Islam and Byzantine Laws, Rules, and Customs

Islam and Byzantine were important contributors in the foundation of the ancient world. They both made great accomplishments in their time and made groundbreaking discoveries and achievements that are still applied to daily life today. The laws, rules, and customs established by these communities are important to understand so that we can recognize how the use of them can be applied today. Islam, in this frame of time, and Byzantine existed between 330 and 1453 AD. They were both greatly known and valued in this time, and despite the differences between them, they were more alike than they probably knew.

Byzantine and Islam had many commonalities between the two of them. One of them, was in their values. Both of the societies were prompted and encouraged to live a fulfilled, ethical, and responsible life. (Campo) Also, both societies mutually made an effort to bring their people together as a whole. One way this was done in Islam was through the Hajj, which is when many muslims travel to a town called Mecca together. This helps them to grow in their faith and to come together with others who share their same beliefs. (Five Pillars of Islam) In the Byzantine empire, people came together in church on the day of the sabbath. (The Ten Commandments) This united them and reminded them that they all stood together under the same god. Another thing, for Islam being the five pillars, and for Byzantine being the Justinian Code and Ten Commandments, that these factors of their communities framed their lives. Every day, perhaps without them realizing, their lives were centered around the rules, regulations, and customs listed in these works. Another commonality, prestated, is that these two societies have highly influenced life today. These communities have a lot in common, which makes it clearer when comparing the two as a whole.

Although these two have a lot in common, there are also many differences between them. In Islam, they base their lives on the Five Pillars. The Five Pillars are the rituals and customs that shape Islamic life. They consist of the Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and the Hajj. The Shahadah is the pure devotion to Allah and Muhammad. It is also a promise that they will follow the Five Pillars every day. The Salat states that all muslims are to pray five times a day. This helps them grow closer to their god and have stronger faith. The Zakat is giving a portion of one's wealth to those less fortunate. The Sawm is a period of fasting, this only occurs during daylight hours. The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca. It promotes equality among the masses, and is made in hopes that people will realize the value of life. The purpose of the Five Pillars is so that muslims can live a fulfilled life, grow closer to God, and appreciating the gifts that have been given to them. (Five Pillars of Islam) Much of Islam is dedicated to and promoting equality. They truly wish for everyone to feel equivalent to each other. This is because they view that everyone is viewed as equal under the eyes of their God, Allah. (Mitchell Young) Understanding the Five Pillars helps to understand Islam as a whole because they are a major part of Islamic faith.

In regards of Byzantine, their lives mostly revolved around the Justinian Code and the Ten Commandments. The Justinian Code consists of many different laws for the Byzantine empire. It was created by Justinian and was a compilation of past Byzantine laws. The Justinian Code consisted of many different parts and sections. Some of them were the digests, code, institutes, and novella. The digest was a summarization of all Byzantine laws. The code went into more detail about laws and went over the legislation. The institutes was a textbook for students studying law, it summarized the digest and gave useful information that could benefit their future careers. The novella was a later installment, not made by Justinian, was an updated version of all the laws, and summarized Justinian’s constitution as a whole. (Roman Legal Tradition…) The Ten Commandments related more to the official faith of Byzantine, Christianity, rather than laws created by Byzantine itself. The Ten Commandments were ten official rules and regulations that were made for all Christians to follow. (The Ten Commandments) They lead to a healthy, pure, devoted life. Together these created a civilized Byzantine life.

Islam and Byzantine were very successful empires in their time. One of the main reasons for that is because they had a good foundation, which laid within their laws. The laws created by these two societies created the framework for their time, and without them, they probably would not have prospered as much as they did. The laws kept people centered, in order, and made sure that everyone was safe. They were truly made in order to better the people in these communities and the communities as a whole. That is why these Islam and Byzantine were truly great societies and are still remembered today.

Works Cited

Campo, Juan E. “Islam.” Encyclopedia of Islam, Facts On File, 2009, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/218510?q= 5 pillars of islam.

"Five Pillars of Islam." BBC, 2014, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/fivepillars.shtml. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

"Roman Legal Tradition and the Compilation of Justinian." Berkely, 2007, www.law.berkeley.edu/library/robbins/RomanLegalTradition.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

"The Ten Commandments." The Ten Commandments, 2007, www.the-ten-commandments.org/the-ten-commandments.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

Young, Mitchell. Islam. Farmington Hills, Greenhaven Press, 2006.

Laura Kate Evans

Religious Beliefs and Practices of the Byzantine and Islamic Empires

Religion played a major role in the beliefs and practices of ancient societies like the Byzantine and Islamic Empires. Both regimes had strong religious views, and these set a basis for what is still practiced today. The foundations of these two religions were set by their respective prophet, with Jesus as the Christians’ and Muhammad as the Muslims’. Both created guidelines for their religion, although these were vastly misinterpreted. The ancient diversity and conflict between Islam and Christianity remains a great controversy, and the first developments of both give an insight into how they relate to or contradict each other.

Unlike most ancient empires, the Byzantine regime comprised two main religions: Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox. The denominational division between the two was gradual, yet it still caused many problems within the Byzantine Empire. Prior to the Fourth Crusade, the only reason for the Byzantine church split was simple misunderstandings and different interpretations of The Old Testament (Stalcup, The Crusades). However, the differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy became more pronounced with time. At first, the two coexisted peacefully and avoided conflict with each other. It was not until the Schism of 1054 when the division became finalized. The east tried to strengthen relations with the west, but their efforts were for naught (Eastern Orthodox). While there were few distinctions between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, the little they had were enough to cause conflict. Western Catholics believed the Pope held authority over the emperor, priests should not be married, and divorce should not be permitted. In contrast, Eastern Orthodox Christians believed the emperor retained authority over all Patriarchs and Bishops, priests could marry, and divorce could be allowed in certain circumstances (Beck 305). Orthodox Christians also believed against the concept of monophysitism, instead suggesting Jesus had both natures of divine and human (Eastern Orthodox). Although these differences seem rather drastic, the two religions still shared similarities. Both religions were based off the gospel of Jesus and The Old Testament. While their leadership structures were different, they each had priests and bishops. Furthermore, both Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy were adamant about converting others into joining their religion, and each had forms of baptism. Overall, the Byzantine Empire had two powerful religions that had unique beliefs, with both overlaps and contradictions of each other (Beck 305). During the rise and split of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, Islam was making religious revelations of their own.

Islam is not only a geological location, but also a religious belief. Those who follow the Islamic practice are referred to as Muslims. This religion was derived from the teachings of Muhammad, who believed himself to be the last prophet. He taught monotheist concepts, claiming that Allah was the only God and that no other gods were to be worshipped (264). According to Janice J. Terry, “As Muhammad became increasingly religious he began to meditate…” (Terry). Muhammad valued honesty along with meditation, and also believed the Qur’an was the holy book of Allah (Cook). Before his death, Muhammad wrote The Pillars of Islam to ensure that his principles remained. There were five pillars, all of which are still practiced today. The first pillar states that Allah is the only God and that Muhammad is his prophet. The second pillar describes the concept of prayer, the third clarifies that everything belongs to Allah, the fourth introduces the practice of Ramadan, and the fifth pillar commemorates Muhammad’s migration to Mecca by requiring Muslims to walk seven times a day and to sacrifice an animal. The fourth pillar, or Ramadan, requires that Muslims spend the ninth month of their calendar fasting from sunrise to sunset to demonstrate discipline. On top of these pillars, Muhammad also required women to be covered at all times, as a sign of purity (Whitters). These religious traditions differed drastically from those of Christianity.

Islam and Christianity had many radical differences, but they had an extremely significant similarity. When Muslims said “Allah”, they were referring to the same God as Christians, but just in a different language. However, the two religions differed in many other different ways. Christians believed in baptism, the act of submitting oneself to a religion, while Muslims did not (Yannoulatos). Muslims belief against baptism is derived from the Qur’an, as it states, “Our religion is the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship” (The Qur’an, Yusuf Ali, 2:138). Furthermore, Muslims’ use The Pillars of Islam as their religious practice is drastically different from The Ten Commandments, which appears in The Hebrew Bible. The Ten Commandments were derived from God and explained what Christians should not do. In contrast, The Pillars of Islam were derived from Muhammad and explained how Muslims should behave. However, both suggested that there is only one God and that honesty and love are of the utmost importance. While both religions’ basic foundations were similar to each other, some members of both religions believed the other to be faulty. According to Yannoulatos, a practicing Muslim, Christians believed their religion to be based off fact rather than interpretation, and believed the practice of Islam was completely contradictory of the “facts” (Yannoulatos). With that said, it is common knowledge that there were also Muslims who resisted the Christian beliefs. Altogether, the religions were extremely diverse from each other and had a variety of different approaches to theology.

Ancient Empires were highly focused on developing strong religious systems, and their theological discoveries formed much of the same faith people follow today. Religion was particularly important to the Islamic and Byzantine Empires, as it created conflict, peace, passion, and community. Although the Islam and Christianity differed on many different accounts, they did have many values in common. The two societies simply had contrasting interpretations of theology, and they each approached their beliefs differently. Overall, religion was the basis of both Byzantine and Islam and instilled the beliefs and practices that are still relevant today.

Works Cited

Beck, Roger B., Ph.D., et al. World History: Patterns of Interaction. United States, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

Cook, Michael. Muhammad. Oxford, Oxford UP, 1983.

“Eastern Orthodoxy.” Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 1 Sep. 2016. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/106196. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Emmons, Jim Tschen. “Catholicism.” World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, ABC-CLIO, 2016, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/583666. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Gearon, Eamonn. “Arab Invasions: The First Islamic Empire.” History Today, vol. 61, no. 6, June 2011. History Today, www.historytoday.com/eamonn-gearon/arab-invasions-first-islamic-empire. Accessed 2 Dec. 2016.

The Qur’an. Quran.com. The Noble Qur’an, Quran.com, quran.com/search?q=baptism. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.

“Roman Catholicism.” Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2016. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/109699. Accessed 2 Dec. 2016.

Stalcup, Brenda. The Crusades. San Diego, Greenhaven Press, 2000.

Terry, Janice J. “Muhammad.” Encyclopedia of the Medieval World: 600 to 1450, Facts On File, 2016, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/215341?q=Muhammad.

Tschen-Emmons, James B. “Eastern Orthodox Church.” World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, ABC-CLIO, 2016, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/669561. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Whitters, Mark F. “Pillars of Islam.” Encyclopedia of the Medieval World: 600 to 1450, Facts On File, 2016, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/215301?q=practices of ancient islam.

Yannoulatos, Anastasios. “Byzantine And Contemporary Greek Orthodox Approaches To Islam.” Greek Orthodox Theological Review 55.1-4 (2010): 63-88. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Dec. 2016.

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.

Miranda Shepherd - The Effects of Religion on the Byzantine and Islamic Empires

Miranda Shepherd

D Block

December 12, 2016

Of the many great empires of the past, the Byzantine and Islamic Empires stand out in their ideas of religion.  Both domains’ cultures were highly influenced and fueled by their own religions.  Within the Byzantine Empire, Christianity was the foundation of most laws and activities.  Soon after the death of the prophet Muhammad, Islam began rapidly expanding throughout the Near East, North Africa, and Spain (Sandler).  The two empires with similar yet differing religions would have many depleting wars mostly based on religious differences over centuries to come.

The Byzantine Empire lasted about 1300 years, from fourth century A.D. to 1453.  Constantinople was the major city and hub of life in the empire, being referred to as “the City” by most Byzantines.  In this society, essentially any idea that was not derived from faith or orthodox was impossible to imagine (James).  Christianity was the heart of the empire.  Worship and faith kept citizens connected, as well as providing contentment.  The guidelines of Christianity primarily consist of the Ten Commandments.  One Commandment reads “Thou shalt not kill,” and the religion as a whole focuses on moral righteousness.  Followers are to put God, the one and only god of the religion, at the top of each individual’s priority list.  Jesus, a prophet, leader and proponent of Christianity, is portrayed as the son of God.  His death and supposed resurrection sparked growth in the religion, spreading rapidly throughout countries.

Islam fueled the expedient growth of the Islamic Empire.  The religion’s followers are called Muslims, and the two main divisions Islam are Sunnism and Shiism.  The main focus of the religion is to serve the single god, Allah; “Islam” even directly translates to “surrender” or “submission” in Arabic (Becroft).  The religion centers around the life and teachings of Muhammad, who is the one true prophet of the religion.  He grew up as a poor orphan and soon began seeing visions from God telling him he was a prophet equal to that of Jesus.  He faced much persecution for these bold statements.  He passed away in Medina with no official heir, a matter very important to his followers.  Thus, Islam was divided into Sunnis and Shiites, the groups disagreeing on the rightful heir.  In only a couple centuries, countries like North Africa made a complete transition to Islam (Iskander).

The two empires were influenced by their respective religions arguably more than any other factor.  The religions also have also had a history of bad blood.  Wars soon transformed Islam from a religion to an empire.  Islam’s enemies included Persia and Byzantine, the latter of which going to war with Islam for many years.  The new religion brought a fresh vitality to Muslims, partially responsible for their military success.  However, Muslims could not take over Constantinople.  The following period was a time of growing power for the Byzantine empire, and Muslim conquests only continued in Spain (Sandler).

Even in Middle Eastern countries where Islam has been historically prevalent, there are still around 47 million Christians living there (Iskander).  This shows how Christians have survived and often thrived under Muslim rule.  Although the religions differ in ideologies, the religions are similar in the ways they unite their followers.  Both Christianity and Islam affected their respective empires drastically, and society today would not be the same today without them.

Works Cited

Iskander, John. “Christianity and Islam.” Encyclopedia of Islam, Facts On File, 2009, Ancient and Medieval History: Pre-1500, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/218271?q=christianity and islam.

Becraft, Bonnie. "Islam." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, ABC-CLIO, 2016, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/600827. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.

James, Liz. "A Short History of Byzantium." A Short History of Byzantium | History Today. History Today Ltd. Company, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.

Sandler, Stanley. “Muslim Conquests.” World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Laws and Customs - Priya

Priya Chennupati

Both the Islamic religion and the Christian religion are both very different and similar at the same time. They both have a set of laws that are comparable in many ways. The sets of laws are The Five Pillars for the Islamic religion and the 10 Commandments for the Christian Religion.  These religions are very different in that Muslims have to pray but Christian  have specific rules like do not steal(Catechism of the Catholic Church). They both however have a rule that says they only have one god.

The 5 pillars of Islam are the basic religious duties and are the framework of the Muslim life of the Islamic people. There are five parts of pillars and they are called the Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and the Hajj. The Shahada is the faith of having or believing on only one god (Allah). This also says that Muhammad was the prophet of Islam. The Salat is the performing of ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day (Five Pillars). Each of these five prayers are not more than a few minutes long. Prayer in Islam is believed to be a direct link from the worshipper to the God. in prayer a person feels inner happiness, peace and comfort and knowing that God is pleased with hi or her. Prayers are performed specifically at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. Prayers can be done anywhere such as in the fields, at home and many other places(Salat). Zakat is the act of giving alms or charity to benefit the poor and needy (Five Pillars). This pillar states that everything that a muslim owns belongs to god and he is loaning it to us(Zakat). Sawm is the act of fasting during the month of Ramadan (Five Pillars). Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year where people strict fast from sunrise to sunset(Ramadan). And finally the Hajj is the pilgrimage done once in a lifetime to Mecca (Five Pillars).

The religious rules and laws for Christians are also known as the 10 Commandments. The 10 commandments of Christianity are located in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The first commandment says that their should only be one good, Jesus. The second one says that you can not make an idol of god for yourself at home and you are not allowed to worship or bow down to it. The third commandment states that you shall not misuse the name of the God or say his name intending something rude or unpleasant. The fourth commandment says that you have to remember the Sabbath day and keep the day holy. The fifth commandment says that you must respect your mother and father. It says that they were the people to bring you into this world and took care of you for a lifetime. The sixth commandment says that you must not commit murder. The seventh commandment says that you must not commit adultery and the eighth commandment says that you must not steal from neighbors or anyone.  The ninth commandment says that you must not give any false evidence against your neighbor like trying to get them in trouble. Finally the tenth commandments states that you must not be envious of your neighbor’s goods, wife or anything that belongs to your neighbor. These 10 commandments set the basic religious framework for the religion (Catechism of the Catholic Church).  

The relationship between The Five pillars of Islam and The Ten Commandments of Christianity is there are some similarities and some differences. Both types of these laws and rules are very similar because for one they both are related to religion, Islam and Christianity and they both have one God that they worship. For Islam their one god is Allah and they have to worship only him (Five Pillars). For Christianity they also have one god named Jesus. In Islam there are specific ways and rules to perform your prayers. These rules include what time you should pray and how many times a day you should pray. For Christians they are not allowed to created replicas or models of the god in your home and you are not allowed to worship or bow down to it (Catechism of the Catholic Church). Another similarity is that these sets of rules and laws are now the basis for many country’s laws and government systems. Some differences are that the Islamic religion has a pilgrimage that everyone has to do in their lifetime to Mecca and the Christian religion doesn't have a specific pilgrimage that they are bound to do. Also in the Islamic religion your are expected by law to give alms or charity to the poor and needy but in the Christian religion you are not expected to (Five Pillars). These religions are completely different but they are also very similar in many ways.

The Five Pillars and The Ten Commandments are similar in many ways but they are also different. These two sets of rules and regulations are the basis for the two religions. These rules keep everyone on the same page and keep everything modest and safe. Some of these rules are so you don’t offend the God and to make sure that you have respect for him. These religions are so different yet so alike.

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church.

www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/command.htm.

Christian Laws. online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?bookId=258&articleName=GE18_1304&searchText=christian%20laws%20and%20rules&searchOperators=any&category=History.

Five Pillars of Islam. www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/fivepillars.shtml.

History.com Staff. "Ramadan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.

Salat: Daily Prayers. www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/salat.shtml.

Zakat : Charity. BBC, 2014, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/zakat.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2016.

Joshua Eastin - Misunderstand

Joshua Eastin

Block D

Religion Paper

In the ancient world religion was the defining characteristic of a society and in many ways still is today. Two religions which had great power in the early common era were Islam and Christianity. Christians being followers of the new testament and of Jesus, and Muslims followers of the prophet muhammad. These two religions have many similarities and differences spanning from traditions such as prayer and holidays, to moral code represented in the five pillars and the ten  commandments.

On the surface islam and christianity are very similar with their base beliefs. Both are monotheistic meaning that they believe that there is only one God who is the creator of all people and all things. Both had a prophet guided by God to lead common people to a holier existence Jesus for christianity and the prophet muhammad for islam. Both believe in the afterlife, and both believe that our actions on earth have an impact on our fate in the afterlife. The most notable difference in these basic beliefs is that  muslims do not believe in the trinity of God the son and the holy ghost although muslims do believe that Jesus was real and was a prophet but not God's son. These basic concepts give islam and christianity are very similar this gave some basic understanding for the two religions.

Traditions are practiced by most religions and Islam and christianity are no exceptions. Some similar traditions is prayer which to both are simply conversations with God usually asking for something such as guidance or forgiveness. Though the islamic and christian prayer differ in some ways one example of this is that an islamic prayer is very structures with a designated opening and ending Rabia Mills writes that “ There are five prescribed prayers per day at set times according to the rotation of the earth around the sun. All of these prayers are obligatory on every Muslim.” (12)  While a christian prayer is much less orthodox while there are some prayers such as the lord's prayer that is recited the same way every time ( Some differences occur with different branches of christianity.) Some other differences in traditions are some clothing that is required for women and men in islam while christianity does not have this requirement. Syed Mumtaz Ali writes about Polygamy saying “Polygamy is allowed to Muslims. There are strict limitations and prohibitions concerning it so it does not become a method to dominate women… Polygamy used to be allowed by the Church, but now it is forbidden…” (13) A common tradition of islam is caligraphy. Muslims believe that the ability to write was given to us by allah and is therefor holy. This is shown in the Qur’an 96:5  “And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, Who taught (the use of) the Pen, taught man that which he knew not.”

Morals are arguably the most important part of a religion and there are several similarities and differences between the two religions. One basic moral the two share is that all humans have rights meaning no man or woman should be stolen from, lied to, assaulted, rapped, or murdered. Another similarity is that parents have rights and should be respected and obeyed (both religions mention exceptions for abuse). A difference is that homosexuality is highly discouraged and in some sects forbidden in islam Syed Mumtaz Ali writes “Since the prohibition on homosexuality is found in the Old Testament only, some Christian sects say it does not apply…” (16)  

The differences and similarities of islam show that the two religions have very similar ideas and concepts though they are still far from the same. The most major differences being the belief on who Jesus was, the rules of prayer, and the rules on homosexuality. These differences do not change the fact that both religions have very similar core beliefs.

Ali, Syed Mumtaz, James Abdul Rahim Gaudet, and Rabia Mills. "Islam and Christianity." Encyclopedia of Christianity Online (n.d.): n. pag. Islam and Christianity Similarities and Differences. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.

odiq, Yushau. "Introduction to Sunni." World Religions: Belief, Culture, and Controversy, ABC-CLIO, 2016, religion.abc-clio.com/Topics/Display/1580782?cid=41&sid=1580782. Accessed 14 Dec. 2016.

"Five Pillars of Islam." World Religions: Belief, Culture, and Controversy, ABC-CLIO, 2016, religion.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1527473. Accessed 14 Dec. 2016.