Abrahamic religions
An Abrahamic Religion is a religion whose followers believe in the prophet Abraham. They believe Abraham and his sons/grandsons hold an important role in human spiritual development. The best known Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Smaller religious traditions sometimes included as Abrahamic religions are Samaritanism, Druze, Rastafari, Babism and Bahá'í Faith. Mandaeism (a religion that holds many Abrahamic beliefs) is not called Abrahamic because its followers think Abraham was a false prophet
True Abrahamic religions are monotheistic (the belief that there is only one God). They also all believe that people should pray to God and worship God often. Among monotheistic religions, the Abrahamic religions have the world's largest number of followers.
Religions
Religion | Founded in | Claims descend from | Central symbol | Central scripture | Central figure | Adherents | Population |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christianity | 1st century CE | Isaac and Joseph | Christian cross | Christian Bible | Jesus | Christians | 2.4 billion |
Islam | 7th century CE | Ischmael | Star and crescent | Quran | Muhammad | Muslims | 1.9 billion |
Judaism | 20th–18th century BCE | Isaac and Joseph | Star of David | Tanakh | Moses | Jews | 14 million |
Bahá'í Faith | 19th century CE | Keturah's children | 9-pointed star | Aqdas | Bahá'ullah | Baha'is | 10 million |
Druze | 11th century CE | Ischmael | Druze star | Hikmah | Hamza | Muwahiddun | 5 million |
Samaritanism | 20th–18th century BCE | Isaac and Joseph | Pentetuch | Moses | Samaritians | 820 followers |
Abrahamic Religions Media
From top to bottom: the star and crescent (Islam), the cross (Christianity), and the Star of David (Judaism) are the symbols commonly used to represent the three largest Abrahamic religions.
A Jewish Rebbe holds a Torah scroll.
Christianity is based on the teachings of the Bible
A cenotaph above the Cave of the Patriarchs traditionally considered to be the burial place of Abraham.
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1844–1921), the eldest son of Baháʼu'lláh, and leader of the Baháʼí Faith
Druze dignitaries celebrating the Ziyarat al-Nabi Shu'ayb festival
Coronation of Haile Selassie of Abyssinia in 1928.
Samaritan High Priest with the Samaritan Torah, Nablus, c. 1920
A copy of the Ginza Rabba in Arabic translation
An interpretation of the borders (in red) of the Promised Land, based on God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18)