Islam and Christianity: What We Share and Where We Differ

Together, Christians and Muslims make up more than half of the world’s population. Many live side by side as neighbours, colleagues and friends — and yet many have never sat down to ask what the other actually believes. This article is a starting point for that conversation, written by Muslims who want to be both warm and honest.

An invitation to a common word

Fourteen centuries ago, the Qur’an addressed Christians and Jews — whom it calls the People of the Scripture — with an invitation:

قُلْ يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍۢ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]."

Muslims have returned to this verse again and again. In 2007, more than a hundred Muslim scholars used it as the title of an open letter to Christian leaders, A Common Word Between Us and You, built around the two commandments that both faiths treasure: love of God and love of neighbour. Many Christian leaders responded in the same spirit.

What Muslims and Christians share

The common ground is wide — wider than most people on either side realise.

• One Creator. Both faiths believe in one God who created the heavens and the earth, who is merciful, just and all-knowing, and who hears every prayer. When Jesus (peace be upon him) was asked about the greatest commandment, he began with the ancient creed of Israel: “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord” (Mark 12:29, KJV). Muslims hear their own faith in those words.
• The prophets. Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, Solomon, Zechariah and John the Baptist are honoured in both traditions. Muslims are taught to believe in all of them without exception:

قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿١٣٦﴾

Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

• Jesus and Mary. No one can be a Muslim without believing in Jesus. The Qur’an calls him the Messiah, affirms his miraculous birth to the virgin Mary, and describes his miracles. Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an, and a whole chapter carries her name. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ spoke of his closeness to Jesus like this:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one

• A moral life. Both faiths call people to prayer, fasting, charity, honesty, faithfulness in marriage, care for parents, and compassion for the poor, the orphan and the stranger.
• The life to come. Both teach that this life is a test, that the dead will be raised, and that every person will stand before God on the Day of Judgment.

Where we honestly differ

Respect does not mean pretending that the differences are small. They are real, and they matter to believers on both sides.

• The nature of God. Most Christians believe in the Trinity: one God in three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians insist they worship one God, not three. Islam teaches tawhid — that God is absolutely one, with no partners, no offspring and no division within Him. You can read more in Is Allah the Same God Christians Worship?
• Who Jesus is. For Christians, Jesus is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human. For Muslims, he is one of the greatest prophets and the Messiah, but a human servant of God, not God himself. See Who Is Jesus in Islam?
• The cross. Christians believe Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day. The Qur’an teaches that he was not killed or crucified, but that God raised him up to Himself.
• Salvation. Christians believe salvation comes through faith in Christ’s atoning death. Muslims believe each person turns to God directly in repentance, that no one carries another’s sins, and that entry into Paradise is ultimately by God’s mercy.
• Scripture and prophecy. Muslims believe God revealed the Torah to Moses and the Gospel (Injil) to Jesus, and that the Qur’an is His final message, sent to Muhammad ﷺ as the last of the prophets. Christians do not accept Muhammad ﷺ as a prophet.

For a quick overview, see our side-by-side comparison.

How Muslims are asked to speak with Christians

The Qur’an does not only allow conversation with Christians — it sets the tone for it:

۞ وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَٰحِدٌۭ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

The Qur’an also counts churches and monasteries among the houses of worship in which God’s name is remembered often, and which must be protected:

ٱلَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍۢ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَٰمِعُ وَبِيَعٌۭ وَصَلَوَٰتٌۭ وَمَسَٰجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًۭا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ ﴿٤٠﴾

[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah." And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.

This is the spirit we hope to follow on this website: to speak gently, to describe Christian belief the way Christians themselves would describe it, and to explain Islam honestly without mocking anyone.

Continuing the conversation

If you are a Christian reading this, you may have found more that is familiar than you expected, and some things you strongly disagree with. That is a good place to begin. We invite you to explore what the Qur’an says about Mary and Jesus, and to read it for yourself. Whatever you conclude, may it bring us closer to understanding each other — and to the One we both seek to worship.