How To Talk To Muslims About Jesus: Being Missional Christians

The Great Commission from Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 has guided Christ-followers for two thousand years. Jesus made sure His Church knew that He wanted them to be missional. He told us in Acts 1:8 to tell others about Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth – a command many teachers today teach on to mean your personal circle, your outer circle, and the entire world.

As Christ-followers, we need to take Jesus’ last command to us seriously. This was the most important instruction to emphasize this before ascending to heaven. He did not tell His followers to stay safe or stick together. Jesus told them to GO out into the world and tell people about Him!

There are many people in your life who need you to share the Good News with them – family members, friends, neighbors, and even people across the world who need to discover the truth about Jesus because of you. You will not know how much they know about Jesus unless you ask! Especially in western culture where people like to keep their faith private.

However, in contrast to typical Western culture, Muslims are usually very vocal about their religion. This is because they are also instructed to be “missional” in sharing their faith with others.

Sometimes Christians are easily intimidated if there are people in their lives who are outspoken about their non-Christian beliefs, like an outspoken atheist friend, or perhaps, a Muslim neighbor. But this should not be a barrier to sharing the gospel; instead, this is an obvious road sign that reads, “Share Christ with them!”

How can I talk to a Muslim about Jesus?

Unless you have spent time learning about Islam and understanding what many Muslims believe, you may not know that Muslims already know about Jesus and hear about Him quite often in the Quran, Hadith, and from their teachers. The problem is that the Islamic version of Jesus is not who Jesus really is.

Before you begin to worry about how “awkward” or “uncomfortable” your Muslim friend might be if you ask them about their beliefs, you need to know that Muslims are used to being very outspoken and upfront about their faith. Most Western Christians are very private about their faith, but you should not let this hold you back. Instead, step outside of your comfort zone and open up the conversation to share your faith!

Who is Jesus in Islam?

There are many differences between the true person of Jesus in the Bible and the false version of Jesus in Islam, whom they call Prophet Isa. You can learn about these differences in detail here (Comparing what the Bible says about Jesus Christ with the teachings of the Quran).

Muslims are taught that Jesus is merely a messenger and prophet of Allah, not the Son of God, and definitely not the Savior who died on a cross, rose again, and paid the price for our sins. They believe Prophet Isa is one of the four messengers of Allah who came before Muhammad, but that Muhammad is the final messenger.

How can I talk to a Muslim about the Jesus of the Bible?

Thankfully, since your Muslim friend already believes Jesus exists, that’s a good common ground to start on, but you do need to introduce them to the real character of Jesus.

First, it is easier to ask a Muslim questions about what they already believe about Jesus:

• What do you know about Jesus’ birth? Have you ever read the Bible’s account of it?

  • Read this article to prepare yourself for talking about this topic: A direct comparison of the Islamic account of Jesus’ birth versus the biblical nativity story 

• Do you believe Jesus was crucified for our sins?

  • Read this article to prepare yourself for talking about this topic: Islam And Jesus: Understanding Why The Quran Lies About Jesus’ Crucifixion

• What does your Quran tell you about Jesus?

  • Read this article to prepare yourself for talking about this topic: What does the Quran say about Jesus? Why Christians should know what Muslims believe about Jesus 

Don’t be afraid to make the first move to talk about Jesus with Muslims, instead of waiting for them to ask you about your faith. If your Muslim friend does end up asking you first, praise God and make the most of that opportunity.

Muslims are not raised with the courage to ask questions of their faith – they are avidly advised against it so they can avoid upsetting Allah. They may have questions hidden away in their heart, but they will probably not feel comfortable asking them until they are much more comfortable with you.

Be patient with your Muslim friend when you talk to them about Jesus. It is not your job to convince them of the truth or change their heart. Your job is only to share the Good News with them. The Holy Spirit is in charge of convincing them, softening their heart, and helping them step into faith.

Prayer for talking to Muslims about Jesus

Dear Lord, please fill me with passion to talk to my Muslim friend about Jesus. Please give me open doors to talk about You and Your love! I want to be bold in telling others the Good News. Amen.