Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur’an: A Comparison and Contrast -- By: Norman L. Geisler

Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 08:1 (Spring 2004)
Article: Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur’an: A Comparison and Contrast
Author: Norman L. Geisler


Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur’an:
A Comparison and Contrast

Norman L. Geisler

Norman L. Geisler is President and Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the author or co-author of some fifty books and numerous articles and has spoken frequently across the country and in twenty-five countries. Dr. Geisler is the co-author (with Abdul Saleeb) of Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross (Baker, 2002).

Islam is the second largest and the fastest growing religion in the world. One out of every five persons on earth is a Muslim— some 1.2 billion. As such, it presents one of the greatest challenges to Christianity in the world today. It behooves us, then, to understand it better. And there is no better way to understand Islam than through its own Holy Book, the Qur’an. We will begin with a comparison of Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur’an.

Now let’s examine the Quranic texts that support the above comparison.1 This will be extremely helpful for witnessing to Muslims about the Christian Faith.

An Examination of the Quranic Texts on Jesus and Muhammed

Those not familiar with the Qur’an and Muslim teaching about Jesus may be surprised at the honored place Jesus is given among the prophets of Islam. Consider this text alone:

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God; He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: God createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is! And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel, and (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): ‘“I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe; (I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me”’” (Surah 3:45-50).

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