Before we explore Islam, let's check what you've learned about Judaism and Christianity. Try to answer each question from memory, then click to check.
Question 1: What is Abraham's significance to Judaism and Christianity?
🔒Try to answer from memory first!
Answer: Abraham is the founder of monotheism and the father of the covenant. God promised him land, descendants, and a special relationship with God. Both Judaism and Christianity trace their roots back to Abraham's faith and God's promise to him.
Question 2: What is the main difference between Judaism and Christianity?
🔒Try to answer from memory first!
Answer: Judaism maintains that God's law (Torah) is the eternal path to righteousness, while Christianity believes that Jesus is God's son and that faith in him (rather than obedience to Torah law) brings salvation. This disagreement about the Messiah and God's nature is the fundamental divide.
Question 3: What does monotheism mean?
🔒Try to answer from memory first!
Answer: Monotheism is the belief in one God. Abraham is credited with introducing this idea to the world. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions that trace their roots back to Abraham.
Question 4: What is incarnation, and why is it central to Christianity?
🔒Try to answer from memory first!
Answer: Incarnation is the Christian belief that God became human in Jesus Christ. It's central because it means God personally entered human history to save us. No other religion teaches this — it's Christianity's most distinctive doctrine. For Christianity, Jesus isn't just a prophet; he's God himself.
What Is Islam?
Islam means "submission" — submission to God (Allah in Arabic). Muslim means "one who submits." The religion claims to return to Abraham's original faith, monotheism, but with a crucial update: God's final revelation comes not through a scripture written on tablets (Torah) or incarnated in a person (Jesus), but through the words of the Quran, spoken through the prophet Muhammad.
The Heart of Islam: Tawhid
The core of Islamic belief is Tawhid — the oneness of God. God is absolutely one, indivisible, without partners or parts. God has no body, no gender, no human form. This is even more rigorous than Jewish monotheism, and it directly contradicts the Christian trinity.
Tawhid — Arabic for "oneness" or "unification." The Islamic doctrine that God is absolutely one, with no partners, no parts, no human aspects. It is Islam's most fundamental belief and shapes every aspect of Islamic practice.
"Say, 'He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.'"
Quran 112:1-4
Abraham and Muhammad
Muslims believe that Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) was the first Muslim — the first to submit to God. The Ka'ba, Islam's most sacred site in Mecca, is believed to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael as a house of worship for the one God.
Muhammad (570-632 CE) is believed to be the final prophet. He received the Quran — God's direct word — over 23 years. Muslims do not worship Muhammad; rather, they follow his example and his revelation. He is the "Seal of the Prophets," meaning prophecy ended with him.
The Quran — The Islamic holy scripture, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God (Allah) as revealed to the prophet Muhammad over 23 years. Muslims memorize, recite, and live by the Quran.
"And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said, 'My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits — whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day.' [Allah] said, 'And whoever disbelieves — I will let him enjoy himself a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination.'"
Quran 2:126
Muslims also honor the Torah (Tawrah) and the Gospels (Injil) as earlier revelations from God. However, they believe these scriptures have been altered or misunderstood over time, and that the Quran corrects and completes them.
"And We sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed."
Quran 5:48
Jesus in Islam
Islam honours Jesus (Isa in Arabic) as a great prophet — one of the most important prophets. He was born of the Virgin Mary (Maryam), and Muslims respect his moral teachings and miracles.
However, Islam explicitly rejects the Christian doctrine of incarnation. Muslims believe that claiming Jesus is God's son or part of God is the gravest sin in Islam: shirk — associating partners with God. The Quran affirms Jesus's message but clarifies that he was a human prophet, not God in flesh.
"O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion nor say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah."
Quran 4:171
Shirk — Arabic for "association" or "partnership." In Islam, it means associating any partner with God, or implying that anything else shares in God's divinity. Shirk is considered the only unforgivable sin in Islam.
Key Concepts: The Five Pillars
The foundation of Islamic practice rests on five core duties, called the Five Pillars:
1
Shahada
Declaration of faith: "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his messenger"
2
Salah
Prayer (five times daily, facing Mecca)
3
Zakat
Almsgiving; giving to the poor and in need
4
Sawm
Fasting during Ramadan (the month of revelation)
5
Hajj
Pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once, if able)
The Ummah: Community of Believers
Islam emphasizes the ummah — the global community of all Muslims. Unlike Judaism (which is tied to Jewish ethnicity and heritage) or Christianity (which has many denominations), Islam sees itself as a single, unified community united by faith in God and submission to God's will.
Ummah — The global community of Muslims. Literally "nation" or "people." All Muslims, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or language, are part of one ummah united by their submission to God.
The Quran's View of Other Faiths
The Quran is complex in how it presents Judaism and Christianity. On one hand, it honors the Torah and the Gospels as revelations from God. On the other, it claims that these scriptures were misunderstood or corrupted over time, and that Islam represents the final, uncorrupted revelation.
The Quran refers to Jewish people and Christians as "People of the Book" — people who received scripture from God. It calls for mutual respect, but also asserts that Islam is the final and complete path to God.
Islamic Concepts and Abrahamic Parallels
Islam connects to Judaism and Christianity through shared figures and concepts, but with important differences. Below, match Islamic terms to their Abrahamic parallels.
Interactive Matching Activity
On the left are Islamic figures/concepts. On the right are their parallels in Judaism and Christianity. Study the connections:
Islamic Figures/Concepts
Ibrahim (Abraham)
Musa (Moses)
Isa (Jesus)
Muhammad
Tawhid
Quran
Jewish/Christian Parallels
Torah (Jewish revelation)
Abraham (founder of covenant)
Jesus (God's son/Messiah)
Moses (received God's law)
Monotheism (belief in one God)
Muhammad (no Christian parallel)
How They Connect (and Differ)
Ibrahim/Abraham
All three faiths revere Abraham. Muslims see him as the first Muslim — the first to submit to God. Christians see him as the father of faith. Jews see him as the covenant-maker. Key difference: Islam traces Muhammad's line through Ishmael; Judaism and Christianity through Isaac.
Musa/Moses
Muslims deeply honor Moses as one of God's greatest prophets. He received the Torah (Tawrah in Arabic), which Muslims respect as God's word. Key similarity: All three traditions see Moses as the lawgiver. Key difference: Muslims believe Muhammad superseded Moses as the final prophet.
Isa/Jesus
Muslims honor Jesus as a great prophet and messenger, born of the Virgin Mary. But Muslims explicitly reject the incarnation and trinity. Key similarity: All three faiths see Jesus as important. Key difference: For Christians, Jesus is God; for Muslims, he is a prophet; for many Jews, he is neither.
Tawhid/Monotheism
The Islamic doctrine of Tawhid (oneness of God) is Islam's core. It emphasizes that God is absolutely one, with no partners, no parts, no human form. This is similar to Judaism's insistence on monotheism, but directly opposed to Christianity's trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit as one God).
Muhammad — A Unique Figure
Muhammad has no parallel in Judaism or Christianity. Muslims believe he is the final prophet, sealing all prophecy. Christians don't believe in Muhammad; Judaism predates Muhammad by over 1,000 years. This is Islam's most distinctive claim: that revelation did not end with the Torah or Jesus, but continued through Muhammad.
Sorting Activity: Abrahamic Beliefs
Which of these beliefs belong to Islam, Judaism, Christianity, or more than one? Think carefully about overlaps and differences.
Explore each belief:
God is one
Abraham is a model of faith
Jesus is God's son
Muhammad is the final prophet
The Torah is God's word
God cannot become human
Prophets bring God's message
Salvation through faith in Jesus
Submission to God's will
Reflection: Notice how many beliefs are shared by all three faiths (especially belief in one God and in prophets), yet how profoundly they disagree on other core points (Jesus, Muhammad, God's nature). This is what makes them "Abraham's children" — related, but distinct.
Islam: Return or Revolution?
Muslims claim that Islam is not a new religion, but a return to Abraham's original monotheism. Yet it also makes new claims (Muhammad as the final prophet). You need to synthesize this tension.
Your Task: Create a comparison showing how Islam honours previous prophets (especially Abraham, Moses, and Jesus) while also claiming to be the final, complete revelation. Write 150-200 words explaining:
• What does Islam preserve from Judaism and Christianity?
• What new claims does Islam make?
• How does Islam resolve the tension between "returning to Abraham" and "superseding previous revelations"?
0 words
Discussion: The Concept of "Return"
Islam claims to be a "return" to Abraham's faith. But is it really a return, or is it something new? Consider:
What would Abraham recognize in Islam? The strict monotheism, the covenant relationship with God, the emphasis on moral obedience, the role of prophets — these are all Abrahamic themes. But would Abraham recognize the Quran, the Five Pillars, the ummah, or the role of Muhammad?
What would Abraham find revolutionary about Islam? The claim that revelation continued after Moses. The emphasis on submission (Islam) rather than law-keeping (Judaism) or faith (Christianity). The absolute unity of God without any hint of trinity or incarnation. The idea that his other son, Ishmael, not Isaac, is the father of the Arab Muslims.
Why does this matter? How religions understand their own identity — as "new" or as "returning to ancient roots" — shapes their theology and their relationship to other faiths. For Muslims, Islam is neither Christianity (a break from Judaism) nor a reform of Judaism, but a restoration and completion of the original Abrahamic faith.
Understanding Islamic Doctrine
Key Terms and Concepts — Quick Review
Tawhid
Click for definition
The Islamic doctrine of absolute monotheism — God is one, indivisible, without partners or human form. Islam's foundational belief.
Ummah
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The global community of all Muslims, united by faith in God and submission to God's will, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or language.
Shirk
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In Islam, associating partners with God or implying that anything else shares in God's divinity. Islam's gravest sin.
Shahada
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Islamic declaration of faith: "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his messenger." The first of the Five Pillars.
Five Pillars
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The five core duties of Islam: Shahada (declaration), Salah (prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage).
Quran
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The Islamic holy scripture, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God as revealed to the prophet Muhammad over 23 years.
Synthesis Questions
1. How does Islam claim to relate to Judaism and Christianity?
Think about the concept of "Abraham's children" and how Islam views previous revelations.
2. What makes Tawhid Islam's most important doctrine?
Consider how it relates to and differs from Jewish and Christian beliefs about God.
3. Why is Muhammad's role as "final prophet" so significant?
How does this claim distinguish Islam from both Judaism and Christianity?
4. Compare how each faith answers the question "What does God want from us?"
Judaism: living by Torah law. Christianity: faith in Jesus. Islam: submission and obedience. What do these differences reveal?
Your Reflection
You've now studied the three Abrahamic faiths across four lessons. Spend a moment thinking about what you've learned.
Final Reflection Question: Now that you've learned about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, what do you think is the most important thing these three faiths share? What is the most significant way they differ? (Write 1-2 paragraphs.)
0 words
What's Next?
You've completed Unit 1: "Abraham's Children." You've explored the covenant, the roots of Judaism, Christianity's claim of a new covenant, and Islam's assertion of final prophecy. These three faiths shape the religious landscape of the world — they're home to nearly 4 billion people, and understanding them is essential to understanding our world.
In future units, you'll explore how each faith practices its beliefs, how they interact in the modern world, and how young people like you navigate questions of faith, identity, and community. These aren't just historical questions — they're questions that matter today.