Religions of the Middle East

Three Major Religions Three of the world’s major religions were born in the Middle East. They are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They are all linked together. Christianity was born from within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed from both Christianity and Judaism. All three religions refer to Adam and Eve. All are called Abrahamic religions.

Monotheism Monotheism is the belief in one god. Each of these religions has a monotheistic tradition. While there have been differences among these religions, there was a rich cultural interchange between Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Judaism Judaism is the oldest surviving monotheistic religion. Abraham is traditionally considered to be the first Jew and to have a made a covenant with God. Their place of worship is a synagogue. Saturday is their holy day.

What Jews believe! Jews believe in one god and his prophets. Special respect is given to Moses as the prophet to whom god gave the law. Jewish law is embodied in the Torah. Judaism is more concerned with actions than dogma (beliefs). Jewish law includes 613 commandments given by God in the Torah.

Jewish Law Jewish laws cover matters such as: Prayer and ritual, diet, rules regulating marriage, divorce, birth, death, inheritance, and holidays. Jewish holidays include: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement; and Passover, the feast celebrating the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

Jewish Beliefs Jews believe others besides Jews will go to Heaven. Jews do not believe in the prophets after the Jewish prophets, including Jesus and Muhammad. They do not subscribe to the idea that Jesus was the Messiah and the son of God, nor do they believe in the teachings of Islam.

Christianity Christianity started as an offshoot of Judaism. The Orthodox Church and its patriarch split away from the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope in 1054 because of political and doctrinal differences. Martin Luther, upset at the corruption of the Catholic papacy, spearheaded a reformation movement that led to the development of Protestantism. Christian missionaries traveled all over the world, and there are large populations of Christians on every continent. The holy scriptures are the Old Testament (the Jewish Torah) and the New Testament (written by followers of Jesus).

What Christians believe! Christians believe that God is revealed through three dimensions: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is considered the son of God, born to the virgin Mary and come to Earth to offer redemption for mankind’s sins. After Jesus was crucified and executed by the Romans, he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. This event is celebrated at Easter, while the birth of Jesus is celebrated at Christmas. Christians believe in an afterlife where some will reside in heaven with God, and some will be punished in hell. Their day of worship is Sunday and their place of worship is a church.

What Christians believe! Christians do not believe in Jewish law. They believe that the law was fulfilled by the gospel and that you should, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Christians and Jews have often had a violent relationship. Christianity has also had a problematic relationship with Islam. Christians do not accept Muhammad as a prophet.

Islam Islam began in the desert community of Mecca (Makkah). It developed from both the Judeo-Christian tradition and the cultural values of the nomadic Bedouin tribes of Arabia. Islam has expanded into other areas: North Africa, Europe, and Asia.

What Muslims believe! Muslims believe that Allah (the Arabic word for God) sent his revelation, the Quran (Koran), to the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Mecca. He was a prophet that received the message from the Angel Gabriel. This message was collected in the Quran. The Quran tells Muslims to worship one god, and explains how to treat others properly. The central message is “There is no god but God!” Muhammad died in 632 AD. Another text, the Hadith, written by scholars after the death of Muhammad, describes Muhammad’s life and proscribes laws for the community, and explains how certain rituals should be performed.

The Five Principles (Pillars) of Islam Orally declaring their faith (shahadah). Praying five times a day (salat). Fasting in the daylight hours during the month of Ramadan (sawm). They must abstain from food, water, cigarettes, gossip, anger, and anything else perceived as negative behavior. Giving a share of their income for charity (zakat) usually 2.5%. Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime (hajj). Many Muslims also observe dietary rules that forbid pork, outlaw alcohol, and dictate how animals should be slaughtered for food. Friday is their holy day.

What Muslims believe! Muslims believe in a Day of Judgment (by Allah, who will call up those still alive and all those who have died, present them with a record of their deeds, and weigh their obedience to God and actions toward human beings. The faithful with righteous souls will go to heaven and wrongdoers will go to hell. The place of worship is a mosque.

What Muslims believe! Islam sees Judaism and Christianity as earlier versions of Islam, revelations given within the same tradition by Allah but misunderstood over time. Muslims see Islam as the final, complete, and correct revelation in the monotheistic tradition of the three faiths. Muslims recognizes many of the Jewish and Christian prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (although he is not considered to be the son of God). Many non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muhammad is the equivalent of Jesus in the Islamic tradition; in fact it is the Quran that stands in the same central position in Islam as Jesus does in Christianity. Muhammad himself is not divine, but a prophet chosen by God to deliver his message. Jews and Christians are specifically protected in the Quran as Peoples of the Book. The Islamic legal tradition has upheld the rights of Jews and Christians to maintain their beliefs and practices within their communities in Islamic lands. The Islamic religion recognizes the Torah and the Bible as sacred books.

Summary The majority of the people in the Middle East are Arabs. 90% of all people are Muslim who practice the Islamic religion. Constant fighting among countries, different religious sects, etc. keeps tension high. Primarily the fighting between the Israelis and the Arabs has been over “who has the right to land.” Both sets of people believe they have the right to the areas because of religious reasons. Right in the middle of this area is Jerusalem. All three religions view Jerusalem as a sacred city.

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