire.

➢ It was a time characterized by social disorder, political turmoil, uprisings,

poverty, heavy taxation, food shortage, and epidemics. To quell the rebellion
and implement a semblance of order, those who participated in armed uprisings
were crucified, which incidentally was how Jesus Christ was punished as well.
During these sufferings, the Jewish people were secretly hoping and waiting for
God to fulfill His promise—that of sending His Son to redeem them from their
oppressive state.

➢ It was in this context that Jesus Christ was born and in his late twenties, started
to preach about the coming of the Kingdom of God. He was baptized by another
prophet, John the Baptist, and had 12 men as his disciples. His public ministry
was considered a threat to Roman authority, so he was arrested, whipped, and
crucified as a penalty for what he did.

➢ According to the New Testament, Jesus was resurrected after three days, and he
ascended to the heavens but promised that he will come back in the same way
that his disciples saw him go into heaven.

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 3. Islam
➢ The youngest of the Abrahamic religions that started around 622 C.E., is
considered the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

➢ The word Islam is an Arabic word that means “submission” or “surrender” and
is also related to salaam, the Arabic word for “peace.”

➢ It originated from Mecca, which is found in the Arabian Peninsula, with

Muhammad, considered the last prophet or “Seal of the Prophet.”

➢ It was in Mecca where Muhammed was born and raised by his uncle Abu Talib,
worked as an assistant to a rich widow Khadija whom he later married, and
meditated on certain social issues such as unequal distribution of wealth, leading
to a great divide between the Comparative Analysis of Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam 107 rich and the poor, as well as the possession of slaves.

➢ It was during one of his visits to a cave that the angel Gabriel appeared before
him, delivering the message of Allah that he was chosen to find a new religion
and preach that Allah is the only God that should be worshipped.

➢ At first, he thought he was just having a hallucination, but later on, he was
convinced that he was indeed chosen by God to spread his words, so he began
preaching in Mecca, where he won some converts. But his teaching of equality
and brotherhood threatened the power of the rich Quraysh tribe, so he was
forced to escape to Medina to avoid persecution. This happened in 622 C.E. and
was known as Hegira. From then on Islam gained followers and became one of
the dominant religions in the world.

Uniqueness and Similarities of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

1. Comparison in terms of Origin
If we compare the origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, we can see that they
share more commonalities than differences.

✓ For one, they all developed during a time of political turmoil and social inequalities
(Egyptian enslavement of the Jews, Roman colonization of Christians, and the
economic dominance of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca). The conditions in society were
ripe for the birth of religions which would serve as the liberating force that would
provide the people with hope for a better life. It is also noteworthy that all three religions
developed the belief in one God, or monotheism, with Judaism being the first
monotheistic religion in the world.

✓ The first two religions, Judaism and Christianity, also emphasized the importance of
having a covenant with God, and in a way, we can say that it is also true with Islam

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 because in the Quran, even though Adam and his wife were banished from paradise,
Allah promised that they will have no reason to feel fear or grief if they will just follow
God’s will, foremost of which was to worship only one God, Allah.

✓ The role of angels as messengers of God was also evident among the three religions,
especially in Christianity when Angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary to tell her
that she would bear the Messiah, and in Islam when Allah sent Angel Gabriel to tell
Muhammad that he was chosen to be God’s last prophet.

✓ The story of creation was also shared by the three religions, with the universe and the
first man and woman being created by God, but then they were tempted by evil and
were banished from paradise, hence the need to follow God’s commandments to restore
humanity’s relationship with God.

✓ Lastly, one of the most important commonalities is the belief in Abraham as the
patriarch of the three religions---the “Father of Many Nations” for Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. He was the ideal follower of God for the three religions, for he
followed God’s will unconditionally, even to the extent of sacrificing his son when God
ordered him to do so. In short, Jews, Christians, and Muslims trace their common
ancestry to Abraham.

2. Comparison in terms of the idea of Morality

✓ In Judaism, morality and ethics are based on the covenant between the Jews and God:
that they are God’s chosen people and in return, they should follow His commandments,
specifically the Ten Commandments found in the Torah. Although there are around 613
commandments (mitzvoth) in the Torah, the Ten Commandments serve as a summary
of all the laws found in the Torah. Hence, based on the Ten Commandments, murder,
adultery, and theft, are prohibited, which are also forbidden in Christianity and Islam
as well. Judaism also espouses retribution, or the philosophy “an eye for an eye, a tooth
for a tooth,” which served as the guiding principle of the famous Code of Hammurabi
in ancient Babylon. This philosophy can be found in Exodus 21:2, but according to
scholars, this should not be confused with belief in vengeance but equal compensation
for damage or loss, often in the form of money and not physical harm. Treating others
as you would have yourself treated by others also serves as a basis for Jewish morality
and ethics. This stems from the belief that people were created in the likeness of God,
therefore we all have goodness in ourselves that is why we should treat each other well.

✓ Lastly, morality and ethics in Judaism are also based in the Halakhah, a religious law
that provides prescribed rules in everyday living, such as eating, praying, wedding and
funeral rites, etc. Like the Ten Commandments, its essence also came from the 613
commandments found in the Torah.

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✓ Christianity shares a lot in common with Judaism since both religions use the Hebrew
Bible, where the Ten Commandments were listed. Thus, in Christianity, murder,
adultery, and theft are also considered evil and should be avoided if one wants to live a
moral life.

✓ Aside from the Ten Commandments, Christianity also considers following in Jesus
Christ’s footsteps as the basis of morality. Since Jesus lived a life for others and even
died on the cross for the salvation of humanity, Christians are also expected to live a
life for others. After all, they were created in God’s image therefore people have
intrinsic goodness in them. Even in the Ten Commandments, what was emphasized was
to love God above all else and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Hence, living
an exemplary life means following how Jesus lived. When one has led astray from
God’s teachings, the Sacraments will help in reconciling oneself to God.
o For example, the Sacrament of Confession allows Christians to confess their
sins to God through the priest and perform the necessary atonement for the
forgiveness of their sins. Certain observances such as Lent also give Christians
an opportunity to reflect on their lives and help them become better Christians.
Unlike Judaism, Christianity does not advocate for retribution since Christians
are advised to love their enemies.

✓ The Islamic concept of morality and ethics is based on having faith in one God, which
is manifested in exhibiting righteousness and piety. A strong relationship with God is
the key to achieving virtue and right conduct. Since Islam is considered not only as a
religion but as a way of life as well, moral righteousness is expected of Muslims in their
everyday lives. The following passage from the Quran explains the Islamic concept of
morality:
“It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards East or West;
but it is righteousness—to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels,
and the Book, and the Messengers; to spread of your substance, out of love for
Him, for your kin, for your orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those
who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in your prayer, and
practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be
firm and patient, in pain (and suffering) and adversity, and throughout all
periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing (Al Quran
2:177).”

✓ Hence, Islam values holiness, humility, and accountability to God, who is all-knowing.
Charity is considered important, and this is reflected in one of the Five Pillars of Islam,
the Zakat, in which Muslims are obliged to give alms to the less fortunate. Vanity is
also discouraged, for it is a trait that is not pleasing to God, alongside attachment to
material possessions on earth. Being accountable to God is also important for nothing
can be hidden from Him, and He will be the one to judge people of their sins when the
judgment day comes. Acts that contribute to the welfare of the individual and society,

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 in general, are considered morally good, while acts that harm the individual and society
are immoral.

✓ Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a lot in terms of morality and ethics. First,
emphasis on the worship of one God as the basis of morality. Second, concern for others
as a manifestation of one’s love of God. Judaism and Christianity share the Ten
Commandments as the written code of morality, with emphasis on the avoidance of
committing murder, adultery, and theft. Meanwhile, based on the Quran, Islam
emphasized the need to possess traits such as holiness and righteousness as guidelines
in becoming morally good. Adherence to religious laws is also important and may pave
the way for the eternal salvation or damnation of the soul, with emphasis on judgment
day as a way of ensuring that people obey the will of God. Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam believe that God is the only source of forgiveness for humanity and only those
who follow the righteous path will go to heaven, while those who lived a life away from
God will go to hell.

3. Comparison in terms of Purpose:

✓ Life’s purpose for Judaism is also based on the covenant between God and the people,
particularly the Jewish people who were considered the “Chosen People of God.” And
because they were chosen by God and created according to God’s image, Jews should
strive to become God-like and possess the attributes and traits of God by being holy.
Only when people achieve holiness, primarily by following the Ten Commandments,
can they perform acts emulating God such as helping the needy and the oppressed.
Thus, the ultimate purpose in life for the Jews was to praise God as the Creator of the
universe and imitate God or become God-like. As God-like creatures, they have certain
purposes in the world, the community, to themselves, to their families, and God
Himself. One’s purpose is to realize one’s full potential and realize who one is meant
to be. Living in the likeness of God will guide Jews on how to treat themselves, their
families, communities, and the world.

✓ In Christianity, the purpose of life is to love and serve God, who created the universe
purposefully, so it is good. Since the creation was purposeful, everything and everyone
is naturally important. Just like in Judaism, Christianity also advocates the belief that
human beings were created in God’s image, and this enables them to have some
understanding of God and His divine plan. God granted human beings reason and free
will, which they can use to have a glimpse of God’s divine plan but can also be used
for selfish reasons. Since human beings can commit sins, they can decide to follow
God’s will or live a life of sins. But a person’s sin does not devalue a person in the eyes
of God, for in Christianity it is believed that everyone is capable of redemption,
including sinners.

✓ As with Judaism and Christianity, the purpose of life according to Islam is to love and
serve God. The fact that Islam means “surrender” means that a Muslim must submit to
Allah and recognize that Mohammad is His prophet. This concept of submission can be

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 observed in the way the Muslims worship: with their foreheads touching the ground in
worship of Allah.

✓ When God created the first human beings, he gave them three divine gifts: intelligence,
free will, and speech. The first is so human beings can distinguish between good and
evil; the second is to be able to choose between good and evil, and the third is to have
the capacity to worship God. But even though people are good, they can be tempted to
commit sins. But since God is merciful and compassionate, people can be forgiven.
Living a life following God’s plan will help people assist God in achieving His divine
plan. They become worthy followers of God by doing good deeds, being honest, and
obeying God’s will contained in the Quran and the law. Thus, for Muslims, practicing
Islam not only as a religion but as a way of life will bring a blissful life on earth and
eternal salvation in the afterlife.

✓ As we can see, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have commonalities about the purpose
of life. All three religions believe that the main purpose of life is to worship and serve
God, follow God’s will, and show this love of God by sharing with other people and
helping the ones in need. Since we are all created in God’s image, our purpose is to live
according to God’s ways, and even though we cannot imitate Him absolutely, we need
not worry for He is always willing to forgive us of our sins. We should all strive to
become worthy caretakers of everything God created and assist in implementing God’s
divine plan.

4. Comparison in terms of the Idea of Destiny

✓ Judaism believes in predetermination, which means that it is God who decides on a
person’s basic lifespan, wealth, and opportunities, but it is still humanity’s free will that
is the deciding factor. A person must overcome evil by choosing goodness in everything
he or she does. To allow people to choose goodness over evil, God allowed people into
different stations in life. The main reason why God puts people in certain situations in
life is for them to serve God according to their destiny. In that sense, God allows certain
people to be rich and some to be poor, for these challenges the poor to rise above the
economic challenges to do good and to serve God, while this puts the rich in an easier
situation to serve God, and if they fail to serve God despite their advantageous
circumstances, more will they be punished. In short, God places each one in different
situations to challenge us to do our best in serving Him no matter what our
circumstances are.

✓ Similarly, one’s lifespan is predetermined by God, but one’s lifestyle will be the
deciding factor on whether God’s plan will succeed or not. God may prolong a wicked
person’s life to give him/her more time to repent, or He may take it away even before
his/her predestined time of death for him/her to stop doing wicked things. Similarly, a
good person’s time on earth may be taken away earlier than God’s plan so that he/she
will no longer fight the evil in himself/herself, or He may prolong his/her life so that
he/she will continue to do good things for others. In the Hebrew Bible, it is written that

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 “There was the righteous man who perished in his righteousness, and there was the
wicked man who lived long in his evildoing” (Ecclesiastes 7:15).

✓ Christianity has a similar concept of destiny. God wanted all of humanity to be saved,
for God created hell, not for humans but Satan and his demons (2 Peter 2:4). Therefore,
it is humanity’s predestiny to be saved. (Predestination refers to the belief that all events
are determined in advance by divine will or fate.) But since God also gave us free will,
it is up to us to claim that salvation. For Roman Catholics, doing good deeds will merit
salvation, while for Protestants, faith in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as his/her
Savior will earn us eternal life. In the story of creation, Adam and Eve were predestined
by God to live in paradise forever. But their free will made them choose the path of
disobedience. Therefore, in Christianity, God may have the best plans for us, but our
actions and decisions determine whether God’s plans will materialize or not. Salvation
lies in our own hands because of free will. Parents set the rules for their children, but
it is the children’s choice if they will follow their parents or not. Similarly, God may
have planned the best for us but even if we do not follow His plan, He is always willing
to forgive us and give us another chance to start anew, until we discover the right path
to righteousness and salvation.

✓ In Islam, predestination is more emphasized than in Judaism and Christianity. We have

mentioned in the previous subtopic that the three Abrahamic religions are unanimous
in their belief that humanity was created to serve and love God. This is the reason why
Islam is considered not only as a religion but as a way of life, and the life of a Muslim
revolves around the worship of Allah. Just like in Judaism and Christianity, Muslims
believe they are given free will by God which allows them to live their lives as they
wish. But unlike Judaism and Christianity wherein free will might lead people to
disobey God’s plan, in Islam even the decision they make out of free will is governed
by God’s will. Muslims believe that if something is not meant by God to happen, it will
not happen no matter how hard we try to make it happen. And if something is willed
by God to happen, it will happen no matter how hard we try to prevent it from
happening. Everything, even bad things such as massacre, torture, and disease, although
not created by God, is allowed by God to happen for a certain purpose which only He
comprehends; it may be to teach people a lesson, or to punish them for their
wrongdoings, or to serve as a warning for other people to repent. Belief in predestiny
also encourages humility, which is one of the traits valued in Islam. The notion that
everything is attributed to God hinders one from bragging about one’s achievements in
life by attributing it to God’s divine plan for him/her.

5. Views on women
✓ Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all came from places where patriarchy or the rule of
the father is the norm.

✓ In the Hebrew Bible, some passages show low regard for women, such as the passage
wherein women were viewed as unclean or impure for 40 days after giving birth to a

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 baby boy, and 80 days for the birth of a baby girl. Christianity, although it traces its
roots to the patriarch Abraham, tends to have a higher regard for women, as shown by
Jesus’ use of women as positive examples in most parables.

✓ Islam, with its belief in Ummah or the community of believers that is supposed to
promote equality among all races, ethnicities, and genders, is supposed to have high
regard for women.

✓ Judaism, originating from a patriarchal society, propagates an unequal view of men and
women. Because of the belief that men are superior to women, women were excluded
from the priesthood and numerous religious duties. This is also because of their
“natural” child-rearing functions (http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism/Ethics-
Morality-Community/Genderand Sexuality.html). Aside from the impure state
attributed to women when giving birth especially to a girl, women are considered
impure for about half of each month because of menstruation. Divorce is also allowed
in Judaism, with men easily divorcing their wives.

✓ Christianity is supposed to have more positive regard for women if we are to analyze
how Jesus treated women. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke frequently to women and
allowed them to be included in his followers. He also preached those men and women
have the equal capacity of the eternal salvation of the soul and advised that everybody,
regardless of sex, should not let domestic chores hinder them from serving God.

✓ Historical developments after the death and resurrection of Jesus, however, changed the
course of Christianity’s positive view of women, for, after the conversion of the Roman
Emperor Constantine, it was the Roman Empire that became responsible for the
formation of the Christian Church, using the Roman political structures as its model,
which were very hierarchical and patriarchal. Thus, the role of women in the Catholic
Church was downplayed, to the extent of excluding women from the priesthood. In
theory, Islam treats men and women equally, for it is stated in the Quran that men and
women are equal in the eyes of God and are expected to fulfill the same duties, such as
prayer, worship, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

✓ It is also stated in Islamic law that women should be given dowry or property given by
the husband upon marriage and that they have the right of inheritance and property
ownership. There were also women political leaders in the history of Muslim expansion
in West Asia and even in Europe. However, certain Islamic practices contradict the
claim that Islam has high regard for women. Some of these practices are limited access
to education, seclusion, strict veiling, polygyny (polygyny refers to a partnership
wherein a man has many wives. This Islamic practice originated from Muhammad who
decided that men should be allowed to have more than one wife to accommodate the
widows and orphans of those who died in the wars participated by the Muslims),
slavery, and concubinage, or the practice of having mistresses. In Islam, men are

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 allowed to have up to four wives as long as they can support them financially and
guarantee that they are treated equally.

✓ Meanwhile, women are allowed only one husband and if they are caught with another
man, in some societies the punishment is public execution by stoning to death. It is also
a practice in some Islamic societies that when a woman is raped, she must produce four
witnesses to prove that she was indeed raped, and failure to do so would invalidate her
case and penalize her by lashing in public. Strict veiling is also an issue raised by
feminists against Islam—some societies require only the hijab or head covering worn
in public by Muslim women; some require the burka, or a long, loose garment covering
the whole body from the head to feet. The practice of purdah or strict veiling of women
in Islam is symbolic of their subordination and inhibits their social mobility.

✓ In general, women are treated as subordinate to men in the three Abrahamic religions;
they only differ in the levels of women's subordination. Ironically, religions have
claimed to liberate people from oppression but fail to do so with their own women.
Feminists have been critical of this low status accorded to women in religions and there
are clamors for the status of women in religions to be reformed.

IV. Examples:

Uniqueness of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Aspects/Religion Judaism Christianity Islam
Morality Following the Ten Live a Christ-like life Charity is important to
Commandments found in them
Torah
Purposes in Life Imitating God to become To understand God and Believe in the three divine
holy His divine plan gifts: intelligence, free-
will, and speech
Idea of Destiny They believe that a Salvation lies in their They offers eternity in
person must overcome own hands because of paradise if people obey
evil by choosing free will. Allah’s commandments.
goodness in everything he
or she does to be saved.

Similarities of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Aspects Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Morality They worship only one God
Purposes in Life To worship and serve God
Idea of Destiny They believe that God gives human their free-will to follow or not
God’s divine plan
Views on Women They treated women as subordinate to men

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V. Generalization:
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are traditionally called the Abrahamic religions. They
highlight and trace their common origin to the patriarch Abraham which appears in the sacred
texts of all these religions which guide the people in achieving the right virtue and right
conduct. And we can see that the three religions share commonalities in certain beliefs such as
belief in the same Patriarch and other prophets; angels as messengers of God; heaven and hell;
and judgment day.

VI. Exercises:
A. Compare and Contrast
Directions. Fill in the table on how each religion view the different aspects given.
Answer each box with one sentence only. Two boxes are already
answered and use it as your reference.
Aspects/ Judaism Christianity Islam
Religion
Morality Zakat is very
important
Purpose of life

Destiny

Views of women Men were treated

superior than women.

VII. Reference:

Jerome A. Ong, Mary Dorothy dL. Jose. 2016. Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems.
Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.

VIII. Answer Key:

B. Answers may vary depending on the understanding of the learners.

A. Answers may vary depending on the understanding of the learners.
Exercises

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