Do Muslims Believe in Jesus? (Or His Death & Resurrection)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman

Do Muslims believe in Jesus Christ? This question might surprise some readers, especially those accustomed to thinking of Jesus as central to Christianity alone. Yet, Islam, the second-largest and fastest-growing religion in the world, holds unique and fascinating views about Jesus that are worth exploring. 

With majority populations in 56 countries stretching from North Africa to Southeast Asia and significant communities in Europe and the United States, Islam shapes the lives of over 1.9 billion people. Its influence on global history and contemporary affairs is immense, making understanding its beliefs and practices crucial.

Islam and Christianity, as two of the world’s major religions, share not only geographical overlap but also deep historical entanglement. 

Over centuries, they have interacted socially, politically, and culturally, often influencing and shaping each other’s trajectories. Despite these connections, many people in the West remain unfamiliar with Islam's basic tenets or how its beliefs about Jesus differ from those in Christianity.

This lack of understanding can lead to misconceptions, oversimplifications, and missed opportunities for meaningful dialogue. This brings us back to the question at hand: What do Muslims believe about Jesus Christ? To put it more broadly: What is the position of Jesus in Islam? 

In this article, we’ll explore these questions, revealing intersections and differences between Christianity and Islam. From Jesus' historical existence to Islamic beliefs about his crucifixion, resurrection, role as the Messiah, and divine status, we’ll delve into the heart of Islamic theology.

However, before we begin this journey, I want to invite you to dive deeper into the fascinating question of Jesus’ self-identity in our online mini-course, “Did Jesus Think He Was God?” Led by Dr. Bart Ehrman, this course offers a scholarly analysis of the earliest Christian sources, uncovering what for many is a surprising truth about the historical Jesus and the claims he made about himself. 

Jesus in Islam: An Introduction

To understand Islamic perspectives on Jesus Christ, we must first examine the foundational sources that underpin Muslim beliefs: the Quran and the Hadith. These two pillars are central to Islamic theology and practice.

Islamic Sources: The Quran

Muslims hold that the Quran is the literal, eternal, and uncorrupted Word of God, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over 23 years in the early 7th century CE. It’s not simply a book of religious teachings but a comprehensive guide for humanity, addressing theology, law, ethics, and personal conduct.

One of the Quran’s defining features is its relationship to earlier scriptures, such as the Torah and the Gospel (known in Islam as the “Injil”). In Introduction to Islam, Carole Hillenbrand notes:

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One of the differences is that Muslims believe these earlier texts were genuine revelations from God but argue that they have been altered or corrupted over time. As a result, the Quran was sent not to nullify or abrogate these scriptures but to confirm and correct them, restoring the pure monotheistic message of God.

The Hadith: Sayings and Actions of the Prophet Muhammad

In addition to the Quran, Muslims also turn to the Hadith. It’s a collection of the sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad. The Hadith serves as a critical complement to the Quran, providing context, elaboration, and practical applications of its teachings.

Through the Hadith, Muslims gain insights into the Prophet Muhammad’s life and guidance on matters not explicitly addressed in the Quran. These accounts form a second pillar of authority in Islamic belief, shaping everything from daily practices to complex theological discussions.

Do Muslims believe in Jesus Christ? The Quran and the Hadith serve as essential sources of inquiry for answering this question. These texts not only affirm Jesus’ significance but also shape the Islamic narrative about his life and mission.

Jesus in the Islamic Tradition: The Issue of Historicity

In Islamic tradition, Jesus is an essential and revered figure, prominently mentioned in the Quran as ‘Isa. The etymology of this name brings up scholarly debates and disputes. As Geoffrey Parrinder explains in his book Jesus in the Quran:

The Quran references Jesus multiple times, highlighting key aspects of his life and teachings. He is described as being born miraculously to the Virgin Mary (“Maryam”), a story that aligns with Christian beliefs about his birth.

Abu Iyad describes the Jesus’ birth according to the Quran:

Central to the Islamic understanding of Jesus is his mission as a messenger of God. As it turns out, the Quran portrays him as a bearer of the Injil (Gospel), a divine scripture sent to guide his people. The Quran also asserts that Jesus’ message was consistent with the monotheistic religion of all previous prophets.

Furthermore, Jesus is revered as a performer of extraordinary miracles. The Quran highlights several of his miraculous deeds, including giving sight to the blind, healing lepers, raising the dead, and even breathing life into clay birds by God’s permission (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:110). 

These acts demonstrate Jesus’ unique role among the prophets in Islam, showcasing his connection to divine power and his mission to guide humanity.

David Waines explains that, from an Islamic perspective, both Moses and Jesus conveyed the same divine message to their respective communities. 

However, according to Waines, Muslims believe that later generations of their followers altered and misrepresented this original message, leading to significant deviations from its true intent. These distortions (more on them later!), in the Islamic view, necessitated the revelation of the Quran as the final and uncorrupted word of God.

This historical connection places Jesus firmly within the broader tradition of Abrahamic religions, as Islam views itself as the continuation and culmination of that tradition. The Quran frequently highlights the unity among prophets, portraying them as delivering the same essential message of worshiping one God. 

A Hadith attributed to the Prophet Muhammad further underscores this unity, stating: “Both in this world and the next, I’m the nearest of all the people to the Son of Mary, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him [Jesus].”

This statement reflects the deep respect and kinship Islam sees among its prophets, with Jesus holding a unique and honored place within that lineage.

The Islamic acceptance of Jesus as a historical figure aligns it with contemporary historical scholarship. Virtually all historians agree that Jesus of Nazareth existed and that he was a Jewish preacher in 1st-century Palestine.

While Islam’s affirmation of Jesus’ historicity aligns with contemporary scholarship, things get a bit trickier when we turn to one of the most defining moments of his life — his death on the cross. It’s here that Islam takes a theological detour, one that not only diverges from Christian belief but also leaves historians scratching their heads. Let’s take a look!

Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Death on the Cross? 

Our exploration of whether Muslims believe in Jesus Christ has led us to consider the way they approach the stories of his crucifixion. While that event is central to Christian theology, Islam presents a strikingly different perspective, one that challenges both Christian doctrine and the consensus of modern historical scholarship.

In Christianity, the crucifixion isn’t just a historical event; it’s the cornerstone of faith. Apostle Paul famously declared: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). For Christians, Jesus’ death is the ultimate act of love and redemption. It’s a sacrifice that reconciles humanity with God.

In stark contrast, Jesus in Islam occupies a very different theological role. The Quran explicitly denies that Jesus was crucified. In Surah An-Nisa (4:157), it states:

Most Muslims interpret this verse to mean that Jesus wasn’t crucified or killed, but instead, God intervened to save him.

This Quranic stance has led to two primary interpretations among Muslims regarding the events surrounding the crucifixion. The first is the so-called “swoon theory,” which gained prominence in the 18th century through German scholars, such as Heinrich Paulus, who sought to demystify Gospel accounts by stripping away their supernatural elements.

According to this theory, Jesus was placed on the cross but didn’t die. Instead, he was taken down alive, recovered, and later continued his life elsewhere. A notable Muslim advocate of this theory was Mirza Ghulam who, in his book Jesus in India, suggested that Jesus survived the crucifixion and traveled to India, where he lived out his days.

The second, and more widely accepted, interpretation is the “substitution theory.” It posits that someone else was made to resemble Jesus and crucified in his place, while Allah took Jesus himself up to heaven. 

Early Islamic commentators often speculated about who this substitute might have been. Hillenbrand explains: “In subsequent Muslim religious tradition, there were a number of differing versions about Jesus' crucifixion in what are known as 'substitution legends.' In one version Judas (Iscariot) was crucified in Jesus' place.”

This is where Islam’s theological narrative diverges sharply from historical consensus. Virtually every historian agrees that Jesus of Nazareth was executed by crucifixion under the orders of Pontius Pilate.

As John D. Crossan famously put it: 

Ironically, the only other group that denies Jesus’ crucifixion besides Muslims are mythicists — individuals who argue that Jesus never existed at all. Figures like Robert Price, for instance, claim that the crucifixion accounts are not rooted in history but are celestial events staged in outer space.

So, while Muslims and mythicists might both deny the crucifixion, they do so from vastly different premises — one rooted in divine intervention, the other in outright denial of historical existence.

Do Muslims Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?

Given that Islam denies Jesus’ death on the cross, the idea of his resurrection is similarly absent from Islamic doctrine. Jesus’ resurrection, central to Christian theology as the ultimate proof of Jesus’ divinity and the promise of eternal life, has no equivalent in Islamic teachings.

In Islamic eschatology, Jesus’ significance lies in his future role rather than his death or resurrection. Muslims believe that Jesus will return at the end of time to restore justice and defeat the false messiah (Al-Masih ad-Dajjal).

As John Esposito explains in his book What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam: "There is no theological need for the all-atoning sacrifice of Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection." In Islamic tradition, every individual is held accountable before God on the Day of Judgment for their deeds. For Muslims, salvation is found entirely in the act of fully submitting oneself to God.

Jesus’ return is, therefore, seen as a continuation of his prophetic mission, not as a post-resurrection vindication. This perspective underscores the Islamic view of Jesus as a human messenger, whose life and mission, though extraordinary, remain firmly grounded in the principles of monotheism and submission to God.

Do Muslims Believe in Jesus as the Divine Son of God?

Every time we ask, “Do Muslims believe in Jesus Christ?” we inevitably come to the issue of Jesus’ divinity and his relationship with God the Father. This question strikes at the heart of theological differences between Christianity and Islam.

While Christians see Jesus as the Son of God and part of the Holy Trinity, Islam firmly rejects the notion of divine sonship or any association between Jesus and divinity. John Esposito notes: “For Muslims, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity represents a form of polytheism, affirming belief in three gods rather than one God alone.”

The Quran explicitly addresses this topic, emphasizing the absolute oneness of God. In Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:1-4), it’s stated: "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent."

Similarly, Surah An-Nisa (4:171) cautions against elevating Jesus to divine status:

Furthermore, among the earliest collections of Muhammad’s sayings, there is an explicit warning against exaggeration or elevating any prophet, including Jesus, to a divine status. 

Take, for instance, a statement from Sahih Bukhari (a classical collection of hadith, often considered by Sunnis as the most trustworthy accounts of Muhammad’s life): “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.”

This strict emphasis on monotheism shapes the Islamic understanding of Jesus’ relationship with God. Associating partners or equals with God, a concept known as shirk, is considered the gravest sin in Islam. In his autobiography Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi explains: 

Similarly, Hillenbrand explains the significance of this concept while providing the necessary historical context:

In sum, while Muslims deeply respect and honor Jesus as a prophet, they reject the notion of his divine sonship. This difference highlights a fundamental divergence between the two religions, reflecting their distinct understandings of God, salvation, and the nature of Jesus’ mission.

Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Messianic Identity?

While Muslims firmly reject any notion of Jesus' divinity, they do accept the idea of Jesus as the Messiah (Al-Masih). Jesus received this title eleven times in the Quran and all in Medinan suras. However, its meaning differs from the way Christian tradition understands it. 

In Islam, the term “Messiah” refers to Jesus' special status as a prophet chosen by Allah to deliver a specific message to the Children of Israel. The Quran identifies Jesus as Al-Masih, emphasizing his unique role and the miracles he performed with God’s permission.

The Islamic understanding of Jesus as the Messiah is deeply tied to eschatology or beliefs about the end of times. 

Esposito explains that prophetic traditions in Islam foretell several key events leading to the Day of Judgment, including the rise of the Great Deceiver (al-Dajjal), the return of a messianic figure known as the Mahdi, and the Second Coming of Jesus. 

While Muslims differ on the Mahdi's role — some see him as a bringer of justice and truth, others attribute this role entirely to Jesus — they universally affirm the Second Coming of Jesus. In these traditions, Jesus will defeat al-Dajjal, establish justice, and rule the world with fairness for forty years, ultimately leading humanity to the Day of Resurrection, when all the dead will rise to face divine judgment.

Jesus’ return is, therefore, seen as a fulfillment of his prophetic and messianic mission, uniting humanity under the worship of one God and reaffirming the message of Islam. So, while Christianity views Jesus’ messianic role as inseparable from his divinity and salvific death, Islam presents a purely prophetic and human concept of Jesus as Al-Masih.

Conclusion

Do Muslims believe in Jesus Christ? The answer is both complex and fascinating, reflecting the unique position of Jesus in the religion of Islam.

As one of the greatest prophets, he is deeply respected for his miraculous birth, prophetic mission, and role as the Messiah. However, Islam frames Jesus’ life and purpose within the strict monotheistic principles that define its theology. 

Unlike Christianity, where Jesus’ divinity and crucifixion are central, Islam emphasizes his humanity and prophetic mission, rejecting both the notions of his divine sonship and his death on the cross. As a historian, I can't weigh in on whether Jesus was or wasn't the divine Son of God — that’s well beyond my expertise. However, I do find it hard to accept Islam's rejection of the crucifixion.

In my opinion, Jesus’ death by crucifixion is one of the most secure historical facts about him, backed by evidence from both Christian and non-Christian sources. It’s a tough one to let go of — kind of like convincing me that ancient Rome wasn’t built on seven hills!