2.1.5.3 Christians

Christians in Arabia Before Islam

Presence of Christians in and around Arabia

By the time of the Prophet ﷺ, Christianity had already existed for several centuries and had spread into many regions surrounding and touching the Arabian Peninsula. Although Arabia was not a fully Christian land, Christian communities were present in several key areas, and their existence shaped the religious atmosphere that preceded Islam.

In the north, areas such as the Levant, including parts of Syria and Palestine, were under the influence of the Byzantine Empire, which was a Christian empire. Northern Arab tribes often interacted with these lands in trade, warfare, and diplomacy. Some Arab tribes themselves adopted Christianity, especially those living close to or within Byzantine territory.

Within the Peninsula itself, particularly in Najran in the south, and in parts of the eastern regions near al‑Hirah and the Gulf, there were Christian groups, churches, and clergy. These communities had their own religious practices and were known among the Arabs as people who followed a revealed scripture.

The Qur’an acknowledges the presence of Christians, calling them part of “Ahl al‑Kitab,” the People of the Book. Allah says:

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
“That is because among them are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant.”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:82)

This verse refers in context to those among the Christians who were humble and closer in affection to the believers, indicating that the Qur’an did not treat all Christians as a single, uniform group, but recognized different qualities among them.

Christian Arab Tribes and Centers

Among the Arabs, some well‑known tribes had embraced Christianity. In the northern regions, tribes such as Ghassan and some parts of the Tanukh and Taghlib had Christian populations. Their Christianity was often connected to their political alliances with Christian empires like Byzantium.

In the south, Najran became a famous Christian center. It had churches, learned clergy, and a community that identified strongly with Christian faith. The people of Najran were known in Arabian memory, and later their story would become significant in the context of Islamic revelation.

In the region of al‑Hirah, near present‑day Iraq, Arab Christian communities lived under the influence of the Persian Empire, while holding on to their Christian identity. They contributed to the cultural and literary life of the Arabs, especially through poetry and interaction with the tribes of the desert.

These Christian groups spoke Arabic, participated in tribal culture, and shared many social customs with other Arabs, yet their religious orientation distinguished them. They read or listened to scripture in languages such as Syriac or Greek, and some of their scholars translated or explained parts of their religious texts to Arabs.

Christian Beliefs as Known to the Arabs

The full theological complexity of Christian doctrines was not necessarily understood by the average pre‑Islamic Arab, but certain key ideas were known or at least heard of.

Among these ideas was the belief that ‘Isa عليه السلام, known among the Arabs as Jesus the son of Mary, was more than a prophet in the Christian understanding. Some Christians believed in the divinity of Jesus, while others held views about him that differed from group to group. The Qur’an would later mention these differences:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ
“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary.’”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:72)

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍۢ
“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three.’”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:73)

These verses reflect Christian positions that existed in different forms in the broader region. Pre‑Islamic Arabs were at least vaguely aware that some Christians believed in a trinity concept and that they raised Jesus above the status of a human messenger.

At the same time, Arabs knew that Christians honored Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Qur’an notes this and corrects excesses in her veneration, but it also affirms her purity and high rank. This shows that Christian talk of Mary and Jesus had already reached the ears of many Arabs.

There were also Christians who leaned closer to a more strictly monotheistic understanding. Not every Christian group held the same doctrines, and some historians mention sects in Arabia whose beliefs differed from the dominant church establishments. The Qur’an’s careful address of various Christian claims indicates that these differences mattered in the religious dialogue of the time.

Scriptures and Clergy

Christians in and around Arabia were identified with their scriptures. They believed in the Injil, the Gospel, as part of what was revealed to ‘Isa عليه السلام. The Arabs who interacted with them knew that they possessed a “Book” and that their priests and monks studied it.

Allah refers to them:

وَلۡيَحۡكُمۡ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِۦۚ
“Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:47)

Priests, known in Arabic as “qissīsīn,” and monks, “ruhbān,” formed a recognizable class among Christians. They led worship, taught doctrine, and sometimes withdrew from worldly life. Their presence made Christian religion appear organized and scholarly in the eyes of many Arabs.

Some Arabs, especially those who searched for religious truth, were impressed by this scriptural tradition and the visible devotion of monks. Stories circulated about monks in remote monasteries who spent their lives in worship and study. This image of dedicated worshippers played a role in how Arabs perceived Christianity as a serious religion of revelation, distinct from the idolatry that surrounded them.

Christian Influence on Arabian Thought

Even though the majority of the people of the Arabian Peninsula remained upon idolatry, Christian influence left several marks on Arabian life.

First, through trade routes, poets and merchants encountered Christian lands and communities. They saw churches, heard hymns, and witnessed Christian festivals. Some of these impressions entered Arabic poetry, which occasionally mentioned churches, bells, and monks as part of the landscape of travel.

Second, ideas about one God, about prophets, and about the hereafter circulated among the Arabs partly through their contact with Christians and Jews. While many Arabs still worshipped idols, they could not ignore the presence of neighboring communities who claimed to follow a single God and a revealed Book.

The Qur’an later points to this wider environment of revealed religions when it says:

قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍۢ سَوَآءٍۢ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ
“Say, O People of the Book, come to a word that is equitable between us and you, that we will not worship except Allah.”
(Surat Āl ‘Imrān 3:64)

This call addressed both Jews and Christians and shows that their monotheistic heritage was known and given importance, even as Islam corrected and completed what had been altered or misunderstood.

Third, certain individual Arabs who were seeking the true religion learned directly from Christian monks or scholars. They heard about earlier prophets and scriptures, and some came to reject idolatry because of what they learned. Their journeys and questions form part of the broader spiritual restlessness that characterized the period just before the coming of Islam.

Diversity among Christians

It is important to recognize that “Christians” in the world before Islam were not a single, unified group. Theologically, Christians were already divided into multiple churches and schools of thought. Political divisions between the Byzantine and Persian empires also affected the forms of Christianity that spread into different Arab regions.

Some Christian groups emphasized the humanity of Jesus while others stressed his divinity more strongly. Disputes about the nature of Christ, about church authority, and about certain doctrines created separate communities. This variety meant that an Arab’s experience of Christianity could differ depending on which group he encountered.

The Qur’an interacts with this diversity by addressing particular claims without detailing every internal Christian dispute. It consistently calls all to recognize the pure oneness of Allah, and to see ‘Isa عليه السلام as a noble messenger rather than a partner to God. Allah says:

مَّا ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌۭ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ
“The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a messenger. Messengers have passed on before him.”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:75)

This statement meets the different Christian claims with a clear and simple description of Jesus’ role.

The Qur’anic Perspective on Christians Before Islam

From the Islamic viewpoint, the Christians of that time stood at a particular place in the history of revelation. They had received a message originally calling to pure tawhid, belief in the oneness of Allah, through ‘Isa عليه السلام. Over time, elements of belief were altered, exaggerated, or confused, especially regarding the nature of Jesus and the concept of God.

Yet, the Qur’an also recognizes that among the Christians were sincere individuals who responded positively when they heard the recitation of the new revelation. About such people, Allah says:

وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰٓ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ
“And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth.”
(Surat al‑Mā’idah 5:83)

This verse refers to certain Christians who were moved by the Qur’an and accepted its message. It shows that, despite distortions in belief, their earlier connection to revelation prepared some of them to recognize the final message when it came.

Thus, Christians in the world before Islam held an important place in the religious landscape. They were a people joined to earlier prophets and scriptures, yet also burdened by internal disagreements and doctrinal changes. Their presence among and around the Arabs created a living example of a scriptural community, which in turn helped shape the context into which the Prophet ﷺ was sent.