The Islamic Moses: How the Prophet Inspired Jews and Muslims To Flourish Together and Change the World

Over the past century, Jews and Muslims generally have had a strained relationship, and now this is particularly evident in the war between Israel and Hamas. Yet, as Akyol (senior fellow on Islam, Cato Inst.; Reopening Muslim Minds) shows, historically, there has been a much more positive and cooperative relationship between them. Through an examination of that history, beginning with the Qur’an, the author shows the connections between these two monotheistic religions over time religiously, theologically, and sociologically. For example, he notes that Moses is mentioned more often than other religious figures, and Mohammed identified with Moses as he guided his new religious movement. In the early years of Islam, Jewish people were considered to be equals and sometimes even fought alongside Muslims. Later there was more tension, but in the following centuries, particularly from the medieval period onward, these relationships improved significantly. This was especially true during the Ottoman Empire (1299–1923). Akyol draws upon this history to suggest that a more positive relationship between Islam and Judaism is possible today. He advocates for efforts to make that a reality.