Religion and Theology

The lives of both Jesus and Mohammed have influenced many people for well over a thousand years. The religions, Christianity and Islam, are still followed to this day. Though Jesus and Mohammed taught different things and lived completely different lives, they made a strong impact on history and people.

Life of Jesus
Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem, Israel 2000 years ago. An angel named Gabriel was sent by the God to a young Jewish woman Mary. He told Mary that she would have a son by Gods power and he would be the son of God. Jesus spent his childhood in Egypt and adolescence in Nazareth, Israel (Jesus Central, 2003). For the first thirty years, Jesus lived a traditional Jewish life, working as a carpenter.

In his thirties, Jesus started his public teaching and displayed recorded miracles (Jesus Central, 2003). Over a 3 year period, in spite of his efforts to maintain a low profile, his reputation spread nationwide and attracted thousands of followers. Jesus taught people that god loves you and is with you, god forgives those who ask and love one another. Jesus did many controversial acts the most shocking was that he repeatedly claimed to be god. This was a direct infringement of the Jewish law (Jesus Central, 2003). The religious leaders convinced the Roman Governor, Pilate, to kill Jesus. Therefore, he was executed by the Roman government with the request of religious leaders. Jesus was cruelly tortured by hanging his hands to a horizontal wooden beam, with nails. This method of killing stopped the flow of air to his lungs, and he was killed in three hours (Jesus Central, 2003). According to more than 500 eyewitnesses, Jesus was said to have been returned from the dead after three days. For the next 40 days, he traveled both north and south provinces of Israel. Jesus then went back to Jerusalem where he was killed. According to the eye witnesses, he rose up into the sky alive by leaving the earth (Jesus Central, 2003).

Life of Mohammed
Mohammed was born in the town of Mecca, a mountain town in the high desert plateau of western Arabia in 570AD. The name is derived from Arabic word hamada, meaning to praise, to glorify. Mohammed was the first and only son of Amina bint Wahb and Abd Allah bin Al-Muttalib. Abd Allah bin died before the birth of Mohammed and therefore he was raised by Amina, mother (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). Amina, following Meccan tradition, handed over his son to Halima, a wet nurse. Halima was from nomadic tribe of Sad ibn Bakr (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). When Mohammed was at the age of five or six, his mother took him to his fathers grave in Yathrib, which is a few hundred miles north of Mecca. While returning, Mohammeds mother became ill and died (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). The nurse Halima took Mohammed to Mecca and kept him under his paternal grandfather, Abdul Al-Muttalibs protection. Under the guidance of grandfather, he learned the basics of statecraft. After the death of grandfather in 578, Mohammed was placed in the care of Abu Talib, paternal uncle (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). In his early twenties, Mohammed met a woman named Khadija bint Khawalayd. She was a wealthy Meccan merchant and Mohammed worked for her. After some years, they both were married. After the marriage, Mohammed continued to look after the business affairs of Khadija. They had six children, two sons died in infancy and four daughters. Mecca became materialistic and Mohammed was worried by this. Mohammed started making long retreats out of Mecca to a mountain cave, where he fasted and meditated (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). On one instance, after a number of unclear visionary experiences, an overpowering presence visited him and educated him to deliver the words of such beauty and force that Mohammed and others slowly credited them to God. These experiences continued to occur and even though Mohammed was frightened, he told the experiences to his tribe (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995).At first, Mohammed and his followers were humiliated and ridiculed and later they were mistreated and physically attacked. After ten years, both Mohammeds wife and uncle died (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). The Mecca leaders attempted to kill Mohammed. In 622 AD, Mohammed and his followers decided to leave Mecca and traveled to Yathrib, Medina. There was a violent civil war going on there and the leaders invited him to act as their mediator. Mohammed stayed there for six years, building the first community for Muslims (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). By 630AD, much power was gained by the Muslims and outweighed Meccans. In 630AD, Mohammed and his followers marched on Mecca and tribes joined them along the way. Without violence, they entered Mecca and the Meccans also joined them (Public Broadcasting Service, 1995). Mohammed came back to live in Medina. In 632, for one last time, he returned to Mecca for performing a pilgrimage. After completing pilgrimage, he came back to Medina. He died in 632AD and was buried in a mosque in Medina.

Impact on Christianity after the death of Jesus
Many people believed that Jesus was truly the son of God after the death, rebirth and ascension of Jesus Christ. These astonishing events made people to accept Christianity in spite of harassment. According to a record, few months later in the same Jerusalem city, 3000 new followers accepted Christianity in a single day. Many people chose Christianity after the unbelievable events that took place after the death of Jesus (Ganly, 2007).

Impact on Islam after the death of Mohammed
After hundred years of Mohammeds death, his way of life and teachings had reached from the isolated Arabia corners to as far east as Indo-China and as far west as France, Morocco and Spain. The death of Mohammed not influenced for the success of his religion as strong as the death of Jesus was influenced. Mohammeds actions played a stronger part in creating the religion of Islam when he was alive. The death of Jesus was a significant aspect for the spread of Christianity, whereas the life practices of Mohammed were more of a governing aspect in the spread of Islam (Ganly, 2007).

The way Jesus is worshipped
All over the world, Christians worshipped Jesus as he was considered as God in the holy trinity. People worshipped Jesus even when he was alive. When people worshipped Jesus and bowed before him, he did not reprimand the worshippers and did not advice that he was worthless of such worship (Ganly, 2007).

The way Mohammed is worshipped
Muslims do not adore Mohammed, as in Islam only God is to be worshipped and Mohammed was not a God. God sent him as Prophet and as a teacher, but Mohammed is not a God by himself. In Islam religion, idol or saint worship is wrong (Ganly, 2007). Christians worshipped Jesus as he is believed as God, but Muslims do not worship Mohammed as he was not a God but he was a tool that God spoke through and it is in opposition to the religion to adore other than God (Ganly, 2007).

How the messages of Jesus and Mohammed are carried out in the world today
The messages of Jesus are still being followed today. Many people are preaching, publishing and publicizing Christianity all over the world. Different Christianity sects are practicing the Jesus teachings. The largest religion in the world today is Christianity (Ganly, 2007). Like Christianity, the Islam religion is also practiced by people all over the world. After Christianity, Islam is the second largest religion in the world today. The lives of Jesus and Mohammed occurred 570 years apart, but these two have the largest following in the world by people. Jesus lived up to thirties, but his death was a main point in the religions success.

Mohammed lived up to sixties, and gathered the following up to 30 years of his life (Ganly, 2007). Both the religions, Christianity and Islam flourished long after the death of Jesus and Mohammed, and these religions are still followed by many people all over the world.