Jesus and Mohammed
130
November 11, 2012
Chad Schuchmann

Jesus and Mohammed In almost all religions there is a person or people that are considered saviors, half-god half-man, or heroes. For example, Hercules from ancient Greek mythology is a hero that is half-god and half man and is the son of Zeus the main Greek god. A lot of them seem to have similar life stories to one another. In this essay I will be discussing as well as comparing and contrasting the lives, deaths, and style of worship of Jesus Christ, the savior of Christianity, with the life of Mohammed, the prophet of Islam as well as the founder of Mohammedanism.
Jesus Christ was born on December 25th but no one has an exact year when he was born just estimation. Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th to celebrate his birth. Jesus Christ was born in a stable at a place called Bethlehem. He was carried in the womb by a young Jewish virgin named Mary who was married to a man named Joseph. Angels announces his birth to shepherds and a unique star brought guided three wise men from far away to witness his birth and brought gifts for the child. As a young boy Jesus and his family fled to Egypt because an angel warned Joseph the stepfather that Jesus was in danger. Jesus stayed out of the eye of the public until he was about 30. A man named John the Baptist baptized him. As he was being baptized Jesus was praying, "heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (Luke 3:21-22). (All About Jesus Christ, 2002) After this event Jesus was preparing to start his ministry by fasting and praying in the wilderness. When he was ready he set out and preached about repentance. As he traveled he chose 12 men who would work closely with him. They were known as the 12 disciples. He traveled around and preaches the words of the father. Along with that he performed miracles, which include healing the blind, the crippled, and walking on water. All of these acts were to convince people that he was the true messiah. Word about his miracles and preaches spread so far that a roman king heard about him and had Jesus arrested. Jesus was trialed and charged that he claimed that he was the king of Jews. Jesus was sentences to be crucified and was tortured before they got to it. He was whipped, crowned by thorns and forced to carry the cross that he was to be crucified on miles to the site where this would take place. Jesus was crucified and he died. Three days later he rose from the dead and is now seated. He went to his disciples and told them that he died to save everyone.
Jesus’s death impacted the world but it all started with his disciples. They were so compelled by Jesus that when he went to be seated at the right hand of the father, they continued on with what he started. People began to believe in Jesus more especially the fact that god would give up his only son to save mankind. As the bible says: Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
Mohammed was born in the town of Mecca in the year 570. When he was five or six he and his mother took a trip to visit family and see his father’s grave. While there his mother got sick and died, his grandfather was the one who took him in and raised him. Two years later his grandfather died and his uncle took him in and took care of him for a long time. Not much is really known about his life before he turned forty. What they do know is that he married a rich widow and they had a daughter named Fatima. Mohammed started preaching in the year 610 after he had some experiences in the desert. Mohammed claimed to be a prophet that would give gods messages and guide others in the right direction. “Mohammed's message asserting the lordship of Allah was not well received at first. The people called him a sorcerer and false prophet and claimed that he was possessed (Watt, p.102) and in 622 Mohammed was forced to flee Mecca. He had been condemned by Meccan authorities who held to Ka'aba (Guillaume, p.124).” (Carlsgaard, 1996) Mohammed found a place that accepted him and followed him. The city was a rival city of Mecca known as Medina. His messages were accepted by people all over and followed Mohammed as he issued a holy war against Mecca. He captured and became the ruler of Mecca and made sure that the messages he received from Allah were carried out. This was the start of his religious restoration. “Mohammed was born poor, but he died known as the founder of the great religion of Islam, and was considered a "poet, an inspired prophet with a fearless heart (Dermenghem, p. 37)." Mohammed died in 632 with the majority of the Arabian Peninsula under Islam, a word which literally means "submission."” (Carlsgaard, 1996) Mohammed’s death was caused by poison meat that he ate. It took him three years after being poisoned to die. “Mohammed's revelations were written shortly after his death and they are now called the Qur'an.” (Carlsgaard, 1996) Jesus Christ and Mohammed the prophet were both praised in similar ways. Praying is the most common way of praising both of them. In Islam Mohammed is considered a deity along side other prophets such Abraham and Jesus. In Christianity Jesus is considered a God because he sits at the right hand of God. Therefore he is more divine than any other human who walked the earth. Christmas is also a way of celebrating Jesus Christ. As I said earlier this is when Jesus was born. Easter also celebrates the resurrection of Jesus after being crucified. The churches of both these religions are the main point where their messages are being carried out. Their stories continues on through books such as the bible and word of mouth of those trying to help people for a cause that they believe is the right one. Jesus and Mohammed both lived a life full of struggle but they still found way to help people and spread the word of their God. Both of these men were very important to their own religion. Without them, there probably wouldn’t be Christianity and the religion of Islam. References

All About Jesus Christ. (2002). Jesus Christ Biography. Retrieved from http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/jesus-christ-biography-faq.htm
Carlsgaard, J. (1996). The Life of the Prophet Muhammad. Retrieved from http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/islam/mohammadlife.html