The Role of the Holy Spirit in Religions: Comparing Islamic and Christian Views on Revelation

Divine Revelation as a source of knowledge and understanding is at the forefront of both Christianity and Islam. Therefore, interreligious dialogue between the two faiths must include a discussion on Revelation. While the two religions may, in many ways, seem to be in opposition on this matter, an important similarity may be the presence of God through the Spirit. The concept of a Spirit as a medium for divine communication with humanity exists in both faiths, albeit in different forms (the Trinitarian Holy Spirit in Christianity vs. Ruh or “the spirit” in Islam). However, disagreements on the nature of this Spirit and the ways in which inspiration occurs make dialogue on Revelation difficult. A comparative study on Revelation in Christianity and Islam, with a special focus on the Spirit, may yield common ground on the Spirit’s inspiration of humanity and open dialogue toward a more diverse understanding of divine communication.