The Unity and Diversity of Religions

A Comparative Study of the Holy Qur'an and the Old and New Testaments

Abstract

This research deals with a comparative study on the topic of the unity and diversity of religions, based on the Holy Qur’an and the Old and New Testaments, to reveal the points of agreement and divergence between these heavenly books. It aims to demonstrate how the Holy Qur’an presents the relationship between previous messages and the message of Islam in terms of the divine origin, human distortion, and the function of completion and correction performed by Islam. The study showed that there is an essential unity in the doctrinal principles, manifested in monotheism and prophethood, and that these principles appear in multiple forms in the three religions, while the divine origin remains common. The study also showed that the difference lies primarily in the legislation and theological concepts, especially in the Christian conception of Christ (peace be upon him), and in some of the biblical rulings that have been subject to change. The research proved, through the Qur’anic texts, that this religious diversity does not nullify the truth, but rather indicates a divine wisdom based on trial and testing, and that Islam came to confirm what came before it and dominate it, to bring together the divine truth in its final form. The study concluded that understanding Unity and diversity among the divine religions require a return to the original texts, free from late-stage theological interpretations. It also recommended promoting text-based dialogue and mutual respect among followers of divine messages.