Monotheistic religions

Historically speaking , the lives of both Jesus and Mohammad are similar in some ways . Neither of these two giants in world history had a smooth and trouble free life . Both were fraught with dissent among their followers and resistance from the previous and more established religions of their time . Both helped to found the largest and second largest religions in the world today . Christianity began with the life of Jesus and the entire religion is based upon his life and teachings and was strengthened by the teaching and preaching of eleven of his

br twelve disciples . Jesus was born in the Jewish town of Bethlehem between the years 1BC and 3AD (www .religioustolerance .org ) The calendar of the Western hemisphere is based upon his birth but it is not yet known in exactly what year Jesus was born . In the Gospels of the New Testament little is said about the life of Jesus from the time that he was twelve until he began to preach at the age of thirty . The accounts of the life of Jesus can be found in the New Testament as well as other primary sources such as the writings of the 1st century Jewish historian Josephus

Jesus began his preaching in and around what is now present day Israel He gathered twelve disciples or followers from various and unlikely backgrounds . Jesus then went and according to The New Testament , healed the sick and preached that he was the son of God and that only through faith in his deity , could one expect to reach heaven upon their death (www .wikipedia .org /wiki /Christianity ) This message was contrary to the message of the more established Jewish faith and was at odds with the chief leaders of the Jewish religion as his message was seen as blasphemy . As a result , a plot was devised among the Jewish leaders and helped a great deal by the Roman authorities who had control over the Jewish land and its people ( Jesus was tried and convicted of blasphemy and as he was seen as a threat by both the Roman and Jewish authorities , was put to death in a popular fashion among the Roman authorities he was crucified upon a cross in between two thieves and died

Muhammad gained his followers early on but was still met with resistance from the major tribes of Mecca . There , he was treated badly as were his followers . In to escape the persecution , he and his followers escaped in 622 AD to Medina ( HYPERLINK "http /www .islam .com " www .islam .com ) This exodus is celebrated in what is called the Hijra and helps to signify the start of the Islamic calendar . Over the next ten tears , the tribes of Mohammad came together and helped to take back the city of Mecca . It was also at this time that Mohammad had reported that he had seen a vision from God which stated that he would be the prophet of God and that it was his job...