In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”

That question was, and still is, the most important question all men everywhere must consider.  It is the question every Jew must ask of the Torah.  It is the question every reader of the New Testament must ask of the Gospels.  And it is the question every Muslim should ask of the Qur’an, where Jesus is mentioned nearly 100 times across 15 different Suras.  Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of those passages.

(Quotations taken from the Yusuf Ali Interpretation of the Qur’an)

2:87 We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit.

2:136 We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all)
prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them . . .

2:253 . . . To Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the
holy spirit.

3:45 O Mary! Allah 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 Allah.

3:46 “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the
company) of the righteous.”

3:48 And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel.

3:49 And (appoint him) a messenger 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 Allah’s leave: And I
heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah’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.”

3:50 (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 Allah, and obey me.

3:52 When Jesus found Unbelief on their part He said: “Who will be My helpers to (the work
of) Allah?”

3:55 Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of
the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to
those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and
I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.”

3:59 The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam . . .

3:84 . . . and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord.

4:157 That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of
Allah”;—but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them,
and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only
conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.

4:163 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we
sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah,
Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.

4:171 O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but
the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and
His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in
Allah and His messengers. Say not “Trinity”: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is
one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all
things in the heavens and on earth.

4:172 Christ disdaineth nor to serve and worship Allah . . .

5:17 In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary.

5:46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had
come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and
confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to
those who fear Allah.

5:72 They do blaspheme who say: “Allah is Christ the son of Mary.” But said Christ: “O
Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods
with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode.

5:75 Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers
that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat
their (daily) food.

5:78 Curses were pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected Faith, by
the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary: because they disobeyed and
persisted in excesses.

5:110 O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I
strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in
childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the
Gospel and behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My
leave, and thou breathest into it and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest
those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead
by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee
when thou didst show them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said:
‘This is nothing but evident magic.’

5:112 Behold! the disciples, said: “O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a
table set (with viands) from heaven?” Said Jesus: “Fear Allah, if ye have faith.”

5:114 Said Jesus the son of Mary: “O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with
viands), that there may be for us—for the first and the last of us—a solemn festival and
a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best Sustainer (of our
needs).”

5:116 Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my
mother as gods in derogation of Allah’?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! never could I say
what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it.
Thou knowest what is in my heart . . .”

6:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous.

9:30 The Jews call ‘Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah.

9:31 They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and
(they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship
but One Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having
the partners they associate (with Him).

19:19 He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a
holy son.”

19:20 She said: “How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not
unchaste?”

19:21 He said: “So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, ‘that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint
him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’:It is a matter (so) decreed.”

19:22 So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.

19:27 At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said:
“O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!”

19:30 He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a
prophet.”

19:31 “And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and
Charity as long as I live.”

19:32 “(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable.”

19:33 “So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be
raised up to life (again)”!

19:34 Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly)
dispute.

19:88 They say: “(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!”

19:91 That they should invoke a son for (Allah) Most Gracious.

19:92 For it is not consonant with the majesty of (Allah) Most Gracious that He should beget a
son.

21:91 And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and
We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.

23:50 And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter
on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.

33:7 And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: As (We did) from thee: from
Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn
covenant.

42:13 The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah—the
which We have sent by inspiration to thee—and that which We enjoined on Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no
divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to
which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides
to Himself those who turn (to Him).

43:57 When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a
clamour thereat (in ridicule)!

43:61 And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have
no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way.

43:63 When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: “Now have I come to you with Wisdom,
and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore
fear Allah and obey me.”

57:27 We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We
ordained in the hearts of those who followed him Compassion and Mercy . . .

61:6 And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the messenger
of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad
Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he
came to them with Clear Signs, they said, “this is evident sorcery!”

61:14 O ye who believe! Be ye helpers of Allah: As said Jesus the son of Mary to the
Disciples, “Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah?” Said the disciples, “We are
Allah’s helpers!” then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion
disbelieved: But We gave power to those who believed, against their enemies, and they
became the ones that prevailed.

So here they are–all the blanks you might have missed during JIQ because we talked too fast, we forgot to mention them, or we were just so jaw-droppingly compelling that you dropped your pen.

Most likely it was one of the first two.  Enjoy.

p. 10
Blessed or Cursed
the Angel of the Lord
Submission

1. Blessing
2. Blessing: “God Hears”
3. Blessing: Wild donkey=freedom (Job 39.5-8)
4. Blessing: Involved in/participating in the lives of his brother’s descendants
5. Wait and see…
Hagar’s response is gratitude
6. Blessing
Isaac receives the promise/Ishmael receives the promise

p. 11
7. Blessing
8. Blessing
9. Blessing
Paran is to the east of Isaac

p. 12
glorious ingathering
sons of Ishmael
minister

Arabian peninsula
Arabia
God has a plan for Ishmael’s people

p. 14
Constantine legalized Christianity and made it the official religion of the Empire
Nicene Creed established orthodoxy, especially related to the Person of Christ
Expulsion of heresy occurred as a result of nationalized Christianity—many “Christians” with variant beliefs migrated/fled to the Arabian peninsula, which by the 6th century comprised a mixture of Jews, Hanifs, polytheistic Arab tribes, and “Christians” with varying beliefs.

Muhammad’s influences: Arab polytheists, heretic Christians, Jews, Abrahamic monotheists called Hanifs
The Qur’an addresses a number of heresies that had already been dealt with 300 years earlier during the age of great Christian councils, and we should learn to read it through the cultural lens of its time.

100 Glorious Years saw Islam expand throughout N. Africa, the Levant, and into Asia Minor in a rapid amount of time as the Roman Empire collapsed
Crusades,  literally “war of the Cross,” were the West’s response to the 100 Glorious Years—retaking the “Holy Land” from the infidel menace

Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453
Conflict marked the interaction between Muslims and Christians 1350s-1850s
Ataturk abolished the Ottoman caliphate in 1924, which many modern Muslim leaders (including bin Laden) have pointed to as a turning point of “Western Aggression”

Leadership has been largely absent in the Muslim world since the caliphate was abolished and many aspiring people have tried to take the “true leadership” (often times, however, they do not represent mainstream Islam)

The Gospel must address this history and this present and look forward to the future with peace in Jesus.

p. 19 Shame/honor
The sea=ummah—worldwide community of Muslim believers
The hull=honor, the idea of being welcomed and lifted up in the eyes of the community
The roof=family name, this is the crown of honor, a Muslim will fight and even die for the honor of his family name
Column 1=Arabic.  It is the heavenly language, honored worldwide wherever Islam is practiced.
Column 2=Islam.  The Qur’an and the Hadith are held in extremely high regard, as are some of the traditions and folk Islamic beliefs.
Column 3=Bedouin Intangibles.  Maintaining your generosity, courage, hospitality, and the sexual purity of your family’s women are of highest importance.

Torpedoes to honor=1. Anything that insults Arabic, Islam, or shows a lack of honor/hospitality/courage etc.  2. Shirk (the most severe of all torpedoes); it is officially associating other gods with God, by extension it includes forsaking Islam for another religion.  Those who commit shirk do something so shameful that they are considered dead to the Islamic ummah.

p. 20
Unclean
Unbeliever
Corrupt
Crusader
Zionist
Western
Polytheistic

Matt 23.15, Acts 2.10, Acts 6.5, and Acts 13.43 all contain the Greek word “proseleutos,” forms the basis of our modern word “proselyte” and refers specifically to changing religion.  In these instances, that phrase refers strictly to those who have changed religion to Judaism.

Romans 16.5 and 1 Cor 16.15 use the Greek word “aparquee,” which literally means “first fruits”

Acts 15.3 uses the Greek word “epistrepho,” which literally means “turning” or “repentance”

Jesus did not come to establish a new religion but to invite the entire world to repentance and spiritual rebirth

p. 26-7
Similarities: worship one God, avoid images, sense of being chosen people, loyalty/practice of Sabbath, circumcision, and festivals, expectation of glorious destiny
Differences: had their own priesthood, their own worship practice, their own Scripture (Samaritan Pentateuch)

Samaritanism was a completely different religion

Jesus’ Approach
Initiates
Boundaries
Spiritual Conversation
Literature
Specific Need
Religion
Himself
Umma/Oikos/Community and it is totally transformed

p. 28
preaching the Kingdom of God
delivers
oikos=community
apengellion=root of “evangelize”
karuzo=same word for “preach” that was used to describe Jesus
Conclusion=discipleship/community
Result=Decapolis, 4000 people

p. 29
5 pillars: Shahada (confession), Salat (prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), Sawm (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage)
1. Circumcision/Jews
2. New Covenant/obsolete
3. Used/Gospel’s

Muslims/Muslims

p. 31
Become like
They remain like

p. 32
Islamic Theology=The composite teachings of family, religious leaders, traditions, hadith, etc.
Qur’anic Theology=What the Qur’an actually says

p. 34
1. wrong
2. pleasure/everywhere/self-sufficient
3. religious devotion
4. cultural identity
5. writings/Zeus!
6. premise
7. fruit

p. 39
God-Mary-Jesus
Who is Jesus is the most important question

p. 40
Torah
Psalms
Gospels
“Remembrance” (when used as “Books of Remembrance” refers to the Bible and Qur’an)
Corruption

1. Allah/Tawrat/Zabur/Injeel
2. Guards
3. tells/all
for guidance/
avoiding hellfire/
insight

p. 41
5/corrupted
text/meaning
with their tongues
their understanding
using passages out of their proper contexts

p. 42-43
1. sign/miracle
2. prophet
3. virgin
4. sinless
5. near-stationed
6. miracles/resurrections
7. Word of God
8. Spirit of God
9. Mercy
10. Fear/obey/straight path

p. 44

Simeon/Judas

The Jews

1. God/tawaffa=die/”pass away”
2. said/raised
3. alive/die

p. 46
denigration/veneration
revere
think
1. united
2. reforms
3. idols/one God
4. read the Bible
5. Jesus

It’s actually pretty simple.  And it’s nothing new–Jesus did the exact same thing 2,000 years ago.  In John 4, the Samaritan woman at the well recognized Jesus as a prophet and immediately wanted to ask Jesus a religious question: “Where should we worship God?  At Jerusalem as the Jews believe?  At Mt. Gerizim as the Samaritans believe?”  It’s the classic setup for a debate.  Whose religion is right?

Jesus, however, refuses to enter the discussion.  In fact, he elevates the conversation to another plane altogether: “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”

So how can we implement Jesus’ way?  Read on, friends, and see the simple diagram that has transformed everything.

1.   For 1400 years, the debate has looked like this:  Christianity v. Islam.  Jesus v. Muhammad.  Bible v. Qur’an.  I know of many missionaries who tell Muslims that they need to become Christians.  I’ve had many Muslims tell me that I’d be a great Muslim and that I should convert.

2. But what if there’s something far bigger than “Christianity v. Islam”?  And what if THAT idea was actually what Jesus talked about all the time?  Interestingly, Jesus never asked a single person to become a “Christian.”  Paul was a Jew until the day he died.  Both Jesus and Paul had a concern greater than religious identity.  They spoke of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Change the way you think and believe in the Good News” (Mark 1.15)

3. The Kingdom is the conversation.  What is the straight path into the Kingdom of God?  How do we enter into a personal, transformational relationship with the King, living as citizens submitted to His good will?  Here’s what I try to say to every Muslim I meet: “Listen, I know there’s been a lot of bad blood and misunderstanding between Christians and Muslims over the years.  But we actually have quite a bit in common.  And I believe that both you and me desire to love and honor the one true God.  I promise I will never ask you to become a Christian.  And please, don’t ask me to become a Muslim.  But I also promise that I will do all that I can to help us both discover the true straight path into the Kingdom of God.  And I believe that the true access to that Kingdom is through the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah.”

Please note: We do not have control over the videos that YouTube suggests as related video content after the trailer has finished.

(*High Recommendation)

Recommended Articles

*Brown, Rick.
2007 “Biblical Muslims.”  International Journal of Frontier Missions, vol. 24:2 Spring, 65-72.

*Jameson, Richard and Nick Scalevich.
2000 “First-Century Jews and Twentieth-Century Muslims.” International Journal of Frontier Missions, vol. 17:1 Spring, 33-39.

Saeed, Abdullah
2002 “The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures.” The Muslim World, vol. 92:3-4 Fall, 419-436.

Travis, John.
2000 “Messianic Muslim Followers of Isa.” International Journal of Frontier Missions, vol. 17:1 Spring, 53-59.

Qur’an Translations

*Arberry A.J.
1996 The Koran Interpreted – A Translation. New York: Touchstone – Simon & Schuster.

Dawood, N.J.

2003 The Koran – Translated with Notes. London: Penguin Classics.

Haleem, Abdel
2005 The Qur’an. New York: Oxford University Press.

Islamic-Christian Studies

Accad, Fouad Elias
1997 Building Bridges – Christianity and Islam. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Chandler, Paul-Gordon
2007 Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road – Exploring a New Path between Two
Faiths. Lanham, MD: Cowley Publications.

Cragg, Kenneth
1985 Jesus and the Muslim—An Exploration.  Oxford: OneWorld Publications.

Ibn Isma’il, Adan
2006 The Belief of Isma’il. Minneapolis, MN: Isma’il Books.

Kateregga, Badru D. and Shenk, David W.
1997 A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.

*Medearis, Carl
2008 Muslims, Christians, and Jesus. Minneapolis, MN: BethanyHouse.

Moucarry, Chawkat
2002 The Prophet and the Messiah: An Arab Christian’s Perspective on Islam and Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

*Parrinder, Geoffrey
1965 Jesus in the Qur’an. New York: Oxford University Press.

Robinson, Neal
1991 Christ in Islam and Christianity. New York: Suny Press. (Hard to find)

Zwemer, Samuel M.
1912 The Moslem Christ – An Essay on the Life, Character, and Teachings of Jesus Christ According to the Koran and Orthodox     Traditions. New York: American Tract Society.

Kingdom Theology

*Jones, E. Stanley
1972 The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person. Bellingham, WA: McNett Press.

*Willard, Dallas
1998 The Divine Conspiracy. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco.

Wright, N. T.
2006 Simply Christian. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco.

Middle Eastern Studies

*Aslan, Reza
2006 No god but God. New York, NY: Random House.

*Chapman, Colin
2002    Whose Promised Land?  Grand Rapids MI: Baker Books.

Fisk, Robert
2007    The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East. New York: Vintage.

Friedman, Thomas L.
1995 From Beirut to Jerusalem. New York: Anchor Books.

Maalouf, Tony
2003 Arabs in the Shadow of Israel – The Unfolding of God’s Prophetic Plan for Ishmael’s
Line. Grand Rapids MI: Kregel Academic and Professional.

We’ve begun to collect tools and resources on this site that should help you as you learn more and more about effective Kingdom Conversations with your Muslim friends.  Check out the links below:

Kingdom Circles–The Napkin Drawing that Changes Everything

VIDEO: God, Word, and Spirit–Talking about the Nature of God

Annotated Bibliography–Read the Words of Those Much Brighter than Us