Difference Between Islam and Judaism

Introduction

Mecca, a city in the Arabian Peninsula atop Mount Hira, is where Islam is claimed to have started. Prophet Muhammad is considered to have established Islamic customs. Judaism's roots, however, can be found in the Levant. Moses, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham are the founders of Judaism.

Islam vs. Judaism

Since everyone has their own set of thoughts and beliefs, religion has always been a sensitive subject to broach. Knowing about other people's religions can help us treat them better and, more importantly, respect their right to hold their views. You might be shocked to learn that, despite practicing different religions, most individuals have the same values and worldviews. We'll examine how Islam and Judaism differ in this section. What are the two's main distinctions from one another?

Islam is the Arabic word for surrender to God. It is a religion that adheres to the teachings of the Qur'an, their God's book of instruction. Islam is the Arabic word for surrender to God. It is a religion that adheres to the teachings of the Qur'an, their God's book of instruction. They adhere to Muhammad's teachings as well.

Muslims, Arabic for "one who submits," are individuals who follow Islam. They view their religion as the perfected and all-encompassing expression of monotheistic faith. The five obligations that bind them together as a community are known as the five pillars of Islam, to which they also adhere.

The Middle East, North Africa, and a significant portion of Asia are home to Islam, the second-largest religion in the world. The ethics and principles described in the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, are the foundation of Judaism, a religion. It is thought to have begun concurrently with the covenant between God and Abraham. While Jews around the world may practice various kinds of Judaism, their fundamental beliefs will always be the main focus. Specifically, acceptance of the written and oral Torah, or Jewish Laws, and belief in divine revelation.

Jews have historically been permitted to follow their religion with limited restrictions when residing in Muslim countries. Islam and Judaism now have a complicated connection as a result of this. Jews are treated less favorably under Islamic governance.

Difference Between Islam and Judaism in Tabular Form

Parameters of Comparison	Islam	Judaism
Followers	Muslim	Jews
Founder	Prophet Muhammad	Moses, Jacob, Issac, and Abraham
Original language	Arabic	Hebrew
Sacred book	The Qur’an	Torah or Tanakh
Place of worship	Masjid	synagogues

What is Islam?

Muslims adhere to a religion known as Islam. Muslims are those who follow Islam, just as Christians are those who follow Christianity. Islam literally and lexically means surrender. Islam derives from the same basic letters as the word for peace (salam), which are the Arabic letters s-l-m. Islam itself does not imply that one finds peace (salam), but rather that peace is found through submission (Islam). Arab and Muslim are frequently used interchangeably, although this is untrue. Islam is a religion, whereas Arabs are a race. Most Muslims are not Arab, and not all Arabs are Muslims. Of all Muslims, Arabs make up around 13% of the population.

Islam is not named after a specific individual but rather after the act of submitting to God's commands and will. Many other religions bear a name that honors a person or individuals. For instance, Buddhism is named after Buddha, Judaism is named after the Juda tribe, and Christianity is named after Jesus Christ. Islam predates Muhammad. Hence it is not named after him. Previous Prophets like Adam, Abraham, Noah, and Moses preached submission to God (Islam). As a result, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not initiate the message of Islam. Adam was the beginning, and it's still going on today. God would send fresh Prophets and Messengers as time went on to reaffirm His message and call people to worship only Him.

What are the principles of Islam?

• Muslims consider God to be the universe's creator. Allah is the name for God in Arabic. Because Allah lacks a gender in linguistic terms and cannot be made plural, Muslims occasionally prefer to speak to him as Allah rather than as God. The plural form of the English term God is goddess or gods. The Qur'an's central thesis is that there is only one God. He doesn't have a spouse, kids, or helpers.
• Muslims hold this belief. There are several angels, and each one serves God. Angels lack free choice and are obligated to follow all of God's orders, unlike humans. The tasks assigned to different angels vary. As an illustration, the angel Gabriel was in charge of conveying God's message to human Prophets and Messengers. It was Michael (Mikaaeel), an angel, who brought rain. Angels support and aid believers in times of need as well.
• Muslims revere all Prophets and Messengers. All of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, Jesus, and Muhammad—peace be upon them all—must be believed by a Muslim. They all came bearing the same message: to worship only one God and not to equate him with any other beings.
• Muslims also adhere to the entire body of earlier literature that God revealed to His prophets and messengers. The Torah was delivered to Moses, the scrolls to Abraham, the Psalms to David, and the Injeel to Jesus. No other earlier scripture, except the Qur'an, is entirely preserved in its original form. Many of these scriptures were lost or corrupted over time. The Qur'an served as God's final letter to humanity and was transmitted as the "ultimate testament."
• Muslims think there is an afterlife. God will hold people responsible for their deeds in this world on the day of judgment. People who did good deeds will go to heaven, while those who committed sins will be pardoned or punished in hell.
• Finally, Muslims consider God's almighty will and command to be final. God is aware of every future development. Humans are free to make decisions; he does not compel us to do anything. But there are some things that God predetermined and are out of our hands. These include the moment and location of our birth, the place and time of our demise, and anything that occurs beyond our control. Muslims acknowledge that these things are subject to God's command and will.

What is Judaism?

The ancient Hebrews developed the monotheistic religion of Judaism. Judaism is characterized by a religious life that conforms with the Bible and rabbinic traditions, as well as by the belief in a single transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets. Judaism is a multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses theology, legislation, and countless cultural traditions of the Jewish people.

This article's first section covers Judaism's history in its broadest sense, covering everything from the Jewish people's ancient ancestry to the present. Judaism's beliefs, customs, and culture are described in the second part.

The key to knowing Judaism is found in history because its fundamental tenets are reflected in early historical accounts. As a result, the Bible chronicles modern events and actions primarily for religious purposes. The biblical authors held that history is where people most frequently experience the divine presence. Although God's presence is also felt in the physical world, it is revealed to us most directly and intimately via our behavior. The perception of a supernatural presence in history was shared by other ancient communities as well, but the Israelites' perception turned out to be the most significant and long-lasting. The distinctive feature of Jewish thought is this specific assertion—that one has felt God's presence in human events—and its growth.

Furthermore, the ancient Israelites' entire way of life was influenced by their conviction that they had always enjoyed a special relationship with God. The Israelites held the view that humanity as a whole, as well as themselves, depended on how they responded to the divine presence in history. Additionally, God had personally revealed to these people the pattern and structure of communal and individual life during a specific meeting. He had made a covenant (berit) with them. He demanded that they follow his teaching, or law, as he claimed to have authority over them due to his ongoing historical intervention on their behalf (Torah). This submission was another way that the divine presence was revealed in the real world of tangible human existence. Thus, the corporate life of the chosen people served as a call to all of humanity to acknowledge God's presence, sovereignty, and purpose, which is the development of peace and well-being in both the cosmos and humanity.

Furthermore, history revealed God's purpose and humankind's incapacity to live by it. Even the chosen community fell short of its duty, and the prophets—the divinely appointed spokespersons who forewarned of retribution within history and argued and pleaded for an affirmative human response—had to repeatedly bring the community's attention to its role. In contrast to the themes of fulfillment, the eventual success of the divine goal, and the establishment of divine dominion over all people, Israel's place in the divine economy and its specific responsibility predominated.

The Jewish people and their religion have demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation and continuity throughout their approximately 4,000-year history. Additionally, each era in Jewish history left behind a unique component of a Judaic heritage that persisted in influencing later developments. As a result, the total Jewish heritage at any given time is a combination of all these succeeding components as well as any modifications and accretions that have taken place in each new era.

Judaism's diverse teachings are frequently seen as elaborations on the fundamental principle of monotheism. The Jewish people have been voluntarily chosen by the one true God, the world's creator, for a special covenantal relationship with him. Throughout the millennia, practically all professing Jews have shown their belief in this one and only God in various ways.

Jewish monotheism contains both particularistic and universalistic aspects. It has confirmed a universal God who created and governed the entire world and who, at the end of history, will atone for all of Israel (the Jewish people's traditional name), all of humanity, and the entire globe. An endless reign of cosmic closeness with God is the ultimate aim of all of nature and history.

Main Differences Between Islam and Judaism in Points

1. Masjid or mosque is the name of the place of worship for Muslims. To be used by Muslims for prayer, the area must be hygienic and tidy. On the other hand, synagogues, the western wall built into the Jerusalem temple, are the places of worship for those who practice Judaism.
2. Islam is thought to have its roots in Mecca, a city on Mount Hira on the Arabian Peninsula. However, Judaism was born in the Levant, where it still exists today.
3. The Islamic faith is credited with having been founded by Prophet Muhammad. On the other hand, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses are acknowledged as the founders of Judaism.
4. Muslims are those who adhere to Islamic religious tenets and practices. Jews, on the other hand, are individuals who adhere to Judaism's religious tenets.
5. The original language of the Islamic people is thought to be Arabic. However, Muslims frequently employ a variety of languages, including Arabic and Urdu. On the other hand, Hebrew is regarded as the official and original language of Jews and those who profess Judaism.
6. Islam is practiced by those who adhere to "The Qur'an." They also emulate Muhammad, the last messenger, in their behavior. On the other hand, Jews or those who practice Judaism adheres to their holy book, known as "Tanakh," also known as the Jewish Bible and Torah.
7. Islam holds that the path to redemption consists of maintaining faith in one God, remembering God, fear of God, repentance, and hope in God's kindness. Contrarily, according to Judaism, redemption can be attained by upholding mitzvot, or good actions, also known as mitzvot.

Conclusion

Muslims frequently speak Arabic, Urdu, and other languages. Islam is practiced by those who adhere to "The Qur'an." Additionally, they follow Muhammad's teachings as the final messenger. In Islam, salvation is gained by remembering God, being afraid of God, confessing one's sins, and having faith in God's goodness.

Hebrew is regarded as the official and original language by Jews and Judaism practitioners. Jews, or people who follow Judaism, adhere to the Torah, also known as the Jewish Bible or Tanakh, ancient literature. In Judaism, redemption is gained via the practice of mitzvot, or good works, and faith in God.

Muslims follow Islamic religious traditions. Arabic is the language of Muslims. Synagogues are places of worship for people who practice Judaism and are located on the western wall of the temple in Jerusalem. Jews follow Judaism's religious traditions.