Christianity and Islam Dbq
Christianity and Islam are the two most recognized religions in the world today. And their attitudes toward merchants and trade has had a major effect on the worlds economy even dating back to the founding of the religions. Islam's firsts views on trade where very positive most likely due to the fact that it's founder, Muhammad was a merchant himself. However Christianities first views on merchants and trade were more negative. Jesus the founder of Christianity was a carpenter and thought that the only way to reach heaven was through spiritual means rather than through the shady arts of merchants and trading. Although the first attitudes on merchants and trade were negative from Christianity and positive from Islam over the next 1500 years their views had changed into the opposite of what was first conceived.
When Christianity came into existence Jesus first said to his disciples in around the year 70 – 80 C.E. In the book of Matthew (Doc 1) it says “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This shows how Jesus point of view on merchants and trade was that it was a business of sinners and that the rich would never go to heaven. However Islam even after being founded 600 years after Christianity showed positive attitudes toward trade and merchants. There is a teaching in the Muslim Qur'an from around 620 to 650 C.E. (Doc 2) that says in the first three lines “O ye believers! devour not each others property among yourselves unlawfully save that by mutual trading consent. Woe to the cheaters! who, when they take measure of their dues from men, take it fully; and when they measure out to others or weigh out for them, they give less than is due. And give full measures when you measure out and weigh with true balance. This is fair and better in the
When Christianity came into existence Jesus first said to his disciples in around the year 70 – 80 C.E. In the book of Matthew (Doc 1) it says “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This shows how Jesus point of view on merchants and trade was that it was a business of sinners and that the rich would never go to heaven. However Islam even after being founded 600 years after Christianity showed positive attitudes toward trade and merchants. There is a teaching in the Muslim Qur'an from around 620 to 650 C.E. (Doc 2) that says in the first three lines “O ye believers! devour not each others property among yourselves unlawfully save that by mutual trading consent. Woe to the cheaters! who, when they take measure of their dues from men, take it fully; and when they measure out to others or weigh out for them, they give less than is due. And give full measures when you measure out and weigh with true balance. This is fair and better in the