Islam and Christianity both teach belief in one God, the God of Abraham, and both honor Jesus as the Messiah born of the Virgin Mary. They differ on who Jesus is: Christians worship him as God the Son within the Trinity, who died and rose for humanity's sins, while Muslims revere him as a prophet and hold that God is one without partners.
Together, Christians (about 2.3 billion) and Muslims (about 25.6 percent of the world) make up more than half of humanity, according to Pew Research Center's 2025 global religion report. This guide sets out what each faith teaches in its own words, where they agree, and why they disagree, so readers of either faith can see the other fairly.
Key takeaways
- The Quran calls Jesus "the Messiah" and "a word from" God, born to Mary without a father (Quran 3:45–47), while the Nicene Creed confesses him as "true God from true God."
- Islam rejects the Trinity: "And do not say, 'Three'; desist" (Quran 4:171); the Catholic Catechism (paragraph 253) teaches "one God in three persons," not three gods.
- The Quran states that Jesus was not killed or crucified (Quran 4:157), while Christians hold that "Christ died for our sins" and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
- The Prophet Muhammad said, "I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus," and described the prophets as brothers with one religion (Sahih al-Bukhari 3443).
- Both faiths teach a Day of Judgment, resurrection of the body, heaven and hell, prayer, fasting and charity.
Islam vs Christianity: comparison table
This table summarizes mainstream teaching in each faith. Christian positions follow the historic creeds shared by Catholic, Orthodox and most Protestant churches. Muslim positions follow the Quran and mainstream Sunni and Shia belief.
| Topic | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|
| God | One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Trinity) | One God, Allah, absolutely one, with no partners, son or equal (tawhid) |
| Jesus | God the Son, fully divine and fully human, the Savior | The Messiah, a great prophet and messenger, fully human, not divine |
| Birth of Jesus | Born of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit | Born of the Virgin Mary by God's command "Be" |
| Crucifixion | Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day | Jesus was not crucified; God raised him to Himself |
| Sin and salvation | All inherit original sin; salvation is by God's grace through faith in Christ's atoning death | No inherited sin; each person is accountable for their own deeds and saved by God's mercy, faith and good works |
| Scripture | The Bible: Old and New Testaments | The Quran, as God's final word; earlier scriptures (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) honored in their original form |
| Holy Spirit | The third person of the Trinity, fully God | A title for the angel Gabriel, a created being |
| Prophets | Prophets of the Old Testament; Jesus as more than a prophet | Many prophets from Adam to Muhammad, the final prophet |
| Muhammad | Not recognized as a prophet by Christian churches | The last messenger of God |
| Worship | Communal worship, usually on Sunday, sacraments such as baptism and the Eucharist | Five daily prayers, Friday congregational prayer, fasting in Ramadan, zakat, Hajj |
| Afterlife | Resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell | Resurrection, judgment, Paradise (Jannah) and Hell |
What do Islam and Christianity have in common?
Belief in the God of Abraham
Both faiths trace their belief to Abraham and worship the Creator who spoke to the prophets of Israel. Arabic-speaking Christians call God "Allah" in their Bibles and prayers. Whether this means Muslims and Christians worship the same God is a question theologians answer in different ways, and we explore it in Is Allah the same God Christians and Jews worship?
The Quran tells Muslims to say to Christians and Jews: "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one" (Quran 29:46). The Catholic Church's Second Vatican Council declaration Nostra Aetate (1965) states that the Church "regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself."
Honor for Jesus and Mary
Muslims love Jesus, and many people are surprised by how much the Quran says about him. He is named about 25 times, called the Messiah, credited with miracles, and described as supported by "the Pure Spirit" (Quran 2:87). Mary is the only woman named in the Quran, and a whole chapter, Surah Maryam, carries her name. Our guides to Jesus in the Quran and Mary in the Quran cover these passages in full.
Shared moral and spiritual life
Both faiths call believers to prayer, fasting, charity, honesty, care for the poor and love of neighbor. Both teach that this life is a test, that the dead will be raised, and that God will judge with justice and mercy.
Why do Muslims and Christians disagree?
The disagreements are real and run deep, but they cluster around one central question: who is Jesus? The answer to that question shapes each faith's view of God, sin and salvation.
The nature of God
Christians believe God has revealed Himself as Trinity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons" (CCC 253). Christians stress that this is monotheism, not belief in three gods.
Muslims hold that God's oneness rules out any distinction of persons within God. The shortest summary of Islamic belief about God is Surah al-Ikhlas: "He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent" (Quran 112:3–4). Our guide to tawheed explains this doctrine and why Muslims see it as the heart of every prophet's message.
The divinity of Jesus
The Nicene Creed, recited in churches worldwide, describes Jesus as "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father." For Christians, Jesus is God incarnate.
The Quran presents Jesus himself as denying any claim to divinity:
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.
This is the single largest point of difference, and we cover it in detail, including the Bible verses Christians cite, in Is Jesus God? What Islam teaches.
The cross and salvation
For Christians, the crucifixion and resurrection are the center of the faith. The apostle Paul wrote that "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures" and "was raised on the third day" (1 Corinthians 15:3–4), and that believers are saved "by grace... through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).
The Quran says of Jesus: "they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them" (Quran 4:157), and "Allah raised him to Himself" (Quran 4:158). Islam also teaches that no one carries another's sin, and that God forgives anyone who turns to Him in sincere repentance. God's name At-Tawwab, the Acceptor of Repentance, expresses this.
Scripture
Christians accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. Muslims believe God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David and the Gospel (Injil) to Jesus, and that the Quran confirms and completes these earlier revelations. Muslims generally hold that the earlier texts as we have them today were not preserved in their original wording. Christians reject that claim. Our comparison of the Quran and the Bible explains both views.
Do Muslims believe in Jesus?
Yes. Belief in Jesus as a prophet is an article of faith in Islam, and a Muslim who rejected him would leave Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whoever testifies that Jesus is God's servant and messenger, His word given to Mary and a spirit from Him, will enter Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 3435). Muslims also believe Jesus will return before the Day of Judgment, as described in our article on the signs of the Day of Judgement.
What Muslims do not believe is that Jesus is God or the Son of God, or that he died for the sins of humanity.
Why do Muslims not celebrate Christmas?
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus as God incarnate. Since Muslims do not share that belief, they do not mark it as a religious festival. Islam has two annual festivals of its own, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which the Prophet described as the Muslim festivals.
Scholars differ on whether Muslims may offer seasonal greetings to Christian friends. The European Council for Fatwa and Research has permitted congratulating Christians on their festivals as an act of good neighborliness, while scholars such as Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin held it impermissible. In practice, many Muslims send warm wishes, attend family gatherings and exchange gifts without taking part in the religious worship.
Muslims and Christians through history
Relations between the two faiths include both close cooperation and painful conflict.
- Abyssinia (around 615 CE): When the early Muslims were persecuted in Makkah, the Prophet sent a group to the Christian king of Abyssinia, who gave them protection. Muslims remember this as the first refuge in Islamic history.
- Living together: For centuries, large Christian communities lived under Muslim rule in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Spain. Our guide to al-Andalus covers one well-known chapter.
- Conflict: The Crusades (1095 to 1291) and later wars between Christian and Muslim powers left lasting scars on both sides.
- Dialogue today: In 2007, 138 Muslim scholars signed A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter to Christian leaders built on the shared commandments to love God and love one's neighbor.
The Quran describes Christians as "nearest... in affection to the believers" (Quran 5:82) and tells Muslims to argue with them only "in a way that is best" (Quran 29:46). Our article on Christians and Jews in the Quran collects these verses.
Read about Jesus and Mary on Quran Universe
You can read Surah Maryam, which tells the story of Mary and the birth of Jesus, and Surah Ali Imran, which describes the angels' announcement to Mary, on Quran Universe with the Arabic text, word-by-word meanings and Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Islam and Christianity?
The main difference is the identity of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, who died on the cross and rose again to save humanity from sin. Muslims believe Jesus is a great prophet and the Messiah, fully human, who was not crucified, and that God is one without partners.
Do Muslims believe in Jesus?
Yes. Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet, the Messiah, born to the Virgin Mary without a father, who performed miracles by God's permission and will return before the Day of Judgment. Belief in him is required in Islam. Muslims do not believe he is God or the Son of God, or that he was crucified.
Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?
Both faiths worship the one Creator who spoke to Abraham, and Arab Christians call God "Allah." The Quran tells Muslims to say "our God and your God is one" (29:46), and the Vatican's Nostra Aetate says Muslims "adore the one God." Theologians on both sides add that the faiths describe God differently, especially on the Trinity.
Why do Muslims and Christians disagree?
They disagree mainly about Jesus. Christians hold that he is divine and that his death and resurrection bring salvation. Muslims hold that he is a human prophet, that he was not crucified, and that each person is judged by their own faith and deeds under God's mercy. These views lead to different beliefs about God, sin and scripture.
Why do Muslims not celebrate Christmas?
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus as God incarnate, a belief Muslims do not share, so they do not observe it as a religious festival. Islam has its own two Eids. Scholars differ on seasonal greetings: some, such as the European Council for Fatwa and Research, permit them, while others discourage them. Many Muslims still share in family occasions with Christian relatives.
Is the Bible mentioned in the Quran?
The Quran mentions the Torah given to Moses, the Psalms given to David and the Gospel (Injil) given to Jesus, and calls them guidance and light (5:46). Muslims believe in these original revelations. Most Muslim scholars hold that the texts in circulation today differ from the originals, a view Christians reject.