Judaism
Leviticus
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.”
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ParallelsA comparative study
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On The Imitation of God
This parallel examines the ethical imperative to emulate divine attributes across Abrahamic traditions. While Leviticus and the Gospel of Matthew explicitly command holiness based on God's nature, Islamic theology centers emulation on the Prophet as the concrete manifestation of divine will. Scholars debate whether these commands imply ontological participation in divinity or merely ethical alignment with revealed law.
What every account tells.
- iDivine nature serves as the ethical standard
- iiHuman agency is required to enact the imitation
- iiiHoliness or perfection is the stated goal
- ivScripture explicitly commands the behavior
How each tradition tells it.
Judaism
Leviticus frames holiness as separation from profane practices to mirror God's sanctity. This separation establishes a distinct communal identity rooted in ritual and ethical purity.
Christianity
Matthew expands the imitation to include mercy and perfection, emphasizing internal disposition alongside external action. This universalizes the call beyond the covenant community to all followers.
Islam
The Qur'an locates the primary exemplar in the Messenger, mediating divine attributes through human biography rather than direct divine abstraction. This ensures the model remains accessible and historically grounded for the believer.
Read the passages as one.
Christianity
Matthew
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Islam
Surah 33: Al-Ahzab (The Combined Forces)
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often”