Christianity and Islam Term Paper

Christianity vs. Islam: Interpreting the Bible and Koran

Abraham's Sacrifice

Christianity and Islam interpret this event very similarly; both the Koran and the Bible acknowledge that Abraham was willing to make a "tremendous sacrifice" in this particular event (Shamoun, 2003). The difference however, between the Koran and the Bible rests in the name of Abraham's son. For example the bible says as follows:

By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son..." (Hebrews, 11:17; Shamoun, 2003).

The bible then, affirms that Isaac was offered up to God. The Koran however claims that Ishmael however, was offered up by Abraham as his only son. Muslims support this claim by affirming the notion that the Bible states that Abraham offered his "only son" who had to be Ishmael (Shamoun, 2003). Christians argue however that Isaac was the true promised child of Abraham, the only one that was Promised Land by God (Genesis 13:14-18; Shamoun, 2003).The Koran does acknowledge that Isaac was the only "promised child" of Abraham (Surah 11:69-73, 37:112-113; Shamoun, 2003).

The Koran does not actually state the name of the child that is sacrificed; rather it states "And we ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice..." (Surah 37:99-106; Shamoun, 2003).

The Virgin Birth/the Nature of Jesus

The Koran does support the virgin birth of Christ, but does not support the notion that Christ was resurrected (Dew, 2001). The Koran suggests rather that the Virgin Mary gave birth to a prophet, who was free from innate sin because he was virgin born (Brother Mike, n.d.).

The Bible however, supports the notion that the virgin birth existed, and the Virgin Mary gave birth to the son of God: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live….....