What is the origin of Christianity? Do Christians worship ‘Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt his mention? Do they worship both him and Allaah The Almighty? In what way do they regard Maryam (Mary), may Allaah exalt her mention? How many scriptures do they have?
When I take a Fatwa from your website, people say that it is merely an Internet website and that they neither know whether the person who gave the Fatwa is a scholar nor how knowledgeable he is. Therefore, I would like to know the source of Fatwas on this website? Is the source of the Fatwas Ash-Shaykh Al-Qaradhaawi, may Allaah preserve him?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The origin of Christianity is Nasraaniyyah, which is the religion that Allaah The Almighty sent down to ‘Eesaa and which mentioned our Prophet Muhammad . 

Followers of that religion were called Nasaaraa (plural of Nasraani), after a town in Palestine called An-Naasirah (Nazareth) where ‘Eesaa was born.  Another possible origin for the name Nasaaraa is the Arabic root “Nasara” which means victory or support, meaning those who supported ‘Eesaa . Later, the name was widely used to refer to all those who claimed adherence to ‘Eesaa . In this regard, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allaah."} [Quran 61: 14]

During the later centuries, this religion was given the name "Christianity" and its followers were called "Christians" to emphasize their belonging to Christ, ‘Eesaa and to avoid the Muslims' abhorrence of the word "Nasaarah" which is dispraised in the Quran and the Sunnah.

Christianity was an extension of Judaism, since ‘Eesaa was sent to Bani Israa’eel (the children of Israel) in order to revive the Sharee'ah of Moosa (Moses) and to rectify the distortions that the Jews had made in it.

In this regard, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Tawraah (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel). And [make him] a messenger to Bani Israa’eel (the people of Israel.} [Quran 3: 48-49]

Before the first three centuries of Christianity had ended, it had already completely deviated from its true path. It turned from monotheism to polytheism because most of Bani Israa’eel disbelieved in ‘Eesaa denied his message, distorted his religion and altered the Injeel (Gospel).

After Allaah The Almighty raised ‘Eesaa some of his followers who continued to adhere to the truth were hunted down by the Jews for about half a century. During the second half of the first century, they started to write their innovated and distorted gospels. Their words were the production of their human minds, and the authors did not hear anything that had been written from ‘Eesaa . Some of the content of these gospels was even added by the Jews themselves. Christianity remained in this state for three centuries after that and was influenced by outside philosophies, personal views and pagan rituals, in addition to corruption, divergence, and differences in creed and methodology.

Meanwhile, the authentic text of the Injeel was lost and there became numerous gospels - to the extent that it became impossible to identify a constant text of the Injeel.    

During the era of Constantine, king of the Romans in Nicaea, in 325 CE, the largest assembly of Christians was held.  The Christians of this period decided to adopt a deviant form of Christianity; a mixture of Roman paganism, distorted Judaism, the remains of the confused doctrine  of Christianity and some Indian paganism. Within the framework of this assembly, the creed of the Trinity, which many present-day Christians believe in, came into being. According to this creed, it is claimed that Allaah The Almighty is the third of three: a father which they claim to be Allaah The Almighty; a Son which they claim to be ‘Eesaa ; and a Holy Spirit which is the spirit that was incarnated in Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention.

Consequently, all the present day followers of this religion, whether they call themselves Christians or Nasaara, are disbelievers. In this regard, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

·    {They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allaah is the third of three." And there is no god except one God.} [Quran 5: 73]

·   {They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allaah is the Maseeh (Messiah), the son of Maryam (Mary)”} [Quran 5: 72]

Concerning how Fatwas are issued in this website, you can learn about its mechanism through the following Fataawa 81749, 83709 and 81816.

Allaah Knows best.