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The Naming of the People of the Book: Nasara vs. Christians

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Question:

Is it permissible to refer to the Nasara (Nazarenes) as ‘Christians’ (Masihiyyun)?

Answer:

This is a term commonly recognized today. However, Allah the Exalted named them in His Book as the Nasara, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named them the Nasara, and the Muslim scholars named them the Nasara until quite recently.​

This changed when the Nasara colonized some Islamic lands and said: ‘You are Muhammadans and we are Christians,’ in an attempt to create a sense of commonality and rapprochement between Muslims and the Nasara.

Mufti (s)

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen

Source

Liqa' al-Bab al-Maftuh tape 30

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