Jews, Muslims and Christians each commemorate the day of rest and worship.
Judaism - Friday evening until Saturday evening each week (Shabbat)
Islam – Friday, the day of El-Gumah
Christians – Sunday (Sabbath)
The most important practices in a Muslims’ life are the 5 pillars of Islam. They are; Shahadah (declaration of faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). On Fridays at noon, all Muslims go to mass; they also wash up to their elbows every time before they pray. Muslim women cover their head as a sign of their faith.
For a Jew; their main aim is to make everything in their life an act of worship. They pray 3 times a day and believe that in prayer they are building a strong relationship between God and all humans. Family and community are important in a Jews life, as is covering their head, while in the synagogue as a sign of respect for God.
Christians have ceremonies known as sacraments; they are a central part of their worship. At mass the Eucharist is celebrated; bread and wine are consumed as a symbol of the body and blood of Christ. The most common sacrament is baptism. For a Christian, it is their mission in life to spread and share their faith and love in the world.
The above evidence shows that the three religions have many common beliefs and practices that differ slightly and have been interpreted differently by each religion. They all believe in one God, life after death, prophets, respecting the Sabbath and different forms of showing their faith.
SYMBOLS
FESTIVALS
Each religion has their own different festivals and special dates which they commemorate or celebrate.
The Islamic celebrate many festivals (Al-Hijra, Ashura, Milad un Nabi, Lailat al Miraj, Lailat al Qadr, Ramadan). Each year the date which these festivals occur changes because of the difference between the lunar calendar (Islam) and the solar calendar (normal) The main 2 festivals are;
The Jewish, like the Islamic have many festivals (Days of Repentance/Days of Awe, Shavout, Tis B’av) The main festivals are;
Christians celebrate (Pentecost, Lent, Corpus Christit, Feast of the Assumption, Feast of the Annunciation, All Souls’ Day, Feast of the Immaculate Conception) As Christianity is the world’s largest religion, a few of the festivals they celebrate are widely known;
The religion Islam was founded in 622 CE by Muhammad in Mecca (present-day Saudi Arabia). Christianity was founded in 33 CE in Jerusalem by Jesus Christ. Judaism was found on an unknown date in Canaan (Middle East) by Abraham.
HOLY PLACES & SACRED TEXTS
The Jews worship in a synagogue. The Muslims worship in a mosque. The Christians worship in churches, cathedrals, and chapels or on their own. The most sacred places in Islam are places that were important in the life of Muhammad and the Kaaba in Mecca. Jerusalem is also an important place in Islam. Jerusalem is the most holy place in Judaism. It is the location of the destroyed Temple Mount and is an important part of Jewish history. The only remaining part of the temple is the Western Wall and is considered the holiest place on earth. The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Palestine is the second holiest in the world as it is where Abraham, Isaax, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Adam and Eve are believed to be buried. Christians have many important places for many different reasons. The main ones are; Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Nazareth, Lourdes and Canterbury.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity all believe that God provided them with rules to guide them towards righteousness and happiness in their lives. Muslims follow the Qur’an and both Jews and Christians read the bible. Jews also read the Tanakh which is made up of the Torah (first 5 books of the bible), Nevi’im and Ketuvim. The Christians also added the New Testament to the bible which portrays the work and travels of Jesus.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity are similar in almost every aspect, they originate from the same general area, they have common beliefs, festivals, places of worship and sacred places and they each have their own set of rules and laws. Islam and Christianity are powerfully influenced by the older religion, Judaism. Judaism, Islam and Christianity derive from the same ideas and concepts; it mostly depends on the individual’s interpretation of how God wishes the world to be like. Essentially, these 3 religions are extremely alike with minor differences.
