Finally, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca is quite unique but still has parallels in both Judaism and Christianity. For example, many Catholics flock to the Vatican for Easter or for local churches and cathedrals throughout Europe for their historical meaning or for their connection with certain saints. Similarly, many Jews feel that they must visit Israel at least once in their lifetime, just as the Muslims believe it is their duty to visit Mecca.
8. Medieval Islam and Christianity demonstrate remarkable parallels. Although Muslim scholars developed a more advanced system of mathematics than the Catholics did, and their academic sophistication can be easily said to trump that of the Catholic Church, the two religions both exuded political and military might. Their tolerance of other religions was weak, although the Moors in Spain did permit admirable leeway for the Jews when the Jews would have been more severely persecuted...
Their standards for wartime decorum were similar, as both religions engaged in significant and historical crusades to force conversions.
9. I have both been to a mosque and have personally interacted with Muslim men and women. Mosques can be sublime places, especially old ones in Turkey and the Middle East. The call to prayer five times a day, broadcasted over sub-standard sound systems, evokes piety no matter what one's religious background. One of the most notable features of Islam is its thorough absence of anthropomorphic imagery, similar to Judaism. Muslims also prostrate themselves, and the physical imagery is a poignant reminder of the absolute devotion many practitioners feel toward their religion. The only problem that I have and others have is the stark dichotomy between males and females in the Muslim faith and the fact that women are not permitted in the inner sanctum of most mosques.
