A Theological Question on Jesus’ Language in the Qur’an

A Theological Question on Jesus’ Language in the Qur’an
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

A simple but revealing question arises when we consider the portrayal of Jesus (ʿĪsā) in the Qur’an: What language did Jesus speak?

The Qur’an presents Jesus as a historical figure sent to the Children of Israel (Qur’an 3:49; 61:6), yet it does not explicitly mention the language he used. Historically and contextually, Jesus spoke Aramaic, the common tongue of first-century Jewish Palestine.

This raises an interesting point for comparative theology: the Qur’an is in Arabic, and all of Jesus’ speeches and miracles are recorded in Arabic within Islamic scripture. Therefore, readers and scholars must reconcile how a figure who historically spoke Aramaic is represented as speaking Arabic in the Qur’anic text.

This question opens a space for critical discussion about historical context, linguistic translation, and theological interpretation within Islam — and invites interfaith dialogue on how sacred texts present historical figures.

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