Western religions Western religions Western religions refers to religions that originated within Western culture, and are thus historically, culturally, and theologically distinct from the Eastern religions. The term Abrahamic religions (Islam, Eastern Christianity and Judaism) is often used in lieu of using the East and West terminology. Western culture itself was significantly influenced by the emergence of Christianity and its adoption as the state church of the Roman Empire in the late 4th century and the term "Christendom" largely indicates this intertwined history. Western Christianity was significantly influenced by Hellenistic religion (notably Platonism and Gnosticism) as well as the Roman imperial cult.
Ishmael in Islam Ishmael in Islam Ishmael (, ) is the figure known in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as Abraham's (Ibrahim) son, born to Hagar (Hajar). In Islam, Ishmael is regarded as a prophet ("nabi") and an ancestor to Muhammad. He also became associated with Mecca and the construction of the "Kaaba." Stories of Ishmael are not only found in Jewish and Christian texts, such as the Bible and rabbinic "Midrash", but also Islamic sources. These sources include the Quran, Quranic commentary (tafsir), "hadith", historiographic collections like that of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, and "Isra'iliyat" (Islamic texts about Biblical or ancient Israelite figures