What is the difference, philosophically, between Judaism and Islam?

Question

I do not mean...Jews don't worship Mohamed. Nor do I mean the Jews are the descendents of Abraham. So are the Islamists. I mean what is the phylosophy of each, and how are they different? I have read the Quran and the Old Testament. I am not a novice at religion.

Answer 1

I know many Muslims, and not well verse in the Quran- but know OT well- Islam simply seems to be a Jewish Heresy-

Answer 2

Firstly, a practicer of Islam is a Muslim, not an Islamist.
Muslims do not worship Muhammad; they believe he is the Seal of the Prophets, the Messenger of God.

Neither Judaism nor Islam (nor Christianity) have a single 'philosophy'. There is a great deal of variation within each, and there are more similarities, for example, between mystical Jews and Sufi Muslims than there are between different members of the same sect. The main difference between Islam and Judaism *historically* is that Islam is an evangelical, missionary religion (like Christianity), while Judaism is not. I suspect this is partly what people on this site mean when they say (with more prejudice perhaps than knowledge), that Islam is not a religion of peace. Part of the consequence of this has been that Islam has been a major political and cultural influence over a vast area of the earth - from Siberia to Sub-Saharan Africa, and from Spain to Indonesia. Judaism has not had any such socio-political dominance, and so Jewish societies tend to have existed within (though often apart from) Muslim and Christian majorities.

Answer 3

In judaism, they just want to practice their religion and be left alone. On the other hand, islam says it is a religion of peace, but only to other muslims, as infidels are to be killed. Apparently, the peace thing isn't working out real well since the sunni's and shiites are so busy killing each other. Not finding the peace thing. If you'll notice, different sects of Jews don't run around killing each other. So I'd have to say that Judaism is a truly peaceful religion, and islam just isn't. Christianity (which I belong to), doesn't have a real good track record in the peace department either.

Answer 4

There are more chapters about David than any other in the Bible and it is no mere coincidence David is described by God as the man after God's own heart. David prayed repeated for his own heart to be enlarged in Psalm 119 and relies on God to change his nature. I think the importance of the human heart and being changed is key to both Judaism and Christianity but not Islam

Jews and Christians sing at worship in accordance with the Bible... Muslims do not really sing like David would encourage people to

I think the stories in the Old and New Testament when contrasted with the Koran have many key differences, too many to say the Koran agrees with them

Both the Old and New Testaments would have a higher view of mercy and place God and the worship and glory of God as the centerpiece of heaven. The depictions of heaven in the Koran do not make God the centerpiece of heaven and are generally absent in prayer and worship, but filled with people comforts.

I think you will find a very high social concience and sense of justice among Jews often and this is because of the encouragements of the prophets "He has told you Oh man what He required but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" Jesus would likewise say "the weighty parts of the law are mercy, justice and faithfulness" and there are calls for care to the alien and outsider... but less so in Islam as far as I can see

Answer 5

philosophically we share the same belief - that G-d is a complete unity, that there is nothing that can be likened to G-d, and that G-d created the universe.

beyond that, the religious message of each religion are different. jews believe that G-d created the jewish religion in order to tell the world about monotheism - as a consequence of that, judaism is not a natural or necessary state for most people, so it is not expected that people who are not jews become jews. in contrast, the muslim religion believes that islam is the natural state of humanity, that people are naturally muslim and only stop being muslim because they adopt a different religion - this is why in islam the word they use instead of conversion is "reversion", and people are said not to "convert" to islam, but to "revert" to islam.

Answer 6

Well the major difference I can come up with right off the bat is that Muslims believe in Mohammad (Peace be upon him) as a Prophet, whereas the Jews don't follow Mohammad or his teachings, nor believe him a prophet in the same sense as Moses or Abraham. Also, another obvious, the Jews don't adhere to the Quran as do those of the Islamic faith. Obvious differences, but poignant nonetheless.

Answer 7

The Jews believe you don't have to be Jewish to get to heaven.

The Muslims believe you have to be Muslim to go to heaven

The Old Testament is not a Jewish book. If you want to learn about the Jewish religion, you have to find a Tanakh. The "Old Testament" is different than the Jewish Bible, contrary to what Chrstians will tell you.

Peace

Answer 8

If you aren't a novice, then why ask? Personally, I haven't seen too many Jews blowing stuff up that wasn't provoked by some freak muslim.

Did I just start a fatwah? Or more like a mini-mini jihad? Crap, guess I can't stay at the Ramada Inn anymore. You know Ramada, Ramadan.

Answer 9

islamists? r u kidding me? making up words are we? umm im not sure but christianity is only one that believes in the trinity

Answer 10

judaism's goal is find oneness with god

islam's goal is to establish it as the law of the land and subjugate or convert disbelievers through jihad