Christianity & Islam
al-Masih: What ‘Messiah’ Means in Islam and Christianity
The Qur'an repeatedly calls Jesus 'al-Masih', the Messiah, the same title Christians confess. In Islam it is a title of high honour for the prophet Jesus. In Christianity, Messiah (Christ) means the anointed King and Saviour promised by the Hebrew prophets, whose coming, death, and resurrection bring salvation. The word is shared; the meaning runs deeper in the Christian confession.
What the Qur’an says
The title al-Masih (the Messiah) is applied to Jesus around eleven times in the Qur’an. It is a mark of his unique honour among the prophets.
Islam holds the title in reverence but does not attach to it the Christian meaning of a divine, saving King.
What Christians believe
‘Messiah’ (Hebrew Mashiach) and ‘Christ’ (Greek Christos) both mean ‘the Anointed One.’ The Hebrew prophets foretold an anointed King from David’s line who would bring God’s salvation. Christians confess that Jesus is that Messiah.
Where they agree
Both Islam and Christianity call Jesus the Messiah, a title given to no other prophet in the Qur’an. Both treat it as a mark of his singular honour.
Where they differ
For Muslims, al-Masih is an honorific for a human prophet. For Christians, the Messiah is the anointed King and Saviour foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures, whose death and resurrection accomplish salvation. Same word; a far greater claim.
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
المسيح (al-Masih) → Χριστός (Christos) / מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach) → Messiah / Christ
al-Masih, Christos, Mashiach, three languages, one title: 'the Anointed One.' The Qur'an and the Bible give this title to Jesus alone. The word is shared; the two faiths fill it with different meaning.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Qur'an call Jesus the Messiah?
- Yes. The Qur'an calls Jesus 'al-Masih' (the Messiah) about eleven times, for example in Surah Al-Imran 3:45 and An-Nisa 4:171. It is a title of high honour.
- What does Messiah mean?
- Messiah (Hebrew Mashiach, Greek Christos, Arabic al-Masih) means 'the Anointed One.' In the Hebrew Bible it refers to God's promised anointed King and deliverer.
- Why do Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah?
- Because they see in Jesus the fulfilment of the Hebrew prophecies of an anointed King from David's line (e.g. Isaiah 53; Psalm 22) who suffers, dies, and rises to bring God's salvation.
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.
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