Universal GroundWhat do Judaism, Christianity and Islam have in common?
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all monotheistic, identify their God with the God revealed to Abraham, and share many of the same prophets and stories. They are often grouped as the Abrahamic religions. They differ sharply on who Jesus was and on the nature of God. Together they account for about 54.6% of the world’s population, by Pew Research Center’s 2020 estimates.
What they share and where they differ
| Question | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| How many Gods? | One | One, described as a Trinity | One, with strict unity (tawhid) |
| Abraham | Patriarch | Patriarch | Prophet. Islam calls itself the religion of Abraham |
| Jesus | Not the Messiah or a prophet | The Messiah, God incarnate, resurrected | A prophet, not God incarnate |
| Central scripture | Torah and the Hebrew Bible | The Bible | The Quran, which also names the Torah, Psalms and Gospel as earlier revelations |
| Pork | Restricted | Allowed by most | Restricted |
| Circumcision | Required | Most denominations are neutral | Required |
All three also teach prayer, fasting and giving to those in need, in their own forms.
Do Christians and Muslims have common ground?
Their own leaders have said so. In 2007, 138 Muslim figures sent A Common Word Between Us and You to Pope Benedict XVI and other Christian leaders, naming love of God and love of neighbor as central to both faiths. The title comes from Quran 3:64, which calls the People of the Scripture to “a common word”. In 1965, the Catholic declaration Nostra Aetate said the Church “rejects nothing that is true and holy” in other religions.
Is “Abrahamic” a fair label?
It is useful and contested. The term came into use in the 20th century. Critics, including the scholar Aaron Hughes, argue that it is imprecise and hides real theological differences, and that shared ancestry is peripheral to what each faith actually claims.
What about religions outside this family?
Comparisons get harder and more interesting. Christianity and Buddhism both teach compassion and have long monastic traditions, but Buddhism does not center on a creator God. Islam and Buddhism are the subject of a 2010 book, Common Ground Between Islam and Buddhism, by Reza Shah-Kazemi, with introductions by the Dalai Lama and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. For the wider picture, see what all religions have in common.
A table can show what the traditions teach. It cannot show what a Jewish woman and a Muslim man would find they both believe after a real conversation. That is what we are trying to find out.
Common questions
What are the Abrahamic religions?
Usually Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which each trace their history to Abraham. Whether smaller religions belong in the group is disputed, and so is the usefulness of the label.
Do Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
All three identify their God with the God revealed to Abraham, but they describe God differently, and believers within each faith disagree about whether it is the same God.
What is the biggest difference between Christianity and Islam?
Jesus. Christianity teaches that he is God incarnate and was resurrected. Islam honors him as a prophet and rejects the Incarnation.
What do Christianity and Buddhism have in common?
Both teach compassion and have long monastic traditions. They differ on a central point, since Buddhism does not center on a creator God.
Sources
- Abrahamic religions, including the debate over the term
- A Common Word Between Us and You (2007)
- Second Vatican Council (1965), Nostra Aetate
- Reza Shah-Kazemi (2010), Common Ground Between Islam and Buddhism, Fons Vitae
- Pew Research Center (2025), How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020