Essay Sample on Comparing Christianity and Islam: A Historical Overview

Introduction

Worldwide, Christianity and Islam are regarded as the two largest religions that have a standard historical traditional connection. Christianity began with the life, teachings, death of Jesus, and his resurrection. The adherents are referred to as Christians. On the other hand, Islam, in other terms meaning "surrender or submission" began with Muhammad teachings. The teachings served as surrender to God's will and its adherents referred to as Muslims. The paper aims to give insights into the influence of Christianity and Islam in the life of Adherents.

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The Christian community has the symbol of baptism as one significant impact that allows persons to come into the Christian family. Baptism symbolically gives Christians the light into which all Christians are to undertake to follow God's footsteps. Baptism in an adherent life is of significance as the ethical guidelines profoundly affect the people's faith (Rouwhorst, 2019). For instance, the Christians can submit to the concepts and wills of Christians, which assures them to be united with Christ upon being baptized. Baptism also has Christian's belief that they are newly born with Jesus, thus the notion that they are transformed. Mark 1:9-11 quotes, "Jesus was baptized by John, and in the process of baptism, heavens tore apart, and a voice said, "You are my son, with whom am pleased." It is a reference from scriptures that quotes Jesus history of baptism through John the Baptist. It is an example that shows baptism introduction to a Christian as of importance since Christians are given Jesus life background that enables them as individuals know the significance of devoting to Christ.

Islam, on the other hand, influences the life of adherents through Allah's words and of his prophets through prayer, clothing, and prohibitions. Muslims have prayers as one of the pillars in their inner lives. The Holy Quran, Surah 30: Al Rum 17 quotes, "Give Allah glory when ye reach eventide, and when you rise in the morning." Islam has had prayers to impact their followers to pray daily five times. Apart from that, in prayer, the religious practices have them conduct a ritual washing of arms, legs, feet called "wudhu." From the performing of daily prayers, the Islam community can be conscious of time, be calm, and in a state of meditation. Islam influences its adherents to all times to dress modestly while discouraging show of their body, thereby hinder sexual temptations (Mustafa, Tasir, & Jusoh, 2018). The Holy Quran 33:59 quotes, "O Prophet, tell your daughters, wives to lengthen their garments thus be recognized as righteous." For women in Islam, the religious practices have them cover heads using hijabs and the men dress in loose fittings with a headcover "kufi." The intention is to be recognized righteous by being modest in dressing.

Consequently, the Islam community influences its adherents to be under specific prohibitions. It guides them on activities that are haram and those that which are halal. For instance, the consumption of alcohol or having sexual relations before marriage such experiences is regarded haram. The religious practices following the influence of Islam have its adherents, for example, not feed on pork. Muslims view consuming pigs' meat as haram because they are seen as dirty animals. According to the hadith and Quran, "On the authority of Abu Huraira. It states of the Allah messenger saying to the people to eat of the good things and do what which is right."

The life of adherents is impacted by Islam, as Muslims tend to have the belief of Allah Oneness (Dodds, 2019). The Holy Quran 112:1-4 says, "He is Allah, the One and only." The surah explains to individuals that the only God in existence is Allah, the God of creations and who gives life. It is a chapter that has impacted the Islam community to turn to God in times of need. With the idea that it is only Allah that carries the great attributes and none is like him. The Quran says, "Allah is the Bestower of provisions. He is Almighty and powerful." Muslims also today have the religious practices that have them strive to control jihad by showing their obedience through Submission to God. An example is through how they find the time to go on Hajj and perform specific rituals. In this case, Muslims make a renewal on their sense of purpose on earth.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Both Christianity and Islam have a way in which they have influenced the life of Adherents. For Christianity, the significant influence has been from the symbol of baptism. It symbolically gives the belief of being born again in Christ. It impacts Christians to ensure a complete devotion to living according to God's will. Evidently in Islam, as indicated from scriptures from both the hadith and the Holy Quran. The Muslims have been influenced to practice daily prayers, dress modestly, and live under specific prohibitions to be regarded as righteous people. Apart from that also fully recognize Allah oneness, and it is who even today they turn to in time of need.

References

Dodds, A. (2019). How do Conceptions of Allah's Being in Islam Compare with those of God's Being in Christianity?. Evangelical Quarterly, 90(1).

Mustafa, Z., Tasir, S. F., & Jusoh, N. A. M. (2018). THE CONCEPT OF AURAH: ISLAMIC DRESSING CODE AND PERSONAL GROOMING ACCORDING TO FIQH LAW. e-Academia Journal, 7(2).

Rouwhorst, G. (2019). Initiation by Circumcision and Water Baptism in Early Judaism and Early Christianity. In Ritual Dynamics in Jewish and Christian Contexts (pp. 165-189). Brill.