Do Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah?
Yes. Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah (al-Masih in Arabic). The Quran uses this title for him eleven times, and for no one else. But Muslims understand "Messiah" as an honored title for a prophet and messenger, not as a sign that Jesus is God or the son of God.
The title in the Quran
When the angels brought Mary the news of her son, they announced his title together with his name:
So for Muslims, "Jesus Christ" isn't a Christian-only phrase. "Christ" comes from the Greek word for "anointed one," and so does "Messiah" from Hebrew. Al-Masih is the Arabic form of the same title. See What does the Quran say about Mary?
What "Messiah" means in Islam
Muslim scholars have offered several explanations of why Jesus is called al-Masih. The word is linked to "wiping" or "anointing," and common views include:
- Anointed with blessing: he was chosen and blessed by God.
- He touched and healed: he wiped over the sick and they were cured, by God's permission (Quran 3:49).
- He traveled the land: some linked the word to his journeying while preaching.
All of these see the title as an honor, not as a claim of divinity.
How it differs from Jewish and Christian belief
- Christian belief: the Messiah is the divine Son of God who died for the sins of the world.
- Jewish belief: the Messiah is still to come, and Jesus wasn't him.
- Muslim belief: Jesus is the Messiah sent to the Children of Israel, a human prophet, and he will return before the end of time.
The Quran makes the human side clear: "The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him... They both used to eat food" (Quran 5:75). It also says, "The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary" (Quran 4:171). See Do I have to believe Jesus isn't God to become Muslim?
The true Messiah and the false one
Islamic teaching also speaks of a "false messiah," al-Masih ad-Dajjal, a great deceiver who will appear near the end of time. According to authentic hadith, Jesus, the true Messiah, will return and defeat him (Sahih Muslim 2937). That's one reason Muslims take the title seriously.
The Prophet ﷺ felt a special closeness to him: "I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Mary... and there has been no prophet between me and him" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3442).
- Muslims call Jesus al-Masih, the Messiah, as the Quran does.
- In Islam the title honors him as a prophet, not as God.
- "Christ," "Messiah" and "al-Masih" are the same title in different languages.
- Muslims believe the true Messiah will return and defeat the false one.
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Yes, Muslims believe Adam and Eve were the first humans. Both erred, both repented and God forgave them, so Islam has no original sin.
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