Rituals and practices in African Religion and Abrahamic Religion

The comparison table below was drafted by a person, refined and expanded in DeepSeek, an AI application then revised by a person. DeepSeek kept using the name African traditional religion which is wrong because religion is religion. When asked to change the App replied ‘I appreciate the correction. The term “traditional” can be dismissive, homogenizing, or carry colonial baggage when applied to Africa’. The AI app the replaced tradition with indigenous but this is wrong again, if it is African then no need to say indigenous. It should just be Africa religion or uAfrika.

Religious aspect or practice	Africa Religion/uAfrika	Abrahamic Religion – Jewish Faith 🕍	Abrahamic Religion – Christian Faith ✝️	Abrahamic Religion – Islamic Faith ☪️
Diversity	Has sub-religions (e.g., Yoruba Orisha, Zulu, Akan Nyame)	Has denominations: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and cultural branches: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi etc	Over 45,000 denominations (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox)	Has branches: Sunni, Shia and schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, etc.)
Guiding philosophy (values, principles, teachings and ethics)	Ubuntu	Abrahamic	Abrahamic	Abrahamic
One Supreme Being or Creator	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Who is second to God?	Communally, members of the family or community who are deceased	First ancestors e.g. Abraham	An individual, Jesus Christ	An individual, Prophet Muhammad
The Spiritual Being of good things	Ancestors and nature spirits	Angels (e.g., Gabriel)	Holy Spirit, angels	Angels (e.g., Jibril, same as Gabriel)
The Spiritual Being of bad things	Evil spirits and witches	Satan	Satan/Devil	Shaytan/Iblis
Intermediaries between God and People	Ancestors, diviners	Prophets, rabbis	Prophets, saints	Prophets, imams
Wrong doing	Wrong doing to humanity, society, the environment and spirits (God and ancestors)	Violation of God’s commandments (mitzvot)	Sin to spirits (God and Jesus) and breaking rules of the bible	Sin to Allah and breaking rules of the Quran
Resolving wrong doing	Returning, replacement, compensation, forgiveness and reconciliation	God forgives if sincere, sacrifices, teshuvah (repentance ie confess, regret, avoid repeating)	Faith, confession, repentance, sacrifices eg fasting, praying, reading bible, going to church, wearing garments; all sins forgiven already when Jesus sacrified death	Allah forgives if sincere, salah (prayer), sadaqah (charity), and good deeds erase sins, restitution for some sins; tawbah (repentance)
Consequences of unresolved wrong doing	The family remains responsible until resolved; spiritual revenge – disease, disability, death, disasters, the wrong doer becomes a bad spirit afterlife	Divine punishment, separation from God; spiritual revenge – disease, disability, death, disasters, war	Go to hell of fire but can ask for forgiveness there at the last minute and get permission to go to paradise; spiritual revenge – disease, disability, death, disasters, war	Go to jahannam (hell); no jannah (paradise); spiritual revenge – disease, disability, death, disasters, jihad/holy war
Source of wealth, income, development	Working the land or environment; harmony with God and ancestors and community	Blessings of God, devine favour, hardwork, fair trade, , tzedakah (charity).	God’s blessings, Jesus blessings, prayer, fasting, going to church, singing, reading bible	Blessings of Allah, devine favour, hardwork, fair trade, zakat (charity)
Beer, alcohol or wine	Ritual use (libations)	Wine in rituals (kosher)	Wine in communion (varies)	Alcohol forbidden
Offerings	Libations, animal sacrifices, sharing	Animal sacrifices; charity	Prayers, tithes	Zakat, Qurbani
Spiritual diagnosis and healing	Diviners, herbalists	Rabbis, prayers	Faith healing	Ruqya (Quranic healing)
Water	Sacred in rituals	Mikvah (ritual immersion)	Baptism	Wudu (ablution)
View of Crying	Ritual mourning	Lamentations	Mourning, repentance	Permitted in prayer
Deaths view	Join other deceased members, join spiritual world	Burial, shiva, join spiritual world	Resurrection belief, heaven belief, join spiritual world	Simple burial, join spiritual world
God can’t be seen but is everywhere	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ancestors	Respected, not always worshiped	Respected, at times worshiped	Saints, prophets and founders respected and sometimes worshiped	Respected, sometimes worshipped
Graves	Sacred shrines	Marked	Venerated, sacred shrines	Simple, visited for reflection
Orature (proverbs, history, laws)	Orature	Torah, Talmud	Bible, church teachings	Quran, Hadith
Prayer	Free, sometimes through ancestors or Direct to God, dance	Structured (Shema)	Free or liturgical, through prophets at times	Salah (5x daily)
Place of worship	Sacred places, shrines	Synagogue, shrines	Church, shrines	Mosque, shrines
Religiosity	Integrated into daily life	Sabbath (Friday sunset–Saturday)	Sabbath (Friday, Saturday or Sunday)	Friday prayers + daily salah
Dreams	Messages from ancestors, God or nature	Divine communication	Visions	Revelations
Circumcision	Initiation rites	Brit milah	Varies by denomination	Required (aqiqah)
Individual and relations	“I am because we are” (Ubuntu)	Covenant community	Fellowship	Ummah
Fragrances	Plant or animal incense	Temple incense (plant or animal)	Church incense (plant or animal)	Perfume encouraged
Music	Drums, chanting	Psalms, klezmer	Hymns, gospel	Nasheeds (vocal-only)
Blessings	Elders’ and parents’ blessings	Priestly blessing	Pastoral blessings	Quranic barakah
Spiritual messengers	Spirit messengers, can be animals	Archangels	Angels	Angels
Communion	e.g. non-spiced or uncooked food	Kosher	Eucharist	Halal

Do you have other ideas, please use the comments box just below.