Clearly, we have seen a great deal of dispute, fighting, hostility, and bitterness between the faithful of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in recent years. It is also true we have seen much cooperation, tolerance, and goodwill between them. How can this be so? On the one hand, we are ripping each other apart, hating each other, looking down on each other, etc., and on the other hand we show love, tolerance, support, and care for one another. I trace the reasons for a spirit of camaraderie among us to our commonly held beliefs. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all started and developed in the same part of the world, the Middle East. We recognize many of the same Prophets and historical figures. We all acknowledge Adam and Eve as our first parents. From the story of Adam and Eve we all may gather that God expects us to trust and obey Him. We also believe in the Prophets Abraham and Moses. Prophet Abraham is considered to be the Father of our religions, and Prophet Moses was given the first Sacred Scriptures known as the Torah. All three religions acknowledge the Torah as having come from God, given to Moses, containing His Revelation. Jews and Christians both acknowledge and believe in the 10 Commandments. Muslims have no formal list of the 10 Commandments in the Quran as they are listed in the Torah and Bible, but verses can be found throughout the Quran confirming each of the 10 Commandments listed in the Bible. So, what are the 10 Commandments?
Quranic Confirmation of the 10 Commandments:
(Translation followed by Authentic Quran)
- There is no God except one God (47:19)
- There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him (42:11)
- Make not God’s name an excuse to your oaths. (2:224)
- When the call for the Friday Prayer is made, hasten to the Remembrance of God and leave off your business. (62:9)
- Be kind to your parents if one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not a word of contempt nor repel them but address them in terms of honor. (17:23)
- As for the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands, but those who repent after a crime and reform shall be forgiven by God, for God is forgiving and kind. (5:38-39)
- They invoke a curse of God if they lie. (24:7) Hide not the testimony. (2:283)
- If anyone has killed one person it is as if he had killed the whole mankind. (5:32)
- Do not come near adultery. It is an indecent deed and a way for other evils. (17:32)
- Do good to your parents, relatives and neighbors. (4:36)
- فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمۡ وَمَثۡوَٮٰكُمۡ (١٩)
- فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ أَزۡوَٲجً۬اۖ يَذۡرَؤُكُمۡ فِيهِۚ لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَىۡءٌ۬ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ (١١)
- وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ ٱللَّهَ عُرۡضَةً۬ لِّأَيۡمَـٰنِڪُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ وَتُصۡلِحُواْ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٢٤)
- يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوۡمِ ٱلۡجُمُعَةِ فَٱسۡعَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُواْ ٱلۡبَيۡعَۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٩)
- ۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡڪِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ۬ وَلَا تَنۡہَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلاً۬ ڪَرِيمً۬ا (٢٣)
- وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقۡطَعُوٓاْ أَيۡدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَـٰلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ۬ (٣٨) فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ظُلۡمِهِۦ وَأَصۡلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيۡهِۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ (٣٩)
- وَٱلۡخَـٰمِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعۡنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَـٰذِبِينَ (٧), ۞ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ۬ وَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ كَاتِبً۬ا فَرِهَـٰنٌ۬ مَّقۡبُوضَةٌ۬ۖ فَإِنۡ أَمِنَ بَعۡضُكُم بَعۡضً۬ا فَلۡيُؤَدِّ ٱلَّذِى ٱؤۡتُمِنَ أَمَـٰنَتَهُ ۥ وَلۡيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُ ۥۗ وَلَا تَكۡتُمُواْ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَۚ وَمَن يَڪۡتُمۡهَا فَإِنَّهُ ۥۤ ءَاثِمٌ۬ قَلۡبُهُ ۥۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٨٣)
- مِنۡ أَجۡلِ ذَٲلِكَ ڪَتَبۡنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُ ۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفۡسَۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ أَوۡ فَسَادٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَڪَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعً۬ا وَمَنۡ أَحۡيَاهَا فَڪَأَنَّمَآ أَحۡيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعً۬اۚ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرً۬ا مِّنۡهُم بَعۡدَ ذَٲلِكَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَمُسۡرِفُونَ (٣٢)
- وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً۬ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً۬ (٣٢)
- ۞ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا وَبِذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن ڪَانَ مُخۡتَالاً۬ فَخُورًا (٣٦)
In Christianity these Commandments are summarized further into 2 basic Commandments taught to them by Jesus Christ in the New Testament:
Mattew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love you neighbor as yourself.’ [b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The first four of the 10 Commandments fall under “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.”. The last 6 Commandments fall under “Love your neighbor as yourself.” For religious people, these Commandments are universal and basic. Even most of those living outside the Abrahamic religions agree with the last six and implement them into the secular judicial system and/or culture.
Holding these Commandments as commonly accepted Truths to live by as revealed by God is only the beginning of the similarities between us. Recognizing we all agree on the most basic principles of how to live based on these 10 Commandments is a great place to start. From here we can start to reflect that we’re not all that different. We can look at each other more as brothers and sisters rather than people who believe something rather strange and unlike our own religion.
