A Comparative Analysis of the Study of Christianity in Bayan-ul-Quran and Sirat-ul-Jinan

بیان القرآن اور صراط الجنان میں مطالعہ مسیحیت کا تقابلی مطالعہ

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of the discourse on Christianity within two prominent contemporary Urdu Quranic exegeses: Bayān al-Qurʼān by Dr. Israr Ahmed and Ṣirāṭ al-Jinān by Mufti Muhammad Qasim Qadri. Focusing primarily on the thematic contents of Sūrah Āl ʿImrān and Sūrah Maryam, the paper examines how both exegetes approach Christian doctrines, interfaith engagement, and Muslim–non-Muslim relations. The findings indicate that while both scholars share the overarching objective of defending Islamic monotheism (tawḥīd), refuting theological concepts such as the Trinity and divine sonship, and affirming the miraculous birth of Jesus (peace be upon him), their hermeneutical methodologies diverge markedly. Dr. Israr Ahmed adopts an analytical, historical, and contemporary framework, emphasizing socio-political developments, scientific reflections, and the historical contexts of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl). In contrast, Mufti Muhammad Qasim Qadri employs a traditional theological, juridical (fiqhī), and reformative approach, focusing on moral pedagogy, intra-community spiritual reform, and the ethical dimensions of interfaith conduct. The study concludes that, despite their distinct methodological approaches, both exegeses serve as vital scholarly resources for understanding Christian theology from a Quranic perspective and for addressing contemporary ideological challenges to Islamic belief.