Critiquing Islam 2.0

Why Jesus Cannot Be Muslim

A Clear-Theology Reckoning

Introduction: The Dangerous Misrepresentation

Muslims frequently claim that Jesus Christ was “actually a Muslim,” that He submitted fully to Allah, and that His life anticipated the Qur’an. At face value, this seems plausible to some: Jesus prayed, obeyed God, and followed divine commands. But this narrative collapses under scrutiny.

Jesus is not, and can never be, a Muslim. The claim is not just a minor misinterpretation, it is a complete distortion of history, theology, and Scripture. Attempting to recast Jesus as Muslim requires ignoring His core identity, His teachings, and the very nature of Islamic doctrine.

This article delivers a no-sugar-coated, rigorous analysis of why Jesus’ life and teachings are fundamentally incompatible with Islam, using Scripture, Qur’anic definitions, and logical clarity.

1. Submission to God vs. Submission to Allah

Muslim apologists argue: Jesus submitted to God, therefore He was Muslim. This argument fails on multiple levels.

1.1 What Islamic Submission Entails

Islam defines a Muslim as one who surrenders fully to Allah and obeys Muhammad as His messenger:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not be believers until they make you judge in all disputes between them and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and submit in full submission.” (Surah 4:65)

Submission is not abstract devotion. It is legalistic obedience to the Qur’an and Muhammad.

1.2 Jesus’ Submission Was Fatherly, Not Legalistic

Jesus prays:

“Abba, Father, all things are possible for You; take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:36)

Jesus’ submission is relational, a trusting obedience to God as Father. The Qur’an explicitly rejects God having children (Surah 19:89–93). The Islamic God is impersonal and distant; Jesus’ God is personal and relational. Submission to a Father is categorically incompatible with Islam.

2. Prayer and Posture: Misapplied Analogies

Muslim apologists point to Jesus falling on His face in Gethsemane as evidence of Islamic-style prayer (sujood).

2.1 Context Matters

“Then He went a little farther, fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.” (Mark 14:35–36)

This act expresses intense anguish, not ritual obedience. Compare this to His usual practice: standing, looking up, or seated (Matthew 14:19; John 11:41). Suggesting that this one moment of agony equates to Islamic prostration is absurd.

3. Circumcision: Covenant, Not Islam

Jesus was circumcised as a Jewish infant (Luke 2:21). Muslim apologetics twist this into “proof” of Islamic identity.

3.1 Circumcision in Context

Circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant, not a religious requirement anticipating Islam. The Hebrew Scriptures anticipated circumcision of the heart, fulfilled in Jesus (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:28–29). Islam retroactively claiming Jesus as Muslim based on ritual circumcision ignores covenant theology entirely.

4. Dietary Laws: Freedom vs. Restriction

Islam strictly forbids pork (Surah 2:173). Jesus declares all foods clean:

“Whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him… it is eliminated” (Mark 7:18–19)

“What God has cleansed, do not call common.” (Acts 10:15)

Jesus’ teaching directly contradicts Islamic dietary law. If adhering to Qur’anic rules defined being Muslim, Jesus fails this requirement outright.

5. Claims to Divine Authority: Incompatible with Islam

Jesus claimed the authority to forgive sins, judge the world, and raise the dead:

Forgiving sins (Matthew 9:1–8)
Judging humanity (Matthew 25)
Authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18)

In Islam, claiming divine authority is shirk, the gravest sin. Jesus’ authority cannot coexist with tawhid; by Islamic standards, Jesus would be guilty of the very sin He was sent to eradicate in the world.

6. Qur’anic Contradictions and Anachronism

Muslims attempt to label pre-Muhammadan prophets as “Muslim” because they submitted to God. This introduces internal contradictions:

Muhammad is described as the first Muslim (Surah 6:14).
Calling Jesus a Muslim retroactively imposes anachronistic labels on a figure who predates Islam by centuries.
The Qur’an contradicts itself if attempting to reconcile both claims.

Muslim apologetics rely on selective reading and equivocation, ignoring these glaring problems.

7. Polemical vs. Personal Engagement

While doctrinal critique of Islam is fixed—Jesus’ teachings cannot align with Islam—approach to individuals must vary:

Hardened ideologues: Direct, uncompromising truth is warranted.
Cultural or ignorant Muslims: Education and patience are essential.
Sincere seekers: Connect relationally, clarify doctrinal incompatibilities, and point to Christ.

This mirrors Jesus’ ministry: confront hypocrisy boldly (the Pharisees) while offering relational guidance to those genuinely seeking (Nicodemus, the woman at the well).

8. Refuting Common Muslim Claims

Claim	Muslim Argument	Christian Response
Submission to God = Muslim	Jesus submitted → He is Muslim	Islamic submission requires obeying Allah and Muhammad (Qur’an 4:65). Jesus obeyed Father, not Muhammad.
Circumcision proves Muslim identity	Jesus was circumcised → Muslim	Circumcision was Jewish covenantal practice, not Islamic law. Jesus fulfilled covenantal prophecy.
Prayer posture	Prostration = Islam	Gethsemane prostration was situational, not ritual. Elsewhere Jesus prays differently.
Dietary laws	Observed Jewish law → Islam	Jesus declares all foods clean; contradicts Islamic prohibitions.
Earlier prophets were Muslim	Pre-Islamic figures submitted → Muslim	Creates anachronism and internal Qur’anic contradictions.
Jesus submitted perfectly	Submission = Islam	Submission alone does not equal Islam; must align with Islamic doctrine.

9. Jesus’ Core Identity vs. Islamic Doctrine

Jesus calls God Father; Allah cannot be Father.
Jesus emphasizes circumcision of the heart, not ritual law.
Jesus declares all foods clean, contradicting Islamic dietary rules.
Jesus claims divine authority, forbidden in Islam.
Attempting to label Him Muslim introduces anachronism and Qur’anic contradictions.

These irreconcilable differences make the claim impossible without abandoning logic, Scripture, or Islamic doctrine.

10. Conclusion: The Unavoidable Truth

Despite Muslim claims, Jesus:

Was never a Muslim.
Cannot be considered Muslim.
Will never be Muslim.

Attempts to claim otherwise rely on equivocation, selective reading, and anachronism. Jesus’ relational obedience, covenantal fulfillment, and divine authority fundamentally conflict with Islamic principles.

For Christians, this is not a minor theological quibble—it is central to understanding the person and work of Christ. Any assertion that Jesus was Muslim distorts His identity and undermines the gospel.