Difference Between Jews and Muslims

Jews vs Muslims

Muslims and Jews are followers of religions of Islam and Judaism respectively. Both religions are Semitic in origin and the followers worship the same god as both consider themselves to be descendants of the same patriarch. The adherents of both religions consider Jerusalem as their holy city and males in both religions undergo circumcision as per Abrahamic law. Despite these similarities, rift between the followers of two religions is very old and threatens to disrupt peace in West Asia, which has become a flashpoint because of the differences that have crept between Muslims and Jews. This article attempts to have a closer look at these differences.

Jews

Jews trace their origin to Abraham, and consider themselves to be descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham. Jews believe that it was God Himself who chose Isaac and promised him the inheritance of Abraham. Muslims trace their ancestry to Ishmael, another son of Abraham. However, Ishmael was produced from a slave woman, and because of the issue of inheritance; there was animosity between the two sons of Abraham.

Islam

Islam is a religion that gives a message to Muslims to treat Jews as their brothers but here are also passages in Quran, the holy book of the Muslims, to kill Jews if they refuse to convert to Islam. Quran presents Ishmael as the rightful heir of Abraham, whereas Jewish scriptures make it clear that it was Isaac who was chosen by God to be the heir of Abraham. This has been a sore point in the relations between the Jews and Muslims ever since.

However, if we leave this point of inheritance between sons of Abraham behind, we find that Muslims and Jews lived with peace and no hostility towards each other till the beginning of 20th century. It was the decision made at the UN after WW II to give a piece of land to Jews in the Middle East that was inhabited by Muslims that is at the root of the conflict between Jews and Muslims. Most Arab countries united and attacked Israel that was created in 1948 as a Jewish state. However, Israel was able to repulse the united attack and defended its territories successfully till today.

There are many who say that Quran does not ask Muslims to hate or kill Jews even though there has been animosity between the two descendants of Abraham. It was during the time of Mohammed and later that the hatred between Jews and Muslims seems to have taken roots. Jews rejected the notion that Mohammed was a prophet and Hadith in Islam confirm this fact.

Jew vs Muslim

• Both Judaism and Islam are Abrahamic religions as both Muslims and Jews are descendent of patriarch Abraham. However, Muslims trace their ancestry to Ishmael, one son of Abraham, whereas Jews consider Isaac to be their ancestor who Jews believe was the chosen son of Abraham.

• Modern cause of animosity between Jews and Muslims is traced to the setting up of independent Israel in a land inhabited by Palestinians (Muslims).

• The holy book of Muslims asks Muslims to treat Jews as brothers but at other places also asks them to kill them if they refuse to convert to Islam.

• Jewish holy book rejects Mohammed as a prophet.

• Muslims are prohibited from eating pork meat and drinking alcohol. There is no prohibition of alcohol among Jews, and they do not eat pork, but there is no prohibition.

• Muslim holy book is Quran, whereas it is Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) for the Jews

• One can be a Muslim by choice s anyone can convert to Islam whereas one has to have Jewish blood to be called a Jew.