Islam and Christianity disagree about Palm Sunday and Jesus’ crucifixion

Christians across the world are today marking Palm Sunday in the lead-up to one of the holiest days in the calendar – Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, is observed by various denominations of the faith, including Catholics, Anglicans, and Methodists.

It signifies the beginning of Holy Week, and always falls on the Sunday before Good Friday (April 2) and Easter Sunday (April 4).

According to Christians, Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ arrival to Jerusalem al-Quds before his arrest on Holy Thursday and crucifixion on Good Friday.

Good Friday: Islam and Christianity

Despite the common Abrahamic heritage between Christianity and Islam, Good Friday is not celebrated in the Muslim world as it is in the Christian world. The Quran is explicitly clear on the aspects of Good Friday and the crucifixion of Jesus.

In the Quran, stories about the life and teachings of Jesus (called Isa in Arabic) are abundant. The Quran recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, the miracles he performed by God’s permission, and his life as a respected prophet of God.

Belief in Jesus and all other messengers of God is a requirement for being a Muslim. The Quran mentions Jesus by name 25 times and emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message.

To Muslims, it is the ascension rather than the crucifixion that constitutes a major event in the life of Jesus. Muslims believe that Jesus will return to Earth at the end of time along with the 12th Imam, Mahdi, to rid the world of tyranny and injustice.

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