Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the three Abrahamic faiths: traditions that trace their roots to a single ancestor, share a family of prophets, and each claim to carry the word of the same God. They agree on more than most people realise, and disagree in ways that have shaped civilisations. This is where you read them side by side.
The Hebrew Bible: 39 books written across a thousand years in Hebrew and Aramaic. Called the Tanakh by Jews and the Old Testament by Christians. Contains the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.
| Torah (Gen – Deut) | Moses (trad.); 4 source traditions (J, E, D, P) | ~950 – 400 BCE |
| Historical Books | Various; Deuteronomistic editors | ~700 – 400 BCE |
| Psalms | David (73 attributed); Asaph, Korah, Solomon | ~1000 – 400 BCE |
| Wisdom Books | Solomon (Proverbs, Song of Songs); anonymous (Job, Ecclesiastes) | ~950 – 200 BCE |
| Major Prophets | Isaiah · Jeremiah · Ezekiel · Daniel | ~760 – 530 BCE |
| Minor Prophets | Hosea through Malachi | ~760 – 400 BCE |
27 books written in Greek by followers of Jesus of Nazareth, beginning with Paul's letters (before any Gospel existed) and closing with Revelation. The core record of Jesus's life, teachings, death, and resurrection.
| Paul's Letters (13) | Paul of Tarsus (never met Jesus) | 50 – 58 CE |
| Gospel of Mark | Mark (earliest Gospel) | ~70 CE |
| Gospel of Matthew | Matthew (drew on Mark + Q) | ~80 – 85 CE |
| Gospel of Luke + Acts | Luke (drew on Mark + Q) | ~80 – 85 CE |
| Gospel of John | John (most theological; independent) | ~90 – 100 CE |
| General Epistles (8) | James · Peter · John · Jude | ~60 – 100 CE |
| Revelation | John of Patmos | ~95 CE |
| Canon settled | Athanasius + Church Councils | 367 – 397 CE |
The word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over 23 years, memorised by his companions, and compiled into a single written text. 114 chapters arranged by length, not chronology.
| Recipient | Muhammad | 610 – 632 CE |
| Scribe & compiler | Zayd ibn Thabit | 610 – 650 CE |
| First collection ordered by | Caliph Abu Bakr | 632 CE |
| Standardised by | Caliph Uthman (one codex; variants destroyed) | 650 CE |
A religion built on covenant and commandment. 613 mitzvot govern every aspect of life: what to eat, how to rest, how to treat the stranger. Relationship with God is primarily expressed through obedience to the law given at Sinai.
A religion built on love and forgiveness. The law cannot save; only faith in Christ's sacrifice can. God meets humanity in weakness, not performance. The emphasis is on the interior life: heart, belief, and personal transformation.
A religion built on the balance of law and spirit. Islam has its own comprehensive legal code (Sharia) like Judaism, and its own emphasis on sincere intention and inner devotion (niyyah, tawadu, ihsan) like Christianity. Neither legalism nor pure emotion alone is sufficient.
| Topic | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is Jesus? | A Jewish teacher from Galilee. Not the Messiah. The Messiah is still awaited. | The Son of God, second person of the Trinity. Died for human sin, rose bodily from the dead. The only path to salvation. | Prophet Isa, born of a virgin, performed miracles by God's permission. Did not die on the cross: God raised him to heaven before death. Not divine, not the Son of God. |
| Is Muhammad a prophet? | No. The prophetic line ended with Malachi. Muhammad is not recognised. | No. Revelation closed with Jesus and the apostles. Muhammad is not recognised as a prophet. | Yes. The final prophet (Khatam an-Nabiyyin), completing a chain from Adam to Jesus. |
| The nature of God | Absolutely One. No Trinity, no Incarnation. God does not take human form. Closest theologically to Islam on this point. | One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity). The three are distinct yet one in essence. | Absolutely One (Tawhid). God has no partners, no son, no physical form. The Trinity is rejected as shirk (associating partners with God). |
| How is one saved? | Through the covenant relationship with God, repentance (teshuvah), keeping the Torah, and God's compassion. | Through faith in Jesus Christ, whose death atones for sin. In Protestant tradition: faith alone (sola fide). Catholics add sacraments and works. | Through sincere faith (iman), righteous deeds, and Allah's mercy. No intermediary is required between a person and God. |
| Scripture | The Tanakh (Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim) plus the Talmud (oral law and rabbinic commentary). No New Testament. | The Old Testament (39 books, or 46 in Catholic tradition) plus the New Testament (27 books). Both are regarded as divinely inspired scripture. | The Quran: final, unchanged, in Arabic, revealed to one prophet. Earlier scriptures (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) were genuine but have been altered over time. |
| The afterlife | The Hebrew Bible is relatively quiet on afterlife detail. Later rabbinic thought developed Olam Ha-Ba (the World to Come). Less emphasis than in Islam or Christianity. | Heaven and Hell, with the bodily resurrection of the dead at the end of time. Revelation describes a new heaven and new earth. Eternal life is the gift of faith in Christ. | Jannah (paradise) and Jahannam (hellfire) described in vivid detail throughout the Quran. The weighing of deeds, the Sirat bridge, the intercession of the Prophet. |