Christianity and Islam: Similarities and Differences Research Paper

Both Christianity and Islam religions agree on some fundamental points regarding the appearance of mankind upon the face of the planet. This is that man, together with every other living creature (plants and animals), were all formed or better yet, created by an all powerful and intelligent life force. Apart from the similar ancestry in the patriarchal geneology of the two texts, not much else is linkable between them. There is a completely different approach to doctrine, practices and belief systems between the two religions. An example that this paper will seek to cite in order to highlight this particular point is the account of creation as depicted in both the Bible and Quran. Our focus will be concentrated on the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, namely Genesis, and the first surah (chapter) of the Quran. First we will explore the similarities as depicted within the writings of the two texts after which we will take an in-depth analysis into the main differences that stand out in regard to the same texts as well.

Between the biblical and Koranic accounts of creation, several similarities can be spotted. For one and most obvious is the existence of a holy and supernatural entity. Whether it is Allah according to Islamic teaching, or just God as per Christian doctrine, both agree on this existence of an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent deity who continually shapes the destiny of man and has done so since the beginning of time: And when thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am setting in the earth a viceroy.’ (Quran 2:30); Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26). This clearly shows that both the Quran and the Bible agree on the point that man was infact created a higher being of intelligence. The similarities do not only end here, there is something else that both the texts conclude to, that man was established and given dominion over the earth. The Quran says that God or Allah sought to setup a viceroy over the earth, while the Bible agrees with the same sentiments illustrating in the above cited text that the man whom he wished to create was to ‘reign over all creation’.

Again both accounts reveal that when God was creating the man whom He intended to set up as Lord over all living creation, He was not alone. The Bible clearly quotes God, the Creator as consulting with a second party on creation, He said ‘Let us…’ (Genesis 1:26). The Quran is more specific telling us whom He was actually speaking with or to, it quotes that He as God told the angels – celestial beings – that His intentions were keen on establishing a race on the earth that were in one way or another to assume the responsibilities of God while on earth, exactly what was established in the Christian Bible. Furthermore, we note that both accounts depict that God and the angels or whoever the second party might have been in the case of the Bible did not reside on the earth. One can see that from the way that the conversation is angled the Creator’s main purpose was to have an individual who would establish their dominion or control over the earth. It is very simple to illustrate this in the writer’s opinion, since God was seeking to have a separate entity control the earth it means that He Himself would not be inhabiting the same earth with His viceroy.

Following the analysis of the similarities as evidenced in these two texts of great importance to the Christian and Islamic faiths, we will now proceed to establish some of the glaring differences noted in the two accounts of creation. To begin with, one can help but notice that Allah was exclusive to the creation of Adam and Eve, while the records in the Bible portray a more inclusive Creator. In the Quran’s case God says to the angels that He will be the one setting up a viceroy to rule in His stead on the earth – ‘I am setting on the earth a viceroy’ (Quran 2:30). In the biblical account we encounter the creator as including another group or party to the creation process, God says ‘Let us make man in our own image…’

Secondly, the Quran records that God presented Adam before the heavenly host and the angels and commanded them to bow before the man. They all obeyed except for the one named Iblis (later became the spirit today known as Satan in both Islam and Christianity), who refused to pay homage to Allah’s latest creation due to his pride: “And when We said to the angels, ‘Bow yourselves to Adam’; so they bowed themselves, save Iblis; he refused, and waxed proud, and so he became one of the unbelievers” (Quran 2: 34). Surah 17: 61-64, gives us the reason why Iblis would not bow down before the man. He (Iblis) considered himself better than the man this he says is because he was created out of fire, while the man was made from clay, “I am better than he: Thou createdst me from fire, and him Thou createdst from clay.” (Quran 38:75). The Quran goes on to reveal that for this reason Iblis became an unbeliever of Allah and was chased out of heaven to await judgment for is actions, “…he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith.” (Quran 38:73), “Then get thee out from here: for thou art rejected, accursed. And My Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 38:76). On the contrary, the biblical account, in the book of Genesis does not hold any such record of God having presented the man He had created before the host of heaven that they should make obeisance before him. The mention of Satan in the Bible in connection with the period of creation is met in the book of Isaiah. Interestingly, the down fall of Satan into damnation in the Bible is not at all concerning him refusing to prostrate before the man, instead it is due to the fact that Satan wanted to exalt himself above God and sit in the throne of power to reign over all creation with his Lord as subordinate. Isaiah records the thinking of Satan as he schemed to meet the end of his plans:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Having regarded some of these similarities and differences in the both the biblical and quranic portrayals of the happenings during creation, it would be sensible of us to generate some basic notions pertaining to their significance. As earlier on hinted, the Bible and Quran have a similar background in their origins. Christianity and Islam herald Abraham or Ibrahim respectively as the patriarch of the two faiths with each having branched from the descendants of either one of his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac was the father of Judaism which gave rise to Christendom. According to the Bible, it was Isaac and not Ishmael (who was actually the first born of their father but the son of Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar) who was the legitimate heir to Abraham; “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned (Genesis 21:12)”. From Ishmael descended the Arabs of whom Prophet Mohammed the founder of Islam was one of, “And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation (Genesis 17:20)”. Therefore from this common ancestry, we can explain the similarities to some extent between these two faiths.

However, on the other hand stark contrasts are manifested between the two doctrines -Islam and Christianity- as a result of several reasons. Mainly, that Islam may have been founded in 610 A.D meaning that it is about 1398 years old. There is however, no doubt that many of the Islamic doctrines were chronicled well after Christianity had firmly been established in what was then the known world. It is argued that Mohammed dictated the Quran from other sources of already pre-existing religions including the Hebrew books of the Law, namely the Torah, the psalms of David and from the New Testament gospels. Having established this, one can conclude that in an effort to set apart the new religion as a unique entity that can hold its own ground; some major alterations had to be made in order to achieve such a feat. For example a point of constant antagonism between ethnic Jews and Arab Muslims is the portrayal of Isaac as the true heir to Abraham’s blessings, Islam dictates Ishmael as the rightful heir. This can possibly explain some of the outstanding differences existing between the two.

In conclusion, what is most striking is that their can exist such a similar rendition of the creation of man as observed between these two religions which owe much of their original content to Judaism yet they cannot see ‘eye to eye’ when it comes to other fundamental pieces of doctrine in as regards to worship, codes of conduct, belief systems and the position of women.

Work Cited

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV).

The Holy Qur’an, American Standard Version (ASV).