Laura Kamelchuk

Laws and Rules Within The Byzantine and Islamic Empires

Rules and laws give religions structure, especially for Christianity and Islam. Christianity’s main set of rules are the Ten Commandments, while Islam’s are the Five Pillars. These two sets of laws are very different. Islam’s Five Pillars are very detailed and very strict, while Christianity’s Ten Commandments are more generalized, which allows more freedom to interpret.  On the other hand, Islam and Christianity are not complete opposites. Both have similar beliefs, but the rules and laws within the beliefs are what differentiate  them from each other.

The Five Pillars, collectively known as the Ibadat, are given rules used as guidance within the Islamic religion (Campo). These set of rules were practiced during the Islamic Empire, and still are to this day. The Five Pillars consist of the Shahadah, Salat,  Zakat, Sawm, and the Hajj (Leeming).The Shahadah states that “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God” (Sachiko). This is the first of the Five Pillars, and is the basic statement of Islamic faith. Muslims are required to to recite the Shahadah, and when done, “Muslims not only state that Allah is the only God and that Muhammad is his messenger, but they personally accept it as true and agree to obey all commitments of Islam in their life” (Campo). The second pillar, the Salat, is known to all Muslims as a call to prayer. They are required to pray five times a day; at daybreak, noon, mid-afternoon, during sunset, and in the evening. Everyone who prays must face Mecca, and before doing so, must go through ritual cleaning  (Salat: Daily Prayers). This ritual cleaning is also known as Wudu. Muslims are required to go through ritual washing because they need to be both spiritually and physically pure before each prayer. The payment of the Zakat is the third pillar. Each year, Muslims give 2.5% of their fortunes to charity. By doing this, they obey Allah and practice self discipline. It also allows freedom from the love of possessions and the love of oneself. The fourth pillar is known as the Sawm. The Sawm occurs during Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (Leeming). During Sawm Muslims are restricted from eating, drinking, and smoking during daylight hours. This encourages Muslims to obey Allah and to grow spiritually stronger (Sawm: Fasting). Without the distraction of these vices, Muslims have more time to pray and appreciate God’s gifts. The last pillar is the Hajj. The Hajj occurs once a year, and all Muslims are required to participate in it at least once during their lifetime. During the Hajj, all people stand before the Kaaba, which is “the holiest shrine of Islam” (Macaulay-Lewis). This event takes place during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, and everyone is reminded that they are equal in the eyes of Allah .

Moses received a set of laws at Mount Sinai from God. These set of laws were known to Christians as the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments, originally from Judaism, were adapted by Christianity and carried on through both Judaism and Christianity. Furthermore, in reality, there is practically no difference between the Ten Commandments during the Byzantine empire and the Ten Commandments today. During the Byzantine Empire, the first, second, and fourth commandments were, and still are the most decisive and foundationally important in Christianity. The first commandment states that there is no other God than God himself. This is the base of Christian faith, which is why it is the very first commandment. The second commandment states, “You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it” (What are The Ten Commandments?). By having no idol, one understands that nothing is perfect, and that God made them the way they are for a reason. It also creates emphasis on the first commandment; that God is the only God. It is perceived by Christians that idolizing someone or something can turn into worshiping their idol more than their one and only God. This is essential to Christians because if they bow down to a worldly man made image, their love for God above anything else can be forgotten. Lastly, the fourth commandment insists that “You shall remember and keep the sabbath day holy” (What are The Ten Commandments?). This is extremely important to Christians because it is known that God made the earth in six days, and that he rested on the seventh day; the sabbath day. This day reminds Christians to rest, as did God on the very same day. Sunday, also known as sabbath day, is the day when most Christians go to church, in which they worship God and thank him. In the Old Testament, working on sabbath day was forbidden, but when Jesus came he changed this. Jesus informed Christians that when God is working, they can work. It is still known as the sabbath day, the day of rest, but Jesus brought a new meaning to the term.

Islam and Christianity are two very different religions, but they do have similarities. Both religions have drastically different laws and rules. Though, in a whole, both religions have many similar beliefs. For example, both believe in one God. This is stated in the first pillar of Islam, the Shahadah, and the first commandment of Christianity. This allegation is placed first in both set of laws because it is the most important statement in the two religions. Without accepting that there is only one God, both religions would have no foundation. On the contrary, Muslims believe that Muhammad is the messenger of God, while Christians believe that Jesus is the messenger of God. This is a significant difference between the two, and is the primary reason why Islam differs from Christianity. Muslims believe that Jesus ascended into heaven without being crucified, and Christians believe that he was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Additionally, Christians do not believe that Muhammad was a prophet, while Muslims believe that he was the last prophet. Even so, both Islam and Christianity believe in Jesus, which is another similarity of the two faiths. Despite their differences, Christianity and Islam do have their similarities. These similarities are what tie the religions together.

Laws and rules are what define and differentiate Christianity and Islam. Both religions began with similar beliefs, some remaining to this day, but the guidelines within the religions are what individuate them. With this in mind, there are still many resemblances of the two that will never leave. This is exemplified by the combined belief in Jesus and the conjoined belief in one God. By having somewhat similar beliefs, both Christianity and Islam's’ differences are enhanced. These differences make the religions unique, and contribute to the diverse world we have today.

Works Cited

“Five Pillars of Islam.” BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/hajj_1.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2016.

“Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca.” BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/hajj_1.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2016.

“The Kaaba.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/beginners-guide-islamic/a/the-kaaba. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

Kohn, George Childs. “Ten Commandments.” Dictionary of Historic Documents, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2003, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/222593?q=ten commandments.

Leeming, Margaret A. “Pillars of Islam.” Encyclopedia of Islam, Facts On File, 2009, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/218071?q=Five Pillars.

Mason, Catherine, and Carl Waldman. “Byzantines.” Encyclopedia of European Peoples, Facts On File, 2006, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/217958?q=Byzantine Christianity laws.

“Salat: Daily Prayers.” BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/salat.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2016.

“Sawm: Fasting.” BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/sawm.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2016.