Which Came First: Islam or Christianity? A Historical and Theological Analysis

Discover the true historical order between Christianity and Islam. Explore biblical evidence, early Church history, Islamic sources, and scholarly references that reveal which faith came first — and why this matters for understanding God’s revelation.

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I. Introduction

Many people today ask: “Which came first, Islam or Christianity?”
At first glance, the answer seems simple — Christianity began in the 1st century A.D., while Islam began in the 7th century A.D. But beyond the timeline, this question touches deeper theological issues about divine revelation, authority, and continuity.

This article provides a historical, biblical, and apologetic explanation to show that Christianity — founded by Jesus Christ — came first, and that Islam emerged later as a new religion claiming continuity with the Abrahamic faith.

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II. Biblical and Historical Timeline

Event	Approx. Date	Description
Abraham’s Covenant	~2000 B.C.	God calls Abraham; foundation of monotheism (Genesis 12:1–3).
Moses and the Law	~1300 B.C.	The Law given to Israel through Moses.
Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.)	1000–400 B.C.	Messianic prophecies foretelling Christ.
Birth of Jesus Christ	4–6 B.C.	The Incarnation: “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14).
Crucifixion & Resurrection	30–33 A.D.	Foundation of Christianity; the New Covenant sealed in Christ’s blood.
Church established at Pentecost	33 A.D.	The descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church (Acts 2).
Apostolic preaching & writings	40–100 A.D.	The New Testament written; Church spreads throughout the Roman Empire.
Birth of Islam (Muhammad)	610–632 A.D.	Muhammad claims revelation in Arabia; Qur’an written after his death.

✅ Conclusion: Historically, Christianity predates Islam by about 600 years.

 

III. Theological Differences in Revelation

Aspect	Christianity	Islam
Founder	Jesus Christ (1st century A.D.)	Muhammad (7th century A.D.)
View of Jesus	Son of God, Divine, Savior	Prophet only, not divine
Scripture	The Bible (Old & New Testament)	The Qur’an
View of God	Holy Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit	Strict monotheism (Tawhid)
Means of Salvation	Through grace and faith in Christ	Through obedience to Islamic law
Historical claim	Fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy	Correction of alleged “corruption” in Christianity and Judaism

 

 

IV. Biblical Foundation: Christ as the Fulfillment

The Bible clearly teaches that God’s revelation reached its fullness in Jesus Christ, not in later prophets:

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets... but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.”
— Hebrews 1:1–2

Jesus Himself declared:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
— John 14:6

From the Christian standpoint, no later revelation can supersede the fullness revealed in Christ. Hence, Christian revelation is complete, while Islam’s claim to “correct” Christianity is historically and theologically inconsistent.

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V. Early Church Witnesses

1. St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 107 A.D.)

“There is one God who manifested Himself through Jesus Christ His Son.”

2. St. Irenaeus (c. 180 A.D.)

“Christ brought all things new by bringing Himself, the true revelation of the Father.”

These writings existed five centuries before Islam, proving that Christian doctrine of Jesus’ divinity and salvation was firmly established long before Muhammad.

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VI. Islamic Acknowledgment

Even Islamic sources (like the Qur’an) acknowledge Jesus as a great prophet and Mary as His mother (Surah 3:45–47), but deny His divinity and crucifixion (Surah 4:157–158).
This means that Islam’s Jesus is not the same as the Biblical Jesus, showing a theological break, not continuity.

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VII. Scholarly and Historical References

• Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Truth and Tolerance:
  “Christianity is not an evolution of religion but the historical intervention of God in human history.”

• J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines:
  “The faith in the divinity of Christ was already the hallmark of Christian confession from the apostolic times.”

• Philip Jenkins, The Lost History of Christianity:
  “By the time Islam arose, Christianity had been established for centuries across the Middle East.”

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VIII. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

• CCC 65:

  “Christ, the Son of God made man, is the Father’s one, perfect, and unsurpassable Word... there will be no new public revelation before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This means the Christian revelation is final; no new religion or prophet can replace or add to it.

 

IX. Apologetic Summary Table

Claim	Christianity	Islam	Analysis
Revelation through Christ	Yes (John 1:14; Heb 1:1–2)	Denied	Christianity claims completion; Islam claims correction.
Founded first	33 A.D.	610 A.D.	Christianity predates Islam by 600 years.
View of Jesus	Divine Savior	Human prophet	Fundamental doctrinal contradiction.
Authority	Apostolic Succession	Self-claimed revelation	Christianity based on historical witnesses.

 

X. Conclusion

From Scripture, history, and theology, Christianity undeniably came first, founded by Jesus Christ Himself and spread by His apostles through divine authority.
Islam appeared centuries later, acknowledging parts of the Biblical narrative but introducing a new doctrine that contradicts the completed revelation in Christ.

Therefore, in both chronological and theological sense, Christianity precedes Islam, and Christ remains the definitive and final revelation of God.

 

READ ALSO:

• Does the Bible Have Contradictions? Which Came First: The Bible or the Quran?