The Koran

The video above depicts The Qur'an read aloud by a child.

If one compares The Koran (Qur'an) with a few other ancient holy texts (such as The Bible and The Torah), and it is likely there will be a number of similarities. This is certainly due in part to the location of the major holy land to Muslims (followers of The Koran and Allah, respectively), Jews (followers of The Torah and God, respectively) and Christians (followers of The Bible and Christ/God, respectively)--Jerusalem. Unfortunately, the similarities are not what many followers of any of these religions tend to focus on when it comes to interacting in daily life and sharing space in the holy land. But that does not mean the similarities or the differences should be lost altogether, as it is an important part of being human to respect the beliefs and differences of others. It is also what helps halt wars, allows us to grow individually, and helps us learn from one another. 

That being said, there are differences between The Bible and The Koran, such as the simple way in which, in the excerpt in The Norton Anthology: Western Literature, vol. 1 "From 4. Women," we see the very specific way in which rules on living are given to the reader. An example of this is the line, "A male shall inherit twice as much as a female"(1151). Many occasions, such as deaths and inheritance, as well as the ritualistic treatment of women and children to enforce the rights of men and elders in general are explained in very clear detail in The Koran. The Bible has rules to live by, but they often (depending on the translation) tend to involve wording that can be left up to the reader for open interpretation. This ambiguity in meaning can lead to differences in the way separate sects of Christianity enforce and follow these parts of the text (though this is likely with anything in the holy texts, it appears most readily observed in treatment of The Bible and its wording). The Koran also specifically relates only to Allah (God), while The Bible relates to what is known as the "(Holy) Trinity".

Many similarities are present between The Koran and The Bible as well. The general idea of God as a wrathful, jealous god, tends to be the theme in both holy Books. Furthermore, both holy works have references to similar characters and stories, such as the story of Joseph (Norton 1168-1173). However, while The Bible  seems to gloss briefly over the scene containing Joseph's attempted seduction, The Koran provides a bit more detail in what leads up to it and what happens afterwards. The version of this tale in The Koran also ends with the sentence, "This is no invented tale, but a confirmation of previous scriptures, an explanation of all things, a guide and a blessing to true believers" (Norton 1173). The "Old Testament" of The Bible is thought to have been written beginning in 10th Century B.C. (but it is believed to have been written over a few centuries altogether) (HistoryWorld.net). What is known as the "recitation" of The Koran is believed to have occurred in 610 A.D. (JewishVirtualLibrary.org). That is quite a difference in time periods! 

While Christianity has spread through the consistent translation and interpretation (and re-interpretation) of its one holy text, Islam has spread through very little need for interpretation or alteration of any sort. Islam is often considered the fastest spreading religion in the world, and according to the world factbook, in 2009: Christian 33.35% (of which Roman Catholic 16.83%, Protestant 6.08%, Orthodox 4.03%, Anglican 1.26%), Muslim 22.43%, Hindu 13.78%, Buddhist 7.13%, Sikh 0.36%, Jewish 0.21%, Baha'i 0.11%, other religions 11.17%, non-religious 9.42%, atheists 2.04% (2009 est.)(CIA World Factbook). Muslims and Christians have the highest number of followers in the world. Thus, it makes it altogether more important for them to have a basic knowledge of one another's cultures and holy teachings in order simply to (if nothing else) respect one another and to discover perspectives they might not have considered previously. 

Here is a link that I'll add simply for the sake of it being a resource I found incredibly useful.