What Muslims believe about Jesus
Jesus, called 'Isa in Arabic, is mentioned by name 25 times in the Quran. Muslims believe that:
- he is the Messiah (al-Masih)
- he was born to a virgin, Mary, by God's command, without a father
- he spoke as a newborn, to defend his mother's honour
- he performed miracles by God's permission: healing the blind and people with leprosy, and bringing the dead back to life
- God gave him a scripture, the Gospel (Injil)
- God raised him up to Himself, and he will return before the Day of Judgment
The angels said, “Mary, God gives you good news of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honoured in this world and the next, and one of those brought near to God.”
Quran 3:45
She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no man has touched me?” He said, “That is how God creates what He wills. When He decides something, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”
Quran 3:47
Mary, the most honoured woman
Mary (Maryam) is the only woman named in the Quran, and she is named more often there than in the whole New Testament. Chapter 19 is called Maryam after her. It tells the story of Jesus' birth: Mary alone, in labour beneath a palm tree, and God providing her with fresh dates and a stream of water.
The angels said, “Mary, God has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you above all the women of the worlds.”
Quran 3:42
His message
In the Quran, Jesus calls people to the same thing every prophet did: worship the one God. As a newborn in his mother's arms, he says:
“I am the servant of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.”
Quran 19:30
Christians will recognise something close to this in the Gospels, where Jesus names “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” as the first of all the commandments (Mark 12:29).
Where we differ, honestly
We'd rather be straightforward about the real differences:
- Muslims believe Jesus is a human being and a prophet, not God or the son of God. The Quran compares his miraculous birth to Adam's, who had neither father nor mother.
- Muslims believe Jesus was not crucified. The Quran says it was only made to appear so, and that God raised him up to Himself (4:157–158).
- Islam doesn't teach original sin, or that anyone has to die for our sins. Each person answers for their own deeds, and God forgives whoever sincerely turns to Him.
The example of Jesus in God's sight is like that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was.
Quran 3:59
These are big differences, and we respect that Christians see them differently. We'd love to talk them through with you, kindly, without anyone trying to win an argument.
Quran quotes are English translations of the meaning, adapted from Saheeh International and M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. Tap a reference to read the verse in Arabic with other translations.