Who was James, known as the brother of Jesus (peace be upon him), and why is he central to identifying who the historical Jesus is?
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.
Sidi Omar Naisan 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 virtually at mcceastbay.org/live
Program schedule:
- – 5 p.m. – Food truck begins
- – 5:15 pm – Maghrib prayers
- – 5:30 p.m. – Program begins
- – 8 p.m. – Program ends & Isha prayers
- – 8:30 p.m. – Food truck service ends
Hungry? Have dinner at MCC with your family before, during, or after the lecture. 523 Southern Halal BBQ & Soul Food will be on site from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. If you would like to pre-order, please order via the QR code below. Please note what time you want your food to be ready.
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, with a focus 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
Omar Naisan is a Ph.D. student in the Historical & Cultural Studies of Religion program at the Graduate Theological Union. He holds a Master of Arts in New Testament also from the Graduate Theological Union. His published MA thesis is titled “Decrypting the Son of Man Problem: An Inquiry into the Dominant Approaches to the Son of Man Problem and its Conspicuous Application in Mark 8:27-31.” His interests include comparative theology, philology in religious corpora, and historical-critical studies of religious canons. – More Ustadh Omar: http://mcceastbay.org/omar
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.