Trinity in Islam
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Within Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity states that God is a single being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three distinct persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Within Islam however, such a concept of plurality within God is a denial of monotheism, and utterly foreign to the revelation found in Muslim scripture. The act of ascribing partners to God, whether they be sons, daughters, or other partners, is considered to be blasphemous in Islam.
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[edit] The Trinity in the Qur'an
The word "Trinity" only appears in the Qur'an in verses [Qur'an 4:171] and [Qur'an 5:73]:
- O People of the Book, commit no excesses in your religion; nor say of God anything but the truth. The Messiah Jesus son of Mary was (no more than) a Messenger of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him; so believe in God and His Messengers. Say not "Trinity": desist! It will be better for you: for God is One: Glory be to Him! (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs. (Qur'an [Qur'an 4:171])
- They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them. (Qur'an [Qur'an 5:73])
[edit] The status of Mary
It has been suggested[1] that the Qur'an states the Christian concept of the Trinity to be God, Jesus, and Mary rather than the Holy Spirit, but this is not certain, since 4:171 does not explicitly state this. Another verse sometimes taken to claim that Mary is part of the Christian Trinity is [Qur'an 5:116]:
- When God says, 'Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people, "Take me and my mother as two gods alongside God"?' he will say, 'May you be exalted! I would never say what I had no right to say - if I had said such a thing You would have known it: You know all that is within me, though I do not know what is within You, You alone have full knowledge of things unseen (Qur'an [Qur'an 5:116])
This too is inconclusive, since although it condemns worship of Mary, this verse does not mention the Trinity. Edward Hulmes - who nevertheless believes that the "Trinity" as mentioned in the Qur'an does include Mary - writes that the concern with Mary-worship may simply reflect "a recognition of the role accorded by local Christians to Mary as mother in a special sense."[1]
