Judaism

‫ﻴﻟﻬﻮدﻳﺔ‬
[ English - ‫] إ�ﻠ�ي‬

www.islamreligion.com website

‫مﻮﻗﻊ دﻳﻦ اﻹﺳﻼم‬

2013 - 1434
Judaism (part 1 of 4): An
Introduction

‫ﻴﻟﻬﻮدﻳﺔ‬
‫ ﻣﻘﺪﻣﺔ‬:(4‫ ﻣﻦ‬1 ‫)ﺠﻟﺰء‬
[ English - ‫] إ�ﻠ�ي‬

2
 The Merriam Webster online dictionary defines Judaism as a
religion developed among the ancient Hebrews and characterized
by belief in one transcendent God who has revealed himself to
Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life
in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions. 1 It would
also be correct to say that Judaism incorporated the cultural, social,
and religious beliefs and practices of the Jewish people.
According to the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there
were around 13.1 million Jewish people in the world in 2007; most
reside in the USA and Israel. Many of these people identify
themselves as Jews but do not believe in, nor follow any Jewish
laws or rites. Judaism 101 2 claims that more than half of the Jews
in Israel today call themselves “secular,” and do not believe in
God and that half of all Jews in the United States don’t belong to
any synagogue.

1(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judaism)

2 (http://www.jewfaq.org/judaism.htm)

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 Jews generally consider anyone born of a Jewish mother to be
a “Jew”. Some groups also accept children of Jewish fathers
however that is not the norm. Furthermore, a Jew does not lose
the technical status of being a Jew by adopting another faith; they
do however choose to lose the religious element of their Jewish
identity. It is possible for a non Jew to “convert” to Judaism but it
is not a simple process. Jews do not try to convert people to
Judaism and in fact part of the conversion process requires a rabbi 3
to make three vigorous attempts to dissuade a person from
converting.
Although many make contrary claims that Judaism is a religion
or a race, a culture, or an ethnic group, none of these descriptions
appear to be entirely adequate. For the purposes of this article we
will discuss Judaism, the religion.
Judaism (an organised religion) was, in its pristine form,
revealed to Prophet Moses; however Jews trace their ancestry back
to Prophet Abraham; so to do Christians and Muslims. Prophets
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, known in Judaism as the Patriarchs,
and known and accepted as Prophets of God by Islam..
According to Jewish tradition Abraham was the son of an idol
merchant, but from his early childhood, he questioned the faith of
his father and sought the truth. He came to believe that the entire
universe was the work of a single Creator, and he began to teach
this belief to others. This belief is generally accepted as the
world’s first monotheistic religion. 4
Say, “Truly, my Lord has guided me to a Straight Path, a right
religion, the religion of Abraham, hanifa (i-e Monotheism - to
believe in One God). And he was not among those who associated
others with God” (Quran 6:161)

3 A Jewish scholar or teacher.

4 Not according to Islam, where the Prophet’s of God, including Adam, the father
of human kind practised and taught pure monotheism.
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 Verily, Abraham was the leader of a nation, obedient to God,
hanifa (i.e. to worship none but God), and he was not of those
who associate others with God (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers
in the Oneness of God). (Quran 16:120)
Judaism has no formal dogma or set of beliefs, actions are
considered far more important than beliefs. Jews believe that
there is one God, the Creator of the universe, with whom every
Jew can have an individual and personal relationship.
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, (a.k.a. Maimonides) put together
13 Principles of Faith that are widely accepted amongst the
different movements of Judaism. More recently they have been
called into question by more liberal schools of thought; however
for our purposes here they summarise the general precepts of
Judaism. Personal opinion on all of these precepts is acceptable,
due to, as already pointed out, the focus being more on actions
rather than belief.
God exists.
God is one and unique.
God is incorporeal.
God is eternal.
Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
The words of the prophets are true.
Moses was the greatest of the prophets, and his prophecies are
true.
The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah
(teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were
given to Moses.
There will be no other Torah.
God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
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 God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
The Messiah will come.
The dead will be resurrected.
The website Judaism 101 describes the nature of the
relationship between God and humankind and God and Jews as it
is understood by the different Jewish schools of thought. “Our
scriptures tell the story of the development of these relationships”.
5
Jewish scriptures outline mutual obligations; however the
various movements of Jewish thought often disagree about the
nature of these obligations. “Some say they are absolute,
unchanging laws from God (Orthodox); some say they are laws
from God that change and evolve over time (Conservative); some
say that they are guidelines that you can choose whether or not to
follow (Reform).” 6
Judaism has a rich history of religious text, but the central,
most important religious document, is the Torah. The word Torah,
especially for non Jews, or Christians, most commonly refers to
the first five books of the Old Testament (Bible), what the Jews
call the books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy. When Muslims refer to the Torah, they use the
word Tawrat and mean the law as it was revealed to Prophet
Moses.
When Jews use the word Torah, they usually mean the entire
body of Jewish scripture, known as the Tanakh. Tanakh is also an
acrostic term for Torah (the Law), Nevi’im (the Prophets), and
Ketuvim (the Writings), the three parts of Jewish scripture, again,
what Christians would call the Old testament. In some
circumstances Tanakh can refer to the whole body of Jewish law
and teachings.

5 (http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm)

6 Ibid.
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 Next in importance and authority comes the Talmud; a body of
work that explains the scriptures and how to interpret and apply
the laws. This was compiled and written down in a body of work
commonly referred to as the Mishnah. Over the centuries,
additional commentaries elaborating on the Mishnah were written
down in Jerusalem and Babylon. These additional commentaries
are known as the Gemara.
The body of work included in the Gemara is massive. It
includes comments from hundreds of Rabbis from 200 - 500 CE,
explaining the Mishnah with additional historical, religious, legal,
and social comment. The Gemara and the Mishnah together are
known as the Talmud. This was completed in the 5th century
C.E. There are two Talmuds, one compiled in Jerusalem and
another in Babylonia. The Babylonian Talmud was compiled later
and is more comprehensive, it is the one usually meant when
someone refers to “the Talmud”.
In part 2 we will continue to explore the religion of Judaism,
discuss why Jews (or what we will come to learn are the Children
of Israel) are often referred to as the “Chosen people” both in
Jewish and Islamic literature and scripture.

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Judaism (part 2 of 4): The
Chosen People

‫ﻴﻟﻬﻮدﻳﺔ‬
‫ لﺸﻌﺐ اﻤﻟﺨﺘﺎر‬:(4‫ ﻣﻦ‬2‫)ﺠﻟﺰء‬
[ English - ‫] إ�ﻠ�ي‬

8
 In the last article we learned that that the organised and
structured religion revealed to Prophet Moses came to be known as
Judaism. The name probably originated from Judah, the son of
Prophet Jacob and leader of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, or
from the ancient Kingdom of Judah. The Jews, under God’s
guidance became a powerful people with kings (who were also
Prophets of God) including Saul, David, and Solomon, who built
the first great temple. More detailed information about the Ancient
kingdom of Israel can be found on this website. 7 6F

However Jews, as a people, trace their history back to Prophet

Abraham, as do Muslims. Islam Judaism and Christianity are
known as Abrahamic faiths or the three great monotheistic faiths.
In Islam and Judaism the people known as Jews are usually
referred to as the Children of Israel. This should not be confused
with the state of Israel that exists today in the Middle East. Israel
is another name for Prophet Jacob (in Islam Yacub), therefore the
term ‘the Children of Israel’ refers to the descendants of Prophet
Jacob.
Over a thousand years after Abraham, the Jews were living as
slaves in Egypt; their leader was the Prophet of God known as
Moses 8 to Christians, and known in Judaism as Moshe Rabbenu
7F

('Moses our teacher'). He led his people out of slavery in Egypt

and on their behalf he received the Torah that included not only

7 (http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2435/)

8 (More information can be found here.

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/3366/)

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the Ten commandments, but a total of 613 rules (or
commandments) that some Jews continue to live by to this day.
Jews believe there is only One God, with whom they have a
strong and binding covenant.
“That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your
seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the
seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their
enemies. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations
of the world, because you hearkened to My voice." (Genisis 22:18)
9

And God said to Moses; “And now, if you obey Me and keep
My covenant, you shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for
Mine is the entire earth. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of
princes and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak
to the children of Israel." (Exodus 19: 5&6) 10
According to various Jewish websites, the fact the Jews refer to
themselves as God’s chosen people does not mean that they are in
any way superior to other peoples. Biblical verses such as Exodus
19:5 simply imply that God selected Jews to receive and study the
Torah, to worship God only, to rest on the weekly Sabbath, and to
celebrate the festivals. Jews were not chosen to be better than
others rather they were selected to receive more difficult
responsibilities and a more onerous punishment if they fail.
God, they say, appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in
order to set an example of holiness and ethical behaviour to the
world. 11 This is confirmed in Islamic scripture and literature.

9 (http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8217/jewish/Chapter-22.htm)

10 Ibid.
11 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/)

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 “O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed
upon you and that I preferred you...” (Quran2:47)
“And We gave Moses the Scripture and made it a guidance for
the Children of Israel (saying): ‘Take not other than Me as (your)
Protector, Lord, or Disposer of your affairs.” (Quran 17:2)
“O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed
upon you, and fulfil (your obligations to) My Covenant (with you)
so that I fulfil (My Obligations to) your covenant (with Me), and
fear none but Me.” (Quran 2:40)
Thus, to fulfil their covenant, Jews keep God's laws and seek to
bring holiness into every aspect of their lives. A religious Jew tries
to bring holiness into everything he does, by doing it as an act that
praises God, and for such a person, life becomes an act of worship.
The Quran however goes on to state that the Jews failed to keep
their covenant with God.
“And believe in what I have sent down (this Quran),
confirming that which is with you, the Torah and the Gospel, and
be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy not with My Verses a
small price (i.e. getting a small gain by selling My Verses), and
fear Me and Me Alone.” (Quran 2:41)
“So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them
and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from
their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message
that was sent to them...” (Quran 5:13)
Islam teaches that all prophets came to their people with the
same proclamation, “….‘O my people, worship God, you have
no other God but Him…’”. (Quran 11:50). Among the prophets
that Islam recognises is a chain of Prophets sent to the Jews.
Prophets that Jews, Christians and Muslims are all familiar with.
This chain includes Prophets Moses, King David, King Solomon,
Zechariah, John the Baptist and Jesus, son of Mary. The Jews
disbelieve in Jesus son of Mary even though his mission was clear.
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 “And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary,
confirming the Torah that had come before him, and We gave him
the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirmation of
the Torah that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition
for the pious.” (Quran 5:46)
Prophet Muhammad is the last of the Prophets, yet the Jews
also disbelieve in him and disbelieve any references made to him
in the Torah.
“O you who have been given the Scripture (Jews and
Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad)
confirming what is (already) with you...” (Quran 4:46)
In part 3 of this series of articles about Judaism we will discuss
the similarities between Judaism and Islam.

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 Judaism (part 3 of 4):
Focus on Similarities not
Differences

‫ﻴﻟﻬﻮدﻳﺔ‬
‫ ﺘ�� ﻰﻠﻋ اوﺟﻪ‬:(4‫ ﻣﻦ‬3 ‫)ﺠﻟﺰء‬
‫اﻟتﺸﺎﺑﻪ واﻹﺧﺘﻼف‬
[ English - ‫] إ�ﻠ�ي‬

13
 In part 2 we discussed the role of the Jews as The Chosen
People and concluded with the fact that the Quran states that the
Jews failed to keep their covenant with God. From Islam’s point
of view the Jews fell from grace. In the Torah (and the Bible) we
find the following passage.
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord
your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured
possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
It was not because you were more in number than any other people
that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the
fewest of all peoples: But because the LORD loved you, and

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because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your
fathers… ‘‘ (Deutoronomy 6: 7-8)
However in the Quran, the words of God, revealed more than
650 years after the birth of Jesus, son of Mary, we find a very
different set of circumstances.
“...they disobeyed (God and the Messengers) and were ever
transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to prevent one
another from wrongdoing (sins, polytheism, and disbelief) that
they did. Vile indeed was what they used to do” (Quran 5:78&79)
It is only natural to wonder what happened throughout the
history of the Jewish people to have them fall so far from the grace
of God. Quran tells us that the Jewish people were not grateful for
the untold blessings God had bestowed upon them; instead they
transgressed, lied and blasphemed. Despite this Judaism and Islam
have a lot in common.
Christianity Judaism and Islam are referred to as the three
monotheistic faiths. They all profess a belief in One God;
however, it is undeniable that the beliefs of Christianity are
somewhat different to the other two. Jews are strict monotheists,
as are Muslims. Their belief in God is sometimes referred to as
pure monotheism. Both Jews and Muslims view God as a single,
indivisible entity. This contrasts with most Christians who view
God as a Trinity, a single entity with three distinct personalities,
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
“Say: ‘He is God, (the Unique) One.’” (Quran 112:1)
Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is One (Deutoronomy 6:4)
Let us examine some of the similarities between Judaism and
Islam in more detail.
• Jewish belief does not accept the Christian concept of
original sin (the belief that all people have inherited Adam and
Eve’s sin when they disobeyed God’s instructions in the Garden of
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Eden). Islam also denies the Christian concept of original sin and
the notion that humankind is born sinful. In Islam each person
bears responsibility for his own deeds. These deeds, sinful or
otherwise cannot be inherited.
“And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden…”
(Quran 35:18)
• Jews do not recognize the need for a saviour as an
intermediary or partner with God. Islam states clearly that there is
no need for God, or even a Prophet of God to sacrifice himself for
humankind’s sins in order to buy forgiveness. Islam refuses this
view entirely. The foundation of Islam rests on knowing with
certainty that nothing should be worshipped but God alone.
This is also true of Judaism; however the similarities in regards
to atonement end here because Judaism totally rejects Jesus as a
prophet of God and fails to accept his position as Messiah 12 to the
Jewish people. Islam teaches that Jesus did not come to atone for
the sins of mankind. Jesus came to denounce the leaders of the
Children of Israel, who had fallen into lives of materialism and
luxury. His mission was to confirm the Torah, to make lawful
things that were previously unlawful and to proclaim and reaffirm
the belief in One Creator.
“.. None has the right to be worshipped but God, the One and
the Only True God…” (Quran 3:62)
• The most obvious common practice is the statement of
the absolute oneness of God which Muslims observe in their five
times daily prayers (Salah), and Jews state at least twice per day
(morning and night)in their affirmation of the oneness of God
known as the Shema Yisrael.

12 (Hebrew - Annointed One) - In Jewish tradition, a person of the line of King

David who will return the Jews from exile, rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and
initiate a period of prosperity and peace.
16
 • They share the belief that Jerusalem is a holy place,
particularly the Dome of the Rock known to Jews as the Temple
Mount. Both religions believe this is where Abraham brought his
son to sacrifice him - his first son Ishmael in Islam and his second
son Isaac in the traditions of Judaism. Ishmael is considered by
both religions to be the father of the Arab nation and Isaac the
father of the Jews.
• Both Judaism and Islam share many fundamental
concepts; including divine judgement and an afterlife.
• Islam and Judaism both have systems of religious law
that do not distinguish between religious and secular life. In Islam
the laws are called Sharia, in Judaism they are known as Halakha.
• Both Judaism and Islam consider the study of religious
law to be a form of worship.
The two faiths also share the fundamental practices of fasting
and charity, as well as similar dietary laws and aspects of ritual
purity. With such obvious similarities one might ask why Jews
and Muslims seem to be enemies. Furthermore, if Islam is a
natural progression from Adam and Eve through a long line of
prophets to Prophet Muhammad and the revelation of Quran, why
don’t more Jews embrace the Islamic faith? Part 4 will attempt to
address these questions and conclude our study and discussion of
Judaism.

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Judaism (part 4 of 4): So
Very Similar; so Why not
the same?

‫ﻴﻟﻬﻮدﻳﺔ‬
‫ ذاًﻤﻟﺎذا‬، �‫ اﻟتﺸﺎﺑﻪ ﻛﺒ‬:(4‫ ﻣﻦ‬4‫)ﺠﻟﺰء‬
‫اﻹﺧﺘﻼف ؟‬
[ English - ‫] إ�ﻠ�ي‬

18
 In the three previous articles about the religion of Judaism we
have learned first and foremost that Judaism and Islam have much
in common. The political landscape of the 21st century seems to
paint a picture of Jews and Muslims being mortal enemies but this
is not the case. The two faiths share a history and at times have
lived worked and cooperated with each other. Many Muslims
wonder why Jews do not automatically see Islam as an extension
of their own faith and thus embrace Islam wholeheartedly. The
fact is many do, but the majority do not. In this final article we
will continue to look at the similarities between the two faiths and
briefly explore their historical interaction.
Judaism and Islam share a joint legacy of traditions. The two
faiths share many of the same prophets, all acknowledging a

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common parent in Abraham. All ascribe similar attributes to God,
including Creator, Sustainer, Judge, and Forgiver. The two faiths
believe God is both Omnipotent and Omniscient. The kinship of
these faiths continues through moral values, including respect for
life, respect for parents, giving charity, doing good, and avoiding
evil. Even their beliefs about the final moments of humankind’s
existence are similar. Judaism and Islam share the tradition that if
the trumpet to signal the end of time is blown and you are holding
a seedling in your hand, you should plant it. There is considerable
and continued physical, theological, and political overlap between
the two faiths.
The Torah records Abraham as the ancestor of the Jews
through his son Isaac, born to Sarah fulfilling a promise made in
Genesis. In the Islamic tradition Prophet Muhammad is a
descendant of Abraham’s son Ishmael. Jewish tradition also
equates the descendants of Ishmael with Arabs. The so called
Jewish prophets feature prominently in Islamic scripture and
literature and the message is always the same – worship One God.
“Abraham was the father of the Prophets; no Prophet was sent
after him but he was from among his descendents. He had two
sons whom God chose to be Prophets. They were Ishmael the
grandfather of the Arabs, from among whose descendents God
sent the Prophet Muhammad and Isaac whom God blessed with a
son Prophet Jacob, who was also known as Israel, after whom the
Children of Israel and their Prophets were called.” 13
“And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, each of them
We guided, and before him, We guided Noah and among his
progeny David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron. Thus do
We reward the good-doers. And Zachary and John and Jesus and

13 From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh

Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (with some
grammatical amendments).

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Elias, each one of them was of the righteous. And Ishmael and
Elisha and Jonah and Lot and each one of them We preferred
above the humankind and jinn (of their times).” (Quran 6:84-86)
Historically, Jews and Muslims have shared their cultures and
prospered together, sometimes for centuries. This connection is
best reflected in the 700 years of Muslim rule in Spain, at that time
known as Andalusia. It was here that Jews held some of the most
important political positions, were doctors to the Muslim rulers,
and generated profound philosophical theories. Maimonides lived
and wrote The Guide to the Perplexed (a discussion of some of the
most difficult theories of theology) in Cordoba. A statue in his
honour stands there still. Jews were able to make great advances
in mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and chemistry, and this
era is sometimes referred to as the Golden age of Jewish culture.
In 1492, when Andalusia was overrun by the Catholics and the
Muslim rulers deposed, Jews and Muslims fled together to the
safety of Muslim lands in North Africa and east toward Egypt,
Palestine, Syria and Iraq.
“God does not forbid you from showing goodwill and dealing
justly with those (of the unbelievers) who do not fight you because
of your religion, nor drive you forth from your homes. God surely
loves those who are just. God only forbids you respecting those
who fight you on the basis of your religion, and expel you from
your homes...” (Quran 60: 8 & 9)
The treatment of both Jews and Christians by Muslims is well
documented. The Caliph Omar under whom Jerusalem was
conquered about six years after the Prophet's death, not only issued
an edict protecting the Christian religious sites, but also invited 70
Jewish families from Tiberias to take up residence in Jerusalem,
from which they had been expelled by the Romans. Jews and
Muslims have very much in common, the greatest doctrine being
their belief in One God, indivisible and accessible.

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 With so many similarities one could easily ask the question,
just why are more Jews not converting to Islam? As mentioned
earlier, many are. In the early days of Islam many Jews did in fact
convert to Islam and one in particular, Abdullah Ibn Salam, was a
close companion of Prophet Muhammad. His story can be read in
detail on this web site 14. The following is a short and list of
notable Jews who converted to Islam.
• Rashid-al-Din Hamadani - 13th century Persian
physician
• Yaqub ibn Killis - 10th century Egyptian vizier.
• Leila Mourad - Egyptian singer and actress of the 1940s
and 1950s.
• Lev Nussimbaum - 20th century writer, journalist and
orientalist.
• Jacob Querido - 17th century successor of the self-
proclaimed Jewish Messiah Sabbatai Zevi.
• Ibn Sahl of Seville - 13th century Andalusian poet.
We actually know very little about the number of Jews who
convert to Islam today. However their numbers may be higher
than we imagine considering that Islam is, according to Pew, 15
growing about 2.9% per year. This is faster than the total world
population which increases about 2.3% annually. This site has
collated what reliable statistical data there and it is available here.
16

14(http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/4703/viewall/)

15 The Pew Research Centre is an American think tank organization based in

Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping
the United States and the world.
16(http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/4394/viewall/)

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 Data from the state of Israel suggests that the conversion rate
of Jews to Islam in Israel has doubled over the past several years.
“Jews say they decided to convert after deepening their
knowledge of Islam. Many are disappointed in Judaism,” a senior
member of the Islamic court said. They are converting even though
the Israeli Religious Affairs and Interior Ministries make it very
difficult for them. According to one convert, “They are giving me
the run around, sending me back and forth from office to office.
They made me see a psychiatrist, to ‘make sure I wasn’t
brainwashed.’ They did everything so that I would despair and
return to Judaism.” 1716F

When you look at all the similarities it certainly appears that it

is a small step, not at all a big cognitive leap, for a Jewish believer
to slide effortlessly into the religion of Islam. Islam is however a
gift from God, and God bestows it on whom He wills.

17(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3274735,00.html)

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