Who was James, known as the brother of Jesus (peace be upon him), and what role did he play in early Islamic and religious history?
Join Dr. Ali Ataie for a Saturday evening chat that explores James’s life, leadership, and legacy, and reflect on his character, faith, and influence.
Ustadh Ahmed Khan (a graduate from Zaytuna College) interviews Ustadh Dr. Ali Ataie (Deen Faculty of Zaytuna College).
Saturday, January 10, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Maghrib to Isha) | MCC Conference Room | Join in-person or watch live at mcceastbay.org
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
About the Speakers
Ustadh Ali Ataie is a perennial student and researcher who has been involved in interfaith activities for over two decades. He holds a Master’s in biblical studies, focusing on New Testament and biblical languages. He also has a PhD in cultural and historical religious studies from the Graduate Theological Union. His doctoral work focused on Muslim hermeneutics of biblical texts, especially the Gospel of John. He lives in San Ramon, California, with his wife, Roya, and three daughters. Learn more about him at https://zaytuna.edu/academics/faculty/ali-ataie
– More Professor Dr. Ali Ataie videos: http://mcceastbay.org/ali-ataie
Sidi Ahmed Khan is a graduating student at Zaytuna College, focusing on Islamic studies. He founded The Creative Minority Podcast, a podcast that addresses contemporary issues for Muslims. He is also the founder of Umran.co, an online aggregator service dedicated to distributing the top Muslim podcasts, lectures, and video series.
– More Sidi Ahmed: https://mcceastbay.org/ahmed-khan
In Islam, Jesus (Isa, peace be upon him) is highly revered, but the Quran doesn’t mention him having a biological brother named James; however, some Islamic traditions, particularly from early Christian historians accepted in some Muslim scholarship (like Ismaili), identify James as Jesus’s step-brother (son of Joseph from a prior marriage) or successor (wasi/Imam) who led the Jerusalem church. In contrast, others acknowledge the New Testament’s mention of “brothers of the Lord” without definitive Islamic doctrine, accepting historical accounts that don’t conflict with core beliefs.