The Jewish Origins of Islam

The Influence of Judaism on Islam

_{Islam is a religion which has 1.5 billion followers. It can be translated as  “submission.” This religion was founded by a Bedouin called Mohammed (570-632).}

_{The followers of Mohammed call him “The Prophet” and associate him with the Jewish prophets found in the Hebrew Bible, including Moses, Abraham. Abraham’s  son Ishmael, and Jesus, who was also Jewish. Muslims celebrate a major Holy Day called “The Sacrifice of Ishmael” on the last day of the lunar year. The Jewish calendar is also lunar. That Holy Day is copied from the Jewish religion, where it is called “The sacrifice of Isaac.” Since Abraham was the father of Isaac and Ishmael, Ishmael is viewed as the son of Hagar and Abraham, the first Jews (Genesis 16:3).}

 _{Because so much of Islam is copied from the Hebrew Bible, Muslims call Jews “The People of the Book.” Muslims therefore have adopted numerous Jewish practices. Muslims, like Jews, eat kosher food, and avoid such non-kosher food as pork.  The word “kosher” means “fit” to eat.  A kosher mammal is one which chews the cud and has a split hoof. There are also animals which are not kosher, including some fish, animals shot with a gun, etc. The Arabic word “Halal” is used by Muslims to indicate permission to eat approved food.}

_{Muslims cover their heads with skull caps as Jews also do, calling this headgear “Kippas.”}

_{The Koran is the name of the Muslim scriptures. It contains numerous references to the Hebrew Bilble, including many names of ancient Hebrew persons.}

_{Hebrew and Arabic are both called “semitic” languages, as they are related to such an extent that some of the words are the same, such as Melech, meaning king.}

_{Most important is the Jewish and Islamic belief that God is one. Jews recite “Hear, Israel, the Lord Our God is One.”  Muslims are Monotheists  (From Latin mono, meaning one, and Greek theos, meaning God) who find Christianity unacceptable on the grounds that Christians refer to The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” which seems  like polytheism to Muslims.}

_{Ancient Jewish practice allowed Jewish men to have several wives. That is still true of Islam, although it has been abolished in Judaism.}

_{Muslims believe that the female gender is inferior to males and circumcise little girls and force women to wear a cloth covering their faces, called a Hijab. Orthodox Jewish women wear a “sheitel.” The sheitel is a wig  worn instead of natural hair. In Yiddish, “sheitel” means a wig. In German, Scheitel means a parting  of the hair. Muslims do not allow women to be clergy, a custom no longer practiced by reform and conservative Jews.}

_{There are many more similarities between Judaism and Islam.}

_{Unfortunately, Muslims believe that no one who believes in Judaism has the right to live. Therefore Muslims have constantly attacked Jewish believers, finding the murder of Jews a great achievement. Muslims reward those who kill Jews with money and other gifts and praise such murder. Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and others are also the targets of Muslim intolerance for anyone who does not practice Islam. The result is that Muslims attack Israel, the Hindu people in India, and Christians in Libya, as well as smaller groups of adherents to other religions. Therefore our freedom of religion is foreign to Muslims, as are all of the constitutionally guaranteed civil rights included in American laws.}

_{It remains to be seen whether Muslims, recently arrived in the United States, can assimilate our freedom and our democracy.}

_{De  religio non est disputandem}

Shalom u'vracha.

[ Home ] [ Up ]