THE CONCEPT OF GOD
ISLAM,
CHRISTIANITY
&
JUDAISM
From an Islamic Perspective
By
Khaled Askar
Preface
We are a reflection of our upbringings, a production of our societies, governed by the elements of our sociocultural backgrounds, influenced by religions, controlled by traditions, shaped by our experiences and encounters, and manipulated by our sociopolitical surroundings. With such complex sociocultural context, faith is destined to be radically influenced. Any attempt to question such faith or validate its authenticity will be met with vicious resistance unless one is willing to break loose from the chains of their own mental confinement, and set themselves free from the imaginative imprisonment of society’s cultural influences. Only then, one can practice their God given right to think, question, and reason beyond the boundaries of what is perceived as postulates, and become active and liberal thinkers. I dedicate this book to all the free thinkers who refuse to restrict their minds from exploring, or restrain their thoughts from wandering into the deep infinite space of seeking knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.
This book is not intended to disrespect non-Muslims or take away anyone’s God given right to choose the faith they wish to follow. It only aims to build bridges, break down the walls of isolation constructed by hate in the name of religion, restore faith in God, and call upon humanity to practice tolerance towards discussing issues of belief. It intends to explore and refute some myths and misconceptions about the nature of God and his divine qualities that have been falsified by man across the Judaic and Christian faiths. Most importantly, it will attempt to shed light on the original faith of Abraham and the true religion chosen by God for humanity to follow before man’s alteration to God’s divine message.
Introduction
Swept off by the wave of spirituality and religious enlightenment, I have set sail on a breath-taking journey of quest to find God and discover the sublime purpose of our existence. I have reached the highest peak of the Himalaya Mountains to catch a refreshing glimpse of the mysticism of ancient practices calling upon humanity to return to simplicity, connect with one’s essence and be one with the universe. I took a long ascending hike to Mount Sinai where God spoke to Moses and the Ten Commandments were scripted, then down the hills and across the Red Sea to the Holy City of Jerusalem, the land of redemption, to explore the firm belief of Judaism. I was fascinating by the Biblical historical accounts of previous prophets that go back in time to the creation of Adam and Eve. Intrigued by his miraculous birth and the miracles performed in the name of God by his hands, I headed south to Bethlehem where the prophet Jesus was born and continued to preach and fulfill the message of the prophets preceding him. I traced his teachings through the Christian faith where I was exposed to and deepened by the complex philosophical attempts of the church to unveil the mystery of God. I had the chance to examine the historical events that shaped the development of Christianity’s new and modified faith and essential doctrines after the death of Christ. At last, I found myself passing through the Arabian Peninsula to explore the rugged humid valleys of the Holy city of Makkah, where it all began, to purify my heart, enrich my soul and enlighten my mind with the authenticity of Islam. There, I have witness the birth of the final messenger and seal of prophets; Muhammed (peace be upon him), who was sent with God’s final revelation to mankind to also confirm the teachings of his preceding fellow prophets who share the same ancestry and faith. I couldn’t help but notice the footsteps of prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael imprinted on the monumental stone right next to the (Ka’ba) the holy house of God, preserved for thousands of years, as living evidence for their contribution to the construction of the house of God. Astonished by the call for prayers that shook every corner of the holy city, I have never been as captivated by any sound like I have hearing the Azan (Call for Prayer) in Makkah. It gently trembles your heart, entrances your mind, spiritualizes your soul, and ratifies the authenticity of the divine message of Islam within you. Witnessing people of different cultural backgrounds, races and colors congregate in prayer in such an unusual harmony and peace of mind clears any doubt and skepticism regarding Islam’s legitimacy and ability to conquer hearts. Indeed, only a divine faith predestined to prevail by our beloved God could unify humanity in such a way.
I have had the chance throughout my research in the field of Comparative Religion and Ancient Beliefs to examine the origin of mankind’s faith. I initiated my journey by going back to the creation of Adam, the father of humanity and the first prophet to receive the divine revelation. I traced the message through the rest of the messengers who followed him across the generations, and examined the survival of the faith until it evolved into the three Abrahamic Religions that aspired and influenced millions of followers.
I have investigated the emergence of paganism, and witnessed the ancient battles between monotheism and polytheism during dark ages characterized by the absence of divine guidance. I have seen paganism try to manifest itself recurrently through some of the most radical and nonsensical philosophies and theoretical arguments created by man, as an attempt to define complex concepts such as; God, religion and faith.
Riveted by man’s influence on religion and his noted attempts to alter and corrupt God’s message throughout history, I have studied in depth some of the historical events that led to the emergence of controversial dogmas and doctrines resulting in today’s immense difference between the three Abrahamic religions. Man’s intrusion on the Abrahamic faith has led astray generations of believers, lost at sea with no divine guidance to battle the vicious waves of falsified invasive creeds that contradicted the original faith of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus peace be upon them all.
Speaking in the name of God has always been a powerful tool that influences humanity and controls the mass, and history shows that the institutionalization of religion is just another human attempt to gain authority and power over one another. For centuries now, religion has been the major cause of division and enmity among nations and people. Wars have been waged in the name of religion, hate has been spread in the name of religion, and discrimination has been practiced in the name of religion. We have witnessed the lunacy of fanatics from every denomination speak in the name of God and in the name of religion proclaiming an alleged God given right to inherit the earth, which led to a multitude of skeptical people who want nothing to do with religion. With such vicious discord, people have lost faith in religion, and perhaps, have lost their desire to finding the right path to knowing God.
This book will shed light on how the church as an institution has contributed to the alteration of the faith that Jesus preached, and the Jews before the church in corrupting the teachings of Moses. The main focus of this book is to examine each Abrahamic Religion’s philosophy concerning the nature of the God we worship, analyze it, link it to scripture to assess its divine nature for authenticity, or trace it back to its origin to confirm its intrusion on the faith. Although some philosophical arguments will be presented as an attempt to refute some unorthodox beliefs falsified by man throughout time, the book adopts a purely theological approach, linking issues of belief to scriptural evidence and prophetic teachings.
According to Islam, there is only one true faith and one divine religion chosen by God and preached by all his prophets and messengers. It is a faith that began with Adam, the father of humanity, in its primitive form as a set of simple commands of divine guidance, and ended with the final messenger of God, Muhammad, in its final form of a well-defined, comprehensive and elaborative religion, governing every aspect of man’s life. Between Adam and Muhammad, many prophets and messengers were sent to guide mankind to the path of discovering the one and only true God and worship him alone. All of these prophets and messengers received the gift of revelation. However, not all of them received holy scriptures. Among those who received holy scriptures were David, Abraham, Mosses, Jesus and Muhammad. David received the Zaboor (Psalms), Abraham received the Scrolls of Abraham, Moses received the Scrolls of Moses (10 Commandments) and the Torah, Jesus received the Injeel (Gospel), and Muhammad received the final revelation, the Holy Quran.
Although sent in different times, with different scriptures, to different nations of diverse cultures and varied tongues, all the prophets and messengers of God shared the same faith and preached the same religion:
Holy Quran, chapter 16 (The Bee), Verse 36:
“And verily, we have sent a messenger in every nation, proclaiming, “Worship Allah (God) and avoid false gods.”
Holy Quran, chapter 21 (The Prophets), Verse 25:
“We have not sent any messenger before you (O Muhammad) without revealing to him: “There is no god (worthy of worship) except Me, so worship Me (alone).”
This brings us to a very essential question: what was the original faith of Abraham? Was he Jewish or Christian? The Quran has the answer for us:
Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran), Verse 67:
“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, yet an upright Muslim, and he was not a polytheist.”
The literal meaning of the word “Muslim” is one who submits. An upright Muslim is one who holds firmly to his faith, submits to God’s will, follows his commands and worships God alone. Likewise, the literal meaning of the word “Islam” is submission. It is derived from the Arabic word “Salaam” which means peace. If we combine the two meanings, Islam is the submission to God peacefully (Willingly) without compulsion:
Holy Quran chapter 2, The Cow, verse 256:
“There is no Compulsion in religion.”
Before the Jews corrupted the faith of Moses, altered his teachings and came up with a new religion and named it Judaism, and before the Christian church corrupted the faith of Jesus, altered his teachings, and came up with a new religion and named it Christianity, there was only one purely monotheistic faith called the Abrahamic faith. It is the religion of all the prophets of God, including the final messenger Muhammad, who was sent to preach the Abrahamic faith (Islam) and guide mankind back to the path of worshiping God alone:
Holy Quran chapter 16 (The Bee), Verses 36:
“Then We revealed to you “O Muhammad”, saying: “Follow the faith of Abraham, the upright, who was not one of the polytheists.”
For someone who was raised into the Islamic faith, such belief is beyond doubts. However, one who was brought up in a different faith might find difficulties conforming to such a belief without contestation, even when scriptural evidence from all three Abrahamic Religions and logic lead to it.
Chapter One
Do We Believe in the Same God?
Such is a common question that tends to arise when we engage into a religious conversation with someone, followed by an uncertain “yes” or a disputed “No” as a notion. As simple as it seems, the question is far more complicated to have a simple yes or no answer. Any given answer requires a comprehensive explanation based on an in-depth-understanding of the concept of God from the perspective of each of the three Abrahamic Religions in comparison to one another.
According to the Islamic faith, there is only one divine being and one God worthy of worship. Muslims believe in one creator who created the heavens and the earth, created mankind, and sent all the prophets and messengers to guide mankind to the proper path of knowing and worshiping Him. However, in the absence of divine guidance throughout different eras in history, and between the death of a prophet and the advent of another, mankind has lost knowledge of God. Any attempt to reconnect with God during these dark eras or develop a perspective of the Creator that mankind is expected to worship was influenced by mythical theories; mostly polytheistic or paganistic in nature. Most of these ideologies are based on distorted religious accounts, and inaccurate human narratives that have been passed on from one generation to another, despite their lack of authenticity. Politics also played an integral role in shaping our beliefs of God and religion, as we will examine later on in this book.
It is fascinating how each person we converse with has a different concept of God, involving a set of different theories and beliefs. Some of which, pave the way for a considerable ground of philosophical discussion, and some that are absurd, far from the grasp of rationality and stray from logic. Most of these theories and beliefs were originated by man and were not derived from a divine scripture or a preserved tradition that could be traced back to a prophet of God and examined for authenticity by documented history. Throughout the ages, people inherited these beliefs and passed them on from one generation to another until they formed all the man-made religions that exist today, and shaped the distorted faiths that people follow today.
From an Islamic perspective, when we refer to religion, we refer to a faith that has been acquired through divine revelation, authenticated by scriptural evidence, preached by a prophet of God, and passed on from one generation to another through documented teachings and preserved tradition, not one that is purely man-made, or one that is altered and corrupted by man. Nevertheless, the religion of God should not be contaminated with paganistic theories and convoluted philosophical dogmas that contradict the essence of God’s religion and calls upon humanity to worship false gods. The religion of God must not go against one’s pure intuition, or restrict mankind to practice reasoning and make sense of issues of belief. Only then, we could form a clear understanding of the God that we are all invited to believe in and worship.
There is an overwhelming literature of evolving concepts that intend to unveil the mystery of the nature of God, all accredited to religion. With such varied and complex in nature concepts, one is destined to drown in the deep waters of their incomprehensible doctrines, and with the absence of divine scriptural guidance, one is unable to confirm authenticity to the set of beliefs one has adopted and is expected to follow blindly as a faith.
Being brought up in a religion that urged one to seek knowledge, question, think, reason, and make sense of issues of belief, has given me an advantage over others who were brought up in a faith that condemned knowledge and knowledge seekers, convicted free thinkers, and persecuted anyone who thought beyond the boundaries of a faith set forth by the church. Being brought up to believe in the absolute uniqueness of God, I abstain from conforming to a faith that attributes to God any form of imperfection, yet rather a faith that glorifies God by attributing to him the most exalted qualities, the most sublime descriptions, and complete perfection. Last but not least, the religion of God should never go against my inherent instinct and inner voice of logic, or deprive me of my God given right to comprehend before believing. After all, any philosophical or theoretical attempt on behalf of any religion to unravel the mystery of God’s nature will be met with skepticism and rejection if the ideology does not convey to the common man as much as it relates to an intellect who is privileged with knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to comprehend complex ideologies and matters of faith.
Throughout time, history has proven mankind’s ability to alter and corrupt the pure and simple message of God, a message that was meant to remain simple for the common man to comprehend and adopt as a belief that influences and governs every aspect of man’s life. The practice of interpretation exists in every religion, but when it evolves into a philosophical predicament rather than an acceptable elucidation of the revelation, it creates a dilemma. Philosophy should never overtake theology, especially when it contradicts the scripture. Philosophers might disagree, but our concrete understanding of God should only derive from divine revelation
and prophetic teachings, not man-made mythical historical accounts that attempt to shed light on how early generations perceived God.
In this book, by God’s will, we will explore and examine the concept of God according to the three Abrahamic religions; Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Information presented in this book will be supported by scriptural evidence so there would be no room for reservations, accusation of biasness, or reasons to suspect the author’s credibility, even though the idea of a bias free literature in the field of religion is almost impossible, for every author is influenced to an extent by the faith they follow.
in mind that Judaism acknowledges the Old Testament only to be its holy scripture, whereas Christianity acknowledges the whole Bible to be its holy scripture.
Despite the fact that both Judaism and Christianity rely on the same book, which would only make sense for them to adopt the same concept, the reader will come to find that there are radical differences between the two religions concerning the nature of God. Christianity believes in the doctrine of the Trinity which attributes deity to three beings; the father, the son, and the holy spirit, and regards all three beings divine, whereas Judaism attributes deity to only one divine being; the father.
Similar to Islam, Judaism has kept firmly to the monotheistic teachings of the Bible without Christianity’s philosophical stretch of imagination. Judaism believes in the existence of one divine being. It rejects any theories that would suggest the existence of any other deity beside God. Early Christians adopted the same faith, and Christianity was a purely monotheistic religion until the fourth century. After the fourth century, and after the formation of the Doctrine of the Trinity, Christianity adopted a completely different set of beliefs. The Church abandoned the pure monotheistic teachings of the Bible, went against the teaching of Jesus himself, and managed to come up with some of the most incomprehensible and controversial philosophical dogmas that led Christianity to become the polytheistic religion that it is today.
To abridge, Christianity and Judaism adopt the same concept concerning God the Father, but they differ concerning the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in most cases we will address Christianity and Judaism as one concept unless there are differences, which in this case, we will separate the two concepts. After all, Christianity was never considered a separate religion from Judaism, yet an extension to it. Some go far as calling it the fugitive religion. It began as a sect from Judaism, adopting the same set of beliefs, then evolved into a new religion, with a whole new creed.
During his life, Jesus preached at the Jews’ Synagogues as mentioned in Mark 1/39. Many years after his death, the situation remained the same. Christians did not have separate churches to attend during Christianity’s early years. They used to share the same houses of God with the Jews, and kept doing so until around 90 CE (Common Era) when the Jews excluded the Christians from synagogue worship.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Mathew 5/17-20)
Now let’s compare these Biblical verses to the Qur’anic verses:
“And He (Allah) will teach him [Jesus] the Book and wisdom, and the Torah and the Injeel (Gospel)… And will make him [Jesus] a Messenger to the Children of Israel…
And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me. Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.” (Chapter 3 (AL-Imran), Verses 48-51)
The verses from the Quran and the Bible clearly show that Jesus did not come with a different religion, nor was he sent to preach a different faith.
Now let’s compare the aforementioned Quranic verse 49 to Mathew 15/24:
“And will make him [Jesus] a Messenger to the Children of Israel.” (Chapter 3/49)
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mathew 15/24)
The verses from both the Quran and the Bible are identical. They clearly refute Christianity’s claim that the message of Jesus was universal. They affirm that Jesus’s message was not universal. Jesus was not sent to all mankind, yet only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus was sent to pave the way for the final messenger of God, Muhammad, who was sent with God’s final revelation to mankind. In fact, Jesus prophesied the coming of prophet Muhammad in many verses in the New Testament:
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate (counselor, comforter, prophet), so that he may abide with you forever.” (John 14/16)
“The advocate (counselor, comforter, prophet), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.” (John 14/26)
“when the advocate (counselor, comforter, prophet) has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me.” (John 15/26)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter (counselor, comforter, prophet) will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you” (John 16/7)
“when he, the Spirit of Truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he will hear (From God), he will speak, and he will show you things to come." (John 16/13)
The Quran also confirms the previously mentioned Biblical verses:
“(Remember) when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of God to you, confirming what is in my hands of the Torah and bringing good news of a messenger to come after me.” (Chapter 61 verse 6)
In John 16/13, Jesus called Muhammad the spirit of truth and assured people that he will not speak from himself, yet from God, which is also confirmed by the Holy Quran:
“And He (Muhammad) does not speak from his own inclination.”
“It is but a revelation revealed. He was taught by one mighty in strength (Arc Angel Gabriel).” (Chapter 53, The Star, verse 3-5)
Holy Quran chapter 5 (The Table) Verses 44-48:
44. Indeed, We revealed the Torah (To Moses), containing guidance and light, by which the prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah, governed the Jews…
46. And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah that had
come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Torah that had come before it…
48. And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (Qur'an) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and superior (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over them (old Scriptures). So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you. To each among you (Prophets/nations), We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you, so compete to do good. The return of you (all) is to Allah, then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.”
Holy Quran chapter 4 (Women), Verses 163-165:
163. Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book.
164. And [We sent] messengers whom We have mentioned [their stories] to you before and messengers whom We have not mentioned to you. And Allah has spoken to Moses directly.
165. [We sent] messengers as bearers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no plea against Allah after the messengers. And Allah is ever All-Powerful and All-Wise.
However, the prophet Muhammad’s message is universal. It is intended to all mankind, since he was the final messenger of God to humanity and the seal of prophets. The prophet Muhammad brings the successive chain of prophethood and divine revelations to its final manifestation:
“We have sent you (O Muhammad) to all of humanity, as a deliverer of good news and a warner.” Chapter 34 (Sheba) Verse 28
“Say (O Muhammad), O Mankind, I am Allah’s Messenger to you all. Chapter 7 (The Heights) Verse 158
“We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy for the whole world.” Chapter 21 (The Prophets), Verses 107
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and seal of the prophets…” Chapter 33 (The Confederates), verse 40
Chapter 2 (The Cow), Verse 136:
“Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.”
Chapter 2 (The Cow), Verse 285:
“The messenger (Muhammad) believes in that which has been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. They all believe in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers, and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying.”
Similar to the Biblical accounts of previous prophets, the Holy Qur’an includes a rich literature of stories about prophets and their struggle to deliver the message of God to their people. It comprises precise and detailed historical accounts of their lives. In some cases, confirming and enriching facts mentioned in the Bible, and in other cases, refuting distorted stories and corrupted facts altered by man intentionally or unintentionally due to the absence of divine guidance and the inability to trace the teachings back to original scripture.
Compared to other Divine Scriptures preceding it, the Holy Quran acts as the final authenticated version of the revelation that God commands mankind to follow. It has been preserved in its original form since the day it was revealed to prophet Muhammad by the Arc Angel Gabriel until modern days. Not only has it been preserved through inscription and memorization by millions of Muslims throughout the generations of followers, God himself has assigned the role of preserving it to himself and promised to keep it safe from alteration, as mentioned in the following Quranic verse:
Chapter 15, (The rocky Tract) Verse 9:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the revelation (Qur'an) and We will preserve it.”
In the above mentioned verse, God vows to preserve his final revelation from any corruption or alteration until He inherits the earth. However, such does not apply to any previous scriptures, for their preservation has been assigned to the disciples of the prophets, rabbis, and religious scholars after them, as stated in the Quran and the Bible in the following verses:
Deuteronomy 31/21-29
“Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are….. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you…..”
Now compare the Biblical verse to the Qur’anic verse:
Chapter 5 (The Table), Verse 44
“Verily, We did send down the Torah [to Moses], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged by it] for to them was entrusted the
preservation of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore, fear not men but fear Me (O Jews) and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers.
Unfortunately, they have not kept it preserved and safe from alteration, as confirmed in both the Bible and the Quran as well in the following verses:
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie” Jeremiah 8/8
Now compare the Biblical verse to the Quranic verse:
Chapter 5 (The Table), Verses 13
“So for their breaking of the covenant (The Jews), We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a
portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except for a few.”
Chapter 5 (The Table), Verses 14
“And from among those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but
they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.”
Chapter 2 (The Cow), Verse 79
“So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from God," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”
Chapter Two
IS GOD ONE OR TRIUNE?
CHRISTIANITY
Ever since the Trinity doctrine was formulated during the 4th Century, Christians have been trying to solve its incomprehensible, unsolvable equation, which they themselves have created. The Christian church has issued hundreds of definitions to try to explain the mystery of the Trinity following its formation but failed miserably. Therefore, the Christian church declared the trinity doctrine an incomprehensible matter of faith that is meant to be adopted blindly without comprehension. Today, the situation remains the same; Christians are forced to believe in the Trinity doctrine without understanding it, or making sense of it.
The Trinity was not formulated at one assembly. It took the church three councils and 400 years to formulate it. At the Council of Nicaea AD 325, they claimed that Jesus was of the same substance as God the Father, therefore, declaring him divine. After 56 years, at the Council of Constantinople IAD 381, they confirmed the teachings of the council of Nicaea and expanded the formula by declaring the holy spirit as fully divine as well, therefore, declaring the holy spirit the third person of the godhead.
It wasn't until AD 451, at the Council of Chalcedon, that the trinity was declared authoritative. To question or debate the Trinity was no longer tolerated. To speak out against the Trinity was considered blasphemy. But it seems that such declaration by the church was not enough to stop the true followers of the purely monotheistic teachings of Jesus from rejecting this doctrine and debating it with all their powers. Many early church fathers considered the doctrine of the trinity to be a heresy and never accepted it as being a part of the Christian orthodox. One of those fathers was the Famous Arius, the bishop from the great Alexandrian church, to whom Arianism is attributed and later on Unitarianism. Arius, among other followers from all around the Christian world stood for what they believed in against the Emperor Constantine, who contributed greatly to the development and spread of such doctrine. Constantine was originally a pagan trying to paganize Christianity in order to attract new pagans to the religion and unite his Roman Pagan Empire once again. After quite a struggle, and heroic yet unsuccessful attempts to save the Christian faith from the pagan influence, Arius was exiled with a number of his followers, and many of his supporters were put to death immediately. Any Christian who disbelieved in the trinity was burned alive. Any books that spoke of Jesus as a mere man and a prophet, and not divine were destroyed. However, and despite all attempts from the church to conceal the truth, the controversy remained within the Christian world and caused division among early church fathers. Today in the 21st century, the doctrine of the trinity remains one of the most controversial and disputed dogma among Christian followers.
ISLAM
Islam is a purely monotheistic religion. Muslims believe that there is only one divine being worthy of worship. Muslims do not believe in the divinity of Jesus or the holy spirit, and consider such belief as an act of blasphemy against God. Here are some of the Qur’anic verses refuting the Trinity:
“Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allâh is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilâh (god) but One Ilâh (God -Allâh). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.” (chapter 5 The Table, verse 73)
“No son (or offspring or children) did Allâh beget, nor is there any ilâh (God) along with Him; (if there had been many Gods), behold, each God would have taken away
what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others! Glorified be Allâh above all that they attribute to Him!” (Chapter 23 The Believers, verse 91)
“And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God - Allâh), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (no God but Him), the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.” (Chapter 2 The Cow, verse 163)
“And Allâh said (O mankind!): "Take not ilâhaîn (two Gods in worship, etc.). Verily, He (Allâh) is One Ilâh (God). Then, fear Me (Allâh) much [and Me (Alone), i.e. be away from all kinds of sins and evil deeds that Allâh has forbidden and do all that Allâh has ordained and worship none but Allâh].” (Chapter 16 Bees, verse 52)
“Say (O Muhammad): "I am only a human being like you and it has been revealed to me that your God is One God, therefore take Straight Path to Him (with true Faith Islâmic Monotheism) and obedience to Him, and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe to Al-Mushrikûn (the disbelievers, polytheists, idolaters)” (chapter 37, verse 6)
“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allâh but the truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Maryam (Mary), was a Messenger of Allâh and His Word, ("Be"- and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam and a spirit created by Him; so believe in Allâh and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allâh is only One God, Exalted is He from having a son. To Him belong all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allâh is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.” (Chapter 4 Women, verse 171)
“And indeed your God is one.” (Chapter 37 Al-Saffat, verse 4)
“Say (O Muhammad): I am only a warner and there is no God except Allâh
the One, the Irresistible” (Chapter 38 Sad, verse 65)
“And that they may know that there is only one God (Allah)” (Chapter 14 Abraham, verse 52)
“Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed to me that your Ilâh (God) is only one Ilâh (God - Allâh). Will you then submit to His Will (become Muslims and stop worshipping others besides Allâh)?" (Chapter 21 The Prophets verse, 108)
“So know (O Muhammad) that there is no God but Allâh” (Chapter 47 Muhamad, 19)
“Say (O Muhammad to these polytheists, pagans, etc.): If there had been other âliha (gods) along with Him as they assert, then they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne (seeking His Pleasures and to be near to Him)” (Chapter 17 Al-Israa verse 42)
Surprisingly, the Bible also refutes this paganistic Trinitarian doctrine.
There are many verses in the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) that clearly teach that there is only one God, so believing in the trinity would contradict all these clear verses. Some of these verses are:
Old Testament
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord...” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
"That you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him."
(Deuteronomy 4:35)
"The LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other" (Deuteronomy 4:39)
"See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God beside me" (Deuteronomy 32:39)
"The LORD is God; there is no other" (1 Kings 8:60)
"Thou art the LORD, thou alone" (Nehemiah 9:6)
"Let them know that thou alone, whose name is the LORD, art the Most High over all the earth" (Psalm 83:18)
"Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me" (Isaiah 43:10)
"I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:11)
"Therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God." (Isaiah 43:12)
"I am the first, and I am the last: besides me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6)
"Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any" (Isaiah 44:8)
"I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God" (Isaiah 45:5)
"I am the Lord, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:6, see also verse 14)
"I am the Lord, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:18)
"there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none
besides me" (Isaiah 45:21)
"For I am God, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:22)
".... Thou alone art God" (Psalm 86:10)
"For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me" (Isaiah 46:9)
"... you know no God but me, and besides me there is no Savior" (Hosea 13:4)
“O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you.”
(2 Samuel 7/22)
“Have we not one Father? Did not one God create us?” (In Malachi 2/10)
New Testament
In Mark 12/28-32 one of the scribes asked Jesus saying: “which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus said: the first of all the commandment is; hear O Israel, the Lord thee God is one Lord.” so the scribe said to Jesus: well master, thou has said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but Him”
In Matthew 4/9-10 when the devil said to Jesus: “Bow down and worship me”
Jesus said: “away from me Satan, for it is written: worship the Lord your God and serve him only”
The question that baffles any intellectual person after reading this verse is; Has the devil lost his mind to Go to God (Assuming that Jesus is a God as claimed by Christians) and ask him to bow down before him?
In John 17/3, Jesus explains it plainly to everyone, the father is the only true God, and I am but a messenger sent by God:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent (As a messenger).” John 17/3
And the scriptural evidence continues:
“you believe that there is one God. Good.” James 2/19
"To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17)
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5 )
"... the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has
immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see." (1 Timothy 6:15-16)
"To the only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 25)
"... O King of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone are holy." (Revelation 15:4)
“one God and Father of all, who is over all...” Ephesians 4/6
"... we know ... that there is no God but one." (I Corinthians 8:4)
“yet for us there is but one God, the Father from whom are all things.”
1 Corinthians 8/6
At last, here is the ultimate advice from Jesus that every believer should cherish and adhere to:
“They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 14:21)
So if you love Jesus, follow his first and most valuable commandment:
“And Jesus said: the first of all the commandment is; hear O Israel, the Lord thee God is one Lord.” (Mark 12/28-30)
With all these Biblical verses that teach pure monotheism, one would think that the dispute is settled, yet Trinitarians are still fixed on their belief. They claim that there are verses in the bible that support the doctrine of the Trinity. The famous and only verse that they always refer to is 1John 5/7-8.
Christians have referred to 1John 5/7-8 for centuries to try to persuade people to believe in the trinity. However, the truth that many people are not aware of is that this verse in an insertion. 1John 5/7-8 is not part of the scripture. The church has altered the original verses of 1John completely to support their purely man-formulated doctrine.
The original text of the bible reads:
John 5/7: “for there are three that testify” (NIV, RSV)
John 5/8: “the spirit, the water and the blood and the three are in agreement” (NIV,RSV)
But the corrupted text after their insertion reads:
John 5/7: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
John 5/8: “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”
This insertion is not found in any respectable Bible. Most Bibles that we read today do not include it. It was only included in the (King James Version) until the newer and more reliable version appeared and was named the Revised Standard Version (RSV), which was considered by Christendom to be the best English bible version ever to be published. The 32 Christian scholars who revised the (KJV) and produced the (RSV) have expunged 1John 5/7 because they discovered that it did not have any manuscript authority. The verse was not found in any of the original manuscripts that they relied on, knowing that they have relied on the most ancient original manuscripts.
Their finding was also confirmed by the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus, the editor of the first edition of the Greek New Testament ever to be published. He has also omitted the Trinitarian formula (1John 5/7) from his edition, and said:
“I have not found the verse in any Greek manuscripts.”
In the Scofield Bible reference, Dr. C.I. Scofield, supported by eight other doctors, also said:
“It is generally agreed that this verse (1John 5/7) has no manuscript authority and has been inserted.”
“Some defenders of the king James now admit that the Comma Johanneum (the Trinitarian formula) 1John 5/7 forms no part of the original text.”
On page 61, he continues to affirm that:
“The Comma Johanneum did not become established in the old Latin until the fifth century.” He also said, “It does not appear in Jerome’s Vulgate.” “the Jerome’s Vulgate underwent a whole series of revisions and the Comma Johanneum did not appear in the Vulgate until the beginning of the ninth century.” He added, “In the eastern church, where Greek was still used, not one Greek manuscript included the Comma Johanneum,” and
“they are certainly not an integral part of the Byzantine textual tradition.”
What was mentioned above was only few of the many declarations and confessions made by Christian scholars concerning the trinity.
JUDAISM
Judaism, similar to Islam, simply rejects the Christian concept (the trinity) and denies the existence of any other gods beside God the Father. It teaches pure monotheism as shown from the verses that was mentioned previously from the Old Testament of the Bible, which acts as the basis for the Judaic teachings.
Chapter Three
Is Jesus the Son of God?
CHRISTIANITY
For two millenniums now, Christians have been accustomed to refer to Jesus as the son of God, a term that is derived from the Bible. The Bible generally refers to all the prophets and messengers as the sons of God. Adam, the father of humanity, is referred to as the son of God (Luke 3/38), Israel is referred to as the first born son of God (Exodus 4/22, 23), Ephraim is referred to as the son of God (Jeremiah 31/9), David is referred to as the first born son of God (Psalms 89:27), and Solomon was also called the son of God (2Samuel 7/14). The term “Son of God” that is attributed to Jesus in the Bible was merely used metaphorically, as the case with all the other prophets. However, after the fourth century and after the formation of the Doctrine of the Trinity, the church started taking the term literally and started referring to Jesus as the “Begotten” son of God. Disregarding the fact that the term “son of God” was never exclusive to Jesus, the church claimed a distinction between the sonship of Jesus and the sonship of other prophets, not realizing that they would be contradicting the Bible itself. They continued to refer to Jesus as “Begotten, not made” which became the foundation of their false claim of the alleged divinity of Jesus, forgoting that the Bible referred to David as the Begotten son of God centuries before Jesus was born:
“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” Psalms 2:7
Prophets are not the only ones who are referred to as the sons of God. The Bible uses the term “sons and daughters of God” to refer to mankind.
Metaphorically speaking, we are all the sons and daughters of God. He is our Father (creator), and we are his children as the Bible states in many verses:
“You are the children of the Lord your father.” (Deuteronomy 14/1)
And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6/18)
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3/1)
Peace makers are also referred to as the sons of God:
“Blessed are the peace makers, for they are the sons of God.” (Mathew 5/9).
The righteous are called the sons of God 1John 3/10. Even the wicked and the wrong doers are addressed as the sons and daughters of God in the following verses:
“The Lord saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters.” (Deuteronomy 32/19)
“… for The Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.” (Isiah 1/2)
“woe to the obstinate children”, declares The Lord.” (Isiah 30/1)
After the death of Jesus, and during the 4 century, early biased church fathers, with the influence of the pagan Emperor Constantine, have continued to misguide their followers and corrupt the simple teachings of Jesus. They have misinterpreted, altered and contradicted the Bible for the sake of spreading their paganistic ideology. How else could they convince the pagan crowd throughout the empire to convert to Christianity?! The idea of “half man half god” has always been a fascination to the Greeks and Romans, despite their acknowledgment of its mythical origins. Myths and fairytales about gods and their human offspring who had unique powers have been taught and passed on from one generation to another until they became an inseparable part of the culture.
Following the footsteps of the Greeks, Christianity adopted the half god half man philosophy. They have tried to convince the mass of easily influenced followers that the fatherhood of God to Jesus is unlike God’s fatherhood to humanity, not realizing that by preaching so, they have contradicted Jesus himself. In John 20/17 Jesus made no difference between God’s fatherhood to him and God’s fatherhood to mankind. Jesus said in John 20/17:
“Go instead to my brothers and tell them: I am returning to my father and your father, to my God and your God.”Thus, making no difference between him and them.
It was difficult to convince the educated mass without having any biblical evidence to support their philosophical predicament, and since one did not exist, they had to alter the words of God and twist the meanings to establish a ground for any philosophical argument. One of their earliest and most devious attempts to alter the words of God was to insert the word “Begotten” during their early translation of John 3/16.
The original accurate translation of John 3/16 was:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His unique son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
The corrupted mistranslation of John 3/16 was:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
If we go back to the original Greek text we will find that the word used in this verse is “monogenes” which means “of a single kind or unique” and not “gennao” which means “Begotten” (Anchor Bible, volume 26 pages 13-14).
The first person to mistranslate the word “monogenes” was Jerome (During the 4th century). He translated “monogenes" into the Latin word “unigenitus” which means “only begotten” to match the early 4th century claim that Jesus was the “begotten, not made” son of God, therefore he is of the same substance as the father, thus making him divine.
The false insertion found its way to thousands of copies of the King James Bible (KJV), and reached millions of English speaking followers. The KJV bible was the first English translation of the bible that met wide acceptance by protestants, despite the fact that it was filled with errors and mistakes, as advertised by The Jehovah Witnesses in their "AWAKE MAGAZINE" of 1957 edition, "There are 50,000 errors in the Bible."
The KJV Bible had so many grievous translation errors, the call for a new revised and carefully edited version to surface was crucial. However, the KJV Bible, with all its scriptural errors, kept misguiding Christians for 300 years until the Revised Standard Version of the King James Bible was published, and was considered far more authentic and accurate, for it had relied on the earliest biblical manuscripts found.
The 32 eminent scholars who revised the KSV of the Bible, with the collaboration of 52 denominations also confirmed the same thing. They reported at the preface of Revised Standard Version (RSV) that, "The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible has grave defects, and the defects are so many and so serious as to call for revision."
The RSV of the King James Bible was, “The first and remains the only officially authorized and recognized revision of the King James Version in Britain. The work was entrusted to over 50 scholars from various denominations in Britain.” Wikipedia.
One of those grievous and devious errors was the mistranslated word “Begotten” in John 3/16. The 32 Christian scholars who revised the (KJV) expunged the word “Only Begotten” from the Revised Standard Version of the King James Bible because it had no manuscript authority. The word “Begotten” is not found in the (NIV) bible either or any of the Bible versions that we read around the world today, thanks to them. However, Christians still insist on calling Jesus the “Begotten” son of God and call upon humanity to worship him as a god.
ISLAM
According to Islam, it does not befit God to beget a son. Attributing a son to God is a great insult and a blasphemy against Him. Begetting is an act that only befits humans and animals; especially when the act of begetting is the result of sexual encounters. It implies that God took a wife for himself and such is far from God. God Almighty said in the Qur’an:
“And they (Christians) say: Allâh has begotten a son. Glory be to Him (Exalted be He
above all that they associate with Him). Nay, to Him belong all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surrender with obedience (in worship) to Him” (surah no. 2 The Cow, verse 116)
“O people of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allâh aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allâh and His Word, ("Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rûh) created by Him; so believe in Allâh and His
Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allâh is One Ilâh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son….” (surah no. 4 Women, verse 171)
“He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.” (surah no. 6 Al An’am verse 101)
“It befits not (the Majesty of) Allâh that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allâh, by saying that 'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allâh]. Glorified and exalted is He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is.” (Surah no. 19 Mary verse 35)
“Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, that they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allâh). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Beneficent (Allâh) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children). There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allâh) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And every one of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender).Verily, those who believe [in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him)] and work deeds of righteousness, The Most Beneficent (Allâh) will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers).” (Surah no. 19 Mary verses 89-96)
And Allah's messenger said:
"Allah the Most Superior said, "The son of Adam insults Me, and he should not insult Me, and he disbelieves in Me, and he ought not to do so. As for his insult to Me, it is that he says that I have a son; and his disbelief in Me is his statement that I shall not recreate him as I have created (him) before." (The book of Al-Bukhari no.1350)
Muslims consider Jesus no more than a great messenger of God:
“The Messiah, Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a Siddiqah (Believer). They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allâh does not eat). Look how We make the Ayât (proofs, evidences) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth).” (Surah no. 5 The Table, verse 74)
“Verily, the likeness of Eesa (Jesus), before Allah, is like the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" - and he was.” (Surah no. 3 Imran Family, verse 59)
And our prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) said:
“If anyone testifies that La ilaha ila Allah (none is worthy to be worshipped but Allah Alone) and that He Has no partners, and that Mohammed is His slave and messenger, and that Jesus is Allah’s slave and messenger and His word (“Be”- and he was) which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit (Ruh) created by Him, and that Paradise is the truth, and Hell is the truth- Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few.”
In Islam it is unacceptable to refer to God as the father, even metaphorically speaking. Muslims only ascribe God with what He has ascribed Himself with in the Quran. The Quran attributes ninety-nine names to God, some of which are; The Creator, The One, The Most High, The Exalted, The Most Great, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful, The Most Kind, The Most Generous, The Most Gracious, and many other names that glorify God and attribute to him the most sublime qualities. We do not refer to God as the father of Muhammad or Jesus, nor do we misinterpret the words of God the same way Christians did. God commanded us in the Quran to call upon him by his names; the names he chose for himself:
“And to Allah belong the most beautiful names, so invoke Him by them.” (Surah no.7 Al- A’raf, verse 180)
Judaism
Judaism rejects the Christian concept and does not regard Jesus as being the son of God. In fact, the Jews have accused Jesus of blasphemy and persecuted him because he called himself the son of God:
“The Jews insisted: we have a law and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the son of God”(John 19/7)
“For this reason the Jews tried harder to kill him, not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God” (John 5/18)
“Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. But Jesus said to them I have shown you many miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not
stoning you for any of these” replied the Jews. “but for blasphemy, because you a mere man claim to be God” (John 10/31-33).
As we can see, these verses clearly state that the Jews reject the idea of God having a son and they wanted to kill him many times because he called him- self the son of God. However, the truth is that Jesus never claimed to be the literal or the begotten son of God, and he never claimed himself a God or equal to God as the Jews claimed.
In John 10/34-36 he tried to explain to them that he never made such claims and that he was only using metaphorical descriptive terms:
“Jesus answered them: is it not written in your law: “I have said you are gods?” if he called them gods to whom the word of God came and the scripture cannot be broken, what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said: I am God’s son?”
John 8/27: “they did not understand what he was telling them about the Father”
John 10/24: “the Jews gathered around him saying: How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ tell us plainly”
John 16/18 the disciples said: “we don’t understand what he is saying”
John 16/29: “then Jesus’ disciples said: Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.”
Many of the things that Jesus used to say was so unclear to the extent that the disciples thought his teachings to be so hard to accept, which led many of his disciples to stop following him as mentioned in John 6/60:
“on hearing it, many of his disciples said: this is a hard teaching, who can accept it.”
And in John 6/66: “from this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”
One would be surprised to hear that the Jews disbelieved and still disbelieve in Jesus completely. They never considered him a prophet of God:
“We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow; we don’t even know where he comes from” (John 9/29)
They even disbelieve in his miraculous birth and consider him being born of an adulterous relationship. After all, the Jews were Jesus’s most vicious enemy. On the other hand, Islam honors Jesus and defends him from all the allegations that the Jews ascribed him with, and regard his birth as a divine miracle. However, as mentioned earlier, Islam does not exaggerate and overstate his status like Christianity does. Islam regards Jesus as a great prophet without Christianity’s stretch of imagination and false claim of his divinity. While Christians misconceive the miraculous birth to overglorify Jesus and make him a god and a son of God, and while Judaism continues to disbelieve in Jesus and disrespect him, Islam acts as the medial and confirms his miraculous birth and his prophethood.
To return back to the alleged “Begotten, not made” controversy, there is not one verse in the Old Testament that claims that Jesus is the begotten son of God, and no Jew today claims that God has a son. Judaism adopts the same belief as Islam.
Chapter Four
A God with Divine Characteristics or a God with Human Characteristics ?
The concept of God differs completely across the three Abrahamic Religions. While the Judeo-Christian faith attributes to God grievous faulty human-like characteristics that contradicts His omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent nature, Islam attributes to God only perfect sublime divine characteristics that befit his majestic and holy nature. The reader will come to find that there is a huge difference between the nature of the Biblical God and the nature of the Quranic God. According to the Bible, God shares similar defective qualities like humans. Exalted is He, is claimed to take human form, to eat and drink, to get tired, to need resting, to sleep, to grieve, to make unwise decisions then regrets making them, to make mistakes, to judge unfairly, to govern unjustly, to punish without cause and without mercy, and to behave more humanly than divinely, as we will see in details in this chapter.
DOES GOD EAT & DRINK?
Christianity & Judaism
The bible says that God eats and drinks.
In Genesis 18 it says that The Lord appeared to Abraham, so Abraham prepared a good meal to be eaten by The Lord and the other two angels that accompanied Him, and they ate, as mentioned in 18/5-8.
ISLAM
The Qur’an says that God Almighty does not eat.
Surah no.6 verse.14 says:
“Say {O Muhammad (peace be upon him)}: "Shall I take as a Walî (helper, protector, etc.) any other than Allâh, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.”
And in surah no.5 Al-Maida verse 75:
“The Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddiqah. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allâh does not eat). Look how We make the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)”
In this verse God Almighty mentioned that Jesus and his mother Mary used to eat food just like any other humans, as an answer to those who say that Jesus is a God. In other words; God is telling them that Jesus can’t be a God because Jesus used to eat, and a true God does not eat. Islam confirms that it does not befit God to eat. Eating and drinking is something that humans need to do in order to survive, which shows the weakness of humans. But when it comes to God Almighty He is far from being weak, He is far from needing to eat or drink to survive. He Almighty is not in need of anything or anyone.
“O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allâh, but Allâh is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of all praise.” Surah no.35 Ftir verse 15
“And know that Allah is Rich (free from all wants)” (Al-Baqara no 64)
“Allah Al-Samad” (Surat no.112 Al-Ikhlas verse 2)
Al-Samad is one of the names of Allah which means; the one who doesn’t eat or drink.
DOES GOD GET TIRED?
Christianity& Judaism
The bible says that God gets tired and needs to rest to be refreshed.
In Genesis 2/3 it says: “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because in it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”
In Exodus 31/17 it says: “...for in six days the lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”
ISLAM
The Qur’an rejects this point of view. In Islam it is considered a blasphemy against God to think that He God Almighty gets tired.
The Qur’an says in surah no. 50 verse no. 38:
Allah says: “And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days and nothing of fatigue touched Us.”
Again it is normal for humans to get tired due to their weakness. But God the Al-mighty is far from being weak.
DOES GOD SLEEP?
Christianity& Judaism
The bible says that God sleeps.
In Psalms 44/23 says: “Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep?”
Whether the words are in Psalms are literal, or metaphorical; meaning, why do you forsake us, Such is not an acceptable way to speak to God.
ISLAM
In Islam; believing in such a thing is considered a blasphemy against God. The Qur’an rejects this false allegation.
The Qur’an says in surah no.2 verse no. 255:
“Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (no God but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him.”
And the prophet Mohammad said: “ALLAH (God) does not sleep and it does not befit Him to sleep.” Narrated by Muslim.
Imagine a God who sleeps? Who will watch over the creation? Who will take care of the universe? Who will provide us with what we need and answer our prayers, while God is asleep? Again it is normal for humans to sleep because they need it due to their weakness. But God Almighty is far from that. He is far from needing to sleep. How could He sleep when everything that exists is depending upon Him? It is He who “grasps the Heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, and if they were to move from their places, there is no one that could grasp them after Him” (Fatir verse.41)
“He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave” (Al-Hajj 65)
DOES GOD FORGET?
Christianity& Judaism
The bible says that God forgets.
In Psalms 13/1 it says: “How long O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”
In Lamentations 5/19-20 says: “You, O Lord, reign forever; Your throne endure from generation to generation. Why do You Always forget us?”
Psalms 44/24 “why do You hide Your face and forget our misery and oppression”
And if someone was to read 2 Kings 19 and compare it to Isaiah 37, he will find the two whole chapters identical word by word. It seems that the biblical God forgot that he inspired the author of 2 Kings to write these words; so He inspired the author of Isaiah to write it again.
ISLAM
The Qur’an says that God Almighty does not forget.
In surah no.19 Maryam verse 64:
“And we (angels) descend not except by the Command of your Lord (O Muhammad SAW). To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between those two, and your Lord is never forgetful”
In surah no. 20 Taha verse no. 52 says:
“My Lord is neither unaware nor He forgets”
DOES GOD GETS GRIEVED OR REPENTS?
Christianity& Judaism
Genesis 6/6-7 God says: “I am grieved that I have made man” (NIV)
“And it repented the Lord that He had made man on earth” (KJV)
1 Samuel 15/11 God says: “I am grieved that I have made Saul a king” (NIV)
“It repenteth me that I have set Saul a king” (KJV)
2 Samuel 24/16 says: “the Lord was grieved....” (NIV)
See also 1 Chronicles 21/15
Does God make unwise decisions or mistakes
& then regret making them?
Christianity& Judaism
The bible introduces God as an unwise God who makes unwise decisions, then regrets making them. This is how the story goes; in Genesis 6/5-7, after God has created man, man became wicked, so when the Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth, God was grieved and He regretted creating man.
And in 1 Samuel 15/11, 35 tells us that God was grieved and regretted making Saul a king over Israel, because Saul did not obey God’s instructions during the battle. God’s instructions were:
“Now go, attack the Amlekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them, do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” 1Samuel 15/3.
But Saul did not obey God’s instructions, he did not destroy everything, he spared Agag the king of the Amalekites and spared the best of sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs. So God regretted making Saul a king.
And in 1Chronicles 21/15 it says that God was grieved again and had to repent from another unwise, unjust and evil decision that He made. This is how the story goes; the devil incited David to take a census of Israel, so David ordered Joab to do so, so Joab went and counted Israel, so God got mad, so He gave David three options to pick from as a punishment; either to be punished by three years of famine or three months being swept away before his enemies with their swords overtaking him, or three days of plague. So David chose three days of plague, so God sends a plague that kills 70 000 men and then He sends an angel to destroy Jerusalem, and while the angel was doing so; God felt grieved again and regretted doing such a thing.
And in 2 Samuel 24/16 the same story was mentioned, but it even gets more confusing because it says that God was the one who incited David to take the census and not the devil, as mentioned in 1 Chronicles. Which makes no sense, because if God was the one who incited David to take the census, then why would He get mad from David then? It makes no sens. This verse proves to us that the author of 2 Samuel was not inspired by God, in other words; the story told in2 Samuel is not from God, because God is neither the author of confusion nor is He unjust.
So as we can see that there are many stories in the bible that introduces God as an unwise God who makes unwise decisions and acts and then regrets doing them.
ISLAM
In Islam; ascribing God with such attributes is not acceptable. it is not suitable to say that God Almighty gets grieved. Grief is a type of weakness that befalls humans and God is far from weakness. As to believe that God makes unwise decisions or acts then regrets it after that or repents from it. Such attributes does not befit God’s knowledge and wisdom. Muslims believe that God is The Most Knowledgeable, The All-Knowing, The well-Aware and The All Wise. So every decision or act that is made by God is made according to His great complete perfect knowledge and His great complete perfect wisdom. There are absolutely no mistakes involved so there is no place for any regrets. Besides if God was to repent; who would He repent to?
According to Islam; when God created mankind, He knew that mankind will do evil and wicked things. He knew that mankind will be weak in front of his lustful desires.
Let’s see what the Qur’an says about the creation of mankind:
In surah no.2 Al-Baqara verse 30:
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth."
They said (The Angels): "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.
“He (Allâh) said: "I know that which you do not know."
This verse shows clearly that even the Angels knew that mankind will do wicked things on earth, but God told them “I Know more than u do” in other words; God is telling them that there is wisdom behind the creation of mankind.
Abu Huraira (one of the prophet’s companions) reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: “There was an argument between Adam and Moses. Moses said to Adam: You are our father. You did us harm and caused us to get out of Paradise. Adam said to him: You are Moses. Allah selected you (for direct conversation with you) and wrote with His own Hand the Book (Torah) for you. Despite this you blame me for an act which Allah had ordained for me forty years before He created me. Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: This is how Adam defeated Moses in the argument (the prophet repeated the last phrase twice to confirm it)”
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) also said : “Allah ordained the measures of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water.” Narrated by Muslim
In Surah no.54 Al-Qamar verse no.49 God says:
“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the book of decrees)
So according to Islam; the creation of mankind and their acts are predestined. But according to the bible; it is not. According to the bible; the creation of mankind was nothing but a big mistake or a big unwise decision that God made. That is why the biblical God felt grieved and regretted creating mankind afterwards, and this was not the only thing that the biblical God regretted doing, there are many more regrets and unwise decisions made by the biblical God as we have mentioned previously and as mentioned all over the Bible, which shows that the Biblical God lacks wisdom, knowledge and perfection that is why he make mistakes.
According to Islam; God Almighty is far from making any mistakes because He is perfect in everything, His attributes and qualities are perfect, His acts and decisions are perfect, His laws are perfect, His creation is perfect and His supervision and control over His creation is perfect.
In surah no. 15 El-Hijr verse 85
“And We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with Alhaq (Alhaq means many things: perfection, truth, wisdom, right measurements)”
“It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allâh did not create this but by truth. (perfection, wisdom, unique perfect measurements)” (Surah no.10 Yunus verse 5)
“He (God) has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements. (Perfectly)” (Surah no.25 Al-Furqan verse 2)
“Indeed Allah has set a measure for everything” (Surah no.65 al-Talaq verse 3)
“Allâh knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion.”
(Surah no.13 Al-Raad verse 8)
The Qur’an even mentions that God sends down the rain with precise measurements:
“And We sent down the rain from the sky with precise measurements” (Surah no.23 Al- Momenoon verse18)
Even the leaves that fall from the trees, He Almighty knew when and where the leaves will fall even before He created the earth:
“Not a leaf falls, but he knows it.” (Surah no.6 verse 59)
So everything that God has created and every decision was made; it was created or made in a unique and perfect way according to God’s knowledge and wisdom. So there are no chances for mistakes or regrets.
Isn’t God Omniscient?
Doesn’t He know everything?
Or is He unaware and doesn’t know many things?
Christianity& Judaism
Genesis 3/8 says that Adam and Eve hid from God in the garden after they ate from the tree, and God did not know where they were, so he called upon them saying “where are you?” (Can you believe that?)
Genesis 11/5 says that the Lord had to come down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. In other words; the bible is saying that God does not see from far away and he had to go down to see the city and what the men were building.
Numbers 22/9 says that God did not know who the men that Balaam accompanied were.
Job 1/7 & 2/2 say that God did not know where the devil was, so he had to ask him saying: “where have you come from?” The bible is trying to say that God does not know everything, how could anyone believe such a thing? (if you read the story, you will understand that it was no just a question of authority, the Biblical God did not know where the devil was.)
And in Genesis 6/5-7 it shows that God has no knowledge of the future, the verses say that after God saw the wickedness that man did on Earth, He God regretted creating man, which means that God did not know that man will do wickedness on Earth.
And in 1 Samuel 15/11-35, after Saul had disobeyed God’s orders; God regret making him king on Israel, which means that God had no previous knowledge that Saul will disobey His orders.
And in Genesis 18/20,21 The Lord said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not I will know.” (Did God have to go down to see what had happened? Can’t He see from above the heavens?)
And in Exodus 12/1-13 it says that The Lord commanded the community of Israel when they used to live in Egypt to take some blood from the slaughtered lamb and splash it on their house doors so that when The Lord God passes over through Egypt to strike down every first born from the Egyptian people and their animals, He will see the blood as a sign that the house belongs to the Israelites, so He won’t strike it. That is why the festival is called the pass over, because the Lord will pass over the houses that belong to the Israelites without striking it. So the question is; does God need a sign to differentiate between the Egyptians and the Israelites?
ISLAM
One of God’s names and attributes in Islam is The Omniscient; The All- Knower; the one who has infinite knowledge, which means that He God Almighty knows everything no matter how little or tiny it is. He Almighty knows the past, present and the future. In Islam; words can’t explain how knowledgeable God is. Let’s see what the Qur’an says about God’s knowledge:
Surah no.2 Al-Baqara verse 235:
“And know that Allâh knows what is in your minds”
Surah Al-Baqara verse 77:
“Know they (Jews) not that Allâh knows what they conceal and what they reveal?”
Surah no.20 Taha verse 7:
“He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden.”
Surah no.6 Al-Anam verse3:
“And He is Allâh (to be worshipped Alone) in the heavens and on the earth, He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn (good or bad).”
Surah no.40 Gafir verse19:
“Allâh knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the hearts conceal.”
Surah no.3 Al Imran verse 29:
“Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Whether you hide what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allâh knows it, and He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allâh is Able to do all things.”
Surah no.6 Al Anam verse59, 60:
“And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.”
“It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then he raises (wakes) you up again so that a term appointed (your life period) be fulfilled, then in the end unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you what you used to do.”
Surah no.16 Ar-Rad verse 8-10:
“Allâh knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion.
(He is the) All-Knower of the seen and the unseen, The Most Great, The Most High.
It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day.”(Because He Almighty see and know everything)
Surah no.22 Al-Hajj verse 70:
“Know you not that Allâh knows all that is in heaven and on earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz). Verily! That is easy for Allâh.”
Surah no.49 Al-Hojourat verse 18:
“Verily, Allah knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.”
Surah no.3 Al-Imran verse 5:
“Truly, nothing is hidden from Allâh, in the earth or in the heavens.”
Surah no. 4 Al-Nisaa verse 108:
“They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allâh, for He is with them (by His Knowledge), when they plot by night matters which HE does not approve. And ALLAH encompasses what they do”
Surah no.57 Al-Hadid verse 4:
“It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawâ (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) where so ever you may be. And Allâh is the All-Seer of what you do.”
The last verse clearly shows that God does not need to come down from heaven to see what His people were doing.
To Be Continued!
Excellent comparative religion study 👍
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