Expert: Messianic Rabbi Yochanan Levine - 10/16/2008

Question
1.   The Bible and Koran are holy books from two major religions.  How are the readings alike?  Different?
Tis is a question from some homework if you have any information regarding this it would be greatly appreciated

Answer
The Bible contains the sacred writings of two different religions, Judaism and Christianity. The al Qur'an is the holy Book of Islam.

In your studies you will have learned some about these three religions. Their similarities and differences are your answers. The Hebrew Scriptures largely recount the stories of the Hebrews and the laws, prophecies and customs they were given by God (HaShem).

The Christian New Testament seeks to prove that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah promised to Israel. It then continues to establish the structure of basic Christian worship in apologia, instruction and prophecies.

The Qur'an is largely a series of adulations to God (Allah) and instructions for the Muslim people. It also seeks to distinguish itself from the Bible (Hebrew and Christian) in part by transferring many of the biblical accounts from Isaac to Ishmael. For instance, Abraham offers Ishmael in sacrifice rather than Isaac. Rather than Hagar being Sara's Egyptian servant, the Qur'an presents her as an Egyptian Princess and so on.

For most of Judaism the Tanach (ie the "Old Testament") is viewed as a key for understanding the Oral Torah (ie the Talmuds, the Mishna etc.).

For most Protestant Christians the Bible is the only holy book. Many Christians, especially the Fundamentalists, base everything on the understandings of the Bible.
For Catholic and Orthodox Christians the Bible and the teachings of the Church are both considered essential. When Church teaching contradicts the Bible tradition is accepted.

For Sunni Muslims the Qur'an is an essential part of the divine revelation of Allah. The al Hadith (the life teachings of Prophet Muhammad) are also considered holy writ however and much of Sunni faith is based on al Hadith rather than the Qur'an.
For Shia Islam al Qur'an is the primary source of doctrine.
Sufis and other Muslim groups hold various views however as a general statement the teaching of Sunni Islam predominate.

This of course is a very general overview.

Both Christians and Muslims stem from Father Abraham and so the relevancy of the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) need to be considered, moreso for Christians than for Muslims. Muslims believe the "pure truth" was given to both the Jews and the Christians but they subverted and changed it. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came to restore the true faith and his teachings are considered infallible.

All three Abrahamic religions stress their scriptures as the inspired Word of the One True God and take them quite seriously although the degree to which this is the case varies.

Hope this helps,

~ John of AllFaith
~ Muhammad Yahya Saleem
~ Ben Ruach ha Kodesh