Islam Versus Christianity.

 Islam Versus Christianity.

Christianity and Islam have more in common than most people know — they are both monotheistic Abrahamic religions, and Jesus Christ is an important, revered figure in both religions.

Followers of Christianity — called Christians — believe in the Holy Trinity, and that Christ, the son of God, walked the earth as the incarnate form of God ("the Father"). Most Christians also believe Christ will return at the end of the world.

Muslims (followers of Islam) consider Jesus Christ to be a prophet — a messenger of God — and a messiah. However, they believe that Muhammad was the last prophet and he recorded the word of God verbatim in the Quran.

Comparison chart

 

Christianity versus Islam comparison chart

	Christianity	Islam
Place of origin	Roman province of Judea.	Arabian Peninsula, Mecca at Mount Hira.
Place of worship	Church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, home bible study, personal dwellings.	Mosque/masjid, any place which is considered clean by Islamic standards.
Use of statues and pictures	In Catholic & Orthodox Churches.	Images of God or prophets not permitted. Art takes the form of calligraphy, architecture etc. Muslims distinguish themselves from other groups by not drawing lifelike human works, which could be mistaken as idolatry. No image is representative of God
Belief of God	One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity.	Only one God (monotheism). God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. No part of His creation resembles Him, He cannot be seen, but sees all.
Founder	The Lord Jesus Christ.	Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic scripture, all people who follow God's revealed guidance and the messengers sent with it 'submit' to that guidance, and are considered Muslims (ie. Adam, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, etc.).
Clergy	Priests, bishops, ministers, monks, and nuns.	Imam leads congregational prayer in a mosque. Sheikh, Maulana, Mullah and Mufti
Practices	Prayer, sacraments (some branches), worship in church, reading of the Bible, acts of charity, communion.	Five pillars: Testament that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger (shahadah); prayer five times daily; fast during Ramadan; charity to the poor (zakat); pilgrimage (Hajj).
Literal Meaning	Follower Of Christ.	Islam is derived from the Arabic root "Salema": peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. A Muslim is one who follows Islam.
Life after death	Eternity in Heaven or Hell, in some cases temporal Purgatory.	All beings created with reason will be accountable to God Almighty on the Day of Judgement. They will be rewarded for every atom's weight of good, and either forgiven or punished for evil deeds.
Scriptures	The Holy Bible	The Qur'an, and traditions of the Holy Last messenger Muhammad, called 'Sunnah' which is found in narrations or 'hadiths' by the men around him.
Followers	Christian (followers of Christ)	Muslims
Means of salvation	Through Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection.	Belief in one God, remembrance of God, repentance, fear of God and hope in God's mercy.
Human Nature	Man has inherited "original sin" from Adam. Mankind then is inherently evil and is in need of forgiveness of sin. By knowing right and wrong Christians choose their actions. Humans are a fallen, broken race in need of salvation and repair by God.	Humans are born pure and innocent. Upon reaching adolescence, you are responsible for what you do, and must choose right from wrong. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand.
Goal of religion	To love God and obey his commandments while creating a relationship with Jesus Christ and spreading the Gospel so that others may also be saved.	Fulfill gift and responsibility of this life through following the guidance of Holy Quran and Hadith, striving to serve mankind through compassion, justice, trustworthiness, and love for all of God's creation
View of the Buddha	N/A.	N/A. Islamic scripture does not discuss or mention Gautam Buddha.
Geographical distribution and predominance	As the largest religion in the world, Christianity has adherents are all over the world. As a % of local population, Christians are in a majority in Europe, North and South America, and Australia and New Zealand.	There are 1.6 billion. By the percentage of the total population in a region considering themselves Muslim, 24.8% in Asia-Oceania, 91.2% in the Middle East-North Africa, 29.6% in Sub-Saharan Africa, around 6.0% in Europe, and 0.6% in the Americas.
Confessing sins	Protestants confess straight to God, Catholic confess mortal sins to a Priest, and venial sins straight to God (Orthodox have similar practice) Anglicans confess to Priests but considered optional. God always forgives sins in Jesus.	Forgiveness must be sought from God, there is no intermediary with him. If any wrong is done against another person or thing, forgiveness must first be sought from them, then from God, as all of God's creation have rights that must not be infringed
Marriage	A Holy Sacrament.	Islam is totally opposed to monasticism and celibacy. Marriage is an act of Sunnah in Islam and is strongly recommended. Men can only marry the "people of the book" i.e., Abrahamic religions. Women can only marry a Muslim man.
Symbols	Cross, ichthys ("Jesus fish"), Mary and baby Jesus.	Muhammad's name in calligraphy is common. There is also the black standard that says "There is no god but God and Muhammad is the last messenger of God" in Arabic. The star and crescent is not Islam per se; it is inspired by the Ottoman empire.
Original Language(s)	Aramaic, Greek, and Latin.	Arabic
About	Christianity broadly consists of individuals who believe in the deity Jesus Christ. Its followers, called Christians, often believe Christ is "the Son" of the Holy Trinity and walked the earth as the incarnate form of God ("the Father").	Islam consists of individuals who believe in Allah, a deity whose teachings its followers—Muslims—believe were recorded, verbatim, by the god's last prophet, Muhammad.
Population	Over two billion adherents worldwide.	1.6 billion Muslims
Religious Law	Varies among denominations. Has existed among Catholics in the form of canon law.	Shariah law (derived from Quran and Hadith) governs prayers, business transactions, and individual rights, as well as criminal and governmental laws. Religious debate, or 'Shura' is utilized for practical solutions to contemporary issues
Second coming of Jesus	Affirmed.	Affirmed
Prophets	Prophets in the Bible are venerated.	God sent thousands of divinely inspired messengers to guide mankind. These include Adam, Solomon, David, Noah, Abraham, Ismail, Issac, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are 124,000 prophets, who were sent to all the world's nations.
Position of Mary	Mother Of Jesus. Revered in all denominations. Degree of reverence varies from denomination.	Mary (Mariam/Miriam) receives significant admiration from Muslims. She is said by the Prophet Muhammad to be one of the four best women that God created. She is free of sin as the mother of Jesus.
Holy Days	Christmas (celebration of the birth of Jesus), Good Friday (death of Jesus), Sunday (day of rest), Easter (resurrection of Jesus), Lent (Catholicism), saints' feast days.	Ramadan (month of fasting), Eid-ul Adha (feast of the sacrifice), Eid-ul Fitr (sweet festival at the end of Ramadan).
Ressurection of Jesus	Affirmed.	Denied because God raised Jesus to him and he will return before end of time to finish his life, correct any confusion about his teachings and restore order to the world.
Position of Abraham	Father of the faithful.	A great prophet and a perfect, sinless example of the divine guidance of God.
Jesus	Son Of God. Second person of the Trinity. God the Son.	Muslims believe Jesus to be a perfect, sinless, highly revered Prophet and a messenger of God. His name in Arabic is Isa ibn Mariam (Jesus the son of Mary). Jesus was immaculately conceived through God, but is not God or the son of God.
God's role in salvation	Humans cannot save themselves or ascend on their own to a higher level. Only God is good and therefore only God is able to save a person. Jesus came down from Heaven to save mankind.	You are judged according to your efforts to do good and avoid sinful behaviors, oppression, etc. God will judge your deeds and intentions. A person must believe in God and follow His commandments.
Status of Vedas	N/A.	N/A
Day of worship	Sunday (most denominations), Saturday (Seventh-Day Adventist, Seventh-Day Baptist)	Prayer five times daily is obligatory. Friday is the day of congregational prayer, obligatory for men, but not for women.
Abrahamic Lineage	Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.	The ancestor of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is Abraham (Ibrahim) through his son Ismael.
Belief	The Nicene Creed sums up Christian belief in the Holy Trinity.	Belief in one God, who has sent messengers with revelation and guidance for humanity so they may be guided to good & who have came with both good news and a warning, the last & final messenger being Muhammad صلى الله علي
No. of Gods and Godesses	1 God	1 God
Virtue on which religion is based upon	Love and justice.	Tawheed (oneness of God); Peace
Use of Statues	Varies by denomination. Not used in Protestant denominations; icons are used in Catholic & Orthodox denominations.	Not allowed
Praying to Saints, Mary, and Angel	Encouraged in the Catholic & Orthodox Churches; most Protestants only pray directly to God.	Shiites ask for Saints' intercession, but, Sunnis do not. Mary is venerated by both Sunnis and Shiites however.
Original Language	Aramaic, Greek, and Latin	Arabic
Original Languages	Aramaic, Common (Koine) Greek, Hebrew.	Arabic.
Primary God(s)	A single, all-powerful god known as God that is typically thought of in "trinity" form: God, the Father; Christ, the Son; and the Holy Spirit (or Ghost).	Only Allah, who is seen as being all-powerful. "They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah." —Surat Al-Ma'idah 5:73
Revered People	Varies by sect/denomination. Saints, the Pope, cardinals, bishops, nuns, church pastors, or deacons.	Prophets, Imams (religious leaders).
On Clothing	Conservative Christians dress modestly; women may wear long skirts or dresses; men may wear dress clothes that do not show the chest, legs, and arms. More moderate or liberal Christians generally reject such clothing restrictions.	Women must present themselves modestly to cover hair and body shape. Men must be modestly dressed and covered from waist to knee. In most Muslim culture, women wear a form of the hijab; in some, they must wear the full-body cover known as the burqa.
Concept of Deity	1 God, in 3 Divine Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.	God (Allah) is the only god and is all-powerful and omniscient.
On Food/Drink	Jesus said, "'...Whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?' (Thus he declared all foods clean.)" Mark 7:19	Muslims are only supposed to eat foods that are considered halal. Pork is forbidden. Requirement for prayer and ritual butchery of meat. Quick and swift slaughter at single point on the throat; blood has to be completely drained.
Related Religions	Islam, Judaism, Baha'i faith	Christianity, Judaism, Baha'i faith
Spiritual Beings	Angels, demons, spirits.	Angels, demons, spirits, jinn (genies).
Most Common Sects	Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Mormons (LDS).	Sunni, Shia.
Important Tenets	The Ten Commandments, The Beatitudes.	The Five Pillars of Islam among Sunni Muslims and the Seven Pillars of Islam among Shia Muslims. The Shia Twelvers also have the Ancillaries of the Faith.
On Race	All races viewed equal in Christianity. However, Bible passages on slavery were used to support the practice in the past in the U.S. The "curse of Ham" was sometimes thought to be Black people; modern interpretations reject this.	Races generally viewed as equal, but those that accept Islam are viewed more favorably than those that do not. "Among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors..." —Surat 30:22
View of Jesus	God in human form, "Son of God, " savior. Death by crucifixion. Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead, was taken up into heaven, and will return during the Apocalypse.	Jesus was a perfect, sinless, highly revered Prophet and a messenger of God. Jesus was immaculately conceived through God, but is not God or the son of God. Jesus did not die but ascended to heaven. So there was no resurrection.
Sacred Texts	Christian Bible (includes Old and New Testaments). What is considered canon may vary slightly by sect/denomination.	While the Qur'an is the only holy text of Islam, the Hadith, which is said to be the sayings of Muhammad, is also highly revered.
View on Abrahamic religions	All worship the One God.	Believe that Jews & Christians should accept Muhammad as the final Prophet; believe that Baha'is are wrong in believing that Bah-u-llah is a prophet.
On Women	Equal to men. In some denominations, they may become nuns.	Varies. Some Muslims view women as equal, while others believe women should be subservient. Clothing is usually controlled (e.g., hijab, burqa); health choices may be restricted. Surat An-Nisa 4:34 allows for "light beating" of "disobedient" wives.
Founders and Early Leaders	Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the Apostles.	Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali
On Money	Tithing / charitable giving. "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." —Jesus in Matthew 19:24	Zakat (charitable giving). "And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial (fitnah) and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward." —Surat Al-'Anfal 8:28
On LGBT	Varies. Christians who believe in more literal interpretations of the Bible rarely accept homosexuality; some see it as a crime. "Do not be deceived...men who have sex with men...will not inherit the kingdom of God." —1 Corinthians 6:9-10	Varies, but generally homosexuality is not accepted. Verses from the Qur'an condemn it and modern fatwas (Islamic law interpretation) often ban homosexuality as a crime, punishable by death in some countries. Sex change is not permitted.
On Marriage/Divorce	Definition of marriage and divorce acceptance varies by sect/denomination. Bible includes examples of polygamy and monogamy and only condones divorce in cases of adultery.	According to the Qur'an, men may marry more than one woman, but no more than four, as long as he can support them and treat them fairly. Divorce easy for men, difficult for women.
On Atheism	Varies. Some believe atheists will go to hell because they do not believe in God; others believe God does not operate that way. "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile..." —Psalm 14:1	Varies, but atheism can be very dangerous in some Muslim nations. "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell, an evil refuge indeed." —Surat At-Tawbah 9:73
Year Formed	28-33 CE.	610-622 CE.
Influenced By	Hellenistic Judaism, Jewish folklore, Greco-Roman paganism, monotheistic Zoroastrianism.	Judaism, Christianity, monotheistic Zoroastrianism. Customs of the pagan religions of the Arabian Peninsula that already had pilgrimages to Mecca.
On Other Religions	Many Christians believe all other religions are false. Moderates may or may not believe this. "Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips." —Exodus 23:13	Most Muslims believe all other religions are false. "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day...until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."—Surat At-Tawbah 9:29 Disbelievers will go to eternal hell.
Number of Adherents	An estimated 2.1 billion, largest religion in the world.	An estimated 1.5 billion, second largest religion in the world.
On Afterlife	Eternal life in heaven (paradise) or hell (torment). Some Catholics believe in purgatory (limbo, temporary punishment).	Eternal life in heaven (paradise) or hell (torment).
On Apocalypse	Most, though not all, Christians believe Christ will return during an apocalypse that includes famine, war, and plague.	Some Muslims believe Jesus will return at the end of the world; the difference is that they believe his return is a sign, not the actual end. Other Muslims believe Jesus is a minor figure and that Islam's 12th imam, Mahdi, will cleanse the world.