In all the controversy and acrimony over Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, people seem to be missing the fact that there is one religion that currently promotes the “Jews killed Christ” libel—and it isn’t Christianity: Jews as “Christ-Killers” in Islam.

Specifically, Quran 4:157-158 iterates,�

“That they [i.e., the Jews] said in boast, “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”;- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not … Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise…

Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), a pre-eminent Muslim historian, theologian, and Qur’anic commentator, provides this elaboration of Qur’an 4:157-158, which emphasizes the Jews overall perfidy, especially their gloating (but unknowingly “false”) claim to have killed Jesus:

“When Allah sent Isa (Jesus) with proofs and guidance, the Jews — may Allah’s curses, anger, torment, and punishment be upon them —�envied him because of his prophethood and obvious miracles … the Jews defied him … and tried their best to harm him. Allah’s Prophet Isa (Jesus) could not live in any one city for long and he had to travel often with his mother … Even so, the Jews were not satisfied, and they went to the King of Damascus at that time a Greek polytheist who worshipped stars. They told him there was a man … misguiding and dividing the people in Jerusalem and stirring unrest among the king’s subjects. The king became angry and wrote to his deputy in Jerusalem to arrest the rebel leader, stop him from causing unrest, crucify him and make him wear a crown of thorns. When the king’s deputy in Jersusalem received these orders, he went with some Jews to the house that Isa (Jesus) was residing in, and he was with twelve, thirteen, or seventeen of his companions. That day was a Friday, in the evening. They surrounded Isa (Jesus) in the house, and when he felt that they would soon enter the house or that he would sooner or later have to leave it, he said to his companions, ‘Who volunteers to be made to look like me, for which he will be my companion in Paradise?’A young man volunteered, but Isa (Jesus)� thought that he was too young. He asked the question a second time and third time, each time the young man volunteering, prompting Isa (Jesus) to say, ‘Well, then you will be that man.’ Allah made the young man look exactly like Isa (Jesus), while a hole opened� in the roof of the house, and Isa (Jesus) was made to sleep and ascended to heaven while asleep … When Isa (Jesus) ascended, those who were in the house came out. When those surrounding the house saw the man who looked like Isa (Jesus), they thought that he was Isa (Jesus). So they took him at night, crucified him and placed a crown of thorns on his head. The Jews boasted that they killed Isa (Jesus) and some Christians accepted their false claim due to their ignorance and lack of reason.

In his commentary on the related Qur’anic verse 4:159,

“And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them.”