The nature of God – Stories for your Muslim friend

CONTENTS

Chapter 4 Is God Three or One?

The Qur’an

The Qur’an is very clear that there is one God, and only One. The first half of the Muslim creed, which is mentioned in Al-Safat 37:35 and Muhammad 47:19, says

لا إله إلا الله

“There is only One God” or “God is One.”

This affirms as strongly as is possible in Arabic that God is One. This concept is mentioned in a number of other verses in the Qur’an, a sampling of which is below.

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Allah is the only god, living and eternal. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Everything in the heavens and the earth is his. Who is the one^MS who intercedes with him except by his permission? He knows what is in their hands and what is behind them. They know none of his knowledge except what he wills. His chair covers the heavens and the earth, and protecting them does not tire him. He is most high and great. (Al-Baqara 255)

شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

Allah, the angels, and the scholars witness that he is the only god, standing on justice. He is the only god, strong and wise. (Aal Imran 3:18)

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلاَ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ فَآَمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلاَ تَقُولُوا ثَلاَثَةٌ انْتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلاً

People of the book, do not exaggerate in your religion, and only say the truth about Allah. Truly the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam is Allah’s messenger and his word which he sent down on Mariam, and a spirit from him. So believe in Allah and his messengers and do not say, “Three.” Stop it. It is better for you. Allah is one god. May he be glorified above having a boy. Everything in the heavens and the earth is his. Allah is a sufficient trustee. (Al-Nisa 4:171)

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Those who say that Allah is the third of three have truly disbelieved. There is no other god besides one god, and if they do not stop what they are saying, he will touch the disbelievers among them with painful torment. (Al-Maida 5:73)

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آَمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِي آَمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

We made the children of Israel cross the sea, and Pharaoh and his armies followed him in injustice and enmity until he was drowned. He said, “I believe that the only god is the one the people of Israel believe in, and I have submitted.” (Yunis 10:90)

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ أَنْ أَنْذِرُوا أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا فَاتَّقُونِ

He sends the angels down with the spirit from his command to those servants he wills, Warn [people] that I am the only god, so fear me. (Al-Nahl 16:2)

وَقَالَ اللَّهُ لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا إِلَهَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ

Allah said, “Do not choose two gods. He is one god, so be in awe of me. (Al-Nahl 16:51)

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَهُ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى

Allah is the only god; he has the beautiful names. (Taha 20:8)

لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آَلِهَةٌ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

If there were gods in either of thembesides Allah, they would have decayed. May Allah, Lord of the throne, be glorified above what they describe. (Al-Anbiya 21:22)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

Every messenger we sent before you we inspired: “I am the only god, so worship me.” (Al-Anbiya 21:25)

وَذَا النُّونِ إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Dhu-Al-Nun went angrily, thinking we were not more powerful than he. He called from the darkness, “You are the only god. May you be glorified. I was wicked.” (Al-Anbiya 21:87)

وَلاَ تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُوا آَمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَهُنَا وَإِلَهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

Do not argue with the people of the book but [speak] in a fair manner, except with the wicked among them. Say, “We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our god and your god is one, and we submit to him.” (Al-Ankabut 29:46)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ

People, remember Allah’s blessings to you. Is there any other creator besides Allah? He provides for you from heaven and earth. He is the only god. How you lie! (Al-Fatir 35:3)

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آَبَائِكُمُ الأَوَّلِينَ

He is the only god. He gives life and causes death, your Lord and the Lord of your ancestors. (Al-Dukhan 44:8)

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ

Know^MS that Allah is the only god, and ask forgiveness for your sin and that of male and female believers. Allah knows your behavior and your dwelling. (Muhammad 47:19)

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلاَمُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

He is Allah. He is the only god, knowing the unseen and the seen. He is the most gracious and merciful. He is Allah. He is the only god, King, Holy, Peace, Faithful, Sovereign, Mighty, Almighty, and Proud. (Al-Hashr 59:22-23)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلاً

[He is] Lord of the East and the West; he is the only god. Choose^MS him as a protector. (Al-Muzammil 73:9)

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Say^MS, he only is Allah, (Al-Ikhlas 112:1)

As mentioned above, there are many other similar verses, including Al-Baqara 2:133, 163, Aal Imran 3:2,6,62, Al-Nisa 4:87, Al-Anaam 6:19,102,106, Al-Aaraf 7:59,65,73,85,158, Al-Tawba 9:31,129, Hud 11:14,50,61,84, Al-Raad 13:30, Ibrahim 14:52, Al-Nahl 16:22, Al-Isra 17:42, Al-Kahf 18:110, Taha 20:14,98, Al-Anbiya 21:108, Al-Hajj 22:34, Al-Muminun 23:23,32,116, Al-Naml 27:26, Al-Qasas 28:70,71,88, Al-Saffat 37:4, Sad 38:65, Al-Zumar 39:6, Al-Ghafir 40:3,62,65, Fussilat 41:6, Al-Taghabun 64:13.

So the Qur’an is abundantly clear that there is one God.

The Bible

Christians who do not study their book but depend on traditions might assume that God is three from various creedal statements like: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. However, the phrase “God the Son” is not used anywhere in the Bible. Nor is the phrase “God the Holy Spirit.” To use phrases that are not in the Bible and to make them into the standard of acceptable belief can be dangerous and in this case borders on tritheism (belief in 3 gods).

In addition, the word “Three” is never used in the Bible about God. There is no verse anywhere in the whole Bible that proclaims the existence of two gods in addition to God. The Bible strongly rejects belief in three gods. When the Qur’an says in the following verses not to believe in three gods, it is a call to Christians to be faithful to their book.

People of the book, do not exaggerate in your religion, and only say the truth about Allah. Truly the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam is Allah’s messenger and his word which he sent down on Mariam, and a spirit from him. So believe in Allah and his messengers and do not say, “Three.” Stop it. It is better for you. Allah is one god. May he be glorified above having a boy. Everything in the heavens and the earth is his. Allah is a sufficient trustee. (Al-Nisa 4:171)

Those who say that Allah is the third of three have truly disbelieved. There is no other god besides one god, and if they do not stop what they are saying, he will touch the disbelievers among them with painful torment. (Al-Maida 5:73)

There may have been Christians in Arabia at the time of Muhammad (ص) who actually believed in three gods: God, Jesus and Mary.

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِنْ كُنْتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

And Allah said, Isa son of Mariam, did you tell the people ‘Take me and my mother as two gods in addition to Allah? He said, May you be glorified. I could not say what I have no right to say. If I had said that, you would have known. You know what is in my soul, and I do not know what is in your soul. You know what is unseen. I told them only what you commanded me: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness over them while I remained among them, and when you made me die, you yourself watched over them. You are witness over everything. (Al-Maida 5:116-117)

However, this idea has no support whatsoever in the Bible, and the Qur’an rightly condemns such a heresy.

There is no evidence from the Bible about three gods, and the Bible never uses the number three to refer to God. But are there direct statements in the Bible that God is One?

There are actually numerous verses in both the Old Testament and New Testament that clearly state the oneness of God.

Old Testament

Let us start with the Old Testament. The Shema שְׁמַע, which is creedal statement for the Jews, says,

שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד.

Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD (Deuteronomy 6:4)

There are numerous other verses in the Old Testament which state or imply the oneness of God, among which are the following:

אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת, כִּי יְהוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים: אֵין עוֹד, מִלְּבַדּוֹ.

Unto thee it was shown, that thou mightest know that the LORD, He is God; there is none else beside Him. (Deuteronomy 4:35)

רְאוּ עַתָּה, כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא, וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים, עִמָּדִי: אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה, מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא, וְאֵין מִיָּדִי, מַצִּיל.

See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make alive; I have wounded, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39)

עַל-כֵּן גָּדַלְתָּ, יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים: כִּי-אֵין כָּמוֹךָ, וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-שָׁמַעְנוּ, בְּאָזְנֵינוּ.

Therefore Thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like Thee, neither is there any god beside Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Samuel 7:22)

ְמַעַן, דַּעַת כָּל-עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, כִּי יְהוָה, הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים: אֵין, עוֹד.

that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD, He is God; there is none else. (1 Kings 8:60)

וְעַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ נָא מִיָּדוֹ; וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ, כִּי אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לְבַדֶּךָ.

Now therefore, O LORD our God, save Thou us, I beseech Thee, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the LORD God, even Thou only. (2 Kings 19:19)

יְהוָה אֵין כָּמוֹךָ, וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-שָׁמַעְנוּ, בְּאָזְנֵינוּ.

O LORD, there is none like Thee, neither is there any God beside Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (1 Chronicles 17:20)

יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים, אַתָּה-הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים לְבַדְּךָ, לְכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ; אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ, אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ.

O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest upon the cherubim, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth. (Isaiah 37:16)

וְעַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מִיָּדוֹ; וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ, כִּי-אַתָּה יְהוָה לְבַדֶּךָ.

Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD. (Isaiah 37:20)

כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ-יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ, יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת: אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן, וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִים.

This is what the LORD, Israel’s king, says, their protector, the LORD who commands armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me.” (Isaiah 44:6)

אֲנִי יְהוָה וְאֵין עוֹד, זוּלָתִי אֵין אֱלֹהִים; אֲאַזֶּרְךָ, וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּנִי.

I am the LORD, and there is no other, there is no God but me. I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me. (Isaiah 45:5)

לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ, מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמִמַּעֲרָבָה, כִּי-אֶפֶס, בִּלְעָדָי: אֲנִי יְהוָה, וְאֵין עוֹד.

I do this so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but me; I am the LORD, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:6)

כִּי כֹה אָמַר-יְהוָה בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ הוּא כוֹנְנָהּ–לֹא-תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ, לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ; אֲנִי יְהוָה, וְאֵין עוֹד.

For this is what the LORD says, the one who created the sky– he is the true God, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited– “I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18)

הַגִּידוּ וְהַגִּישׁוּ, אַף יִוָּעֲצוּ יַחְדָּו: מִי הִשְׁמִיעַ זֹאת מִקֶּדֶם מֵאָז הִגִּידָהּ, הֲלוֹא אֲנִי יְהוָה וְאֵין-עוֹד אֱלֹהִים מִבַּלְעָדַי–אֵל-צַדִּיק וּמוֹשִׁיעַ, אַיִן זוּלָתִי.

Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me. (Isaiah 45:21)

פְּנוּ-אֵלַי וְהִוָּשְׁעוּ, כָּל-אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ: כִּי אֲנִי-אֵל, וְאֵין עוֹד.

Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)

זִכְרוּ רִאשֹׁנוֹת, מֵעוֹלָם: כִּי אָנֹכִי אֵל וְאֵין עוֹד, אֱלֹהִים וְאֶפֶס כָּמוֹנִי.

Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, (Isaiah 46:9)

וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ, עַל-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ; בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד–וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד.

And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His name one. (Zechariah 14:9)

As mentioned above, there are many other similar verses, including Exodus 8:10, 9:14, Deuteronomy 4:39, 33:26, 1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 22:32, 1 Kings 8:39, 2 Chronicles 14:11, Isaiah 43:10,11,12,13, 44:8,24, 45:14, 46:5, Jeremiah 10:10, Daniel 3:29, Hosea 13:4, Micah 7:18, Joel 2:27.

So it is abundantly clear that the Old Testament also confirms that God is one. In addition to the verses that state that God is one, there are numerous other titles and names of God that imply that he is one. See below.

Zabur

The Zabur is the smallest of the books, but there are also clear verses that God is one. For example:

כִּי מִי אֱלוֹהַּ, מִבַּלְעֲדֵי יְהוָה; וּמִי צוּר, זוּלָתִי אֱלֹהֵינוּ.

For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except our God? (Psalm 18:32)

כִּי-גָדוֹל אַתָּה, וְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת; אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים לְבַדֶּךָ.

For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things; Thou art God alone. (Psalm 86:10)

Old Testament and Zabur: other indications

In addition to these verses and others, many of the names and titles of God imply that there can be no other gods. For instance, the name יְהוָה or (the LORD or Yahweh), means “I am” or “He is”. The clear implication is that there are no other gods. This name, often translated LORD or GOD in English, is used 6007 times in the Old Testament by itself, in addition to 810 more times with prefixes b w k m and l!

Another name used of God that implies his uniqueness is עֶלְיוֹן The Most High. The can only be one who is Most High. This name is used 32 times in the Old Testament.

Yet another name used of God that implies his uniqueness is אֵל שַׁדַּי Almighty. If any power is almighty, then no other power can also be almighty, for the first has power over him. This name is used 37 times in the Old Testament. The following verse uses both of the last two names mentioned.

יֹשֵׁב, בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן; בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי, יִתְלוֹנָן.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High remains in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)

Another name of God that implies uniqueness is Creator. If there is a creator, then everything else is creation. This word בָּרָא to create is used 54 times. For example, the first verse in the Old Testament is:

בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

New Testament

Christians are known for promoting and believing in the Trinity, though this word does not occur in the Injil.

What Christians who do not study their Bible do not know is that there are 24 verses in the New Testament on the oneness of God. Here are some of them:

ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Πρώτη ἐστίν, Ἄκουε, Ἰσραήλ, κύριος ὁθεὸς ἡμῶν κύριος εἷς ἐστιν

Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’” (Mark 12:29)

Jesus had just been asked by a religious leader what the most important commandment in the Old Testament was. His answer is to quote the Shema verse which we examined above under Old Testament. So Jesus implied that the most important thing in the Old Testament is that God is One.

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γραμματεύς, Καλῶς, διδάσκαλε, ἐπ’ ἀληθείαςεἶπες ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος πλὴν αὐτοῦ:

The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.” (Mark 12:32)

This religious leader also clearly understood that God is One.

πῶς δύνασθε ὑμεῖς πιστεῦσαι, δόξαν παρὰ ἀλλήλωνλαμβάνοντες καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ οὐζητεῖτε;

How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

Here Jesus refers to the only God.

αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ τὸν μόνονἀληθινὸν θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.

Now this is eternal life– that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. (John 17:3)

Here Jesus says that God is the only true God.

εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεός, ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως.

Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. (Romans 3:30)

Paul has been criticized by many Muslims as changing the pure religion of Jesus. Yet here he affirms that God is one, just like Jesus did.

Περὶ τῆς βρώσεως οὖν τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὐδὲνεἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς θεὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς.

With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.” (1 Corinthians 8:4)

Again, Paul affirms that God is one.

ἀλλ’ ἡμῖν εἷς θεὸς ὁ πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς αὐτόν,καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι’ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς δι’αὐτοῦ.

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one master, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Still again, Paul affirms that there is one God (the Greek word θεὸς theos. The Father (see next chapter for an in-depth analysis of this term) is called the one God. Jesus is called the one master (the Greek word κύριος kurios). The nature of Jesus will be covered in depth in chapters 10-14.

ὁ δὲ μεσίτης ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, ὁ δὲ θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν.

A mediator is not a mediator of one. But God is one. (Galatians 3:20)

Paul again affirms that God is One.

εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐνπᾶσιν.

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:6)

Again Paul affirms that there is one God.

τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ, ἀοράτῳ, μόνῳ θεῷ, τιμὴκαὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων: ἀμήν.

Now to the king of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Paul here says that God is the only God.

εἷς γὰρ θεός, εἷς καὶ μεσίτης θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἄνθρωποςΧριστὸς Ἰησοῦς,

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5)

This is a confession in the New Testament that parallels the Muslim confession, and it strongly affirms that there is only one God.

σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός; καλῶς ποιεῖς: καὶ τὰ δαιμόνιαπιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν.

You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that– and tremble with fear. (James 2:19)

In this verse, the oneness of God is affirmed as something so obvious that even the demons believe it.

μόνῳ θεῷ σωτῆρι ἡμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶνδόξα μεγαλωσύνη κράτος καὶ ἐξουσία πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνοςκαὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας: ἀμήν.

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Master, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and unto all ages. Amen. (Jude 25)

In this verse, it states that there is only one God, who is our savior.

As mentioned above, there are many other similar verses, including Matthew 19:17, 23:8, Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19, John 10:30, 17:11,22, Romans 16:27, 1 Timothy 6:15, James 4:12, Revelation 15:4.

Summary

So all of our books agree that God is One. This is a strong basis on which we can base our agreement.

What about Qur’anic verses about Christians worshiping three gods?

First of all, as we have seen above, the number three is never used in relation to God anywhere in the Bible. Instead, the Bible and the Qur’an are in agreement that God is One.

There are three verses in the Qur’an that specifically reject tritheism, the belief in three gods. Let us look at them individually. The first verse is:

People of the book, do not exaggerate in your religion, and only say the truth about Allah. Truly the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam is Allah’s messenger and his word which he sent down on Mariam, and a spirit from him. So believe in Allah and his messengers and do not say, “Three.” Stop it. It is better for you. Allah is one god. May he be glorified above having a boy. Everything in the heavens and the earth is his. Allah is a sufficient trustee. (Al-Nisa 4:171)

This verse is a call not to worship three gods. As we have seen before, the Bible and the Qur’an agree that there is only one God.

Here is the second verse:

Allah said, “Isa son of Mariam, did you tell the people: Take me and my mother as two gods in addition to Allah?” He said, “May you be glorified. I could not say what I have no right to say. If I had said that, you would have known. You know what is in my soul, and I do not know what is in your^MS soul. You know what is unseen. I told them only what you commanded me: Worship Allah, my Lord and your^MP Lord. I was a witness over them while I remained among them, and when you made me die, you yourself watched over them. You are witness over everything.” (Al-Maida 5:116-117)

In this verse, it specifies that Jesus and his mother Mary should not be added as two gods in addition to God. In this verse, the Qur’an rejects “God, Jesus, and Mary” as three gods, just as the Bible does. As we have seen above, Jesus himself said in the New Testament that the most important command in the Old Testament was:

ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Πρώτη ἐστίν, Ἄκουε, Ἰσραήλ, κύριος ὁθεὸς ἡμῶν κύριος εἷς ἐστιν

Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One. (Mark 12:29)

So anyone who claims that there are three gods is claiming something that is against what all the books say.

The third verse is:

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Those who said that Allah is the Messiah, son of Mariam have truly covered [the truth]. The Messiah said, “People of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and yours.” If someone adds gods to Allah, Allah will forbid him from the heavenly garden; his abode will be hellfire. The wicked will have no helpers. Those who say that Allah is the third of three have truly disbelieved. There is no other god besides one god, and if they do not stop what they are saying, he will touch the disbelievers among them with painful torment. (Al-Maida 5:72-73)

There are several things that the Qur’an rejects in these verses:

belief in three gods,
that Allah is the Messiah son of Mariam, and
adding gods to God.

The belief in three gods – a) we have dealt with in the previous verses, which mentioned God, Jesus and Mary as the three gods.

As for the second point – b) the Qur’an’s denial that Allah is the Messiah son of Mariam, there are no verses in the Bible that state “God is Christ.” As for the identity of Christ, and who he is, though, we will deal with this issue in depth in chapter 10.

As for the third point, adding gods to God – c) is what we would commonly call polytheism or idolatry. The Bible strongly condemns idolatry, and says that idols are not real, as we can see in the following verses, taken as examples only a few of the many verses on this subject in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

אַל-תִּפְנוּ, אֶל-הָאֱלִילִם, וֵאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם: אֲנִי, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.

Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:4)

וַיַּעַבְדוּ, הַגִּלֻּלִים, אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהוָה לָהֶם, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.

and they served idols, about which the LORD had said to them: ‘You shall not do this thing’ (2 Kings 17:12)

ἀλλὰ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος:

but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. (Acts 15:20)

Περὶ τῆς βρώσεως οὖν τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς θεὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. (1 Corinthians 8:4)

Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων.

Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)

In addition, there are numerous other verses condemning making or worshiping idols, and saying that they are not real gods and have no power.

Then where did the concept of Trinity come from?

A discussion of this issue would not be complete without mentioning the issue of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. As stated before, this word does not occur in the Bible.

Both the Bible and the Qur’an speak about God, about the Word of God, and about the Spirit of God. Here are some verses from the Qur’an and the Bible that mention them.

Qur’an

People of the book, do not exaggerate in your religion, and only say the truth about Allah. Truly the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam is Allah’s messenger and his word which he sent down on Mariam, and a spirit from him. So believe in Allah and his messengers and do not say, “Three.” Stop it. It is better for you. Allah is one god. May he be glorified above having a boy. Everything in the heavens and the earth is his. Allah is a sufficient trustee. (Al-Nisa 4:171)

إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآَخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

When the angels said, Mariam, Allah gives you good news of a word from him, whose name will be the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam, highly exalted in this world and the hereafter, and brought near [to Allah]. (Aal-Imran 3:45)

وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ

And Mariam, daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so we breathed into her womb some of our spirit. She believed in the words of her Lord and of his books, and she was devout. (Al-Tahrim 66:12)

Old Testament

רוּחַ יְהוָה, דִּבֶּר-בִּי; וּמִלָּתוֹ, עַל-לְשׁוֹנִי.

The spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was upon my tongue. (2 Samuel 23:2)

וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, לֵאמֹר, זֶה דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-זְרֻבָּבֶל לֵאמֹר: לֹא בְחַיִל, וְלֹא בְכֹחַ–כִּי אִם-בְּרוּחִי, אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת.

Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying: This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

New Testament

καὶ δεηθέντων αὐτῶν ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν συνηγμένοι, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, καὶ ἐλάλουν τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰπαρρησίας.

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

καὶ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτηρίου δέξασθε, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ,

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.(Ephesians 6:17)

So all the books talk about God, the word of God, and the spirit of God.

How are we to understand this?

Most people would agree that God cannot be separated from his word, or he would be dumb and unable to speak. Similarly, most people would agree that God cannot be separated from his spirit, or he would be dead.

So how can God be One and yet have a spirit and a word? In general, Muslims in general have decided that this is a mystery and have decided not to try to explain this. However, many Christians have decided to attempt to explain this.

Starting in the fourth century A.D., Greek-speaking Christians met to discuss these matters. Their culture was polytheistic and their thinking was based on Greek logic. Their attempts to explain the nature of God resulted in a formulation that has become known as the Trinity.

The various explanations of the nature of God known as the Trinity are attempts to explain the nature of God from a Western point of view based on Greek logic. Regarding God’s essential nature, there are differences of opinion among Christians as there are among Muslims.

However, anyone who claims that he understands God’s nature is claiming that he, a finite, created human being understands the infinite God who created him. This is tantamount to a pot claiming it understands the potter.

What we should do is to limit ourselves to the clear verses from the books, and say that beyond what God has revealed, his essential nature is a mystery that we will never be able to understand, much less explain.

Summary

There are many verses in the New Testament, Old Testament, and Qur’an that affirm that God is One, there are no verses in the Bible or the Qur’an that ever affirm the use of the number three in referring to God. Thus, any Christians or Muslims who believe in three gods are in grave error, and are not following their own books.

If none of the books say God is three and all of the books say God is One, then we should definitely say God is One, and not say God is three.

Furthermore, God is infinite and we are finite. We cannot presume to quantify or describe him in terms finite humans can understand. To confidently assert that we limited human creatures understand the infinite Creator is the height of arrogance. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is nowhere stated in the Bible, and no one can possibly understand it anyway. It is a Western attempt to describe the infinite God who cannot be described.

What do the books say clearly? What has God revealed that we can safely say? All the books are clear that there is one God. They are also clear that the Word of God and the Spirit of God exist. It is safer to content ourselves with saying that God’s nature is a mystery, that God is One, and that God has a Word and a Spirit.

Chapter 5 Can we call God Father?

The Bible uses the word “Father” to refer to God, and Jesus often used this term to refer to God. We will see in Chapters 6 and 11 that this has nothing to do with physical or sexual fatherhood but rather a close spiritual relationship. So exactly what does this word mean?

The Greek word used in the New Testament is πατὴρ /pater/ and it is used in the New Testament 413 times.

This word is used in many senses. It means the following (an example will be given for each):

God, often with the adjective “heavenly Father” or “Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16,45,48, 6:1,4,6,6,8,9,14,15,18,18,26,32, 7:11,21, 10:20,19,32,33, 11:25,26,27,27,27, 12:50, 13:43, 15:13, 16:17,27, 18:10,14,19,35, 20:23, 23:9, 24:36, 25:34, 26:29,39,42,53, 28:19 and many, many more)

Ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑµεῖς τέλειοι ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑµῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν.

So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

A physical father, the one who begets (fathers) a physical human being. (Matthew 2:22, 4:21,22, 8:21, 10:21,35,37, 15:4,4,5,6, 19:5,19,29, 21:31 and many more)

Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ µετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς.

Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then he called them. (Matthew 4:21)

An ancestor (Matthew 3:9, 23:30,32, Mark 11:10, Luke 1:32,55,72,73, 3:8, 6:23,26, 11:47,48, Luke 16:24, John 4:12,20, 6:31,49,58, 7:22 and more)

Εὐλογηµένη ἡ ἐρχοµένη βασιλεία τοῦ πατρὸς ἡµῶν ∆αυίδ· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις.

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest! (Mark 11:10)

A step-father, husband of the mother (Luke 2:33,48)

καὶ ἦν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ µήτηρ θαυµάζοντες ἐπὶ τοῖς λαλουµένοις περὶ αὐτοῦ.

And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. (Luke 2:33)

Parent (Hebrews 11:23)

Πίστει Μωϋσῆς γεννηθεὶς ἐκρύβη τρίµηνον ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ, διότι εἶδον ἀστεῖον τὸ παιδίον, καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸ διάταγµα τοῦ βασιλέως.

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. (Hebrews 11:23)

A caring, loving spiritual guide (1 Corinthians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Philippians 2:22, Hebrews 1:5, 1 John 2:13,14)

ἐὰν γὰρ µυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ’ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας, ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑµᾶς ἐγέννησα.

For though you may have ten thousands of guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1 Corinthians 4:15)

One who is honored (Matthew 23:9, Luke 16:27,30, Acts 22:1, 1 Timothy 5:1)

Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατέ µου τῆς πρὸς ὑµᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας

Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you. (Acts 22:1)

One who demonstrates the quality with which he is described. (2 Corinthians 1:3, Ephesians 1:17, James 1:17)

πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρηµα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ’ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασµα.

All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. (James 1:17)

A person whose character is followed or emulated (John 8:38-44)

Ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ὁ πατὴρ ἡµῶν Ἀβραάµ ἐστιν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάµ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰµ ἐποιεῖτε· … ὑµεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυµίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑµῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν. ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐκ ἔστηκεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν αὐτῷ. ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did , … You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:39,44)

A trailblazer/leader (Romans 4:11,12,16,17)

καὶ σηµεῖον ἔλαβεν περιτοµῆς, σφραγῖδα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πατέρα πάντων τῶν πιστευόντων δι’ ἀκροβυστίας, εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι αὐτοῖς [τὴν] δικαιοσύνην, καὶ πατέρα περιτοµῆς τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτοµῆς µόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσιν τοῖς ἴχνεσιν τῆς ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ πίστεως τοῦ πατρὸς ἡµῶν Ἀβραάµ.

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he would become the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, that they too could have righteousness credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised. (Romans 4:11-12)

Creator (Ephesians 4:6)

εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν.

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:6)

One who exhorts, encourages, charges, and disciplines (1 Thessalonians 2:11, Hebrews 12:7,9)

εἶτα τοὺς µὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡµῶν πατέρας εἴχοµεν παιδευτὰς καὶ ἐνετρεπόµεθα· οὐ πολὺ [δὲ] µᾶλλον ὑποταγησόµεθα τῷ πατρὶ τῶν πνευµάτων καὶ ζήσοµεν;

Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? (Hebrews 12:9)

As we can see, this word πατὴρ does not only mean a physical, human father (meaning 2). On the human level, it is also used to refer to an ancestor (meaning 3), a step-father (meaning 4) and a parent (meaning 5).

But the meaning of God as Father (usage 1) is none of these. The New Testament helps us understand the meaning through the other meanings (6-12). When the New Testament talks about God as Father, it means that God:

Gives us spiritual guidance
Loves us
Cares for us
Is honored
Should be imitated and followed
Leads us
Created us
Exhorts us
Encourages us
Charges and disciplines us

In Arabic, one way of describing God is “better than a father” خيرٌ من أبٍ. Truly, to the believers, God is more merciful, a better provider, kinder, more generous, more knowledgeable, wiser, more forgiving, more loving, more truthful, stronger, more compassionate, and more aware than any human father could be, as we see in these verses in the Qur’an:

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلأَخِي وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِي رَحْمَتِكَ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

He said, “Lord, forgive me and my brother and make us enter your mercy. You are the most merciful of all.” (Al-Aaraf 7:151)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ

Allah is the provider, and he has firm strength. (Al-Dhariyyat 51:58)

لاَ تُدْرِكُهُ الأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الأَبْصَارَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

No eye sees him, but he sees them. He is the kind and aware one. (Al-Anaam 6:103)

قَالُوا كَذَلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ

They said, “This is what your Lord says. He is wise and all-knowing.” (Al-Dhariyyat 51:30)

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ

He is forgiving and loving, (Al-Buruj 85:14)

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّهُ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَأَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

That is because Allah is true, and he gives life to the dead. He can do anything. (Al-Hajj 22:6)

أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَى تَخَوُّفٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

or from overtaking them in fear? Your Lord is compassionate and merciful. (Al-Nahl 16:47)

So whether we use the word Father or whether we say God is better than a (human) father, we agree about the qualities that God has that make him so much better than any human father can be.

Chapter 6 Does God have children?

We will see in chapter 11 that Jesus is not the Son of God in any physical or sexual sense, and that the phrase “son of God” does not have those meanings. We will see that the concept of God having children physically or sexually is rejected by both the Qur’an and the Bible. The concept of “children of God” is mentioned in the Qur’an:

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُمْ بِذُنُوبِكُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بَشَرٌ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

The Jews and the Christians said, “We are Allah’s children and his beloved ones.” Say, “Why will he torment you for your sins?” Rather you are humans created by Allah. He forgives whom he wills and torments whom he wills. Allah has the kingdom of the heavens, the earth and what is between them. He is [man’s] destiny. (Al-Maida 5:18)

We note first that the Qur’an gives a synonym for “children of God:” God’s beloved ones. We also note that apparently the Jews and Christians referred to in this verse were claiming that because the Bible called them “children of God,” that they were more than human. This idea is rejected in both the Qur’an (in the verse above) and in the Bible.

The Bible uses the term “children of God,” but it never says or implies that they are more than human, or that they have been born sexually or physically from God. For example,

ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡµῖν ὁ πατὴρ ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶµεν· καὶ ἐσµέν. διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσµος οὐ γινώσκει ἡµᾶς ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν. Ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσµεν, καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόµεθα. οἴδαµεν ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ ὅµοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόµεθα, ὅτι ὀψόµεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. (1 John 3:1-2)

Notice how in this passage, being God’s children and being God’s beloved are connected, as they were in the verse from the Qur’an above.

The concept of God as “Father” was dealt with in chapter 5. But what does “children of God” mean in this verse?

First, we note that “children of God” are called such because of the love God has for us, and that being beloved is connected with being children of God. The use of “now” also implies that being God’s children is something that was not true originally, but became true afterwards. Notice also that when the Bible uses the phrase “children of God,” it does not have any physical or sexual meaning, just like the term “son of God” has no physical or sexual connotation

What other meanings does “children of God” have besides “beloved by God?”

ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνοµα αὐτοῦ, οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱµάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ’ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

This verse confirms that being children of God is not something that we have by birth, and adds that we get the right to become his children because we receive Jesus and believe in his name. It specifies that those who become children of God do not become his children by a physical or sexual means (not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh). Rather it is a spiritual process that comes from God.

οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦµα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐλάβετε πνεῦµα υἱοθεσίας, ἐν ᾧ κράζοµεν, Αββα ὁ πατήρ· αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦµα συµµαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύµατι ἡµῶν ὅτι ἐσµὲν τέκνα θεοῦ. εἰ δὲ τέκνα, καὶ κληρονόµοι· κληρονόµοι µὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόµοι δὲ Χριστοῦ, εἴπερ συµπάσχοµεν ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶµεν.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:15-17)

In this verse, it is clear that people are “children of God” in a spiritual sense, something connected with the Spirit of God. It also conveys the meaning that God will give us gifts as an inheritance, so we are children since we receive gifts. It also says that we must suffer with Christ, since we are fellow heirs with him. Again, nothing physical or sexual is implied, as we will see in Chapter 11 concerning Jesus.

πάντα ποιεῖτε χωρὶς γογγυσµῶν καὶ διαλογισµῶν, ἵνα γένησθε ἄµεµπτοι καὶ ἀκέραιοι, τέκνα θεοῦ ἄµωµα µέσον γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραµµένης, ἐν οἷς φαίνεσθε ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσµῳ,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Philippians 2:14-15)

In this verse, it gives a moral aspect to “children of God.” Those who are children of God are those who are blameless and innocent, above reproach, and they shine like lights in the world.

ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου· πᾶς ὁ µὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ὁ µὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:10)

In this verse, the children of God are described as those who follow God, not the devil, and who practice righteousness and love their brothers. Again, this is a moral sense, not a physical or sexual sense.

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκοµεν ὅτι ἀγαπῶµεν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅταν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπῶµεν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ποιῶµεν.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. (1 John 5:2)

This verse describes the children of God as those who love and obey God.

In summary, those who are called children of God are called that because of the connection with God’s spirit, their morality, and their love and obedience to God. We might even say that the term “children of God” in the Bible corresponds very closely to the Arabic expressionعيال الله (the family of God, which also has no physical or sexual connotations).

All these qualities are affirmed in the Qur’an as well:

He sends the angels down with the spirit from his command to those servants he wills, “Warn [people] that I am the only god, so fear me.” (Al-Nahl 16:2)

هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمْ آَيَاتِهِ وَيُنَزِّلُ لَكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ رِزْقًا وَمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ إِلاَّ مَنْ يُنِيبُ فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلاَقِ

He shows you his signs and sends provision for you from heaven. Only those who turn to him remember. Pray to Allah in sincere religion, even if the disbelievers hate it. He who is high in station and owner of the throne casts forth the spirit from his command on whom of his servants he wills, so he can warn of the day of meeting. (Al-Ghafir 40:13-15)

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

He it is who sent the Shechinah into the hearts of the believers, so they would grow in faith. The hosts of heaven and earth belong to Allah. Allah is All-knowing and Wise. (Al-Fath 48:4)

The Qur’an thus agrees with the Bible that God gives the spirit (the Shechinah was a sign of the presence of the Spirit of God) to certain people who fear him, turn to him, and are sincere. The Bible calls these people “the children of God” and the Qur’an does not use that term, but the Bible and the Qur’an agree about the character and actions of the people who receive God’s love, obey him, and receive his spirit.

Chapter 7 Is Allah God?

Defining the Question

This is a complicated issue for Christians, but obvious for Muslims. This question is really two questions:

Do Christians believe or understand the same thing about God as Muslims do?
Do Christians and Muslims refer to the same being? (the only God, who is the omniscient, omnipotent, merciful Creator)

Are our beliefs about God the same?

Regarding the first question, no two human beings understand exactly the same thing about God. We all have slightly different beliefs, even those who have been brought up in the same family. So of course there are differences in what Muslims and Christians understand about God.

Do we refer to the same being?

Regarding the second question, it is clear that we refer to the same being.

Only one can be omnipotent.
There is only one creator.
There is only one “only God.”

What do the books say about the issue of sameness of reference?

The books say that we refer to the same God:

ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ θεὸς μόνον; οὐχὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν; ναὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν, εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεός, ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. Romans 3:29-30

In the West, this question is a big deal, largely because of some unfounded, wild accusations in the West that Allah is the moon god or a desert demon.

The Arab World

But in the Arab World, it is not an issue at all.

Allah is just the English spelling of the Arabic word for God: الله– no more, no less.

Every Arabic-speaking Jew, Christian, or Muslim uses الله Allah for God. There is no other word. All 15-30 million Arab Christians use this word for God.

Every Arabic translation of the Bible that has ever been done uses الله Allah for God in both Old and New Testaments.

Arab Christians have been using الله Allah for centuries. Christians who still claim that Allah does not refer to God should ask themselves:

Do you really believe that Arab Christians been wrong for twenty centuries, and that Westerners today suddenly know more about the Arabic language than the Arabs themselves, who speak the language that the word /Allah/ comes from?
Muhammad probably heard the word /Allah/ from Christians, as Christians used this long before Muhammad was born. Muhammad (ص)’s father was actually named Abdullah (servant of Allah), and he died before Muhammad was born, long before any of the Qur’an was revealed.

Grammatical correspondence

Grammatically, الله Allah in Arabic can have neither a plural or a feminine,

Similarly, God (capitalized) in English can have neither a plural or a feminine. So الله and God have identical grammatical roles. الله Allah in Arabic, God (capital G) in English, and /Yahweh/ in Hebrew are the very names of God in those languages. So grammatically, the two words are identical.

There is a related word in Arabic, إله (lower case god), which has a plural, a feminine, and a feminine plural.

Similarly, god (lower case) in English has a plural, a feminine, and a feminine plural. Thus إله and god have the same grammatical roles.

Etymologies

الله /Allah/ in Arabic is a cognate of /Eloh(im)/ in Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament, and /Alaah/ and /Elo/ in Aramaic and Syriac, the languages of the Christians in Arabic at the time of the Qur’an. Elohim is the word for God in the Old Testament. /Elo/ was the word Jesus used on the cross: Eloi, Eloi (My God, my God), which was most probably pronounced Elohi, Elohi (Greek does not have a way to express an “h” in the middle of the word.) /Elohi/ in Hebrew is almost identical to the Arabic إلهي /ilahi/, and the word used in prayer to address God in Arabic اللهم /allahumma/ is very close to the Hebrew /elohim/

The English name God, however, comes from the Germanic Gott, which is of pagan origins, possibly coming from the Persian word خدا khoda, which referred to what the Persians (then Zoroastrians) worshiped. Zoroastrians worshiped earth, air, fire and water.

Origin of الله Allah in Arabic.

It is most probable that Allah in Arabic was borrowed from the Aramaic word /Allaha/ (the –a suffix in Aramaic is the definite article “the”). In Aramaic, the word /Allaha/ is one of many words in that language that have a “dark” or “deep” (velarized) “l” sound. In Arabic, the only word in the whole language that has a velarized /l/ is the word /Allah/. All other “l” sounds in Arabic are “light” l’s. This strongly suggests that both the spelling of /Allah/ in Arabic and the pronunciation of /Allah/ in Arabic are borrowed from the Aramaic /Allaha/. (Similar to how both the spelling and pronunciation of pizza have come into English from Italian.)

Is it acceptable to use a different word for God?

When the good news about Jesus went from a monotheistic (Jewish) culture to a polytheistic (Greek) culture, the question arose: “What word should we use to talk about God with Greek speakers?” The Greek word /theos/ was used by the Greeks for the chief of the gods, Zeus. Because this was a polytheistic culture, their word for God /theos/ was full of pagan implications, though was the closest word in Greek to the concept of God among the Hebrews. Yet,

Paul used this word to refer to the only God, the creator of the world and the Father of the Jesus the Christ when talking with polytheistic Greeks. (Acts 17:24,27,29,30)
Peter also used this word in speaking with polytheistic Romans (Acts 10:34,38,40,42)
All New Testament books used /theos/ to refer to God, despite any wrong implications.

So based on the way the New Testament adopts words from other cultures, using the primary word for God in that culture, it is legitimate to use Allah, especially in a monotheistic culture like Arab culture. So whether we use God or Allah الله, we refer to the One God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. /Allah/ is a legitimate word for the only true God.

Chapter 8 Does God have ears, eyes, hands, feet, and a face?

Both the Qur’an and the Bible use anthropomorphisms to describe God, although neither one uses them literally.

God’s face

God’s face seems to be symbolic of his presence:

وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

The East and the West belong to Allah, and his face is wherever you turn. Allah is everywhere and knows everything. (Al-Baqara 2:115)

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنْفِقُونَ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ

You are not responsible to guide them. Allah guides whom he wills. What property you donate is for yourselves, when you donate only to seek the face of Allah. Your donations will be paid back to you, and you will not be wronged. (Al-Baqarah 2:272)

وَلاَ تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Do not expel those who pray to their Lord early in the morning and at night, desiring his face. You are not at all responsible to reckon with them, nor are they responsible to reckon with you for anything. If you expel them, you are wicked. (Al-Anaam 6:52)

وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

They endure, seek their Lord’s face, perform the prayers, and donate from what we provide them, both secretly and openly. They drive away bad deeds with good deeds. Their reward is heaven (Al-Raad 13:22)

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

Endure along with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, desiring his face. Do not let you eyes turn from them or desire the adornment of this world. Do not obey those whose hearts we made unaware to remember us, who follow their lusts. They are extravagant. (Al-Kahf 18:28)

وَلاَ تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آَخَرَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلاَّ وَجْهَهُ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Do not pray to another god besides Allah. He is the only god. Everything will be destroyed except his face. Judgment is his, and you will return to him. (Al-Qasas 28:88)

فَآَتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ وَمَا آَتَيْتُمْ مِنْ رِبًا لِيَرْبُوَ فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلاَ يَرْبُو عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَمَا آَتَيْتُمْ مِنْ زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَ

Give relatives, the poor, and travelers their due. That is good for those who seek Allah’s face. They will be successful. The profit you make on the usury you charge people will not get any interest with Allah if you give it. The poor-tax you pay, seeking Allah’s face, they are the ones who double it. (Al-Rum 30:38-39)

وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

but your glorious, honored Lord’s face remains. (Al-Rahman 55:27)

إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لاَ نُرِيدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلاَ شُكُورًا

We feed you for the sake of Allah’s face. We do not want any reward or thanks from you. (Al-Insan 76:9)

إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَى

but only seek their highest Lord’s face. (Al-Lail 92:20)

פְּנֵי יְהוָה, בְּעֹשֵׂי רָע; לְהַכְרִית מֵאֶרֶץ זִכְרָם.

But the face of the LORD opposes evildoers and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. (Psalm 34:16)

Ὁρᾶτε µὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν µικρῶν τούτων· λέγω γὰρ ὑµῖν ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πατρός µου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.

See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

οὗτός ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν µου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔµπροσθέν σου.

This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’ (Luke 7:27)

ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν, πρόσωπον δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά.

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:12)

καὶ λέγουσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ ταῖς πέτραις, Πέσετε ἐφ’ ἡµᾶς καὶ κρύψατε ἡµᾶς ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ καθηµένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου,They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Revelation 6:16)

God’s hand or arm

God’s hand and arm seem usually to refer to his power.

وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا إِلاَّ لِمَنْ تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُؤْتَى أَحَدٌ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Only trust those who follow your religion. Say, “Guidance is Allah’s guidance, that someone be given like what you have been given; or they dispute with you before your Lord.” Say, “Grace is in Allah’s hand, and he gives it to those he wills. Allah is all-encompassing and all-knowing. (Aal Imran 3:73)

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنْفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ كُلَّمَا أَوْقَدُوا نَارًا لِلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

The Jews said, “Allah’s hand is chained,” but their hands are the ones that are chained, and they are damned because of their saying. His hands are stretched out, donating as he wills. What was revealed to you from your Lord will increase many of them in tyranny and disbelief. We cast enmity and hatred among them until the day of resurrection. Every time they kindle a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it. They try to cause destruction on the earth. Allah does not love destroyers. (Al-Maida 5:64)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللَّهَ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنْكُثُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِمَا عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهُ اللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

Those who pledge allegiance to you pledge allegiance to Allah, and Allah’s hand is upon their hands. Whoever violates really violates himself. Whoever is faithful to what he promises Allah will receive a great reward from Allah. (Al-Fath 48:10)

קוֹל, רִנָּה וִישׁוּעָה–בְּאָהֳלֵי צַדִּיקִים; יְמִין יְהוָה, עֹשָׂה חָיִל.

They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The LORD’s right hand conquers, (Psalm 118:15)

שָׂבַעְתָּ קָלוֹן מִכָּבוֹד, שְׁתֵה גַם-אַתָּה וְהֵעָרֵל; תִּסּוֹב עָלֶיךָ, כּוֹס יְמִין יְהוָה, וְקִיקָלוֹן, עַל-כְּבוֹדֶךָ.

But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the LORD’s right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory! (Habakkuk 2:16)

הִנֵּה יַד-יְהוָה הוֹיָה, בְּמִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה, בַּסּוּסִים בַּחֲמֹרִים בַּגְּמַלִּים, בַּבָּקָר וּבַצֹּאן–דֶּבֶר, כָּבֵד מְאֹד.

then the hand of the LORD will surely bring a very terrible plague on your livestock in the field, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. (Exodus 9:3)

קָרוֹב צִדְקִי יָצָא יִשְׁעִי, וּזְרֹעַי עַמִּים יִשְׁפֹּטוּ; אֵלַי אִיִּים יְקַוּוּ, וְאֶל-זְרֹעִי יְיַחֵלוּן.

My favour is near, My salvation is gone forth, and Mine arms shall judge the peoples; the isles shall wait for Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust. (Isaiah 51:5)

מִי הֶאֱמִין, לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ; וּזְרוֹעַ יְהוָה, עַל-מִי נִגְלָתָה.

Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1)

ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὃν εἶπεν, Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη;

so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (John 12:38)

καὶ ἦν χεὶρ κυρίου μετ’ αὐτῶν, πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς ὁ πιστεύσας ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον.The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:21)

καὶ ἔθεντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν, λέγοντες, Τί ἄρα τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο ἔσται; καὶ γὰρ χεὶρ κυρίου ἦν μετ’ αὐτοῦ. All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the Lord’s hand was indeed with him. (Luke 1:66)

God sitting down

God sitting down seems to refer to God’s sovereignty and kingship.

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

He created the heavens and the earth in six days, then sat down on the throne. He knows what enters the earth and what leaves it, what falls from the sky and what ascends to it. He is with you wherever you go. He sees your deeds. (Al-Hadid 57:4)

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ

وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then sat down on the throne. He covers the night with the day, following it quickly. The sun, moon and stars are subject to his command. Does he not have creation and a command? Blessed be Allah, Lord of the universe (Al-Aaraf 7:54)

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مَا مِنْ شَفِيعٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then sat down on his throne directing matters. No one can intercede except after getting his permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship him. Do you not remember? (Yunus 10:3)

اللَّهُ الَّذِي رَفَعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ الْآَيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ

Allah raised up the heavens without visible pillars, then sat on the throne and made the sun and moon both go for a certain period. He directs the matter. He explains signs so that you may be certain of a meeting with your Lord. (Al-Raad 13:2)

الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى

The most gracious sat down on the throne. (Taha 20:5)

الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيرًا

He created the heavens, the earth, and what is between them in six days, and then sat down on the throne. He is most gracious, so ask anyone who is aware of him. (Al-

Furqan 25:59)

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٍ أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Allah created the heavens, the earth, and everything between them in six days. Then he sat down on the throne. You have no protector nor intercessor besides him. Do you not remember? (Al-Sajda 32:4)

כִּי-עָשִׂיתָ, מִשְׁפָּטִי וְדִינִי; יָשַׁבְתָּ לְכִסֵּא, שׁוֹפֵט צֶדֶק.

For you defended my just cause; you sat on your throne as a righteous judge.(Psalm 9:4)

מִי, כַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ– הַמַּגְבִּיהִי לָשָׁבֶת.

Who can compare to the LORD our God, who sits on a high throne? (Psalm 113:5)

εὐθέως ἐγενόµην ἐν πνεύµατι· καὶ ἰδοὺ θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον καθήµενος,

Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! (Revelation 4:2)

καὶ ὅταν δώσουσιν τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιµὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθηµένῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, πεσοῦνται οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἐνώπιον τοῦ καθηµένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ βαλοῦσιν τοὺς στεφάνους αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου λέγοντες, Ἄξιος εἶ, ὁ κύριος καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἡµῶν, λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιµὴν καὶ τὴν δύναµιν, ὅτι σὺ ἔκτισας τὰ πάντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ θέληµά σου ἦσαν καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Καὶ εἶδον ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν τοῦ καθηµένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου βιβλίον γεγραµµένον ἔσωθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν, κατεσφραγισµένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά.

And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!” Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. (Revelation 4:9 – 5:1)

καὶ πᾶν κτίσµα ὃ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς πάντα, ἤκουσα λέγοντας, Τῷ καθηµένῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῷ ἀρνίῳ ἡ εὐλογία καὶ ἡ τιµὴ καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.

Then I heard every creature– in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them– singing: “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13)

God’s eye / eyes

God’s eyes seem to indicate his knowledge and care.

أَنِ اقْذِفِيهِ فِي التَّابُوتِ فَاقْذِفِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ الْيَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِي وَعَدُوٌّ لَهُ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِنِّي وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي

Cast him in the ark, and throw it into the water, that the water may cast him onto the shore and an enemy of mine and of his will take him. I cast my love upon you that you might be formed under my eye, (Taha 20:39)

וְנֹחַ, מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)

אֶרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ: תָּמִיד, עֵינֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ–מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה, וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה.

a land which the LORD youir God cares for; the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. (Deuteronomy 11:12)

וְאַתָּה, תְּבַעֵר הַדָּם הַנָּקִי–מִקִּרְבֶּךָ: כִּי-תַעֲשֶׂה הַיָּשָׁר, בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה.

So shalt thou put away the innocent blood from the midst of thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 21:9)

כִּי יְהוָה, עֵינָיו מְשֹׁטְטוֹת בְּכָל-הָאָרֶץ לְהִתְחַזֵּק עִם-לְבָבָם שָׁלֵם אֵלָיו–נִסְכַּלְתָּ עַל-זֹאת: כִּי מֵעַתָּה, יֵשׁ עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמוֹת.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is whole toward Him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

עֵינֵי יְהוָה, אֶל-צַדִּיקִים; וְאָזְנָיו, אֶל-שַׁוְעָתָם.

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. (Psalm 34:15)

כִּי נֹכַח, עֵינֵי יְהוָה–דַּרְכֵי-אִישׁ; וְכָל-מַעְגְּלֹתָיו מְפַלֵּס.

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He maketh even all his paths. (Proverbs 5:21)

בְּכָל-מָקוֹם, עֵינֵי יְהוָה; צֹפוֹת, רָעִים וְטוֹבִים.

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)

עֵינֵי יְהוָה, נָצְרוּ דָעַת; וַיְסַלֵּף, דִּבְרֵי בֹגֵד.

The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the faithless man. (Proverbs 22:12)

הִנֵּה עֵינֵי אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, בַּמַּמְלָכָה הַחַטָּאָה, וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֹתָהּ, מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: אֶפֶס, כִּי לֹא הַשְׁמֵיד אַשְׁמִיד אֶת-בֵּית יַעֲקֹב–נְאֻם-יְהוָה.

Look, the eyes of the sovereign LORD is watching the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will not completely destroy the family of Jacob,” says the LORD. (Amos 9:8)

כִּי מִי בַז, לְיוֹם קְטַנּוֹת, וְשָׂמְחוּ וְרָאוּ אֶת-הָאֶבֶן הַבְּדִיל בְּיַד זְרֻבָּבֶל, שִׁבְעָה-אֵלֶּה; עֵינֵי יְהוָה, הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל-הָאָרֶץ.

For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. These are the eyes of the LORD, which constantly range across the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:10)

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:12)

So we see that all the books use a number of different expressions to describe God using human terms. However, none of the books use these expressions in a literal, physical sense, but rather they are expressions that describe God’s nature.