The Place of Christianity in the Qur’an

The Holy Book of Islam, the Qur’an, is a divine guide that sheds light not only on Muslims but also on the followers of other Abrahamic faiths. In the Qur’an, Christians are referred to as the “People of the Book,” and it is emphasized that they are the community closest to Muslims in faith (al-Mā’idah 5:82). Jesus (ʿĪsā) and his mother Mary (Maryam) are exalted for their noble moral qualities, and the Gospel (Injīl) is described as a source of guidance and light (al-Mā’idah 5:46). Mary, in particular, holds a unique place in the Qur’an as the only woman mentioned by name, symbolizing chastity, faith, and devotion. In this respect, the Qur’an highlights the shared values between Christians and Muslims and opens the door to mutual understanding.

The Qur’anic Perspective on Christians

The Holy Qur’an describes Christians as both People of the Book and the closest religious community to Muslims (al-Ma’ida 5:82), praises Mary and her son Jesus for their superior qualities, and states that the Gospel given to Jesus is guidance and light (Al-Ma’ida 5:46).

The Holy Qur’an speaks highly of Mary, exalting her for her superior qualities and presenting her as a symbol of chastity and obedience. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an (Âl-i Imrân 3/45; el-Enbiyâ 21/91; et-Tahrim 66/12) and there is a surah named after her.

According to the Qur’an, Jesus is a prophet sent by Allah (Maryam 19:30) and a messenger (An-Nisa 4:157, 171; Al-Maida 5:75; As-Saff 61:6). He was sent to the Children of Israel (Âl-i Imrân 3:49; es-Saf 61:6) and was given the Gospel (el-Mâide 5:46). He confirmed the Torah and abrogated it in some respects (Al-i Imrân 3:50; el-Mâide 5:46). He declared himself to be a servant of Allah (An-Nisa 4/172; Maryam 19/30) and called the Children of Israel to worship the One God (Al-Maida 5/72).

The Importance of Believing in Jesus and the Gospel in Islam

The Qur’an describes him as a word from Allah (Âl-i Imrân 3/39, 45; An-Nisa 4:171) and as a spirit (An-Nisa 4:171), and states that he was born without a father (Al-Imran 3:45-47; Maryam 19:17-22; Al-Anbiya 21:91; At-Tahrim 66:12), stating that the Gospel was given to him (Al-Ma’ida 5:46; Al-Hadid 57:27), and considering acceptance of his prophethood and that the Gospel is the divine book given to him (Al-Ma’ida 5:46) a condition of being a Muslim.

On the other hand, the Qur’an again states that the Gospel was revealed and sent down by Allah (Âl-i Imrân 3/3, 65), that it was given to Jesus (el-Mâide 5/46; al-Hadid 57:27), that it was sent down after Abraham (Âl-i Imrân 65), that Allah taught Jesus the Gospel along with the Torah (Âl-i Imrân 3:48; al-Mâide 5:110), and that guidance and light are found in the Gospel (al-Ma’ida 5/46).

The Qur’an insists that Jesus is a servant and messenger of Allah, rejecting the most important tenets of Christianity, namely the incarnation of Jesus and, consequently, the Trinity, as well as any attributes that might suggest the divinity of his mother Mary (theotokos). On the other hand, it states unequivocally that Jesus was not crucified, thereby rejecting the belief that Jesus died on the cross as atonement for original sin and the doctrine of original sin, and states that Jesus announced the coming of Muhammad (es-Saf 61/6).

The Qur’an considers belief in Jesus and the Gospel given to him to be a condition of being a Muslim. Today, no religion outside of Islam considers belief in Jesus and the book given to him to be one of the fundamental conditions of the religion. Jesus and the book given to him as one of the fundamental conditions of the religion.

(Notes in brackets indicate the name and order of the surah in the Qur’an and the verse numbers.)

For a deeper exploration of how wisdom shapes human progress and the profound influence of knowledge, we invite you to read our previous blog post, The Great Enlightenment and the Power of Knowledge.