Introduction
The Ten Commandments and the Pillars of Islam serve as the foundations of the Islamic and Christian religions. In general, they consist of predetermined norms that lay the groundwork for how Muslims and Christians should conduct themselves in their interactions with the Almighty and those with whom they interact. This paper compares three of the Ten Commandments and three of the five pillars of Islam.
The First Commandment and The First Pillar
Using God’s name in dishonor is forbidden in the first commandment, which reads, “I am the LORD your God: you must not put other gods before me.” This is consistent with the first pillar of Islam, which is called the Shahada. This pillar forbids Muslims from honoring another God apart from Allah, whose messenger is Muhammad. Allah’s prophet Muhammad declared relevant knowledge from the supreme Creator; thus, Muslims must follow Muhammad’s instructions. This pillar represents the cornerstone of the Muslim-Allah relationship, and it cannot be disputed by anybody of a different faith or belief system.
Accordingly, it is consistent with Jesus being God’s messenger, and as a result, Christians are expected to follow his teachings. These commandments and pillars serve as a foundational justification for the fundamental religious conviction that there can only be one God.
The Third Commandment and The Second Pillar
In both Christianity and Islam, a specific period is reserved for devotion and, hence, the public proclamation of an individual’s religious beliefs in an open forum. The third commandment directs Christians to observe the Lord’s Day as a sacred day. On the other hand, the Salat, the second pillar of Islam, consistently defines how Muslims must carry out the prayer ritual. It outlines five prayer periods every day, which must be directed toward the compass bearing of Mecca (Pathan and Subhan 30). In this way, all devotion is due to God or Allah, as He establishes the norms guiding human connections and responsibility to one another. However, evident variations emerge when the two are compared in that in Christianity, the holy day is dependent on the different branches of Christianity, whereas, in Islam, it is consistent. Moreover, the second pillar stipulates a time of worship, unlike the third commandment.
The Seventh Commandment and The Third Pillar
In the subsequent commandments, Christians are reminded of their responsibilities, which include prohibitions against slaying and immorality as well as robbery, false testimony, desiring another woman, and coveting another’s wealth. However, while they are also not seen favorably in Islam, perhaps the sole pillar that concerns day-to-day conduct is the third pillar called the Zakah. This pillar addressed the need to give alms, tithe, or donations (Pathan and Subhan 26). More broadly, it can be associated with the seventh commandment, which forbids Christians from stealing what is not theirs. In addition, this commandment forbids any form of cheating or behavior that deprives others of their rights or property. It also instills responsibility, such as paying taxes to the state. Therefore, both laws are designed to instill a feeling of civic duty in people.
The Islamic and Christian religions are both established on the Pillars of Islam and the Commandments. These form the fundamental laws governing how islands and Christians should behave towards each other and how they should be related to Allah or God. Therefore, those who break these specific norms are guilty of sin. They must make amends to the Supreme Being, which necessitates their acknowledgment of the respective teachings about their mistakes.
Work Cited
Pathan, Muhammad Anwar, and Mr Hafiz Muhammad Abdul Subhan. “Five Pillars of Islam and their Social Impacts.” Journal of Religious Studies 1.2 (2018): 24-45.