Islam and Christianity: Jesus versus Muhammad

Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world. Religions to help people live their lives in a good way. But do both religions have the same thoughts about what’s good and what isn’t? What do the two have in common and where do they differ?
The first and most important difference is about the two religions see Jesus. Islam accepts that Jesus of Nazareth existed and that He was born of the virgin, Mary. However Islam says that Jesus was merely another prophet, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final messenger, placing him high above all previous prophets. Christians on the other hand believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God which makes Him equal to God.
The two religions have an entirely different history. Christianity was founded 30 AD in Palestine and Islam 622 CE in Saudi Arabia. The founders and early leaders of the Christians were Jesus, Peter and Paul who spoke and wrote Aramaic and Greek. Muhammad was the founder of Islam and spoke Arabic. Today Christianity is the worlds largest religion in the world with about 2 billion followers mainly living in Europe and America. Islam with 1.3 billion adherents is the second largest religion. Its major location today is the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Its religious law is Sharia whereas canon law is the Christian law.
They differ in their ideas about the human nature. Christians believe they were once innocent and all good until Adam and Eve were banished from Paradise. That’s where the sins of mankind started. Ever since people have had a tendency towards evil. Muslims believe people have an equal ability to do good or evil.
Unlike Christians, Muslims don’t believe in the idea that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. They believe that God spared His messenger from such a horrible death and later took Him up in his Kingdom. They do not even feel that is was necessary for Jesus to be punished. They believe that every man must bear and pay for his or her own sins; Jesus being responsible for our sins is unjust in their eyes. For Christians, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross is the most important aspect of their belief. He freed the Christians from their sins. A noble act which showed what an extraordinary man he was. To die just like Jesus is the way to enter God’s Heaven.
Another difference involves the sacred books of the religions. The religion of Islam has the Koran as their holy book, while Christians have the Bible. The Bible, including the Old and New Testaments is the Word of God. Muslims however believe that the Christians of today have corrupted and changed the New Testament and that the Bible that is read today is no longer reliable.
There are several differences involving rituals. Christianity has Sunday as their day of worship, Islam Friday. The place of worship differs as well. Churches versus mosques. Imams are the only Muslim religious leaders in comparison to priests, bishops, archbishop, patriarchs and the pope with the Christians. The two religions have other sacred rituals, other religious holidays and other holy symbols.
There are also some similarities between the religions, but it aren’t many. Both believe that God is the one creator of all things. Despite the different names for this God they mean the same God. They both believe in a wonderful life after death in a Heaven or Paradise-like environment. Eternal hell is the consequence for breaking the rules which God gave the people. Both Christians and Muslims believe in predestination.
As it turns out, Jesus’ and Muhammad’s religions are hardly anything like each other. They differ in their ideas about Jesus and the human nature. They don’t have the same history, holy books and rituals. Their few similarities involve ideas about God and the afterlife. This outcome is logical. The crucial differences in ideas make Christianity and Islam different religions. If the conclusion would have been that they were mainly the same, we might as well all be Chrislims.