Jesus and Muhammad: Profound Differences and Surprising Similarities

by Mark A. Gabriel

So what was Muhammad teaching at this time? He told his nephew that in order to be a Muslim he must "bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without associates, and disavow al-Lat and al-Uzza [idols], and renounce rivals."3

As a Muslim, I was personally frustrated by this lack of information. I wondered, "Why would the god of the Quran reveal so many guidelines about earthly matters, like what to do during a woman's period, but fail to reveal how I can know whether I will be tortured or comforted when I die?"

"Every time I start to pray I imagine Allah standing in front of me and the king of death behind me, the paradise to my right and hell to my left side, and I do not know what my God is going to do to me."10

you will see no difference between the actions of Muslims who kill and destroy and the actions of Christians who kill and destroy. The difference is in whether or not they are following the example of their leader."

The simple fact is that every person who participated in the Crusades was going against the teachings of Jesus. These people could carry crosses, but they were not following Christ. However, when Muslims overthrow a government by force, they are following both the teachings and example of Muhammad.

In contrast, God the Father searches for the one lost lamb until he finds it and brings it home rejoicing. This is the difference between Allah and God.

Muhammad taught that five prayers a day are a requirement of Allah.

Personal prayers are not forbidden in Islam, but they are not encouraged or talked about very much.

The normal Muslim does not expect God to communicate with him personally through prayer.

The first thing I noticed about this passage was the word when. This word when was like a tornado in my brain. I thought, This means it's up to me when I pray. I can pray at any time!

Muhammad wanted the people to come out of their houses and be together in the mosque for prayer. He said that praying alone was inferior.

In Islamic teaching, temptation may come from Satan or temptation may come from Allah who uses demons to lead people astray so that they will populate hell.

Jesus never required his disciples to pray at a specific time or in a specific way. He never talked about God punishing them for not praying enough.

The Quran says that it takes the witness of two women to equal the witness of one man:

The Prophet said, "Isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?" The women said, "Yes." He said, "This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind."6

Jesus even said that a widow's offering could be more valuable than a rich man's offering.

In the Islamic world today, where Islamic law is being applied, women still are not permitted to initiate or resist a divorce (in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sudan). More secular countries, however, are giving women divorce rights.

As you remember, the Quran only allowed Muslims two, three, or four wives, but Muhammad was an exception. Muhammad reported a revelation that defined the women he was permitted to marry:

Muhammad's social life was always full of struggles between him and his wives and among the wives themselves.

In order to manage his relationships with his wives, Muhammad assigned each wife a day to spend with him.

Jesus treated women the same way that he treated men.

Remember: you cannot understand Christianity by what Christians do, nor can you understand Islam by what Muslims do. You have to go to the original sources.

Some Christians will decide to change their belief that Christianity and Islam are based on the same God.