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Qur’an and Trinity

The Qur’an pays attention to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. There are verses about the denial of more than one god, no partners and no relationships. Therefore there are clear messages in the Qur’an that God is one and nothing can share his sovereignty or nature. Special attention is paid to the denial of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. An evaluation should demonstrate the Qur’an’s valid arguments against the doctrine of the Trinity.

1. The Qur’an's claims against the Trinity

Qur’an 5:73-75: not three gods, but only one God

The most direct verse against trinity is the following: “They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.” (Qur’an 5:73) It seems that this verse is the result of an understanding of the Trinity with too much focus on the special position of the hypostases (persons) and too little on the unity of God. [1] Many verses describe the warning that Jesus is divine. It is claimed that the eternal God, Creator of heaven and earth, is not equal to the person born of Mary: “They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.” (Qur’an 5:72) The reason for the claim that God cannot have a partner is the polytheism of Allah in the pagan Arab religion, where Allah had partners. Muhammad wanted to follow a strict version of Abraham's monotheism. He thought Christians had three different gods. Another interesting claim in the Qur’an is the assumption that Christians consider Mary to be divine. She is called “a woman of truth.” “The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. ˹Many˺ messengers had ˹come and˺ gone before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both ate food. See how We make the signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded ˹from the truth!” (Qur’an 5:75) There are warnings against three gods in Qur’an 5:72-73 and also Qur’an 4:171. It is possible that this came from a sect in the 5th century that preached that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is “theotokos” or “God-bearer” and therefore divine [2]. But Mary as deity was never declared in mainstream Christianity.

Qur’an 4:171: God has no son

There is a verse with a direct warning that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: “O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit ˹created by a command˺ from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.” (Qur’an 4:171) The Qur’an warns in this verse that God does not have a physical child. Christians also agree that God does not have a biological family. It is also agreed that Jesus was not the result of a sexual act of God with Mary. Therefore, the warning in Qur’an 4:171 is also consistent with what Christians reject.

Qur’an 5:17: Jesus Christ is not equal to God

“In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every - one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things." (Qur’an 5:17) The divinity of Jesus Christ is difficult for the rational human mind to understand. If it was easy to understand, it cannot be perfect, because only God is perfect. God is beyond human comprehension. Only God can tell about God. A believer needs a revelation from God to get confirmation about the divinity of Jesus Christ. It seems that the author of the Qur’an did not have this possibility.

Qur’an 5:116: No worship other than one God

The connection to truth in mainstream Christianity is reserved for the Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of Truth. There is a direct warning in the Qur’an about Mary's divinity: “And ˹on Judgment Day˺ Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you ever ask the people to worship you and your mother as gods besides Allah?” He will answer, “Glory be to You! How could I ever say what I had no right to say? If I had said such a thing, you would have certainly known it. You know what is ˹hidden˺ within me, but I do not know what is within You. Indeed, You ˹alone˺ are the Knower of all unseen.” (Qur’an 5:116) Allah has said: "Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One Allah: then fear Me (and Me alone)." (Qur’an 16:51) It seems that the verse is a warning about deviating from the true faith with idolatry and not a claim against Trinity. It is possible that Muhammad observed Marian worship in sects. A candidate for such a sect could be the Collyridians, a sect with only women as members. [3] They came to Muhammad's area from Thrace and northern Syria.

2. Trinity in the time of Muhammad

Until the 7th century, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity was an intellectually demanding description. Something like higher mathematics. But in the time of Muhammad, the Trinity came under criticism. It seems that the Qur’an reflects this criticism in Qur’an 5:116. There was discussion about the substance of the Son of God Christian as the same as God, the Father: “Likewise concerning grace, through which those who believe are saved, and without which never has a rational creature lived happily, and concerning free will weakened through sin in our first parents, but reintegrated and healed through the grace of our Lord Jesus for His faithful, we most constant and in complete faith confess the same, which the most Holy Fathers by the authority of the Sacred Scriptures have left for us to hold, which the Synod of Africa and the Synod of Orange have professed, which the most blessed Pontiffs of the Apostolic See in the Catholic faith have held; but also concerning nature and grace, we presume in no manner to change to another way. We thoroughly refute, however, the foolish questions,and the utterlyold wives' tales, the porridge of the Scoti bearing nausea to the purity of faith, which in these most dangerous and grave times, to the summit of cur labors even up to the dividing of charity wretchedly and tearfully have arisen, lest Christian minds henceforthbe corrupted and cut offeven from the purity of faith,which is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3) Jesus, and we warn by the love of our Lord Christ that brotherly charity, by being on its guard, protects the hearing from such things. Let the brotherhood recall that it is hard pressed by the very grave evils of the world, by the excessive harvest of iniquity, and that it is most cruelly suffocated by the chaff of light men. Let it have zeal to conquer these things; let it labor to correct these things; and let it not burden the assembly with the inanities of those who grieve and weep piously, but rather in certain and true faith, let that be embraced which has been sufficiently determined by the Holy Fathers concerning these and similar things.” [4] Did Muhammad not know that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity? It is not impossible that he had this knowledge from mainstream Christianity around him.

3. Trinity in early Islam

Muhammad's early followers in history were not only against the divinity of Mary, but also against the divinity of Jesus Christ. It was a goal of the Qur’an to assume this and there is evidence from early Muslims.

Ibn 'Abbas

Ibn 'Abbas (619 - 687) wrote one of the oldest Qur’an commentaries with attention for the Trinity: “Then Allah revealed about the people of Mecca when they said to the Prophet: we have asked the people of the Book about you and none of them testifies that you are a prophet sent by Allah, by saying: (But Allah (Himself) testifieth) even if no one else testifies (concerning that which He hath revealed unto thee) the Qur’an that Gabriel brought you; (in His knowledge) by His command (hath He revealed it; and the Angels also testify) testify to this. (And Allah is sufficient Witness) even if no one else besides Him testifies.” [5]

Ibn Ishaq

Ibn Ishaq, who died in 761, wrote: “… and he spoke in the cradle and this is something that no child of Adam has ever done. They argue that he is the third of three in that God says: We have done, We have commanded, We have created and We have decreed, and they say, If He were one he would have said I have done, I have created, and so on, but He is He and Jesus and Mary. Concerning all these assertions the Qur’an came down.” [6] Note that the event of Jesus speaking in the cradle is not in the New Testament, but is part of the Syriac Gospel of the Children, an apocryphal writing about Jesus as an infant and young child. The description of the Trinity as “He is He and Jesus and Mary“ has a mismatch with Mary, perhaps also taken from a sect.

Muqātil ibn Sulaymān

Another early Qur’anic commentary was written by Muqātil ibn Sulaymān who died in 767. Again a statement that Maryam is a god: “Allāh is the Messiah son of Maryam”; and the ‘Ibādat al-Malik say that Allāh, powerful and exalted, is the third of three—he is a god, ‘Īsā is a god, and Maryam is a god, making Allāh weak (fatara IV), blessed and almighty.” [7]

Al-Zamakhshari

He was a medieval Muslim scholar (1074 -1143) from an area now within Iran. [8] “… the Christians maintain that God, Christ, and Mary are three gods, and that Christ is the child of God by Mary, as God says (in the Qur’an): ‘O Jesus son of Mary, didst thou say unto men: “Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God”?’ (Sura 5:116), or: ‘The Christians say: “The Messiah is the Son of God”’ (Sura 9:30)... “ [9]

Ibn Kathir

A prominent scholar of the Middle Ages is Ibn Kathir (1300-1373) from Syria. In a commentary on Qur’an 5:73, he refers to other Islamic scholars, such as al-Tabari: “Concerning "They disbelieved who say: Allah is one of three", Ibn Abî Hâtim said that cAlî Ibn al-Hasan al-Hisinjâni told us that Sacîd Ibn al-Hakam Ibn Abî Maryam told us that al-Fadl told us that Abû Sakhr told me about God's words "They disbelieved who say: Allah is one of three": it refers to the opinion of the Jews "cUzayr is the son of God" and the opinion of the Christians "The Messiah is the son of God"; thus making God one among three [i.e., a trinity]. For a commentary on this verse, this report is odd because it refers to both the Jews and the Christians. The truth is that it was revealed concerning the Christians specifically. This is the opinion of Mujâhid and many others but they differed on its interpretation. They said this verse targetted the disbelievers among them [i.e., among the Christians] for upholding three hypostasis (al-Aqânim ath-thalâthah) who are: the hypostasis of the Father, the hypostasis of the Son and the hypostasis of the Word emanating from the Father to the Son - May God be glorified above their speech. Ibn Jarîr [al-Tabarî] and others mentioned that the three sects, the Melkites, the Jacobites and the Nestorians, the three of them uphold those hypostasis and are in great disagreement between each others but we will not expand on their disagreement here. Each sect declared that the others are disbelievers and the truth is that the three of them are disbelievers. As-Suddî and others said: [the verse] was revealed concerning the divinization of the Christ and his mother besides God, thus making God one among three [i.e., one person among a Trinity]. As-Suddî said: This is like the verse at the end of the Surah [verse 5:116] "And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah.?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! [...]" and this [last] opinion is the most likely and God knows best. God Almighty said "for there is no god except One God" i.e., God is not multiple, he is one without partners and he gathered all the creatures and warned them "If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy)" i.e., this lie "verily a grievous chastisement will befall the disbelievers among them" i.e., the chains and torture in the hereafter.” [10] The connection of Ezra as the Son of God has no proof in Judaism. Again, Christians are accused of having Mary a god, a false conclusion of the doctrine of the Trinity.

Al-Jalalayn

Another scholar is Al-Jalalayn, who died around 1505. He has the following commentary: “So believe in God and His messengers, and do not say, that the gods are, ‘Three’, God, Jesus and his mother. Refrain, from this and say what, it is better for you, [to say], which is the profession of His Oneness.” (Al-Jalalayn, Tafsir Surah 4.171).

Kashani

He was a 14th century Sufi mystic from an area that is now Iran. Commenting on Qur’an 5:16 he wrote about the Trinity and Mary: “['O Jesus, son of Mary] did you, call people to [worship of] yourself or your mother, or [it means: did you call people] to the station of your heart and your soul. For the one in whom there remains the existence of egoism and the remnants of the soul and caprice, or in whom there is variegation by the existence of the heart and its manifestation in its attribute will call creatures either to the station of his soul or to the station of his heart, and not to the truth. He [Jesus] says, 'Glory be to You!: an affirmation of the exaltedness of God above [that He should have] partnership and an absolution for him [Jesus] of the existence of any remnants [in him]. It is not mine to say what I have no right to, since I possess no existence in reality and as such it is not mine nor is it right that I should say something that I am not entitled to in reality, as statements, acts, attributes and existence all belong to You [alone]. If I indeed had said it, You would have known it, that is to say, had there issued from me any [such] statement then it would have been by Your knowledge, but there is no existence for that which You do not have knowledge of and there exists only what exists by Your knowledge. You know what is in my soul, encompassing as You do all things and so my knowledge is but a part of Your knowledge; but I do not know what is within Your Self, that is, Your Essence as I do not encompass all things [in my knowledge].” (Kashani, Tafsir surah 5:116).

4. Trinity in the modern age of Islam

Abul Ala Maududi

20th century Muslim scholar, his commentary on Qur’an 5:116: “This refers to another error of the Christians. They had made Mary an object of worship along with Christ and the Holy Ghost, though there is not a word or hint in the Bible about this doctrine. During the first three centuries after Christ, the Christian world was totally unaware of this creed. Towards the end of the 3rd century, the words "Mother of God" were used for the first time by some theologians of Alexandria. Though the response which these words found in the popular heart was great, yet the Church was not at first inclined to accept the doctrine and declared that the worship of Mary was a wrong creed. Then at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., the words `Mother of God' were officially used by the Church. As a result `Mariolatry' began to spread by leaps and bounds both inside and outside the Church. So much so that by the time the Qur’an was revealed, the exaltation of the 'Mother of God' had eclipsed the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Her statues were set up in Churches and she was worshiped, implored and invoked in prayers. In short, the greatest source of reliance of a Christian was that he should obtain the help and protection of the `Mother of God.' Emperor Justinian in the preamble to one of his laws bespeaks her advocacy for the empire and his general, Narses, looks to her directions on the battlefield. Emperor Heraclius, a contemporary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, bore her image on his banner and believed that because of its auspicious nature it will never be lowered. Though the Protestants after the Reformation did their best to fight against Mariolatry, yet the Roman Catholic Church still adheres to it passionately.” [11]

5. Signs of support for the Trinity in the Qur’an

It is possible to discover plurals for God in the Qur’an, in verses 19:17, 21:91, 90:4, 54:11 and 6:94. This paves the way to accept the possibility of the Trinity together with the Qur’an [12]. There are references to God's three internal persons in the Trinity:[13]:

Jesus is the divine Word of God

The Christian interpretation of Qur’an 3:45 and 4:171 is that Jesus is the divine Word of God (John 1:1,14) and the divine Spirit of God. Therefore, this verse supports the Trinity. Other divine issues in this verse, as previously discussed, only sharpen a true understanding of the oneness of God. Qur’an 37:171 implies that the Word of God was sent to every messenger. Messengers are but shadows of the Word of God. Some Muslims support that Jesus Christ is the pure Word of God (Qur’an 3:45)[14].

The Holy Spirit has an internal relationship with God

There are verses in the Qur’an that refer to the Holy Spirit, as described in the doctrine of the Trinity: ”Say: The holy Spirit hath delivered it from thy Lord with truth, that it may confirm (the faith of) those who believe, and as guidance and good tidings for those who have surrendered.” (Qur’an 16:102). Delivering a result resembles an internal relationship of the Holy Spirit with God. It can be seen as a reference to the Spirit of truth in the Gospel: “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17) and “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” (John 16:13-14). Qur’an 42:52 confirms Qur’an 16:102 and refers to John 14:17, John 16:13-14 and the doctrine of the Trinity.

6. Christian doctrine of the Trinity

The word Trinity comes from Latin and means threefold. A complex and intellectual 4th century Christian doctrine on the Christian faith is called the Trinity. This advanced theological doctrine is supported by mainstream Christianity. Its main purpose is to ensure the purity of the Christian faith. The Holy Trinity of the Gods was described in the 4th century in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed [15]: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the virgin Mary, and was made man; he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.” For many people, the description of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as persons has caused confusion. Therefore, in the Middle Ages, an explanation was given in the Council of Florence (1431-1449) to avoid unbalanced explanations: “These three persons are one God and not three gods, for the three are one substance, one essence, one nature, one Deity, one infinity, one eternity, and all (in them) are one where there is no contrary relationship.”[16] The Trinity can be seen as a witness to how the Creator of heaven and earth relates to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit works with people on earth: “Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (Revelation 7:15-17)

7. Muslim reaction

For traditional Muslims, the only source is the Qur’an. When the Qur’an states in some verses that the Trinity is not a valid theological doctrine about the Supreme Being, Muslims try to find proof of this.

Collyridians

It has been suggested by Muslims that Mary's divinity and her position within the Trinity in the Qur’an came from the Collyridian sect. This means that it did not come from mainstream Christianity that supported the Trinity without the divinity of Mary. But the sect of the Collyridians was just a small group of women who had more respect for Mary than the overwhelming majority of Christianity. The sect was condemned by believers before Muhammad: “Every sect is a worthless woman, but this sect more so, which is composed of women and belongs to him who was the deceiver of the first woman.” [17]. The reference to Epiohanius is the only one to this sect. There is doubt that the sect of the Collyridians ever existed [18]. Therefore, the justification of Mary's divinity in Christianity looks as not valid.

Mariamites

One of the attempts to place Mary with Trinity is the assumption that Mary's divinity was declared at the Council of Nice, that two gods exist near the Father: Christ and Mary, according to Mariamites. However, there is no proof. There is no such name in Christianity. Perhaps the Muslims were confused about a monastic order in Lebanon called the Maronites, but their origins date back to 1694.

Holy Spirit has feminine qualities

Another attempt by Muslims to justify Mary in the Trinity has been made by saying that the Holy Spirit has the nature of a woman. But when the Holy Spirit was feminine, it should have been the same in the words of the Gospel as in Comforter. The Greek word for Comforter (John 14-16) is παράκλητος (Paraclete), which is masculine. This suggests a denial that the Holy Spirit is feminine.

Conclusion

The Qur’an contains many verses describing the Christian doctrine of the Trinity that are incorrect compared to historical sources and Christianity. Most Muslim scholars assume that Christians believe in three gods and that Mary is one of their three gods. The assumption that Christians worship Mary as god cannot be traced back to any Christian practice. Within the Trinity, God is one and there are not three separate gods. However, the writer of the Qur’an states in many verses that Christianity has three gods. A clear mistake.

Notes

  1. D. Masson, Le Coran et la révelation judéo-chrétienne. Etudes comparées, 2 vols, Paris, 1958, 93.
  2. David Thomas, Trinity, in: Jane Dammen McAuliffe (ed.), Encyclopedia of the Qur’an, Brill, Leiden, 2002, Volume Five, 369.
  3. D. Masson, Le Coran et la révelation judéo-chrétienne. Etudes comparées, 2 vols, Paris, 1958, 135.
  4. Heinrich Joseph Dominicus Denzinger, Enchiridion symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum, 325, Patristica.Net
  5. 'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās, Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī, Tanwīr al-Miqbās min Tafsīr Ibn 'Abbās, Mokrane Guezzou (tr.), Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Amman, 2007, Surah 4: Women (al-Nisa’), 4:166.
  6. Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, trans. Alfred Guillaume, University Press, Oxford, 2006, 272.
  7. Gordon D Nickel, "We Will Make Peace With You": The Christians of Najrān in Muqātil's Tafsir, Acts Seminaries, Langley, 2006, 176.
  8. C.H.M. Versteegh, "al-Zamak̲h̲s̲h̲arī". In Bearman, P. J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E. & Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.), The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Volume XI: W–Z, Brill, Leiden, 2002.
  9. Helmut Gätje, The Qur’an and its Exegesis: Selected Texts with Classical and Modern Muslim Interpretations, Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 1996, 126-127.
  10. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Of The Verse 5:73.
  11. Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur’an, Tafsir Surah 5:115-119.
  12. Margareth Dunlop Gibson (ed), An Arabic version of the Acts of the Apostles, On the Triune nature of God, C.J. Clay and sons, London, 1899, 77.
  13. J. Hopkins, Nicholas of Cusa’s De Pace Fidei and Cribratio Alkorani, Translation and analysis, Minneapolis, 1994, 119, 126-127.
  14. A.E. Afifi, The Mystical Philosophy of Muhyi Din Ibnul ’Arabi, Lahore, 1964.
  15. Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, New York, 1877, 28-29.
  16. Heinrich Joseph Dominicus Denzinger, Enchiridion symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum, 1.373 1330 703, Patristica.Net.
  17. Frank Williams (tr.), The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis. Books II and III, Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies, Second, revised edition, Brill, Leiden, 2013, 644.
  18. Averil Cameron, The Cult of the Virgin in Late Antiquity: Religious Development and Myth-Making, Studies in Church History , Volume 39: The Church and Mary, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004, 1–21.
  19. 2024-05-26 13:43:40