There are some clear similarities between Christian and Muslim beliefs. For example, both Islam and Christianity are monotheistic religions that maintain the universe was created by God, that God has given humanity a special revelation, and that there will be a final judgment. But there are fundamental differences as well—differences that take us to the heart of the Christian gospel and the New Testament teachings about Jesus Christ.

Questions about relations between Muslims and Christians continue to receive widespread attention in the media and society at large. In particular, “Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?” has become especially controversial among Christians in the United States. Responses have often been polarizing, with one side insisting the answer must be affirmative and the other vehemently denying this. But the question itself is highly ambiguous and conflates different issues in an unhelpful manner. Thus, rather than trying to answer directly whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God, it’s more helpful to consider similarities and differences in the beliefs of Muslims and Christians, noting areas of both agreement and disagreement.

There are some clear similarities between Christian and Muslim beliefs. For example, both Islam and Christianity are monotheistic religions that maintain the universe was created by God, that God has given humanity a special revelation, and that there will be a final judgment.

But there are fundamental differences as well—differences that take us to the heart of the Christian gospel and the New Testament teachings about Jesus Christ. What follows is a very concise introduction to some aspects of Islam and Christianity, focusing on several significant points at which the Christian gospel is different from what Islam traditionally has maintained. Highlighting differences shouldn’t be taken as minimizing important similarities between the religions. Since the basic differences concern the core of the gospel, though, appreciation of similarities must be framed with awareness of the differences.

Islamic Origins

Islam emerged in the seventh century in what is today Saudi Arabia. The traditional account maintains that God revealed his will to Muhammad (AD 570?–632) in a series of revelations dictated by the angel Gabriel over roughly 20 years. These revelations, codified and put into writing after Muhammad’s death, compose the Qur’an, accepted by Muslims as the Word of God. The Qur’an is said to be God’s definitive revelation, the culmination of earlier revelations to numerous prophets, including Jews and Christians (called “People of the Book” in the Qur’an). Muhammad is said to be the last and greatest of the prophets.

Initially persecuted in Mecca, Muhammad moved to Medina and established a theocratic society that has served as a model for later Muslim communities. Muslims quickly conquered surrounding areas, so that within a century of the prophet’s death Muslims could be found not only throughout the Arabian Peninsula but also in southern France, Spain, North Africa, central Asia, and even in western China. Islam today is a genuinely global religion, with an estimated 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide, compared with roughly 2.4 billion Christians. Most live in Asia and Africa, with more than 50 percent of the world’s Muslims living in Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Turkey, and Egypt.

The major division within Islam is between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims. Although there are some doctrinal differences between the branches, the division stems from violent struggles early on over the legitimate successor to Muhammad. About 85 percent of Muslims today are Sunni, and roughly 15 percent are Shi’ite. Indeed, Islam faces significant internal tensions as various factions struggle to define what it means to be Muslim in the 21st century. In addition to the tensions between Shi’ites and Sunnis, there are divisions between traditionalists (who resist accommodations to modernity) and progressives (who maintain that Islam is fully compatible with modern, democratic societies), as well as between various ethnic groups. Since the 1980s, radical Islamist movements have adopted global terrorism to promote their agendas.

Muslims are united in their belief in one God, the Qur’an as God’s revelation, and Muhammad as God’s final prophet. They find unity of practice in the Five Pillars: (1) the shahadah, or declaration of faith (“There is no God but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God”); (2) prayer five times daily; (3) almsgiving; (4) the fast of Ramadan; and, if possible, (5) pilgrimage to Mecca.

Islam and Love

Both Muslims and Christians affirm there is one God who is the creator of everything that exists (apart from God himself). But while Muslims and Christians agree to some extent on some of the divine attributes, they also have fundamental disagreements over the nature of God and what he expects from humanity.

For example, Muslims regard God as sovereign, merciful, and benevolent, but they generally don’t think of God as loving in the way the Bible speaks of his love. The Bible declares “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), and it’s because of his love for the world that he sent his Son to atone for sin (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). In turn, Christians are commanded to love God with their entire being, to love their neighbor (Matt. 22:34–40), even to love their enemies (Matt. 5:43–47).

The Qur’an, by contrast, never identifies God with love, nor does it command us to love God. Many Muslims would maintain that talk of God as love compromises his sovereignty, “humanizing” him and distorting what is transcendent. Christians maintain that although God is transcendent and sovereign, he is also personal and loving.

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