Which statement best describes Islam and Judaism according to the material?

Which statement best describes Islam and Judaism according to the material?

• A. Neither has priests
• B. Both have a strict priesthood
• C. Both rely on temple sacrifices
• D. Both reject monotheism

Answer: (A)

In both Islam and Judaism today, there isn’t a formal priesthood that mediates between worshippers and God. Islam has religious leadership like imams and scholars, but no priestly class that stands between the individual and the divine or performs sacred rites on behalf of the community. Judaism historically had priests (the kohanim) who performed temple rituals, but after the temple was destroyed, those priestly duties ceased as a centralized, ongoing system; instead, everyday religious leadership came to be led by rabbis and other lay leaders. So the statement that neither has priests captures how these traditions function in practice today, focusing on direct religious guidance through non-priestly roles rather than a dedicated priesthood. The other options don’t fit as well. A strict priesthood isn’t characteristic of Islam, and in Judaism the ancient priestly role isn’t active in modern practice. Relying on temple sacrifices isn’t a current feature in Islam and isn’t a daily reality in Judaism anymore, since temple sacrifices ceased with the Temple’s destruction. And both religions are clearly monotheistic, so rejecting monotheism isn’t accurate.

In both Islam and Judaism today, there isn’t a formal priesthood that mediates between worshippers and God. Islam has religious leadership like imams and scholars, but no priestly class that stands between the individual and the divine or performs sacred rites on behalf of the community. Judaism historically had priests (the kohanim) who performed temple rituals, but after the temple was destroyed, those priestly duties ceased as a centralized, ongoing system; instead, everyday religious leadership came to be led by rabbis and other lay leaders. So the statement that neither has priests captures how these traditions function in practice today, focusing on direct religious guidance through non-priestly roles rather than a dedicated priesthood.

The other options don’t fit as well. A strict priesthood isn’t characteristic of Islam, and in Judaism the ancient priestly role isn’t active in modern practice. Relying on temple sacrifices isn’t a current feature in Islam and isn’t a daily reality in Judaism anymore, since temple sacrifices ceased with the Temple’s destruction. And both religions are clearly monotheistic, so rejecting monotheism isn’t accurate.