The Book of Mormon Vs. the Quran

Islam and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both teach that God revealed their sacred texts, the Quran and the Book of Mormon, to correct human-made errors in other religious practices. Mormons believe some editions of the Bible include translation errors, while Muslims believe Jews and Christians misinterpreted some of God's true intentions. Both faiths view their forms of worship as the version that most closely resembles what God anticipated.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces the origins of the Book of Mormon to the Prophet Mormon, who compiled writings on gold tablets. According to Mormon theology, Mormon's son Moroni buried these plates in what is today New York; Moroni then appeared to 17-year-old Joseph Smith in 1823 as an angel to reveal the location of the plates. Joseph Smith translated these plates into the Book of Mormon, according to the BBC.

Muslims believe that when the Prophet Muhammad was 40 years old, the Angel Jibreel, or Gabriel, visited him while he was meditating in a cave near Mecca. Muhammad began speaking words that came from God, according to the BBC. Muslims believe Muhammad continued to receive messages for the next 23 years, and that these revelations became the Quran.

The Book of Mormon features three parts. The first, the Plates of Nephi, includes the small plates that offer spiritual guidance and theology, and the large plates that describe the history of religious figures. The second, the Plates of Mormon, offers condensed versions of the stories found in the large plates of Nephi and Joseph Smith's commentary on them. The last section compiles additional books and commentary that Mormons believe the Angel Moroni delivered.

The Quran contains 114 chapters called surahs. The phrase "In the name of Allah the most merciful and the most kind" begins most surahs, and the title of each surah describes the figure, theme or story that it will tell. Muslims believe they must read the Quran in its original Arabic to fully grasp its meaning. The surahs do not appear in chronological order.

The Book of Mormon includes what Mormons believe to be the history of the ancient people who lived in the Americas, and information about Jesus' visit to them after his resurrection. The stories and philosophies in the text are repetitive, which may help people to remember the stories and reinforce their messages, according to Grant Hardy, author of "Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader's Guide."

The Quran includes laws, regulations and customs that Muslims believe came directly from God. The text offers praise to the deity and stories that explain the creation of life, the world and Islamic eschatological beliefs. Because Islam is an Abrahmaic religion, along with Judaism and Christianity, figures that appear in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, such as Abraham, Moses, Mary and Jesus, also appear in the Quran.

Mormons believe that, to earn the most favorable conditions in the afterlife, they must accept the atonement of Jesus and live a devout life. The Book of Mormon provides instructions on how to live what Mormons consider to be moral and devout lives. They believe that reading the Book of Mormon strengthens their relationship with the deity.

In Islam, Imams publicly read Quranic passages during some worship services such as Friday prayers. According to the BBC, Muslims treat the Quran with great respect; they do not eat, drink or make noise when they listen to recitations of it. Muslims divide the book into 30 sections called juz' and read one section a day during the holy month of Ramadan. A Muslim who memorizes the entire book earns the title of hafiz. Some Islamic countries use the Quran as a basis for laws known as sharia.