Is Jesus mentioned in the Qur'an?

Yes. Jesus (Isa) is named about 25 times in the Qur'an and is one of its most honoured figures, born of the virgin Mary, called the Messiah, a word and a spirit from God, and a worker of miracles by God's permission.

Do Muslims believe Jesus is God?

No. Islam honours Jesus as a great prophet and the Messiah but teaches that God is one and Jesus is not divine. Christianity confesses that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the central difference between the two faiths about Jesus.

What is the difference between Isa and Jesus?

They are the same person. 'Isa' is the Arabic name used in the Qur'an; 'Jesus' comes through Greek and Hebrew (Yeshua). Both refer to Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary in first-century Judea.

Can a Muslim read about Jesus in the Bible?

Yes. Many Muslims read the Gospels out of respect for Jesus. The Qur'an itself calls the Injil (Gospel) 'guidance and a light' (5:46). The Gospel of John or Luke is a common place to begin.

Christianity & Islam

Who Is Isa (Jesus) in Islam and Christianity?

Jesus, called Isa in the Qur'an, is deeply honoured in both Islam and Christianity. Muslims revere him as a mighty prophet and messenger, born of the virgin Mary, the Messiah, a word from God and a spirit from Him, who healed the sick and raised the dead by God's permission. Christians confess all of this and more: that Jesus is the Son of God, crucified and risen, the Saviour of the world. Both hold him in the highest honour; they differ about who exactly he is.

What the Qur’an says about Isa

The Qur’an speaks of Jesus with great reverence. He is born of the virgin Maryam, announced by angels as the Messiah; he is called a word from God and a spirit from Him; and he works miracles by God’s permission.

“(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).”

Qur'an, Surah Al-Imran 3:45 (Pickthall)

“The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him.”

Qur'an, Surah An-Nisa 4:171 (Pickthall)

“...thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead by My permission...”

Qur'an, Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:110 (Pickthall)

In Islam, Jesus is one of the greatest of the prophets, sinless, honoured, and awaited to return, but he is not divine and not the son of God; the Qur’an teaches that God is one and has no partner.

What Christians believe about Jesus

Christians confess everything the Qur’an affirms of Jesus, his virgin birth, his title Messiah, his sinlessness, his miracles, his return, and then say something more: that in Jesus, God himself came to us.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”

John 1:1,14 (KJV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 (KJV)

Where Muslims and Christians agree about Jesus

Both hold that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, is rightly called the Messiah, performed real miracles, is honoured by God, and will return. That is a remarkable amount of common ground about one person.

Where they differ

Islam honours Jesus as a prophet but not as divine, and teaches he was not crucified. Christianity confesses Jesus as the Son of God, crucified for the sins of the world and raised on the third day. The dividing question is not whether Jesus is great, both say he is, but who exactly he is.

Qur’an quotations: Pickthall (1930, public domain); translations vary, compare others at quran.com. Bible: King James Version. Every reference on this page was checked against its primary source.

The word itself

عيسى المسيح (Isa al-Masih) → Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iesous Christos) → Jesus Christ

In Arabic the Qur'an names him Isa al-Masih, Jesus the Messiah. In Greek the New Testament names him Iesous Christos, the same name and the same title, Jesus the Anointed One. The word travels across languages; the question is what it means.

Frequently asked questions

Is Jesus mentioned in the Qur'an?: Yes. Jesus (Isa) is named about 25 times in the Qur'an and is one of its most honoured figures, born of the virgin Mary, called the Messiah, a word and a spirit from God, and a worker of miracles by God's permission.
Do Muslims believe Jesus is God?: No. Islam honours Jesus as a great prophet and the Messiah but teaches that God is one and Jesus is not divine. Christianity confesses that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the central difference between the two faiths about Jesus.
What is the difference between Isa and Jesus?: They are the same person. 'Isa' is the Arabic name used in the Qur'an; 'Jesus' comes through Greek and Hebrew (Yeshua). Both refer to Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary in first-century Judea.
Can a Muslim read about Jesus in the Bible?: Yes. Many Muslims read the Gospels out of respect for Jesus. The Qur'an itself calls the Injil (Gospel) 'guidance and a light' (5:46). The Gospel of John or Luke is a common place to begin.

Come and see

The Qur’an itself honours the Injil (the Gospel) as “guidance and a light” (5:46). The most direct way to know who Jesus is, is to read his words for yourself. There is no pressure here, and no one has to know. You are welcome exactly as you are.

Read the Gospel of John Why Jesus?Ask for prayer

Explore furtherWho is Isa (Jesus)?Maryam / Mary al-Masih / Messiah Word of God The Injil / Gospel The crucifixion The Trinity explained The return of Jesus