The 10 Commandments​ have been held up as a cornerstone of morality, a set of divine laws delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai according to the Bible. They have influenced Western legal systems, religious practices, and ethical thinking for thousands of years. But do all religions accept the 10 Commandments? The answer is both complex and revealing.

To explore this, we must first understand what the 10 Commandments are, their origins, their role in specific faiths, and how other religious traditions respond to or differ from them.

What Are the 10 Commandments?

The 10 Commandments, or "Decalogue" as they are sometimes called, are a set of laws given by God to the Israelites in the Old Testament. Found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, they include commands about worship, ethics, and community life. They are:

1. Do not have other gods before Me

2. Do not make idols

3. Do not take the Lord’s name in vain

4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

5. Honor your father and mother

6. Do not murder

7. Do not commit adultery

8. Do not steal

9. Do not bear false witness

10. Do not covet

These commandments are seen by many Christians and Jews as foundational, not only spiritually but morally. Yet the question remains whether their reach extends across all religious traditions.

Judaism and the 10 Commandments

A Foundational Covenant

In Judaism, the 10 Commandments are central to the covenant between God and the people of Israel. They are not just moral guidelines, but divine obligations. The Jewish tradition holds that the commandments were revealed directly by God and that they set the stage for the entire body of Jewish law, known as the Torah.

The 10 Commandments are read aloud during certain synagogue services, and they have a deeply honored place in Jewish theology and culture. However, Jews view them as part of a much larger legal and spiritual system. There are 613 commandments in the Torah, and the Decalogue is just the beginning.

Christianity and the 10 Commandments

Moral Law and Spiritual Reflection

Christianity also reveres the 10 Commandments. In many denominations, they are taught to children, inscribed on church walls, and referenced in sermons. Christians often interpret the commandments through the lens of Jesus’ teachings, especially His summary of the law as loving God and loving one’s neighbor.

Some Christians, particularly in Catholic and Orthodox traditions, use a slightly different division of the commandments. Yet the substance remains intact. Protestants typically emphasize the 10 Commandments as a guide to moral living, often citing them as still binding even in the age of grace.

Theologians like Augustine and Luther helped shape how various branches of Christianity interpret and apply the commandments. They are viewed not only as legal mandates but as a mirror of human sinfulness and a call to holiness.

Islam and the Commandments of God

Shared Values, Different Revelation

Islam does not formally recognize the 10 Commandments as a revealed list in the Qur’an. However, many of the values found in the commandments are present in Islamic teachings.

The Qur’an speaks extensively about worshiping only one God, honoring parents, being truthful, avoiding theft and adultery, and upholding justice. These parallel the themes of the 10 Commandments, but they are not grouped in a single list as in the Bible.

Muslims believe that Moses (Musa) was a prophet and that he received a revelation from God. They respect the Torah as a holy book, although they believe the current version is not the original. Therefore, while they honor the commandments in principle, they do not accept them in the biblical form.

In Islam, the moral code is contained in the Qur’an and Hadith. These texts form the basis of Sharia law, which includes many moral instructions similar to those in the 10 Commandments but developed through a different theological path.

Hinduism and Religious Law

A Different Moral Framework

Hinduism does not acknowledge the 10 Commandments. As one of the world’s oldest religions, its moral system developed independently of Abrahamic influences. Hindu teachings center around Dharma, which refers to righteousness, duty, and moral order.

The principles of right conduct in Hinduism are found in texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas, and the Upanishads. These include guidelines about truthfulness, nonviolence, purity, self-control, and respect for all living beings.

While there are moral similarities, such as the value of honesty and respect for others, Hinduism operates within a spiritual framework that differs significantly from the covenantal laws of the Bible. There is no recognition of the 10 Commandments as a divine list.

Buddhism and Ethical Living

Ethics Without a Creator God

Buddhism does not accept the 10 Commandments, primarily because it does not teach the existence of a creator God who issues commandments. Instead, Buddhism teaches a path to enlightenment through personal discipline and ethical living.

The Five Precepts in Buddhism serve as a moral guide: refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. These precepts are not commands from a deity, but voluntary practices rooted in compassion and mindfulness.

Advanced Buddhist ethics include the Eightfold Path, which emphasizes right speech, right action, and right livelihood, among others. These teachings resonate with parts of the 10 Commandments, but they come from a different philosophical and spiritual context.

Other Religions and Indigenous Traditions

Local Morality Without Biblical Influence

Many indigenous and tribal religions have their own systems of ethics, often passed down through oral tradition. These may include taboos, rituals, and community rules, but they are not linked to the 10 Commandments.

Religions like Shinto in Japan, African traditional religions, and Native American spiritualities operate from different cosmologies. Their moral systems are often integrated into cultural practices and myths, and they do not draw upon biblical texts.

While concepts like honesty, respect, and community harmony are nearly universal, these are understood within the values of the specific culture rather than as part of a universal divine law such as the 10 Commandments.

A Moral Code With Boundaries

Universal Values, Particular Origins

The 10 Commandments are undeniably influential. They have shaped laws, inspired moral reflection, and provided guidance to millions. But they are not universally accepted across all religious traditions.

Judaism and Christianity place the commandments at the heart of their faith. Islam shares many of the same values, though through a different framework. Other world religions like Hinduism and Buddhism have distinct moral teachings not derived from the biblical tradition.

In the end, while the 10 Commandments reflect values that resonate in many cultures—such as honoring parents, avoiding murder, and telling the truth—their status as divinely revealed commands is accepted only within certain religious boundaries.

Understanding this helps us appreciate both the uniqueness of the 10 Commandments and the rich moral diversity found across the world’s religions.