INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM

by Dr. Zakir Naik

(I) INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM:
Judaism is one of the important Semitic religions. Its followers are known
as Jews and they believe in the prophetic mission of Prophet Moses (pbuh).
(II) CONCEPT OF GOD IN JUDAISM:
(i) he following verse from the book of !euteronomy contains an
e"hortation from Moses (pbuh)#
$Shama Israelu %donai Ila &ayno %dna Ikhad$
It is a &ebrew 'uotation which means#
$&ear( ) Israel# he *ord our +od is one *ord$
,he -ible( !euteronomy .#/0
The following verses are from the Book of Isaiah:
(ii) "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour."
The Bible, Isaiah !":##$
(iii) "I am Lord, and there is none else There is no %od besides me."
The Bible, Isaiah !& : &$
(iv) "I am %od, and there is none else; I am %od, and there is none like me."
The Bible, Isaiah !':($
(v) )udaism *ondemns idol worshi+ in the following verses:
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
"Thou shalt not make unto thee an, graven image, or an, likeness of an,thing that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth."
"Thou shalt not bow down th,self to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord th, %od am
a -ealous %od."
The Bible, ./odus 01:"2&$
(iv) 3 similar message is re+eated in the book of 4euteronom,:
"Thou shalt have none other gods before me."
"Thou shalt not make thee an, graven image, or an, likeness of an,thing that is in
heaven above, or that in the earth beneath, or that is in the water beneath the
earth."
"Thou shalt not bow down th,self unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord th, %od
am a -ealous %od."
The Bible, 4euteronom, &:52($
In )udaism too, we 6nd the same thread of monotheism, that is seen in other
religions.
(III) MUHAMMAD IN JEWISH SCRIPTURES (THE OLD TESTAMENT):
#) 7uhammad (+buh) +ro+hesised in the book of 4euteronom,:
a) God Almight !"#a$! to Mo!#! i% &oo$ o' D#(t#)o%om *ha"t#) +, -#)!#
+,:
"I will raise them u+ a 8ro+het from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will +ut
m, words in his mouth; and he shall s+eak unto them all that I shall *ommand him."
.) P)o"h#t M(hammad (".(h) i! li$# Mo!#! (".(h):
i) Both had a father and a mother.
ii) Both were married and had *hildren.
iii) Both were a**e+ted as 8ro+hets b, their +eo+le in their lifetime.
iv) Both besides being 8ro+hets were also kings i.e. the, *ould in9i*t *a+ital
+unishment.
v) Both brought new laws and new regulations for their +eo+le.
vi) Both died a natural death.
*) M(hammad (".(h) i! ')om amo%g th# .)#th)#% o' Mo!#! (".(h)/ A)a.!
a)# .)#th)#% o' J#0!/ A.)aham (".(h) had t0o !o%!:
Ishmail and Isaa*. The 3rabs are the des*endants of Ishmail (+buh) and the )ews are
the des*endants of Isaa* (+buh).
d) Wo)d! i% th# mo(th:
8ro+het 7uhammad (+buh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he re*eived
from %od 3lmight, he re+eated it verbatim.
4euteronom, (#::#:):
"I will raise them u+ a 8ro+het from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will +ut
m, words in his mouth; and he shall s+eak unto them all that I shall *ommand him."
0) 7uhammad (+buh) is +ro+hesised in the book of Isaiah:
It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah *ha+ter 0( verse #0:
"3nd the book is delivered to him that is not learned sa,ing, ;<ead this, I +ra, thee=;
and he saith, ;I am not learned=.
">hen 3r*hangel %abriel *ommanded 7uhammad (+buh) b, sa,ing ;I?ra=, he re+lied
"I am not learned".
") 8ro+het 7uhammad (+buh) is mentioned b, name in the @ong of @olomon
*ha+ter & verse #':
"Aikko 7amittakim we kullo 7uhammadim Behdoodeh wa Behra*e Ba,na
)erusalem."
"Ais mouth is most sweet: ,e, he is altogether lovel,. This is m, beloved, and this is
m, friend, C daughter of )erusalem."
3ll the +ro+he*ies mentioned in the Cld Testament regarding 7uhammad (+buh)
besides a++l,ing to the )ews also hold good for the Dhristians (A E. '#:')
CONCEPT OF GOD IN JUDAISM
Judaism is one of the major Semitic religions. Its followers are known as Jews and they believe
in the prophetic mission of rophet !oses "pbuh#.
(i) The following verse from De!eronom" #on!$ins $n e%hor!$!ion from Moses& ('(h)
$Shama Israelu %donai Ila &ayno %dna Ikhad$ It is a &ebrew 'uotation which means
$&ear( ) Israel* +he ,ord our -od is one ,ord$
.+he /ible( Deut 0*12
(ii) Consi)er !he following verses from !he *oo+ of Is$i$h&
$I( even I( am the ,ord3 and beside me there is no saviour.$
.+he /ible( Isaiah 14*552
(iii) ,I $m lor)- $n) !here is none else There is no Go) (esi)es me.,
.+he /ible( Isaiah 16 * 62
(iv) ,I $m Go)- $n) !here is none else/ I $m Go)- $n) !here is none li+e me.,
.+he /ible( Isaiah 10*72
(v) J)$ism #on)emns i)ol worshi' in !he following verses&
$+hou shalt have no other gods before me. +hou shalt not make unto thee any graven image( or
any likeness of anything that is in heaven above( or that is in the earth beneath( or that is in the
water under the earth. +hou shalt not bow down thyself to them( nor see them3 for I the ,ord thy
-od am a jealous -od8$
.+he /ible( 9:odus ;<*4=62
(iv) A simil$r mess$ge is re'e$!e) in !he (oo+ of De!oronom"&
$+hou shalt have none other gods before me.+hou shalt not make thee any graven image( or
any likeness of anything that is in heaven above( or that in the earth beneath( or that is in the
water beneath the earth. +hou shalt not bow down thyself unto them( nor serve them3 for I the
,ord thy -od am a jealous -od8$
.+he /ible( Deut 6*>=72
MUHAMMAD IN JEWISH SCRIPTURES (THE OLD TESTAMENT):
0) Mh$mm$) ('(h) 'ro'hesise) in !he (oo+ of De!eronom"&
a# -od %lmighty speaks to !oses in /ook of Deuteronomy chapter 5? verse 5?*
$I will raise them up a rophet from among their brethren( like unto thee( and will put my words
in his mouth3 and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.$
b# rophet !uhammad "pbuh# is like !oses "pbuh#*
i# /oth had a father and a mother.
ii# /oth were married and had children.
iii# /oth were accepted as rophets by their people in their lifetime.
iv# /oth besides being rophets were also kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment.
v# /oth brought new laws and new regulations for their people.
vi# /oth died a natural death.
c# !uhammad "pbuh# is from among the brethren of !oses "pbuh#. %rabs are brethren of Jews.
%braham "pbuh# had two sons* Ishmail and Isaac. +he %rabs are the descendants of Ishmail
"pbuh# and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac "pbuh#.
d# @ords in the mouth*
rophet !uhammad "pbuh# was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from -od
%lmighty he repeated it verbatim.
Deuteronomy "5?*5?#*
$I will raise them up a rophet from among their brethren( like unto thee( and will put my words
in his mouth3 and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.$
1) Mh$mm$) ('(h) is 'ro'hesise) in !he (oo+ of Is$i$h&
It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah chapter ;7 verse 5;*
$%nd the book is delivered to him that is not learned saying( ABead this( I pray theeC3 and he
saith( AI am not learnedC.
$@hen %rchangel -abriel commanded !uhammad "pbuh# by saying AI'raC( he replied $I am not
learned$.
2) Pro'he! Mh$mm$) ('(h) is men!ione) (" n$me in !he Song of Solomon #h$'!er 3
verse 04&
$&ikko !amittakim we kullo !uhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehrace /ayna Jerusalem.$
$&is mouth is most sweet* ye( he is altogether lovely. +his is my beloved( and this is my friend(
) daughter of Jerusalem.$
%ll the prophecies mentioned in the )ld +estament regarding !uhammad "pbuh# besides
applying to the Jews also hold good for the Dhristians "& E. 05*0#.