The Common Humanity in Ancient World Religions: An Analytical Study in Building Bridges of Understanding between Civilizations a Case Study of Western Asia

Abstract

This study investigates the shared humanitarian concepts found in the major religious traditions of Western Asia, including Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Zoroastrian, Judaic, Christian, and Islamic beliefs. It focuses on the themes of divine justice, mercy, moral responsibility, and the afterlife, analyzing how these religions shaped societal norms and fostered inter-civilizational understanding and through a comparative examination of religious texts such as the Torah, the Bible, the Quran, the Avesta, and ancient Mesopotamian inscriptions like the Code of Hammurabi and the Epic of Gilgamesh, the study reveals the continuity and evolution of ethical principles across different eras and cultures. While emphasizing divine justice and the moral responsibility of individuals, these traditions also advanced concepts of compassion and equality, contributing to the foundation of modern ethical systems.