Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research

Collection: Approaching Jesus as Muslims

While Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, is the central focus of Christianity, he is also considered a great prophet in Islam and one of the most honored messengers of Allah. The historical Jesus and the theological Jesus often differ from one another, as do the claims of the world’s two largest religions regarding him. The common ground between Muslims and Christians can be built upon shared views of Jesus’ life and teachings, while fully acknowledging the irreconcilable differences. The most basic commitment in Islamic creed is that of Tawheed (pure monotheism), and the ascription of a son to God is a clear violation of this fundamental belief. Most modern Christians believe in the divinity of Jesus; thus, Islam’s position that he was fully human may be seen as belittling him. This collection summarizes Muslim claims regarding Jesus with historical and theological pieces of evidence and highlights commonalities and differences in Muslim and Christian conceptions of him. It also explores how we, as Muslims, can build a unifying dialogue with Christians while remaining faithful to our own non-negotiable theological commitments.