Christians and Christianity in the Qurʾān​

The Qurʾān uses three appellations for Christians: naṣārā, ahl al-injīl, and ahl al-kitāb. Two otherwise prevalent Arabic equivalents of Christians and Christianity, Masīḥiyyūn, Masīḥiyya, are not used in the Qurʾān. This article explores the Qurʾānic view of both Christians and Christianity through the lens of earliest Muslim exegetical sources. It also compares some of the earliest explanations with the latter views in order to explore questions such as dependence of the Qurʾānic interpretations on the social and political circumstances. The article situates the discourse in the Islamic tradition and explores all Qurʾānic verses pertaining to the subject.

Keywords: Christians in the Qurʾān; Qurʾānic Studies; the Qurʾān and other faith communities; Early Christian Reception of the Qurʾān; Christian-Muslim relations.

Journal of Islamic Sciences, Vol. 17 (Summer-Winter 2024)​

Muzaffar Iqbal

Muzaffar Iqbal is the President of the Center for Islamic Sciences and the General Editor of the Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qurʾān.