What does Islam say about Jesus, and how is it different from Christianity?

Islam actually honors Jesus highly—called "Isa" in Arabic—as a great prophet, born of the virgin Mary, who performed miracles by God's permission. The Quran even calls him "Messiah." But Islam firmly rejects the core Christian claims about him.

Islam teaches Jesus was fully human, not divine—calling him God's Son would compromise God's absolute oneness, Islam's central conviction. Most classical Islamic teaching also denies Jesus was actually crucified, holding that God rescued him and it only appeared that he died. Islam sees Jesus as one prophet among many, with Muhammad as the final, greatest messenger.

Christianity's claims are nearly the opposite at every key point: Jesus is God the Son, he really died on a Roman cross, and his death and resurrection—not any prophet's teaching alone—are what actually save people.

So while both faiths speak warmly of Jesus, they're describing genuinely different figures sharing the same name.