Islam and Christianity are and will always be connected. Thus, questions and queries about Prophet Muhammed and Prophet Isa (Jesus) will always be asked. One prevalent question is what language did they speak? As everyone knows, the Quran was revealed to prophet Muhammed in Arabic. So, did Prophet Isa (Jesus) speak Arabic too? What is the language in which he delivered his message?
Did Jesus speak Arabic?
The short answer to this question is No. As a matter of fact, Aramaic, the language of his
people is believed to be the predominant language spoken by prophet Isa as well his disciples.
It is also believed to be the language in which the Injeel or Gospel was revealed to him. Allah
(SWT) says:
“We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people to clarify ˹the
message˺ for them. Then Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He
wills. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise” (Surah Ibrahim 14:4).
This verse explains how every prophet would speak and deliver his message in the language
of his people and not necessarily Arabic. As to Prophet Isa, He is also believed to have spoken
some Greek as a Lingua Franca (a common language that serves as a means of
communication between people with different mother tongues) in matters of trade. Some
scholars believe he knew Hebrew as well as it was also spoken among his people.
What is the Aramaic language?
Aramaic is a member of the Semitic family of languages. It was written in a number of
alphabetic scripts and has a particularly close relationship to Hebrew. It is the language of the
ancient Middle- Eastern people known as “Aramaeans”.
Conclusion:
Jesus is Allah’s prophet in Islam. He as many other prophets received a divine message to
deliver to their people inviting them to choose the right path and believe in God Almighty.
Many spoke different languages, each the language of his people. Prophet Isa is no exception.
You can find out more about him in our other articles: The return of Jesus(Isa) and Who are Jesus’s (isa) grandfather and grandmother.
