Both Islam and Christianity are missionary religions with a long-standing tradition of theological and practical debates. For centuries, Christian scholars have criticized the Qur’anic portrayal of the Trinity, claiming that it misrepresents Christian beliefs. In contrast, Islam has granted Christians the status of “People of the Book”, advocating respect in dealing with them. Despite significant work in modern Islamic apologetics offering reasoned responses, these objections continue to resurface in various forms.
The pseudonymous writer “Ibn Warraq”, known for his anti-Islamic stance, compiled orientalist critiques in books such as:
- The Quest for Historical Muhammad
- Why I am not a Muslim
- What the Koran Really Says
- The Origins of the Koran
- Which Koran?
- Koranic Sources
These works aim to discredit the Qur’an and Islam. Atheists often exploit such content to raise objections against Islamic beliefs and scriptures.
The central objection raised by Sayyid Amjad Hussain is that the Qur’an’s depiction of the Trinity does not align with authentic Christian doctrine, specifically suggesting that the Qur’an presents Allah, Jesus (ʿĪsā), and Mary (Maryam) as the trinity. According to him, no devout Christian considers Mary a part of the divine Trinity.
The author challenges Sayyid Amjad Hussain to cite any Christian sect that believes in a trinity comprising Allah, Christ, and Mary. In truth, during the 7th century CE, when the Qur’an was revealed, the Christian world was divided between Roman Catholics and Byzantine Orthodox Christians. While the Byzantines politically identified as “Orthodox,” there was no significant doctrinal difference between the two regarding core beliefs.
Within Catholic doctrine, Mary is venerated as the “pure virgin”, and it is believed that she was born without original sin. This belief gave rise to “Mariology,” where Mary is honored with the title “Mother of God”. The concept later evolved into Theotokos (Θεοτόκος in Greek), meaning “God-bearer”. Thus, Mary came to be perceived, especially in Eastern traditions, with semi-divine reverence.
The Qur’an addressed the devotional practices of 7th-century Christians, where both Jesus and Mary were objects of worship and veneration. The Qur’an critiques this practice in the following verse:
“And [beware] the Day when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?’”
📖 (Surah al-Māʾidah, 5:116)
Here, the term Trinity is not explicitly used. Instead, the verse critiques the act of worshipping Jesus and Mary, which was common at the time.
Since the 4th century CE, Christian doctrine has included the Holy Spirit as the third component of the Trinity. However, the Holy Spirit is abstract, lacking a physical form, and thus is not worshipped in the way tangible figures are. Hence, the Qur’an mentions Mary instead, as she was more visibly and popularly venerated, particularly in churches and among common Christians of that era.
The atheist writer also refers to the Jewish concept of divinity from the Old Testament to critique Christian beliefs. Ironically, Christians themselves reject this line of reasoning. The atheist, in this case, seems to be trying harder to appear “monotheistic” than Muslims themselves — a contradiction in his own stance.
There is indeed a doctrinal difference between Christianity and Islam on the issue of the Trinity. However, the Qur’an addresses the devotional realities of the time, not the formal creeds developed in Christian councils. The Qur’an critiques those practices that included Jesus and Mary in acts of worship, which were prevalent, especially among certain communities and sects. These objections are based on incomplete understanding and lack historical context.
