Jesus and Muhammad are often compared because they are regarded as the major proponents of Christianity and Islam, respectively.
There are a few similarities between Jesus and Mohammad.
But the difference between Jesus and Muhammad is far more profound than any similarity. And there are many, many more differences between them than there are similarities!
Once you explore the details, you will see that there couldn’t be two more different people than Jesus Christ and Muhammad.
How are Muhammad and Jesus similar?
While there are a few small superficial similarities between Jesus and Muhammad, there are many gigantic differences between them that cannot be ignored.
First, here is the short list of their similarities:
-Each propagated his view of who God is and what a believer should do to serve God.
-Each is the principal proponent of their religion- Christianity (Jesus Christ) and Islam (Muhammad).
-Each developed a following of disciples and others who were sympathetic to their teachings.
-Each encouraged their followers to care for the poor.
-Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and was adopted by his stepfather Joseph.
-Mohammad was orphaned at an early age and adopted by relatives and raised by them.
But the similarities end very quickly.
The biggest difference between Jesus and Muhammad is that Jesus is fully and eternally God as a member of the Holy Trinity along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and Muhammad was only a man.
And this is a huge difference!
Now some folks get a little confused about this, so just to set the record straight, Jesus claimed to be God many times and in many ways to make sure there would be no doubt.
In fact, Jesus made so many blatant claims to be God that I wrote this whole post about it.
But Jesus didn’t just claim to be God. He also proved it –in many ways –ways that leave no doubt. There’s more on that coming right up.
And Muhammad? Not so much.
In fact, Muhammad never claimed to be God. He only claimed to be the messenger of God.
The biggest difference between Jesus and Muhammad is that Jesus is fully and eternally God as a member of the Holy Trinity along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and Muhammad was only a man.
If he’d ever claimed Godhood, there’s no evidence Muhammad could ever have proven so.
Now let’s look at the huge differences between Jesus and Muhammad and their teachings.
Jesus vs. Muhammad
Jesus Christ raised the dead, including Lazarus, the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow at Nain. Even Jesus’ disciples also raised the dead.
Muhammad killed many people. Thousands of them.
And his disciples followed in his footsteps by killing many thousands more. There’s no record of Muhammad or his followers ever raising anybody from the dead.
Jesus Christ performed miracles. Many of them. At least 37 of Jesus’ miracles are recorded in the New Testament (see fascinating facts about the New Testament at this post).
Muhammad performed exactly zero (0) miracles.
Jesus Christ’s bride is His church and he will be united with her at the great marriage feast of Revelation. Muhammad had between 11 and 20 wives.
Jesus Christ allowed the little children to come to him and he blessed them rather than turn them away. Muhammad married a 9-year-old child before she was at a proper age to decide for herself.
Jesus was betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave- so that through him all who believe can be set free from bondage to sin and death.
Muhammad conquered cities and killed the men and took their wives and daughters as sex slaves.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the Father. The creation of the heavens and the earth were performed by his creative agency. (John 1:1, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16)
Muhammad? He was just a man.
Jesus Christ wrote on the ground (John 8:6).
Mohammed was illiterate or maybe semi-literate at best.
Jesus Christ rescued a woman accused of adultery and said “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7) Muhammad stoned women for adultery. (Sahih Muslim Book 17, Hadith Number 4206)
Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament commandment “Thou shalt not steal.” (Matthew 19:18) Muhammad encouraged stealing from unbelievers. (Bukhari 44:668, Ibn Ishaq 764)
Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” (Matthew 19:18) Muhammad permitted lying. (Sahih Muslim 6303, Bukhari 49:857)
Jesus Christ preached forgiveness. (Matthew 18:21-22) Muhammad murdered those who insulted him. (Bukhari 56:369)
Jesus vs. Muhammad burial place:
Jesus’ grave is empty.
It’s just outside the city of Jerusalem. It was actually the brand-new tomb of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea that he’d just had prepared for his own burial.
Joseph, a then-new believer in Jesus Christ, graciously allowed his tomb to be used for the burial in AD 32. What a surprise it must have been to learn Jesus would only end up using it for a weekend!
Muhammad’s bones are still in his grave.
They remain in Medina, Saudi Arabia where they’ve been since AD 632 –exactly 600 years after Jesus’ resurrection!
[Even the date with AD in it proclaims the Godhood of Jesus Christ, since this calendar system is based on the birth of Christ, and you can read about how we got the calendar with this BC and AD number system here.]
Jesus rose from the dead and his followers were willing to die proclaiming the good news of his resurrection rather than lie to save their skin since they’d been ordered by the authorities many times to keep quiet about it.
Eleven out of Jesus’ twelve disciples died horrible deaths proclaiming the truth of the Resurrection rather than remain silent. This is very convincing evidence that they believed Jesus rose from the dead.
And they were eyewitnesses!
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Jesus Christ taught that salvation is found in him, and that no man can save himself. Here are a few examples:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Mark 8:34
In comparison, Muhammad taught the Five Pillars of Islam –the core beliefs of Islam.
-The Shahada –profession of faith that that “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”
-Prayer (salat)
-Alms (zakat)
-Fasting (sawm)
-Pilgrimage (hajj)
He said you must work your way to heaven by doing these things and then maybe Allah will let you into heaven. Muhammad portrays Allah as a fickle character and you will never be quite sure if you’ve done enough to go to heaven.
But Jesus said to the thief on the cross “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) This is because salvation is found in no other name than the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:12)
Now let’s think about this for a minute together.
Almost everything Muhammad is –and stands for- is the opposite of who Jesus Christ is. So they can’t both be right!
Jesus Christ performed many miracles.
He was prophesied throughout the Old Testament hundreds -even thousands of years in advance. He clearly, obviously and blatantly claimed to be God and backed it up with solid evidence.
But the shahada never mentions Jesus Christ.
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Jesus performed so many miracles that John said all the books in the world could not contain them all. John 21:25
What about Mohammad’s miracles, then? Problem is… Mohammad doesn’t get credit for a single miracle because he didn’t perform any.
Jesus was prophesied in advance with prophesies, types and shadows throughout the Old Testament hundreds of years in advance by many, many Old Testament prophets.
Muhammad? Not so much. In fact, the only Bible prophecy about Muhammad is this one.
Jesus died to save all mankind from sin and death and eternal separation from God. Muhammad fought many battles and killed in cold blood.
Jesus Christ set the captives free. Muhammad enslaved his vanquished foes.
Jesus Christ gave his followers instructions known as the Great Commission;
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20, ESV
Muhammad taught his followers to wage jihad and conquer the unbelievers by the sword.
If they accept Islam, they can live in peace. If they do not accept Islam, you can see below what happens.
If they remain Christians or Jews, they must pay protection money and become known dhimmi. This is regarded as a privilege in Islam, because they still get to live.
Not so for the atheist. Atheists get no protection from the disciples of Muhammad.
Here is a dynamic map of the hundreds of battles of jihad throughout the centuries beginning with Muhammad. It’s well worth taking a few minutes to view it.
Almost all of the spread of Islam can be attributed to war and the threat of war.
Jesus Christ is God.
Muhammad was just a man.
Jesus Christ is returning to judge all of mankind.
Muhammad is still dead.
Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the father.
Muhammad’s remains are still lying in that grave.
Jesus Christ was proclaimed King of the Jews by wise men of the East while still a baby. King Herod then asked the scribes where to find him and they said “Bethlehem” as it was said by the prophet Micah 400 years earlier. (See Micah 5:2)
As for Mohammad, after his military conquests and enslavements of his vanquished foes, he was called “sheik” which is also a very exalted title.
But Muhammad’s birthplace was never foretold by a prophet and he was never proclaimed king by anyone.
Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God, pure and holy.
Muhammad was never called pure and holy by anybody.
Jesus Christ’s lineage was carefully documented through the Davidic line as the prophets of old said.
Muhammad was not prophesied, and his lineage was not recorded.
Some say that Jesus was a great prophet, but Jesus himself is much more. If Jesus claimed to be God and wasn’t, then he would not be such a great prophet.
Muhammad never claimed to be God.
Jesus lived a perfect life and never sinned. (Hebrews 4:14, 1 Peter 2:21-22)
Mohammad didn’t come anywhere near living a perfect life. He was a big sinner.
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He is the Messiah- the anointed one who would deliver the people from their sins.
Muhammad was just a Man who did not deliver anyone from anything.
Jesus Christ in his humanity (Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man) was born into the Jewish nation. The Messiah had to be Jewish because the Bible foretold his entry onto the scene as a Jew over 1000 years before the fact.
Muhammad was Arab. The Arabs are half brothers of the Jews and they both look to Abraham as their father.
Jesus Christ’s followers figured out that he is God, and worshiped him. They called him God!
Muhammad? Nope.
Jesus and his disciples operated in the open in public and not in secret. There were many eyewitnesses to the miracles, including the many sightings of Jesus by large crowds after his resurrection.
Muhammad received his revelations through private message dreams and visions that are impossible to verify with any confidence.
Final Thoughts
Jesus Christ and Muhammad are two very different people. One is righteous and wise and claimed to be God. He was worshipped as God and he said the wisest things ever said.
He proved himself virtuous and yet he gave his life for all. He is called Jesus Christ.
Muhammad was pretty much the opposite of Jesus Christ in every way.
Which one will you follow? For me, the choice is easy.
Is your Faith Founded on Fact? Have you committed to follow Jesus?