What is the difference between the moral teachings of the Christian Bible and the Quran?

In recent years, especially as the number of Muslims has increased in the U.S., there have been more discussions about the differences between Islam and Christianity, including their sacred writings. Both the Bible and Quran are foundational documents that each religion’s members believe to be divinely inspired.

ABRAHAMIC ORIGINS

The Christian Bible and the Quran are both viewed within the Abrahamic tradition, meaning that their followers assert the teachings descend, in part, from the patriarch Abraham, a central figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The Christian Bible was formed over many centuries, beginning with God’s revelation to the people of Israel (what became the Old Testament), perhaps 1,200-1,500 years before Jesus’ birth. Originally written in either Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek, the Bible’s contents were completed in the first century, with the deaths of Jesus and the last apostle.

While sharing influence from Christianity and Judaism, the Quran is believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the early seventh century AD. It acknowledges some Christian Bible figures, including Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Mary, but is viewed as the final and unalterable word of God—not surpassed by any other revelation.

MORAL GUIDANCE

As with texts sacred to other religions, the Bible and Quran share some common moral teachings. Both provide guidance on truthfulness, modesty and charity, and there are similar verses. For example, the Quran’s teaching on humility uses language that can be seen to mirror some of Jesus’ words: “The servants of the Most Compassionate are those who walk upon the earth humbly, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of ] peace” (Quran 25:63).

The Bible promotes care for the poor and protection of the marginalized. The Quran similarly emphasizes economic fairness and helping others: “Do good to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler and those whom your right hand possesses” (Quran 4:36).

DIFFERING EMPHASES

The Bible and the Quran also diverge significantly, particularly in the foundational understandings of God and how we relate to others. Christianity emphasizes love, grace and forgiveness, while Islam holds paramount submission to God’s will, justice and righteousness.

The Bible outlines roles and responsibilities within families, including husbands, wives and children, and it teaches love, sacrifice and mutual respect. More so than the Bible, the Quran prescribes distinct roles and responsibilities, and it defines a more comprehensive moral and legal framework, Sharia, that touches on multiple aspects of day-to-day living, including personal behavior, family relationships and communal life.

A SINGLE REVELATION

Whatever similarities exist between these two faiths, Christianity and Islam make exclusive truth claims that cannot be reconciled. Each religion’s holy texts provide a foundation for the moral life but do not present the same vision. Christians do not believe in the Quran, just as Muslims do not assent to the Bible.

For Christians, Jesus is the final and complete revelation of the Father. As the Catechism teaches, the Christian faith is not a “religion of the book” but a religion of the “Word.” “Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word [revelation], His one utterance in whom he expresses himself completely” (Catechism, 102, 108).

Father David Endres is professor of Church history and historical theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology.

This article appeared in the October 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.