ABSTRACT

Both Christianity and Islam have scriptures, which have been read, recited, memorised, studied, interpreted and reflected on in their respective communities since their earliest days. One of the most alarming features of any Christian-Muslim encounter, however, is the phenomenal ignorance of each other’s scripture, so it is especially important for Christians and Muslims to realise that although both Christians and Muslims therefore use the term “scripture” the way in which that term is understood is widely different within the two communities. This is therefore one of the areas where it is most important to discern where there are similarities and where there are differences in understanding within the two traditions.1