Links and differences between the religions of the Book
| Theme | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
Founding textAdapted | Torah (Pentateuch) | Old and New Testament | Quran (al-Qur'ān) |
MonotheismDistinct | Shema Yisrael — God is One | Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) | Tawhid — God is One (Allah) |
AbrahamShared | First patriarch, covenant with God | Father of faith, model of trust | Ibrahim, Hanif, builder of the Kaaba |
MosesShared | Moshe — The greatest prophet, lawgiver | Prophet, prefiguration of Christ | Musa — One of the greatest prophets |
Divine lawDistinct | Halakha — 613 commandments | Grace vs Law (Paul of Tarsus) | Sharia — Islamic law |
MessiahDistinct | Mashia'h — yet to come, earthly king | Jesus Christ, already come, awaited return | Isa (Jesus) will return, but is not divine |
Oral traditionAdapted | Oral Torah → Mishna → Talmud | Apostolic tradition, Church Fathers | Hadith, Sunna of the Prophet |
Daily prayerAdapted | Shacharit, Minkha, Arvit (3 prayers) | Liturgy of the Hours (7 offices) | Salat (5 daily prayers) |
Day of restDistinct | Shabbat (Saturday) | Sunday (the Lord's Day) | Friday (Jumu'ah) |
Dietary restrictionsAdapted | Kashrut (detailed dietary laws) | Largely abolished (Acts 10) | Halal (similar, less detailed) |
