I have heard a Muslim say to a Christian: If being Christian means following Christ, then I claim to be a Christian. Is this statement correct? When I spoke to him about it, he explained to me that he said this to show the Christian person that we Muslims are the true followers of Christ. He added that Imaam Shaafi'ee said in one of his poems: If being Rafidi (Shi'a) means loving the family of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, then I claim to be a Rafidi.

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.

If what the brother meant by saying "I am a Christian" is that he is on the same religion on which 'Eesa (Jesus) was, which is Islam, then there is no harm, as this is the truth. Indeed Islam is the religion of all the Prophets. Allaah says (what means): {Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allaah is Islam.}[Quran 3:19]

Moreover, the Prophet said: "I have the best claim to 'Eesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Marry) in this life and in the Hereafter; all the Prophets are brothers of different mothers but their religion is one."  [Al-Bukhari]

So the religion of all the Prophets was one which is Islam but their religious rites regarding what is lawful and what is forbidden, and other acts of worship were different, as Allaah says (what means): {To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.}[Quran 5:48] [Which means a way and a Sunnah] However, Allaah abrogated all the previous laws with the law of the Prophet as He says (what means): {And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad ) the Book (this Quran) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohayminan (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures.}[Quran 5:48]

This means that the Quran is a witness over the previous Heavenly-Revealed Books, testifying that they were the truth, and abrogating their rulings (i.e. the ruling of the Quran is the predominant one that has to be followed).

To conclude, the religion of all the Prophets was one, the religion of 'Eesa (Jesus) was the same religion as that of Muhammad and it was the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Moosa (Moses), and the religion of all the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention; however, their laws were different. Therefore, we Muslims, follow in reality the religion of all the Prophets, which is Islam.

Thus, it becomes clear that calling those who claim to follow the religion of 'Eesa (Jesus) Christians is wrong as he was calling to the worship of Allaah Alone.

Christianity is named after Jesus Christ but in reality he is innocent of those who claim affiliation with him and his religion as they are not affiliated with him or to the monotheism that he taught.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88906 about the religion of all the Prophets that it was one religion.

Allaah Knows best.