Does Qu'ran refute The Christian Trinity?

It is often assumed that Christians believe in three separate Gods and people ask does not 1+1+1 make Three?

While it may not be appropriate to reduce the mystery of God to a mathematical formula, let's consider this logic and see where it leads.

• What is 1 multiplied by 1 multiplied by 1? (1 x 1 x 1 = 1)

• What is 1 divided by 1 divided by 1? (1 / 1 / 1 = 1)

• What is 1 raised to the power of 3? (1^3 = 1)

• What is 1 subtracted by 1 subtracted by 1? (1 - 1 - 1 = -1)

As you can see, playing this mathematical game actually shows that 4 out of 5 mathematical operations yield 1 as the outcome. This supports the concept of the One God in three persons, emphasizing the unity in the Christian understanding of the Trinity.

A. Quranic view of trinity

There is a common misconception that Quran refutes the concept of the Christian Trinity. It’s important to note that the word ‘Trinity’ itself never appears in the Quran or the Bible. The term ‘Trinity’ was coined later to facilitate communication of God's nature, but the underlying concept has always existed in both the Old and New Testament writings. To understand the concept properly, it is essential to read both scriptures in their respective contexts.

Let us read a few quotes from the Quran and examine what is being said regards the Trinity:

"O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not 'Three' - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender." [Qu'ran 4:171, M. Pickthall]

This verse rebukes the idea of three distinct gods - 'say not three'. As is well established, the Christian faith (as revealed in the Bible) does not believe in three separate gods, but rather in One God revealed in Three Persons.

They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no Allah save the One Allah. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. [Qu'ran 5:75, M. Pickthall]

Neither do the Christians say that each person of the Godhead is 'a third of the three'. Never has there been an idea that the Godhead can be separated or chopped up into three distinct gods. The biblical view is that the 3 persons make ONE GOD.

"And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knewest it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower of Things Hidden." [Quran 5:116, M. Pickthall]

When it says 'say not three'— and goes on to ask Jesus if he instructed people to take him and Mary as gods alongside Allah; it reveals the Jesus and Mary are being considered as forming the Trinity with Allah. The Qu'ran mislabels Allah, Jesus and Mary as the Christian Trinity and goes on to rebuke that formulation. We need to ponder how come the god of Qu'ran lacked the knowledge of what the Christians believe to be Trinity?

The Quran seems to be addressing either a misinformed notion of the Trinity or refuting a heretical Christian sect that Muhammad encountered, which believed in three distinct gods: Allah (Father), Mary (Mother), and Jesus (Son). In fact, Christians (in agreement with the Quran) would affirm that Mary is not God, nor part of the Trinity.

The underlying thought, which the Quran rebukes as to why Mary and Jesus are considered gods is the idea that Allah had a physical relation with Mary out of which Jesus was born. The Islamic view of the word 'begotten son', a title used for Jesus in the Bible, implies an act of begetting via an intimate sexual relationship between man and woman. Here in this case means intimacy between Allah and Mary to produce Jesus.

This is why Qu'ran states: "To Him is due the dominion of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He has no wife? He created all things and has perfect knowledge of all things." [Qu'ran 6:101]​​

Qu'ran is refuting the idea that Allah had sex with Mary to beget Jesus by saying 'how could he have a son when he has no wife?'. This again is a misunderstanding of the Biblical understanding of how Jesus was conceived. Christians do not believe (or the Bible doesn't teach us) that God the Father or the Holy Spirit had sex with Mary to produce Jesus.

I do not need to labor to bring evidence from the Bible to clear this point as the Qu'ran itself affirms the virginal conception of Jesus and acknowledges that He does not have a human origin like the rest of mankind.

She (Mary) said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?" He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'"[Qu'ran19-20-21]

Allah affirms, it is easy for him to cause Mary to conceive without a man touching her, thereby affirming the virginal birth of Jesus.

O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender. [Qu'ran 4:171, M. Pickthall]​

The Qu'ran declares Jesus to be the Word of Allah and His Spirit -- which is direct evidence of the divinity of Jesus. You might wonder here why I said His Spirit, whereas the translation says a spirit? Let us have Muhammad provide the correct interpretation of the verse from the Sunnah.

Reference https://sunnah.com/muslim:195

As you can see from the screenshot, the Word of Allah and His Spirit are capitalized in recognition of Divinity because neither the Word of Allah, nor His Spirit can be created, but are eternal.

The Quran seems to affirm from the verse below that the Messiah is acceptable as Lord alongside Allah. If you examine the verse below, you will note that the word 'also' is in the brackets indicating it doesn't exist in the original text. In effect, two groups are being contrasted - 'scholars and monks', and 'Allah and the Messiah'. This verse seems to affirm the Messiah is worthy of worship alongside Allah. [check out the Arabic interlinear screenshot and link for more info]

They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him. [Qu'ran 9:31, Saheeh International]

Interlinear Qu'ran Reference

To summarize, the Qu'ran seems to be rebuking a Trinity that involves Allah, Jesus, and Mary as three separate gods, with Jesus being viewed as born from a sexual relationship between Allah and Mary. That is not how the Christian Trinity is understood.

B. Biblical View of the Trinity

The Christian view of God is that the Bible reveals God is one in essence and three in person i.e., there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- not Allah (Father), Mary (Mother) and Jesus!

The natural mind may grapple with the concept of 3 persons being One God, because we being three parts - spirit, soul and body are one person. To liken or limit God to His creation is blasphemy both in the Qu'ran and the Bible, because God is The Almighty i.e., without limits.

The finite creation, can never fully reveal the infinite creator, but there could be some pointers we can use.

1. Triple point of water:

The Triple point of water is a condition at which water (H2O) can exist in three different states simultaneously i.e., Solid, liquid and gas. If that is possible with physical material why is it impossible for One God to exist in three persons simultaneously?

Applying the triple point of water analogously to the Trinity, we have Water (God) existing as 1. Solid (Father) 2. Liquid (Son) and 3. Gas (Holy Spirit); but it's One Water, One in essence i.e., H2O.

The single combination of pressure and temperature at which pure water, pure ice, and pure water vapour can coexist in a stable equilibrium occurs at exactly 273.16 kelvins (0.01 °C) and a pressure of 611.73 pascals (ca. 6.1173 millibars, 0.0060373057 atm). Click the link for Scientific explanation.

2. Sun, Light and Heat

As a second example, consider the Sun - as long as the Sun exists, the Light existed being one with the Sun, Heat existed along with Sun and Light. They are co-existing always being united into one. One doesn't exist without the other. That's a relatable explanation of the concept of the Trinity.

This is similar to what the Bible declares - "in the beginning was the Word (the Son), the Word was with God and the Word was God" [John 1:1]

From the first book (Genesis) of the Bible to the last (Revelation) the Bible is consistent in its presentation of a multi-person God.

Genesis, the First book the Bible reveals the Three persons in the Godhead.

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 

Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 

Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

1. God (Father) ,

2. Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) and

3. God said (Word of God, the Son) - here we cannot assume that God spoke and His Word came into existence, because if it is truly God's Word, since there is nothing created within God, His Word had to exist as long as God has existed. Neither can we assume that God had to speak like a human would, because God doesn't have physical body (at this stage) and doesn't need to use the vocal chords or larynx to speak.
   

In Islamic tradition -- the eternal Word became a book (Qu'ran), which later comes as a man on judgement day to bear witness [ibnmajah:3781], whereas Christians believe the eternal Word became a man, Jesus. There should be no issue for a Muslim accepting Biblical Trinity as Qu'ran also reveals its own to Trinity - three uncreated beings, Allah, His Word (who comes as a man on judgement day) and His Spirit.

Continuing with the Biblical revelation, the book of Isaiah reveals the three persons of Godhead being mentioned at the same time in two different verses:

Isa 48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. ​

1. The Lord God (Father)

2. His Spirit (Holy Spirit)

3. There Am I from the beginning and now hath sent me (Son)

​Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

1. The Spirit of the Lord God (Holy Spirit)

2. The LORD (Father)

3. Upon me (Son)

Psalms reveal God talking to God, which verse Jesus quoted to refer to Himself (Mat 24:44)

Psa 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. ​

The revelation of more than one-person in God:

Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. ​

Gen 19:24  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

​Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness​

Here is an indication that God is Triune (Three in one) because when He made man in His image, man came to be three parts - Spirit, Soul, Body.

The pattern of three is seen throughout His creation -

1. Heaven, Earth & Hell​

2. ​Atoms are made of extremely tiny particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons.

There is no escaping that the Bible teaches a multi-person God. This is not a new Testament doctrine, as I have not even shared any verses from the New Testament yet.

Listed below are a few of the many New Testament references to the Triune God.

Mat 3:16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.​ ​

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ​ ​

2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen​ ​ ​ ​

In summary, there doesn't seem to be any passage in Qu'ran that engages with the concept of and rebukes the actual Christian Trinity which is The Father God, The Lord Jesus, and The Holy Spirit as taught by Jesus and His disciples.

Further Study: Biblical Evidence of the Trinity

	FATHER	SON	HOLY SPIRIT
Called God	Phil. 1:2	John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9	Acts 5:3-4
Creator	Is. 64:8;44:24	John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17	Job 33:4,26:13
Resurrects	1 Thess. 1:10	John 2:19, 10:17	Rom. 8:11
Indwells	2 Cor. 6:16	Col. 1:27	John 14:17
Everywhere	1 Kings 8:27	Matt. 28:20	Ps. 139:7-10
All knowing	1 John 3:20	John 16:30	1 Cor. 2:10-11
Sanctifies	1 Thess. 5:23	Heb. 2:11	1 Pet. 1:2
Life giver	Gen. 2:7	John 1:3; 5:21	2 Cor. 3:6,8
Fellowship	1 John 1:3	1 Cor. 1:9	2 Cor. 13:14
Eternal	Ps. 90:2	Micah 5:1-2	Rom. 8:11
A Will	Luke 22:42	Luke 22:42	1 Cor. 12:11
Speaks	Matt. 3:17	Luke 5:20; 7:48	Acts 8:29; 11:12; 13:2
Love	John 3:16	Eph. 5: 25	Rom. 15:30
Searches the heart	Jer. 17:10	Rev. 2:23	1 Cor. 2:10
We belong to	John 17:9	John 17:6	. . .
Savior	1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10	2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:4; 3:6	. . .
We serve	Matt. 4:10	Col. 3:24	. . .
Believe in	John 14:1	John 14:1	. . .
Gives joy	. . .	John 15:11	Rom. 14:17
Judges	John 8:50	John 5:21,30	. . .