Posted: November 20th, 2023

What Is the Fundamental Theology Behind Why Jews Disagree With Islam?

What Is the Fundamental Theology Behind Why Jews Disagree With Islam?

Judaism and Islam are two of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, both tracing their origins to Abraham, the patriarch of the Abrahamic faiths. However, despite their common roots, Jews and Muslims have many theological differences that shape their beliefs and practices. This paper will explore some of the fundamental theological reasons why Jews disagree with Islam, focusing on three main areas: the nature of God, the role of prophets, and the status of the Torah.

The Nature of God

One of the most basic differences between Judaism and Islam is how they conceive of God’s nature and attributes. Judaism affirms that God is one, indivisible, and incomparable, but also allows for some degree of anthropomorphism, or attributing human qualities to God. For example, the Hebrew Bible often describes God as having emotions, such as anger, love, or jealousy, or performing actions, such as speaking, creating, or judging. Judaism also uses various names and titles for God, such as Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, or El Shaddai, each reflecting a different aspect of God’s character or relationship with Israel.

Islam, on the other hand, rejects any form of anthropomorphism and emphasizes God’s absolute transcendence and uniqueness. Islam teaches that God is one, eternal, and incomparable, and that nothing can be likened to Him. Islam also forbids associating any partners or intermediaries with God, which is considered the gravest sin of shirk. Islam uses 99 names for God, known as the Beautiful Names (al-Asma al-Husna), each expressing one of God’s attributes or qualities. However, these names are not considered to be part of God’s essence or nature, but rather ways of describing His actions or manifestations.

The Role of Prophets

Another major difference between Judaism and Islam is how they view the role and authority of prophets. Judaism believes that God chose Israel as His special people and revealed His will to them through various prophets, such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel. However, Judaism does not consider any prophet to be infallible or superior to others. Rather, each prophet had a specific mission and message for a particular time and place. Judaism also recognizes that prophecy ceased after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, and that no new revelation can supersede or abrogate the Torah.

Islam, by contrast, believes that God sent many prophets to different nations throughout history, all preaching the same message of monotheism and submission to God’s will. However, Islam considers Muhammad to be the final and greatest prophet, who brought the complete and universal revelation of the Quran. Islam regards Muhammad as the seal of the prophets (khatam al-nabiyyin), meaning that no new prophet can come after him. Islam also believes that Muhammad confirmed and corrected the previous revelations that were corrupted or distorted by Jews and Christians.

The Status of the Torah

A third fundamental difference between Judaism and Islam is how they regard the status and authority of the Torah. Judaism holds that the Torah is the word of God given to Moses at Mount Sinai, containing both the written law (Torah Shebikhtav) and the oral law (Torah Shebe’al Peh). Judaism considers the Torah to be eternal and unchangeable, binding on all Jews in every generation. Judaism also believes that the Torah contains multiple levels of meaning and interpretation, which can be uncovered through various methods of exegesis and hermeneutics.

Islam acknowledges that the Torah is one of the original scriptures revealed by God to Moses (Musa), along with the Psalms (Zabur) given to David (Dawud) and the Gospel (Injil) given to Jesus (Isa). However, Islam claims that these scriptures were altered or corrupted by their followers over time, and that only the Quran remains pure and preserved. Islam also asserts that the Quran abrogates or cancels out any previous laws or commandments that contradict it. Therefore, Muslims are not obliged to follow the Torah or any other scripture besides the Quran.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has examined some of the fundamental theological reasons why Jews disagree with Islam. These reasons include:

– The nature of God: Judaism allows for some anthropomorphism while Islam emphasizes God’s transcendence.
– The role of prophets: Judaism does not rank prophets or accept new revelation while Islam affirms Muhammad as the final and supreme prophet.
– The status of the Torah: Judaism regards the Torah as eternal and unchangeable while Islam considers it corrupted and abrogated by the Quran.

These differences reflect divergent understandings of God’s revelation and relationship with humanity, which have profound implications for both faiths.

References

– Firestone, Reuven. An Introduction to Islam for Jews. Philadelphia: write my masters thesis Jewish Publication Society, 2008.
– Neusner, Jacob, and Tamara Sonn. Comparing Religions through Law: Judaism and Islam. London: Routledge, 1999.
– Peters, F. E. The Monotheists: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Conflict and Competition. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003.