Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region IV – A CALABARZON
Division of Cavite
CAVITE WEST POINT COLLEGE
Governors Drive, Ternate, Cavite
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

LEARN
ING
MODU
LES
VISION
IN
The College Envisions Itself as an Institution in the Western Cavite by Molding Individuals into a

INTRO
Good Citizen of the Nation.

MISSION
DUCTI
Building and Developing Brilliant People for a Brighter Horizon.

COURSE CODE
CONTACT HOURS
:
: 1- 3 HOURS
ON TO
CREDIT UNIT
COLLEGE DEAN
:
:
3 UNITS
EVANGELINO Z. NIGOZA, Ed. D.
WORL
PRINCIPAL
TEACHER
:
:
ROMMEL N. MOJICA, PHD.
MS. MHAYCEE B. VILLANUEVA
D
RELIG
Name
Address
: __________________________________ Sex
: __________________________________ Semester
ION : ____________
: ____________
Parents/ Guardian : __________________________________ Contact No : ____________

AY 2021- 2022
CHAPTER 4: JUDAISM
 PERFORMANCE STANDARD:
The learner identifies a story from the Old Testament that demonstrates the Jewish belief in
one God (e.g. Story of Samson).

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, the students will be able to:
1. Identify a Jewish custom or tradition
2. Memorize the ten commandments of Judaism
3. Appreciate the lesson by answering the activities correctly.

Judaism, monotheistic religion developed among the ancient Hebrews. Judaism is

characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and
the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions.
Judaism is the complex phenomenon of a total way of life for the Jewish
people, comprising theology, law, and innumerable cultural traditions.

Jerusalem: Western Wall, Temple Mount

The Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, all that remains of the retaining wall surrounding
the Temple Mount.
The History of Judaism
It is history that provides the key to an understanding of Judaism, for its primal affirmations
appear in early historical narratives. Thus, the Bible reports contemporary events and activities for
essentially religious reasons. The biblical authors believed that the divine presence is encountered
primarily within history. God’s presence is also experienced within the natural realm, but the more
immediate or intimate disclosure occurs in human actions. Although other ancient communities also
perceived a divine presence in history, the understanding of the ancient Israelites proved to be the
most lasting and influential. It is this particular claim—to have experienced God’s presence in
human events—and its subsequent development that is the differentiating factor in Jewish thought.

Moreover, the ancient Israelites’ entire mode of existence was affected by their belief that
throughout history they stood in a unique relationship with the divine. The people of Israel believed
that their response to the divine presence in history was central not only for themselves but for all
humankind. Furthermore, God—as person—had revealed in a particular encounter the pattern and
structure of communal and individual life to this people. Claiming sovereignty over the people
because of his continuing action in history on their behalf, he had established a covenant (berit) with
them and required from them obedience to his teaching, or law (Torah). This obedience was a
further means by which the divine presence was made manifest—expressed in concrete human
existence. The corporate life of the chosen community was thus a summons to the rest of
humankind to recognize God’s presence, sovereignty, and purpose—the establishment of peace
and well-being in the universe and in humankind.

History, moreover, disclosed not only God’s purpose but also humankind’s inability to live in
accord with it. Even the chosen community failed in its obligation and had to be summoned back,
time and again, to its responsibility by the prophets—the divinely called spokespersons who warned
of retribution within history and argued and reargued the case for affirmative human response.
Israel’s role in the divine economy and thus Israel’s particular culpability were dominant themes
sounded against the motif of fulfillment, the ultimate triumph of the divine purpose, and the
establishment of divine sovereignty over all humankind.

Lesson 1: The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, also known as Aseret HaDibrot (“Ten Sayings” in Hebrew) or Decalogue,
are the first ten of the 613 commandments given by God to the Jewish people. They form the
foundation of Jewish ethics, behaviour and responsibility. These commandments are mentioned in
order twice in the Torah - once each in the Book of Exodus and the Book of Deuteronomy.

1) I am the Lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5) Honor thy father and thy mother.
6) Thou shalt not murder.
7) Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8) Thou shalt not steal.
9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against their neighbor.
10) Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.

Lesson 2: JEWISH TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

ABOUT JEWISH LIFE

Given that the Jewish calendar stretches back over 5770 years, a great number Jewish
traditions and customs have amassed. Each tradition has its own customs, and each community
has its own customs within those customs! From bris, (circumcision ceremony held on the male’s
eighth day of life), to tahara, the ritual washing ceremony of the deceased, Judaism has created a
compendium of rituals linking adherents not only to one another but to thousands of years of Jewish
history and tradition.

To help organize the vast topic, I’ve listed some quick facts about Jewish traditions and
customs. What’s special about this list is that these bulleted items also have links to stories of
Jewish life. These are personal accounts of Jewish traditions and customs told by contemporary
Jewish voices.

FACTS AND STORIES OF JEWISH TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

 On the eighth day of life, Jewish boys are ritually circumcised in a ceremony called a b’ris, or
covenant. This is the moment when the infant is welcomed into the Jewish community and is
 brought into the covenant God made with Abraham according to Jewish tradition.
Click here for more on Jewish birth rituals.
Story: And on the Eight Day of You Shall…, Debra Darvick — the story of my son’s birth.

 At Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to eat apples and honey, symbolic of the wish for a sweet
new year. Click here for more on Jewish holidays and celebrations.
Story: Beginning the New Year at Sea, Deanna Silver Jacobsen — a Jewish student
celebrates Rosh Hashana away from home.

 It is a Jewish tradition not to leave the dead alone. Click here for more about Jewish burial
traditions.
Story: Should War Beset me, Still Would I be Confident, Judith Kaplan — a beautiful
story about a young girl who fulfilled this tradition after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Every Friday
night for months, she sang psalms in the presence of the victims’ remains.

 During the holiday of Simchat Torah, it is a tradition to walk the Torah scrolls through the
synagogue. Click here for more on Jewish holidays and celebrations, including Simchat
Torah.
Story: It is a Tree of Life, Jules Doneson — This story is a power account of this Jewish
tradition. The time: 1945. The place: The Great Rothschold Synagogue in Paris, after
Liberation.

 Jewish children typically celebrate becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12 or 13. In the
modern-day, some individuals celebrate this rite of passage later in life.
Story: And Miriam Led the Women, Miriam Chaya — this is a story of a woman who took
matters into her own hands when she turned 60, and drew on modern-day customs to create
a ceremony of great meaning and fanfare.

 Halloween isn’t the only time to dress up. Jews have Purim! A holiday filled with carnivals,
costumes and really, really good pastries. Click here for more on Jewish holidays and
celebrations.
Story: Making the World safe for Pastry, Valerie Peckler — In this article Valerie
discusses issues of her personal Jewish identity and Purim’s role as a part of that identity.

 Of any Jewish holiday on the calendar, Passover is most likely the favorite. Click here for
more on Jewish holidays and celebrations, including Passover.
Story: Out of Bondage, Joanna Berger and Sholom and Esfira Ilyasov — a Jewish family
recently freed from the bondage of the Soviet Union spends a Passover Seder in the US for
the first time.

 There are way too many Jewish wedding traditions and customs to list here. Click here if you
want to read up on them.
Story: My Beloved is Mine and I am His, Daniel Shapiro — A lovely story of self-
acceptance and a gay Jewish wedding.

 Usually, adults are the ones who convert to Judaism. However, there are exceptions, like
this next story.
Story: A Child Chooses Jewish Life, Walter Raubeson — The story of a child so taken
with Jewish tradition and ritual that he follows his own path to the religion.

 Jewish funeral traditions are centered around respect for the dead and those who mourn
them. There are a whole slew of Jewish funeral traditions you can read about here.
 Story: She is Pure, Kathy Engber — A moving story of a woman deeply involved in the
sacred Jewish traditions of preparation and burial of the dead.

Lesson 3: Judaism: The “Chosen People”

In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jewish people were singularly chosen to
enter into a covenant with G-d. This idea has been a central one throughout the history of Jewish
thought, is deeply rooted in biblical concepts and has been developed in talmudic, philosophic,
mystical and contemporary Judaism.

Most Jews hold that being the "Chosen People" means that they have been placed on earth
to fulfill a certain purpose. Traditional proof for Jewish "chosenness" is found in the Torah, the
Jewish bible, in the Book of Deuteronomy (chapter 14) where it says: "For you are a holy people
to Hashem your God, and God has chosen you to be his treasured people from all the nations that
are on the face of the earth." In the Book of Genesis (chapter 17) it also written: "And I [G-d] will
establish My covenant between Me and you [the Jewish people] and your descendants after you in
their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you."

In medieval Jewish philosophy the notion of the special status of the Jewish people found
articulate and radical expression in Judah Halevi 's Kuzari. According to Halevi, the entire Jewish
people was endowed with a special religious faculty, first given to Adam and then bequeathed
through a line of chosen representatives to all of Israel. As a result of this inherited divine influence,
the Jewish people were uniquely able to enter into communion with God and Israel's election
implied dependence on a special supernatural providence.

This tradition of "chosenness," though, has often provoked antagonism from non-Jews.

With the rise of Christianity, the doctrine of Israel as the Chosen People acquired an added
polemical edge against the background of the claim of the Church to be the "true Israel" and God's
chosen people. In times of persecution, the "chosenness" doctrine was a source of great strength
for the Jewish people. Similarly, the talmudic explanation for chosenness - that the willingness of
Israel to accept and obey the Torah was the reason for their election - helped maintain loyalty to
tradition and to halakhah in periods of stress and forced conversion to other religions.

In the 1930s, as the Nazis were tightening the noose around the necks of German Jews,
George Bernard Shaw remarked that if the Nazis would only realize how Jewish their notion
of Aryan superiority was, they would drop it immediately. In 1973, in the aftermath of the Yom
Kippur War, Yakov Malik, the Soviet ambassador to the United Nations, said: "The Zionists have
come forward with the theory of the Chosen People, an absurd ideology. That is religious racism."
Indeed, the most damaging antisemitic document in history, the forgery known as The Protocols of
the Elders of Zion, is based on the idea of an international conspiracy to rule the world by the
"Chosen People."

In light of these attacks, it is not surprising that some Jews have wanted to do away with the
belief in Jewish chosenness. The most noted effort to do so was undertaken
by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, founder of the small but influential Reconstructionist movement. Kaplan
advocated dropping chosenness for two reasons: to undercut accusations of the sort made by Shaw
that the Chosen People idea was the model for racist ideologies, and because it went against
modern thinking to see the Jews as a divinely chosen people.
 But does "chosenness" really mean the Jews were divinely chosen? After all, how did the
notion of one God become known to the world? Through the Jews. And, according to Jewish
sources, that is the meaning of chosenness: to make God known to the world. As Rabbi Louis
Jacobs has written: "We are not discussing a dogma incapable of verification, but the recognition of
sober historical fact. The world owes to Israel the idea of the one God of righteousness and
holiness. This is how God became known to mankind."

Does Judaism believe that chosenness endows Jews with special rights in the way racist
ideologies endow those born into the "right race"? Not at all. The most famous verse in the Bible on
the subject of chosenness says the precise opposite: "You alone have I singled out of all the
families of the earth. That is why I call you to account for all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2). Chosenness
is so unconnected to any notion of race that Jews believe that the Messiah himself will descend
from Ruth, a non-Jewish woman who converted to Judaism.

Why were the Jews chosen? Because they are descendants of Abraham. And why
were Abraham and his descendants given the task of making God known to the world?
The Torah never tells us. What God does say in Deuteronomy, is that "it is not because you are
numerous that God chose you, indeed you are the smallest of people" (7:7). Because of the Jews'
small numbers, any success they would have in making God known to the world would presumably
reflect upon the power of the idea of God. Had the Jews been a large nation with an outstanding
army, their successes in making God known would have been attributed to their might and not to
the truth of their ideas. After all, non-Muslims living in the Arab world were hardly impressed by the
large numbers of people brought to Islam through the sword.

Nonetheless, perhaps out of fear of sounding selfrighteous or provoking antisemitism, Jews

rarely speak about chosenness, and Maimonides did not list it as one of the Thirteen Principles of
the Jewish Faith.

The "Chosen People" idea is so powerful that other religious sects have appropriated it. Both
Catholicism and Protestantism believe that God chose the Jews, but that two thousand years ago a
new covenant was made with Christianity. During most of Christian history, and even among some
adherents to the present day, Christian chosenness meant that only Christians go to heaven while
the nonchosen are either placed in limbo or are damned.

Mohammed, likewise, didn't deny Abraham's chosenness. He simply claimed

that Abraham was a Muslim, and he traced Islam's descent through the Jewish Patriarch.

CHAPTER 5: CHRISTIANITY

PERFORMANCE STANDARD:
The learner interviews a Christian parent or couple on why they are Christians and what beliefs and
practices they adhere to.

CONTENT STANDARD:
The learner demonstrates understanding of the elements of Christianity: a. Founder: Jesus Christ (c. 7
BC30 A.D.) b. Sacred texts: Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) c. Doctrines: Trinity, Virgin Birth,
Deity of Christ, Resurrection, Last Judgment d: God: Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) e. Sects: Roman
Catholic, Greek/Eastern Orthodox, Protestantism, etc. f. Issues: Ecumenism, Sexuality issues (e.g.,
contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women)
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, the students will be able to:
1. Interpret the Parable of the Prodigal Son
2. Recite the Apostle’s Creed, The Lord’s Prayer or the Beatitudes
3. Participates in class activity

Christianity, major religion stemming from the life, teachings, and death of Jesus of

Nazareth (the Christ, or the Anointed One of God) in the 1st century CE. It has become the largest
of the world’s religions and, geographically, the most widely diffused of all faiths. It has
a constituency of more than two billion believers. Its largest groups are the Roman Catholic Church,
the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Protestant churches. The Oriental Orthodox
churches constitute one of the oldest branches of the tradition but had been out of contact with
Western Christianity and Eastern Orthodoxy from the middle of the 5th century until the late 20th
century because of a dispute over Christology (the doctrine of Jesus Christ’s nature and
significance). Significant movements within the broader Christian world and
sometimes transcending denominational boundaries are Pentecostalism, Charismatic Christianity,
Evangelicalism, and fundamentalism. In addition, there are numerous independent churches
throughout the world. See also Anglicanism; Baptist; Calvinism; Congregationalism; Evangelical
church; Lutheranism; Oriental Orthodoxy; presbyterian; Reformed and Presbyterian churches.

mosaic; Christianity
Christ as Ruler, with the Apostles and Evangelists (represented by the beasts). The female figures
are believed to be either Santa Pudenziana and Santa Práxedes or symbols of the Jewish and
Gentile churches. Mosaic in the apse of Santa Pudenziana basilica, Rome, 401–417 CE.
De Antonis

Lesson 1: Apostle’s Creed, The Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
 as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.
(or)
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

The Beatitudes
 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men reproach you,
and persecute you,
and speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for My sake.

Lesson 2: “The Prodigal Son”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father,
11 

‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between
them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far
country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent
everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and
hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed
pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than
17 

enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your
son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he
was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him
and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I
am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[b] 22 But the father said to his servants,[c] ‘Bring
quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And
bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is
alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music
25 

and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said
to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has
received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out
and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I
never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with
my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that
is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive;
he was lost, and is found.’”

Lesson 3: The Core Teaching of Christianity: John 3:16

Adam Clarke Commentary

For God so loved the world - Such a love as that which induced God to give his only begotten son
to die for the world could not be described: Jesus Christ does not attempt it. He has put an eternity
of meaning in the particle οὑτω, so, and left a subject for everlasting contemplation, wonder, and
praise, to angels and to men. The same evangelist uses a similar mode of expression, 1 John 3:1; :
Behold, What Manner of love, ποταπην αγαπην, the Father hath bestowed upon us.

From the subject before him, let the reader attend to the following particulars.

First, The world was in a ruinous, condemned state, about to perish everlastingly; and was
utterly without power to rescue itself from destruction.
Secondly, That God, through the impulse of his eternal love, provided for its rescue and salvation,
by giving his Son to die for it.

Thirdly, That the sacrifice of Jesus was the only mean by which the redemption of man could be
affected, and that it is absolutely sufficient to accomplish this gracious design: for it would have
been inconsistent with the wisdom of God, to have appointed a sacrifice greater in itself, or less in
its merit, than what the urgent necessities of the case required.

Fourthly, that sin must be an indescribable evil, when it required no less a sacrifice, to make
atonement for it, than God manifested in the flesh.

Fifthly, that no man is saved through this sacrifice, but he that believes, i.e. who credits what God
has spoken concerning Christ, his sacrifice, the end for which it was offered, and the way in which it
is to be applied in order to become effectual.

Sixthly, that those who believe receive a double benefit:

 They are exempted from eternal perdition - that they may not perish.2. They are brought to
eternal glory - that they may have everlasting life. These two benefits point out tacitly the state of
man: he is guilty, and therefore exposed to punishment: he is impure, and therefore unfit for glory.

They point out also the two grand operations of grace, by which the salvation of man is effected.

1. Justification, by which the guilt of sin is removed, and consequently the person is no longer
obnoxious to perdition.
2. Sanctification, or the purification of his nature, by which he is properly fitted for the kingdom
of glory.
CHAPTER 6: ISLAM

PERFORMANCE STANDARD:
The learner conducts a panel discussion on Muslim beliefs and practices (when possible, inviting a Muslim).

CONTENT STANDARD:
The learner demonstrates understanding of the elements of Islam: a. Founder: Prophet Muhammad (570-632
A.D.) b. Sacred texts: Qur’an, Hadith c. Doctrines: Five Pillars of Islam (Shahadah-declaring there is no other god
but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger, Salat-ritual prayer five times a day, Sawm-fasting during Ramadan,
Zakat-alms giving to the poor, and Hajjpilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime) d. God: Allah e.
Practitioners: Sunni, Shi’ite, Sufi f. Issues: Gender Inequality, Militant Islam, Migration

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, the students will be able to:
1. Read the opening lines of Qur’an preferably from an English version
2. Retell the life and times of Prophet Muhammad
3. Appreciate the story of Muhammad by retelling it.

Islam is an Arabic word meaning "submission" and in the religious context means
"submission to the will of God". "Islam" is derived from the Arabic word "sal’m" which literally means
peace. The religion demonstrates peace and tolerance. Muslims, the followers of Islam, are
worldwide and number 1.2 billion. Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims, two hundred and
twenty-eight million, while Saudi Arabia has twenty-two million. Forty percent of the seven to ten
million American Muslims are African Americans. All Arabs are not Muslims. Same ways, all
Muslims are not Arabs. Allah is the Arabic word for God, which is used throughout the world by all
Muslims and by Christian Arabs. Muslims believe in the same God as Christians and Jews believe.
The message of Islam is, “Say, we believe in God and that which was revealed unto us, and that
which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which
was revealed unto Moses and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction
between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered” (The Qur’an, 3:84). Islam can be traced
to Adam, the first prophet of Islam. The Qur’an was however revealed in 610 AD to the Prophet
Mohammad (peace be on him; pbuh).

Lesson 1: The Opening of the Qur'an

The Opening of the Qur'an 

The Qur'an starts with the Surah (chapter) called "Al-Fatihah" which means "the opener" as it opens
the Qur'an it is sometimes also able to open people's hearts.

1. In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful.

2. Praise be to Allah the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds.

3. Most Gracious Most Merciful.

4. Master of the Day of Judgement.

5. It is you we worship and serve and it is you we seek help from.

6. Show us the straight way.

7. The way of those upon whom You bestowed Your Grace, not those upon whom is anger, nor
those who go astray.

The importance of these verses to the practicing Muslim is very great. The closest comparable thing
in Christianity is 'The Lord's Prayer' (Our father, who art in heaven, give us our daily bread....).
These verses of the Qur'an are a prayer that forms the core of the obligatory and non-obligatory
formal prayers of all Muslims. They recite it and reflection it at least 17 times a day. It sets the state
of the mind, heart and soul at the beginning of each prayer and therefore sets the outlook on the
day and hence indicates the whole perspective on life of a Muslim. It contains, in a few short verses,
all the basic principles of Islam.

Verse 1

The phrase "bismillahi-Rahmani-Rahim" - In the name of Allah the most Gracious the Most Merciful
- is a key part of the everyday life of Muslims. Muslims are encouraged to start every act with these
words since by doing so, that act becomes a direct 'ibadah' (worship & service) of Allah provided
that what is being done is in accordance with Islamic law. It therefore helps to develop in Muslims a
good habit of reflecting on the moral value of all their actions at the point they are about to do them.
Indeed, all permissible acts in Islam can be a form of worship of Allah - including sex with your
spouse.

If we look a little more closely at the Arabic words, we might give the following clarification. Firstly,
the words that are Allah’s names are in an intensive form. The basic word of rahman is an adjective
meaning showing kindness and giving benefits. The intensive form implies that you can basically
ignore all other rahman in comparison. Al-Rahman means THE Gracious - the one whose grace
totally eclipses the grace of others. Al Rahim is a very similar word but implies definite action taking
place. So Allah is the one who is actively bestowing of grace so much more than any other that the
others are negligible by comparison.

The name Allah is also of this form. It literally means "The god" in comparison to which all other
(would be) gods are as nothing.

Verse 2

Verse 1 has the effect of saying "now we begin". After it is said, we start the actual prayer:

Alhamdu lillah - literally: "the praise is for Allah" This is very fundamental to Islam - God is the
source of all good and consequently when we appreciate anything of His creation, we exclaim
praise to He who is responsible - Allah. This exclamation contains the driving idea of Islam and ties
in exactly to the value argument presented earlier in the section on the Sin of Disbelief. The
exclamation forms a key part in the Muslim outlook on life. When Muslims are happy at some good
thing happening, they exclaim alhamdu lillah - praise be to God. This helps prevent arrogance from
thinking that this good is from yourself rather than from the source of all good. If things happen that
to you seem bad you should also say "alhamdu lillah!" to counter the idea that Allah causes bad to
happen to you. This has the effect of turning perceived problems into opportunities. It reminds one
to show moral virtues like patience and trying to learn how to solve the problem. It put one in the
frame of mind that looks towards how to achieve good deeds out of this situation.

After the exclamation the explanation comes in a superbly condensed form. "Rabb al-‘alamin" - the
lord of the worlds. The word meaning 'worlds' implies all possible worlds known to exist. This was
interpreted at the time to mean the spirit world, the world of the heavens, the world of human
beings. Essentially each realm of known existence. (the word in fact comes from the root verb "to
know"). A modern interpretation might consider the worlds to mean different planets or even parallel
universes as in the 'many worlds' theory which some physicists seem to like at the moment.

The word Rabb means primarily the person in charge - the authority figure. The person who makes
the decisions. This goes to the heart of the argument made earlier about seeking deeper
explanations. The ultimate explanation behind all of the ways that existence functions is the
decision of Allah. The word Rabb also has the implicit meaning of cherishing, sustaining and
bringing to maturity. Allah cares for all the worlds He has created.

This verse sets the initial perspective of the reader or person praying towards the ultimate of
existence: the ultimate authority behind existence and the ultimate good of existence.

Verse 3

This re-iterates the meaning from verse 1 and guides the perspective more towards the relationship
of humans to Allah. The primary reality of this relationship is authority of Allah over His creation as
expressed in the word "Rabb". This relationship however must never be thought of as an arbitrary
authority. It is authority with a purpose. The authority is used for the good; it is used for "rahma" and
this is verse three that brings this point home. It the recognition of the grace of Allah towards His
creation.

Verse 4

The Qur'an now brings the focus Humanity's relation to Allah. Human beings, unlike any other part
of Allah's creation have free will. They can be part of the divine purpose of rahma or they can
oppose it.

This leads to man's responsibility, which flows towards Allah and the consequences of this
responsibility. There is a judgement of a person's efforts and implicitly rewards and punishments
depending on how well that person has done. If they have tried to be part of the divine purpose, if
they have tried to do what is right, then they are rewarded. If they have opposed the divine purpose
they are punished before Allah then shows mercy on all who have had even as little as a mustard
seed of trust in Allah and puts them into paradise. (Sahih Bukhari Hadith 8.565)

From this recognition flows gratitude and from this gratitude flows the desire to please the object of
your gratitude. The Muslim tries to please Allah primarily out of gratitude for the grace he has
bestowed on him / her. Islam literally means willingly seeking to do what Allah wills by submitting to
His will and thereby pleasing Him.

Verse 5

This is now very directly the relationship between Allah and human beings. We are made by Allah
and we are subject to His laws. We owe all that we have to Allah since He gave us all we have. Our
lives are indebted to His grace and we continually recognize this through worship and through
seeking Allah's pleasure through serving Him. In exchange to what we do we receive help from Him
in abundance. The emphasis here implies ‘only’, so that it means that a Muslim only worships and
serves Allah and only seeks help from Allah. No matter how Muslims receive help they attribute it to
Allah as being in control of all things. The emphasis also quashes the thought that Allah might in
any sense need our help by stressing that the relation is the other way round.

Verse 6

This is the essential form of help that Allah provides in answer to our asking for help. He provides
guidance.

the word ‘show’ <YA comment>

‘straight’ the meaning of the root word also includes ‘stand up’ and has profound meaning
connected to ideas of upholding virtues etc which in English require many words. Part of the
structure of Arabic where verbs are the centre and each verb has many forms and each form has
many nouns that can be made from it. It allows huge flexibility and yet the words remain tied
together giving resonances of meanings that can't be achieved in English.

Verse 7: The path is in front of you. You have the choice. The path of those Allah has given comfort
and blessing and ease (all implied by "an'amta"). This is those who deliberately go for the straight
path with definite intention. The next option is those who have anger on them. These are those who
deliberately do the opposite of going for the straight path. The last option defines a midway position
where there is no deliberate intention either way and so the person goes astray

This puts the Muslim in the right frame of mind to receive guidance and to follow it and therefore is
the perfect "opener" opening the heart and mind.

(To read further see Qur'an, though there are as yet few commentaries on the internet. Abdullah
Yusuf Ali's translation is widely regarded as one of the best in English but all translations have their
problems of one form or another.)

Lesson 2: Life and Time of Prophet Muhammad

Who Was Muhammad?

Muhammad was the prophet and founder of Islam. Most of his early life was spent as a merchant.
At age 40, he began to have revelations from Allah that became the basis for the Koran and the
foundation of Islam. By 630 he had unified most of Arabia under a single religion. As of 2015, there
are over 1.8 billion Muslims in the world who profess, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is
his prophet.”

The Life of Muhammad

Muhammad was born around 570, AD in Mecca (now in Saudi Arabia). His father died before he
was born and he was raised first by his grandfather and then his uncle. He belonged to a poor but
respectable family of the Quraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and trade.

Many of the tribes living in the Arabian Peninsula at the time were nomadic, trading goods as they
crisscrossed the desert. Most tribes were polytheistic, worshipping their own set of gods. The town
of Mecca was an important trading and religious center, home to many temples and worship sites
where the devoted prayed to the idols of these gods. The most famous site was the Kaaba
(meaning cube in Arabic). It is believed to have been built by Abraham (Ibrahim to Muslims) and his
son Ismail. Gradually the people of Mecca turned to polytheism and idolatry. Of all the gods
worshipped, it is believed that Allah was considered the greatest and the only one without an idol.

In his early teens, Muhammad worked in a camel caravan, following in the footsteps of many people
his age, born of meager wealth. Working for his uncle, he gained experience in commercial trade
traveling to Syria and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. In time,
Muhammad earned a reputation as honest and sincere, acquiring the nickname “al-Amin” meaning
faithful or trustworthy.

In his early 20s, Muhammad began working for a wealthy merchant woman named Khadijah, 15
years his senior. She soon became attracted to this young, accomplished man and proposed
marriage. He accepted and over the years the happy union brought several children. Not all lived to
adulthood, but one, Fatima, would marry Muhammad’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Shi’ite
Muslims regard as Muhammad’s successor.

In his early teens, Muhammad worked in a camel caravan, following in the footsteps of many people
his age, born of meager wealth. Working for his uncle, he gained experience in commercial trade
traveling to Syria and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. In time,
Muhammad earned a reputation as honest and sincere, acquiring the nickname “al-Amin” meaning
faithful or trustworthy.

In his early 20s, Muhammad began working for a wealthy merchant woman named Khadijah, 15
years his senior. She soon became attracted to this young, accomplished man and proposed
marriage. He accepted and over the years the happy union brought several children. Not all lived to
adulthood, but one, Fatima, would marry Muhammad’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Shi’ite
Muslims regard as Muhammad’s successor.

Lesson 3: Muhamad, the Messenger of God

Muhammad, the Messenger of God
(... -9 AH / 570-632 CE).
Muslims believe that Islam completes the revelation of God’s final message to man through
the Prophet Muhammad Praise Be Unto Him (PBUH) and the Holy Qur’an. For Muslims,
God began His message with Judaism and Christianity, and Islam is the capstone of the
monotheistic tradition. The Prophet’s name means "the praised one" or "he who is glorified"
and traditionally every mention of the Prophet by name is followed by one of several
invocations. Usually it is sufficient to say ‘alayhis-salam’ or ‘Peace be upon him’ (PBUH).
The Prophet is a descendant of the Prophets Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael). His
father was Abdullah, the son of Abdel Mutalib and the grandson of Hashem who was the
founder of the Hashemite clan.

As the Prophet was born after his father’s death, and in keeping with pre-Islamic tribal law,
he was unable to inherit from his father and was sent to be raised with a Bedouin foster
mother, Halima al-Sa’diya, in the desert. The Prophet returned to Mecca under the care of
his uncle Abu Talib, and as a young man, he earned a reputation for resolving inter-tribal
differences. In fact, he was known within his Quraysh tribe as al-Sadeq al-Ameen, or ‘the
honest, the trustworthy’. When he was twenty-five, he married Khadija who bore the Prophet
two sons that died in infancy, and four daughters.

When the Prophet was forty years old, having already experienced visions, he received the
first revelation of the Qur’an and the Divine message by the Angel Gabriel in a cave. His
wife was the first to convert, followed by his young cousin ‘Ali, the son of Abu Talib, and Zeid
his servant. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) first began to publicly preach to his own clan
the Hashemites, and the first to convert from outside his family was Abu Bakr, his friend and
influential merchant dealer. As the message spread and the followers of the new religion
grew, so did the opposition in the city of Mecca. The city was at the time the center of trade
and pilgrimage because of the Ka’aba, which held for the Meccans many sacred objects and
idols of worship.

With time, resistance to Islam became hostile and despite the ban placed on the Hashemite
clan the Prophet remained uncompromising in his message of monotheism. To escape
persecution many Muslims left Mecca, and eventually so too did the Prophet when it was
realized that his life was in danger. With many of his followers already established in al-
Medina al-Munawwara, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emigrated under the cover of
darkness in order to evade the search parties. This celebrated journey (622 CE) became
known as the Hijra (emigration) and was later designated to mark the first year of the Muslim
calendar, as the Prophet’s arrival in Medina marked the first Islamic state. Al-Medina al-
Munawwara thereafter became known as the ‘city of the Prophet’.

Over the next six years the Prophet lived in Medina, spreading the word of Islam and
practicing its teachings. Soon, it became apparent that the Muslims would have to face the
Meccans in the field of battle in order to further spread God’s message. In March 624 CE,
against a superior force, the Muslims defeated the idol worshipping Meccans at the Battle of
Badr, however only a year later the Muslims were defeated in the disastrous Battle of Uhud.
In 628 CE the Prophet with 1000 men entered the walls of Mecca and soon afterwards the
Prophet was acknowledged as the leader. Fully established in Mecca, the Messenger of
God sent great expeditions to the north of Arabia, inviting others to enter into Islam. This
marks the beginning of Islam’s expansion towards Syria and Persia.

The ninth year of the Hijra (632 CE) is known as the "Year of Deputations" when delegates
came from all over Arabia to enter into Islam. On June 8 of that year, the Prophet died and
was buried in accordance to his wishes, in his house. The expansion of Islam continued
extending from as far West as Spain to as far East as India within one hundred years. Today
there are around a billion Muslims in the world.

CHAPTER 7: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Comparative Analysis

PERFORMANCE STANDARD:
The learner conducts group research on the doctrines of each of the three religions and
compares them in the aspects of origin, morality, purpose, destiny, and views on women.
 CONTENT STANDARD:
The learner demonstrates understanding of the three religions in the aspects of origin,
morality, purpose, destiny, and views on women.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
2. Provide evidence that Judaism, Christianity and Islam share common roots from Patriarch
Abraham
3. Justify that Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as monotheistic religions, have largely influenced the
world today.

Lesson 1: Uniqueness and Similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are traditionally called the Abrahamic religions. They
highlight and trace their common origin to the patriarch Abraham or recognize a spiritual tradition
identified with him. Abraham appears in the sacred texts of all of these religions. The major
Abrahamic religions in chronological order of founding are: Judaism (late second millennium BCE),
Christianity (first century CE), and Islam (seventh century CE).
 

They somewhat share a common belief in the oneness of God (monotheism), sacred history
(history as the theater of God’s activity and the encounter of God and humankind), prophets and
divine revelation, angels, and Satan. All stress moral responsibility and accountability, Judgment
Day, and eternal reward and punishment.

“All three faiths emphasize their special covenant with God, for Judaism through Moses,
Christianity through Jesus, and Islam through Muhammad. Christianity accepts God’s covenant with
and revelation to the Jews but traditionally has seen itself as superseding Judaism with the coming
of Jesus. Thus Christianity speaks of its new covenant and New Testament. So, too, Islam and
Muslims recognize Judaism and Christianity: their biblical prophets (among them Adam, Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus) and their revelations (the Torah and the New Testament, or Message of Jesus).”

“Peace is central to all three faiths. This is reflected historically in their use of similar
greetings meaning “peace be upon you”: shalom aleichem in Judaism, pax vobiscum in Christianity,
and salaam alaikum in Islam. Often, however, the greeting of peace has been meant primarily for
members of one’s own faith community.”
A conclusion 
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam trace their roots back to Abraham and his message of
monotheism. The similarities among these faiths range in practices and beliefs. They all have the
same geographical roots in the Arab World. A holy book can be found in all three religions and is
considered to be the word of God or the inspired word of God. Within the Torah, Bible and Qur’an
are creation stories in which God created the universe. Central to these three faiths are the various
prophets that came to spread messages of monotheism.

“All of the biblical prophets shared by Judaism and Christianity can also be found in the
Qur’an and Islamic writings. A level of accountability for one’s actions and the belief in charity and
good deeds are another similarity that these faiths share. In addition, the belief in life after death is a
shared belief among the three religions.

Lastly, all three faiths regard Jerusalem as a holy city. For Jews, it is home to the Wailing
Wall and the Temple Mount. In Christianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the spot where
Jesus was believed to be crucified. For Muslims it is home to the Dome of the Rock, where the
Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven and where Al Aqsa Mosque is
located.”

LESSON 2: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Common Tradition

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; these three religions can all be linked to one common
religious tradition that goes as far back as the time of the patriarchal prophet Abraham. This
underlying religious tradition forms the solid foundation on which all three religions have built upon
over the course of history, and from which each has developed different beliefs and ideals that set
them apart from others.

To begin with, the one fundamental difference that sets apart the religious tradition of these three
religions was the unifying concept of monotheism:

faith in a single, All-Powerful God who is the sole Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of the universe.

While it is not quite clear exactly when this doctrine first came into being, historians generally agree
that the concept of monotheism first made a clear appearance amongst a nomadic tribal people
known as the Hebrews.

The precise account of the activities of the Hebrews is not available. Nevertheless, scholars agree
on the fact that Biblical accounts of the migration of the Hebrews into the Near Eastern area from
Mesopotamia are plausible, and in accord with what is known of the general migration routes of
such semi-nomadic tribes. Religious and historical traditions mention that the patriarch Abraham
came from Mesopotamia, and migrated west with his Hebrews followers, and settled along the
eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, in the area now known as Palestine.

Abraham brought with him the idea of a monotheistic belief, an idea that would later prove to endure
for a long time in the area. Monotheistic belief emphasized on the moral demands and
responsibilities of the individual and the community towards the worship of one God, who was ruler
over all. Moreover, a belief in one God stressed the idea that God had a divine plan for human
history, and the actions and ideals of His chosen people were inextricably tied to that divine plan. At
the apex of this tradition sits Abraham, who is recognized as the founder of their faith by all three
religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Abraham’s followers passed down this tradition
generation after generation, strengthening and unifying the people in the Palestine area with the
belief in God and the covenant made with His chosen people. It was the 13th century B.C. that the
personage of Moses proved to be a great unifying force that was to quite literally forge the nation of
Israel. It was during the time of Moses that the concept of the covenant was reiterated and
reinstated amongst the descendants of Abraham.

The importance of this covenant can be recognized from a close scriptural analysis of all three
religions. All three branches of the original monotheistic beliefs introduced by Abraham into the
Palestine area recognize and account for the event in their religious scriptures:

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar
under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. … And Moses took half of
the blood of the oxen, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he
took the book of the covenant, and read it in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the
Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. (Exodus: 24: 4, 6, 7)

Similarly, the religion of Islam also recognizes the covenant of the Hebrews with God. It is
mentioned in the Holy Quran, the religious text of the Muslims, that man must remember the fact
that such a covenant was taken by a group of people with God:

O children of Israel! Remember My favours which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your covenant
with Me, I will fulfil My covenant with you, and Me alone should you fear….. (The Holy Quran: 2:41)

O children of Israel! Remember My favour which I bestowed on you and that I exalted you above
the peoples of the time. (The Holy Quran: 2:48)

And remember when We gave Moses the Book and the Discrimination, that you might be rightly
guided. (The Holy Quran: 2:54)

And remember the time when WE took a covenant from you and raised you above the Mount,
saying, `Hold fast that which WE have given you and bear in mind what is therein, that you may be
saved.’ (The Holy Quran: 2:64)

The need to quote the fore-going passages is seen when one attempts to correlate and compare
them together with other underlying beliefs found in all three religions. It is seen that the tradition
brought by Abraham, and reinforced and reinstated by Moses, is present and recognized by all
three religions. This is the common point among all the three faiths: an affirmation and
acknowledgment of the covenant which the Hebrews of the Palestine area made with God. This
forms the fundamental basis for these monotheistic religions.

Another important similarity among the three religions is their relative closeness in terms of
geographical proximity. It is not coincidental that all three great monotheistic religions of the world
today have a common ancestral homeland: the fact that Abraham was the father of the faithful for all
three religions also would signify that the place where he lived and led his people would be the
place where all three faiths would be born. The Near East, comprising of the Palestine area, the
Sinai peninsula, the Arabian peninsula (especially the northern half), and the areas of modern-day
Turkey and Greece — essentially make up the birthplace of all three faiths.

Yet another parallelism among the three religions is the belief and ideal that through prayer and
supplications, and establishing a relationship with God, one can achieve goodness in life and be in
a constant state of peace and tranquillity with himself. This is the fundamental root of all worship in
a monotheistic religion. The Almighty Creator is seen as a Being actively concerned with the deeds
and doings of His creatures: thus a turning to Him would eventually lead to a path of divine Grace
and Mercy. Essentially speaking, God’s purpose in creating mankind was for a very good reason:

they were called upon to be just and good like their Creator, for they were involved with the
fulfilment of His divine purpose. (Craig, Albert, et al; [The Heritage of World Civilizations, page 60])

This concept is illustrated in God’s statement to the House of Israel mentioned in the Bible.

I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. (Jeremiah: 31:33)

God’s purpose, according to monotheistic beliefs, was to raise man in rank and elevation in terms of
spiritual conduct and moral excellence. This could only be done if the individual, or the society at
large, would acknowledge the fact that they were created for a divine purpose, and according to a
pre-ordained plan. Believers were expected to follow the teachings given to them through their
respective scriptures and to recognize such personages as Abraham, Moses, and others to be
Prophets who were inspired and enlightened by God, and given the task of leading and reforming
the people. (Craig, Albert, et al; [The Heritage of World Civilizations, page 59])

All of the beliefs mentioned are found in all three faiths. They all share a common belief in a living,
self-sufficient, and ever-present God that maintains and regulates each and every individual’s
lifestyle and conduct. These beliefs formed the cement for the foundation that was common to all
faiths which originated from Abraham. This common point also served as the unifying force that
united all of Israel under one belief and one God.

The religions of Islam and Christianity also maintain these beliefs. Originating in the Arabian
Peninsula and Palestine area respectively, both hold the personage of Christ to be the extension of
this tradition. While both Islam and Christianity believe in Christ as a Prophet and reformer — the
Jewish faith does not.

This is where the parallelisms and similarities among all three religions stop. Islam and Christianity
break away from Judaism when they acknowledge the holiness and righteousness of Christ. All
three share a belief in Moses, but only two share a belief in the truth of Christ. The similarities
between Christianity and Islam come to an end as well, when Islam breaks away from the
parallelisms and acknowledges the Holy Prophet of Islam as a true prophet of God who came after
Christ to bring God’s final law for the guidance of all mankind. Both Judaism and Christianity reject
this claim. Hence, the religions split apart, and their similarities end when they begin to differ in
opinion regarding Christ and Muhammad (peace be on them). Only Islam acknowledges the divine
selection and prophethood of all three personages, while the other two do not.

All three religions do not share common beliefs after the belief in Moses. Islam acknowledges all
three, Christianity acknowledges two, and Judaism only one.

Yet all are deeply rooted in the fabric of monotheism. It is this tradition that serves as the backbone
for each religion. The covenant established by the patriarch Abraham, reinstated by Moses —
serves as the common link between three world religions. A close geographical and historical origin
brings all three religions closer together, and under a unifying perspective. This feature is what
makes the religions so remarkably similar.

The great tradition that gave raise to these three faiths traces its origin and birth to a tiny group of
nomadic Hebrew people, simple in lifestyle and habits. It was not the product of imperial forces, or
from great empires (Bid, page 56). The eventual products that formed as a result of this tradition
came into being after a long period of time. It was a gradual and slow process — not a quick period
of religious upheaval and chaos. The time interval between the advent of Moses and Muhammad
(peace be on them) was roughly nineteen centuries (1300 B.C. – 600 A.D.) — a monumental
amount of time to change and evolve in religion.

Nevertheless, a proper understanding of the origin of monotheistic belief enables one to clearly and
understand to what extent Judaism, Christianity and Islam can be considered as part of the same
religious and spiritual tradition: a tradition that dates back to the time of Abraham, simple nomad
leading his flock of followers to a better homeland.

Lesson 3: The Three Monotheistic Religions: Children of One Father

The three religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam readily fit the definition of monotheism, which
is to worship one god while denying the existence of other gods. But, the relationship of the three
religions is closer than that: They claim to worship the same god. While Judaism gave that god a
name, “Yahweh,” both Christianity and Islam simply refer to him as “God” -- in Arabic, Islam’s
founding language, “Allah” means “The God.”

The three religions trace their origins back to Abraham, who, in Genesis, had humanity’s first
relationship with God after the failures of Noah’s flood and the Tower of Babel. Judaism and
Christianity trace their tie to Abraham through his son Isaac, and
Islam traces it through his son Ishmael.

If Abraham represents a point at which the religions diverge, they

are unified up to that moment. That unity goes back to Adam, the
first human being, and his creation by God. Each of the three
religions reveres Adam and honors him as the first person,
centering key theological elements on God’s creation of
humanity through Adam. God is the father of humanity and the
father of each religion.

Unfortunately, the mythology of being children of the same god

as father does not lead to harmonious relationships among
members of the three religions. They have become squabbling
children rather than a harmonious family. The Middle East, and
indeed the world, continues to be rocked by political controversy, Yasser Rostrom’s “The Tree”
forceful oppression and violent attacks stemming from members symbolizes Adam and Eve as
of these three religions, both against each other and against the birth of humanity and the
groups within their own religion. monotheistic religions as they
To be fair, the religions themselves do not organize the violence reach toward the hand of God.
and oppression. Indeed, they usually deplore it. Instead, the (Copyright Caravan.org)
problems come from political or governmental authorities as well
as from self-appointed (often illegal, immoral and highly violent) groups in the name of a religion.
Terrorist killings and destruction, civil war and deprivation of human rights thus become identified
with the names of religions -- and are regularly reported on the news.