7 Beliefs Muslims Share With Christians About Jesus Christ
Many will be surprised by how much Christians and Muslims have in common when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth
I’ve studied Islam off and on over the years, usually just as background for classes in Islamic philosophy, but I am always surprised by the depth of my ignorance. This becomes especially clear when I visit Muslim countries.
This week, I’ve been in Istanbul, visiting historic mosques and reading the Quran back at my hotel at night.
As is my custom, I talk to every Muslim evangelist I encounter, accept their literature, watch their promotional films in museums and study centers.
And I’ve been reminded this week by how much Muslims and Christians actually agree about Jesus Christ, despite their very real theological differences.
Here are seven of the most remarkable shared beliefs, at least to me.
Belief #1: Jesus Was Born of a Virgin
Both Muslims and Christians firmly agree that Jesus was born miraculously of a virgin mother, Mary, to whom God conveyed the power to conceive without a human father. In Islam, this event is a profound sign of God’s absolute power and a testament to Mary’s exceptional purity and chosen status. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran, emphasizing her unique honor among all women.
The Quran narrates how Mary was bewildered upon learning of her impending conception and was reassured by the angel that God’s command of “Be” was sufficient (Surah Maryam 19:20-21; Surah Al-Imran 3:47). This miraculous birth serves not to raise Jesus to divine status in Islam but to underscore God’s sovereignty and the distinctiveness of Jesus’s prophetic mission.
In Christianity, the virgin birth likewise marks a foundational miracle pointing to Jesus as the Son of God incarnate, fully divine and fully human, sent to redeem humanity. Both faiths thus share reverence for this miracle, though its theological significance is framed differently in each tradition.
Belief #2: Jesus Performed Miracles
Muslims and Christians both affirm that Jesus performed remarkable miracles during his ministry, including healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, curing lepers, and even raising the dead, as attestations to his close relationship with God.
The Quran explicitly recounts these miracles, emphasizing they occurred “by Allah’s permission” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:110), which highlights Jesus as a powerful prophet but not divine in himself.
The Christian tradition sees these miracles as signs of Jesus’ divine authority and fulfillment of messianic prophecy, confirming his identity as God incarnate. Whether framed as evidence of divine sonship or prophetic mission, the miracles authenticate Jesus’ message and validate his teachings across both religions, inspiring faith and awe among followers.
This shared belief in the miraculous nature of Jesus’s works underscores the respect both traditions have for his extraordinary role in God’s revelation.
Belief #3: Jesus Was the Messiah Who Brought Salvation
Both Muslims and Christians refer to Jesus as the Messiah (Arabic: Al-Masih), anointed by God for a special and redemptive mission. In Christianity, Jesus is the Savior whose death on the cross and resurrection opened the pathway for salvation and eternal life for all humankind, fulfilling God’s covenant through grace.
The Byzantine mosaic of Jesus uncovered on the ceiling of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, the great Christian cathedral built in AD 536 but then turned into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest in 1453.
Muslims understand Jesus as the Messiah sent primarily to the Children of Israel to call them back to submission to one God, and ultimately as part of God’s universal plan for all people. While Christians emphasize the salvific efficacy of Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross, Muslims highlight his prophetic mission to restore true monotheism and justice.
Despite different theological emphases, both traditions agree on the centrality of Jesus as a divine agent of salvation and a pivotal figure in God’s plan to reconcile the world to Himself (Surah Aal-E-Imran 3:45).
Belief #4: Jesus Lived a Sinless Life
Both Islam and Christianity hold that Jesus exemplified moral perfection and lived free from sin throughout his earthly ministry. In Christian doctrine, Jesus’s sinlessness is total and essential for his role as the spotless Lamb of God, who offered his life as a sacrifice for humanity’s sins. Islam similarly teaches that Jesus was protected by God from any sin or wrongdoing, serving as an unblemished prophet and a model of righteousness.
This sinless existence distinguishes Jesus from ordinary humans and sets him apart as a spiritual exemplar, whose life demonstrates the possibility of absolute obedience and submission to God. In Surah Aal-E-Imran 3:55, God promises to “purify” Jesus from disbelievers, emphasizing his sanctified status and unique role as a prophet and messenger. His sinlessness is a unifying belief that inspires devotion and emulation across both faiths.
Belief #5: Jesus Holds Extraordinary Status Above Ordinary Men and Women
While Muslims unequivocally reject the Christian claim of Jesus’s divinity, both traditions accord Jesus an extraordinary status that surpasses that of ordinary human beings. Islam reveres Jesus as one of the greatest prophets sent by God, the Messiah, and a recipient of divine scripture, meriting deep respect and veneration.
Christianity worships Jesus as God incarnate, recognizing his unique identity as fully human and fully divine. Despite this key theological difference, both faiths agree that Jesus holds a pivotal role in God’s salvific plan and human history. His teachings, miracles, and mission have indelibly shaped religious thought, serving as guiding lights for humanity toward truth and righteousness. This elevated status is reflected in the reverent honor provided to Jesus across both faiths, affirming his exceptional place among God’s chosen servants.
Belief #6: God Exalted Jesus Above Death
Both Muslims and Christians agree that Jesus’s earthly life culminated in God’s powerful act of exaltation, though they understand this differently. Christians believe Jesus was crucified, willingly sacrificing himself to save humanity from its sins, and that God raised him from the dead to eternal life, affirming his divine nature and victory over death.
Unusually, Islam claims that Jesus was not crucified nor killed, but it was made to appear so to the people. The Quran states: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but [it was] made to appear so to them; and indeed, Allah raised him to Himself...” (Surah An-Nisa 4:157-158).
Instead of being crucified, Islam teaches that God saved Jesus by raising him bodily to Himself, sparing him from death on the cross (Surah An-Nisa 4:157-158).
Both traditions thus concur that Jesus did not suffer permanent death or decay, but was uniquely preserved and honored by God. This exaltation underlines Jesus’s exceptional role and marks the end of his earthly sojourn while pointing forward to his promised return.
Belief #7: Jesus Will Come Again Before the Day of Judgment
Both Muslims and Christians anticipate the Second Coming of Jesus as a pivotal event before the final judgment, though their narratives differ in some theological details. In Islam, Jesus (Isa) will return to defeat the false messiah known as the al-Dajjāl, often translated as “the Deceiver” or “the Antichrist.”
The Dajjal is described in Islamic teachings as a great deceiver who will claim to be the Messiah and spread corruption.
According to Islamic traditions, the Dajjal will appear near the end times, leading armies against the faithful.
Jesus will descend from heaven, ally with a figure called the Mahdi, meaning “the Guided One,” and together they will defeat the Dajjal, restore justice, and reaffirm the oneness of God (tawhid).
Importantly, the Mahdi is not a second messiah but a kind of reformer who will, in a sense, prepare the way for the Messiah Jesus. (This concept figured prominently in the recent Netflix miniseries about a Muslim messiah-like figure, Messiah.)
After Jesus’ victory following his Second Coming, he will rule the world with justice and peace, breaking the crosses and abolishing the jizya tax, emphasizing the unity of belief in one God. Eventually, according to Islam, Jesus will then die a natural death, completing his earthly mission.
The Quran refers to Jesus as a sign of the Hour (Day of Judgment) in Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:61: “And [Jesus] shall be a Sign [for the coming of] the Hour...” This signifies the eschatological importance of Jesus’s return in Islamic belief, marking the nearing of the final Day.
In Christianity, Jesus’ return is viewed as the culmination of history, initiating resurrection, eternal judgment, and the final establishment of God’s kingdom. The Christian Antichrist is also a figure of ultimate deception and opposition to Christ, but the narrative differs regarding details and timeline.
The Christian Antichrist is described in the Book of Revelation as engaging in widespread deception and persecution before being ultimately defeated by Christ at His return (Rev 19:11-21).
Thus, although both Islam and Christianity foresee a great final confrontation involving Jesus and a deceptive, anti-messianic figure, the Islamic Dajjal and Christian Antichrist carry both shared and distinctive traits tied to their specific theological frameworks.
In both faiths, however, Jesus’ return functions to restore true faith, justice, and monotheism, culminating God’s plan for humanity’s redemption and judgment.
Common Ground in an Age of Division
These shared beliefs reveal how much Muslims and Christians actually agree about Jesus, despite their significant theological differences.
Both faiths see Jesus as miraculously born, sinless, the Messiah, exalted by God, and central to the final judgment. This means that they have far more in common in their beliefs about Jesus than either has with, say, the secular elites who dominate many global institutions.
Understanding these common beliefs could transform interfaith relations in our polarized world.
Rather than focusing solely on what divides us, Christians and Muslims might build bridges on the solid foundation of our shared reverence for Jesus Christ.
Robert J. Hutchinson is a frequent traveler and the author of numerous books of popular history, including Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth (Thomas Nelson), The Dawn of Christianity (Thomas Nelson), The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible (Regnery) and When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City (Doubleday). Email him at: roberthutchinson@substack.com