Green Medina

Salam and Shalom, my friends!

We are currently in the Jewish holy month of Tishrei, meaning “head of the year” or “first of the year.” It’s a holy month that contains key Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and the Dedication of Solomon’s Temple.

During this time, I’ve been reflecting on similarities between Judaism and Islam. If anything, of all the world’s major religions, I find that Judaism and Islam seem to have the most in common. This is not to say they are the same. But both faiths are monotheistic, and they share a large overlap of prophets (Moses, Abraham, Joseph, etc). A key difference, for those who are not aware, is that Islam has the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran.

As a kid, I was lucky to experience and learn about many different religions. During my teenage years, I had a Jewish step-family, so I got to experience Jewish holidays, Bar Mitzvahs, and the joys of Matzah Ball Soup. I remembered thinking Matzah Ball Soup was like a giant meatball in chicken noodle soup broth (probably not the best analogy, but the one my teenage brain came up with). To me, Latkes were like potato pancakes (Yes Please!) And very tasty with sour cream.

As someone who came from a family that celebrated the Christian holidays, I actually enjoyed Hanukkah more than Christmas. (Some of my Jewish friends have told me that this is a strange thought, since they themselves grew up with Christmas envy). Dividing the gifts up into eight days, in which we lit a candle and prayed to God, was a nice experience. Much nicer than the avalanche of gifts on one day.

While I eventually was guided to Islam, I did want to take some time in this article today to share five things I appreciate about Judaism as a Muslim.

One — Monotheism

In Islam, one of the most critical beliefs is monotheism. It’s in the Shahadah, our testimony to faith (There is no God but the one true God). At the heart of both Islam and Judaism is the unwavering belief in the oneness of God. Indeed, monotheism is the first of the ten commandments given to our shared prophet, Moses, in which God says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Also see the following verse in Isaiah 44:6. “The Holy One blessed be He said: I am not so. “I am first” (Isaiah 44:6), as I have no father; “and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6), as I have no brother; “and besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6), as I have no son.” (Source).

Compare such a verse to a critical chapter in the Quran, Al Ikhlas (The Sincerety). This chapter is so important, some say reciting it three times is like reciting the whole of the Quran. Check it out.

Al Ikhlas — The Sincerity

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Say, “He is Allah, [Who is] One,

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
He neither begets nor is born,

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

Two —Respect for the Sabbath:

I think one of my favorite things in Judasim, aside from monotheism, is the respect for the Sabbath.

One of the key ideas on the Sabbath day, is that one is not supposed to do any work. This can mean different things depending on one’s interpretation and level of orthodoxy. Some more orthodox practitioners will not use electronic devices on the day of the Sabbath or drive a car.

In general it’s a day to relax, enjoy time with family, wear nice clothes, sing, tell stories, eat festive meals, and light candles at sundown on Friday.

One of the ideas I love about a day of no work (aside from the fact that I just love being lazy in my pajamas) is how alien such a thing is in our hyper capitalist — go go go—culture. Constant productivity is hailed as a virtue. In the U.S., we have long glorified burnout culture. The hero of the story in our shows is often the one who stays at the office late burning the midnight oil, or the detective who obsessively follows every lead in the case, even if that means avoiding family, rest, or basic biological human needs.

However, this obsession with work is destroying ourselves and our planet. In the Jewish tradition, God created the world in six days and then rested on the seventh. Whether you literally believe that this is true or not, this highlights the importance of rest as a key part of creation. Several scientific studies have even shown that people are often healthier, more productive, and more creative after taking breaks.

Three — Scholarly Traditions and Love of Learning:

Judaism has a long tradition of valuing the importance of scholarship and learning. This involves taking a deep dive into scripture, learning Hebrew, and using rationality to come up with the best interpretation and implementation of scripture. It is highly encouraged to study the Jewish sacred texts (the Torah and the Talmud).

One particular beautiful concept is Tikkun olam, repairing the world. Aspects of Tikkun olam includes learning, prayer, repentance, and following ritual commandments in order to make the world a better place.

In Islam there is the concept of Ijtihad. It’s an Arabic word for “effort” which describes the process of using independent reasoning, logic, and scholarship of sacred texts in order to make decisions. Early on in the Islamic world there was a great love of knowledge and learning that have led to major scientific and mathematical achievements in our world today. It’s no coincidence that words like Algebra, Algorithm, Alchemy, and others, have the Arabic word “al,” or “the,” at the beginning. Indeed, the world’s first university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, was founded by a Muslim woman named Fatima al-Fihri in the 9th century AD.

Four— Tzedakah, Righteousness and Charity:

Tzedakah is a Hebrew word for righteousness, but it is commonly used to mean charity. The concept of Tzedakah is said to be different from the modern, Western idea of charity. The modern idea of charity is a spontaneous act of goodwill. But in the Jewish faith, Tzedakah is an obligation.

This idea is similar to the Islamic, Zakat. Zakat, or charity, is one of the five key pillars of Islam. It also refers to an obligatory charity that all Muslims are required to perform (if they have the means). It is customarily 2.5% of a Muslim’s total savings and wealth above a minimum amount. Zakat is supposed to be used to help the poor, orphans, widows, the elderly, and those freed from oppression.

Five — Bar Mitzvahs/Bat Mitzvahs, Coming of Age Ceremonies

A Bar Mitzvah (for boys)/Bat Mitzvah (for girls) is a coming of age ceremony—and super fun party for tweens. Once Jewish children reach 13, they are said to be responsible for their own actions. This is also the age that some children begin practicing the ritual fasting on Yom Kippur.

While there isn’t a default coming of age ceremony for all Muslims, I know there are some in various Islamic cultures.

Taklif is a Shiite ceremony that celebrates puberty for boys and girls, and this is an age where they are encouraged to observe religious obligations such as fasting, praying, and modesty.

Khatam Al Koran is a Malaysian tradition in which participants who have come of age will recite the final chapter of the Quran in front of friends and family.

In general, coming of age ceremonies seem like a good idea for celebrating responsibility and making that confusing, hormonal, pimply preteen era a bit more bearable.

And any party that involves lifting people up into a chair sounds like a good party to me. Sign me up.

Until next time, friends!

I originally published this post on my Muslim self help blog, Striving for the Straight Path. Check it out!