@Grandad..................
You write: ‘Tawhid is more appropriate (to) describe the Christian Trinity and not the right word for Muslims to describe Oneness of Allah’.
All that is required to show that the Qur’an denies this claim absolutely (as well as the doctrine of the Trinity itself) is the ‘Nicene Creed’; the ‘Athanasian Creed’; a section of the ‘Symbol of Faith’ (Creed) of the Eleventh Council of Toledo - said by Dr Ludwig Ott to be: ‘The most complete formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity in a Creed since the times of the Fathers.’ (Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma’); and some verses from Surahs ‘Al-Ikhlas’ and ‘Al-Ma’ida.’
As you know, the ‘Nicene Creed’ declares that Yeshua (ʿalayhi as-salām) is the: ‘only-begotten Son of God’. This claim is supported - and clarified - by the Athanasian Creed, which confesses that: ‘The Son is from the Father alone, not made not created but
generated.’ (Denzinger 39). This tells us that the word ‘beget’, when applied to the Exalted, refers to a process of generation by act of Divine Will. The First Person (the ‘Father’) generates; and the Second Person (the ‘Son’) is generated.
In Surah ‘Al-Ikhlas’ we read: 'Say: ''He is Allāh the One, Allāh the eternal. He
begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him.''' (Verses 1-4).
The message is clear: The Exalted does not beget (generate); therefore, He cannot be the First of the three Persons of the Trinity. Neither is He begotten (generated), and therefore cannot be the Second Person. This revelation alone denies the existence of a ‘Trinity’, and therefore your claim that ‘tawḥīd’ is: ‘more appropriate (to) describe (that) Trinity’.
And now we must see what the Exalted has to say about the Third Person; the Holy Spirit.
In the ‘Symbol of Toledo’ we read that while the Holy Spirit is truly ‘God, one and equal with God the Father and the Son, of one substance and of one nature’ he is neither ‘unbegotten nor begotten’ but proceeds from both the Father and the Son.’ This process is said to occur by means of a: ‘Single Principle through a Single Spiration.’ (Ott: ‘Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma).
You will be familiar with the ‘Gloria’; an ancient doxology. The Latin translation of the Gloria is attributed to Hilary of Poiters – a Bishop and Doctor of the Church. It is said that he learned of it while in the East; around 359-360 CE. It is associated with the Vetus Latina – a collection of Latin manuscripts that existed before the Vulgate – and it would have been known to the Christians of Arabia. It is very probable that it formed part of their liturgy or private devotions; as it does in the Church today. Here it is:
‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory; Lord God, heavenly King; O God, almighty Father.
‘Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.’
A delegation of Najran Christians visited the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) - at Medina - in 631CE. The Najrans were Trinitarian, but differed from the Western Church when it came to the nature of the incarnate Christ. It is probable that Muhammad discussed the Trinity with the Najrans - and with other Trinitarians - at Median. He may well have referred to ‘Al-Ikhlas’, and its affirmation that the Exalted is neither the First Person of the Trinity, nor the Second. Any such discussion would surely have led to his being challenged on the status of the Third Person. It may be that the Trinitarians believed (wrongly) that the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) considered Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) to be simply the Holy Spirit (in their eyes, the Third of three). This is speculation, of course; but what we know for sure is that certain persons did indeed speak of the Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) in this way, for He tells us: ‘Those people who say that Allāh is the third of three are defying (the truth)…’ (Al-Ma’ida: 73).
It’s worth noting that ‘Al-Ma’ida’ is a very late Median Surah (apart from its last two verses). It is the 112th to have been revealed (out of 114); perhaps at, or around the time of, the Najran visit to Median; and perhaps in answer to the challenge: ‘What of the Third Person.’ I don’t know. It’s just a thought.
What is
not in question is Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla)’s assurance that He is not ‘God the Father’; not ‘God the Son’; and not ‘God the Holy Spirit’. He is simply God; not three Persons, but one Person.
‘Tawḥīd’ - in the context of the Qur’an - is
exactly the right word to use when describing the Oneness of Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla).
Perhaps now you understand why no Muslim is a Trinitarian.
You write: ‘The word Tawhid does not exist in the Quran……… What appeared 68 times in the Quran is the word “Wahid” which is “Single” which means it’s something Undivided/One according to the dictionary.’
Do you need to be reminded that Muslims do not base their faith on a dictionary - on any dictionary - no matter how erudite it happens to be?
In the
Qur’an, none of the sixty-eight occurrences of the root ‘wāw ḥā dāl’ (from which the doctrine of ‘tawḥīd’ is derived) permit us to render that word as ‘unity’ or ‘unification’ when speaking of the nature of Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla). Twenty-two of these occurrences affirm His Oneness; none of the remaining forty-six refer to His nature at all.
The Qur’an provides more than enough justification for the doctrine of ‘tawḥīd’, as understood by the Muslims.
Returning to the central theme of this thread:
Allow me to remind you of Seton’s words: ‘The conception of the Trinity, also the doctrines of Original Sin, of Vicarious Atonement, of Infant Damnation, and of Priestly Mediation, were utterly foreign to all Indian thought and teaching.’ (‘The Gospel of the Redman’).
Muslims, and the Native Americans of Seton’s day, are firmly unitarian (I might say tawḥīdian). You may not agree with them; but that’s the way it is.
- - - Updated - - -
What this hadeeth means is this:
we come to this world to find on our own who our God is...we leave this Earth either as a believer, or a disbeliever. Believers always go to heaven eventually...disbelievers to hell...eventually...
people who are mentally ill...people with down syndrome...and children untill a certain age, do not have the required mental power to find their creator on their own...so, when they die, they are one of the few people who are still on the edge of believing and disbelieving. when they die and leave this world, they will be asked "who is your Lord?" depending on the answer they will go to heaven or hell.
As-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi wa Barakātuhu, sister.
You are perfectly correct to say that certain persons cannot sin:
'Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The pen has been raised for three persons (meaning that these will not be held accountable for their actions): one who is sleeping until he gets up; a child until he reaches the age of puberty; and an insane person until he becomes sane.”’ (see: At-Tirmidhi; Volume 3; Chapter 1: ‘What Has Been Related About Those From Whom Punishment Is Not Required; Number 1423). See also Nasa’I (3432); Ibn Majah 2041; and Abu Dawud (4403).
- - - Updated - - -
[MENTION=43140]yandex[/MENTION]
Islam teaches that we are indeed punished for our own sins; but denies that we suffer the consequences of Adam's sin.
It has been said that Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) ‘punished’ Adam by ‘throwing him out of the garden of Eden.’ This is incorrect.
The Exalted tells us, in Surah ‘Al-Baqara: ‘(Prophet), when your Lord told the angels: “I am putting a successor on earth,” they said: “How can You put someone there who will cause damage and bloodshed, when we celebrate Your praise and proclaim Your holiness?”. But He said: “I know things you do not.” He taught Adam all the names (of things), then He showed them to the angels and said: “Tell me the names of these if you truly (think you can)”. They said: “May You be glorified! We have knowledge only of what You have taught us. You are the All Knowing and All Wise.” Then He said: “Adam, tell them the names of these.” When he told them their names, Allāh said: “Did I not tell you that I know what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”
‘When We told the angels: “Bow down before Adam,” they all bowed. But not Iblis, who refused and was arrogant: he was one of the disobedient. We said: “Adam, live with your wife in this garden. Both of you eat freely there as you will, but do not go near this tree, or you will both become wrongdoers.” But Iblis made them slip, and removed them from the state they were in. We said: “Get out, all of you! You are each other’s enemy. On earth you will have a place to stay and livelihood for a time.” Then Adam received some words from his Lord and He accepted his repentance: He is the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful. We said: “Get out, all of you! But when guidance comes from Me, as it certainly will, there will be no fear for those who follow My guidance nor will they grieve - those who disbelieve and deny Our messages shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, and there they will remain.”’ (Verses: 30-39).
Note the opening words: ‘I am putting a successor on Earth’. This was always Adam’s intended destination.
Admittedly, Adam left Paradise (the Garden) after having sinned. But note the line: ‘Then Adam received some words from his Lord ……’. These are taken to mean that Adam was taught the meaning of repentance. He did repent, and was forgiven.
It is the position of the Muslims that where the Bible and the Qur’an agree; there is no problem. That where the Bible contradicts the Qur’an; then the Qur’an takes precedence. That where there is neither agreement nor disagreement; then the matter is open for discussion, and Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) knows best!
The Bible and the Qur’an agree that the Exalted created both Adam and Eve; but they differ as to what happened next.
In Genesis, Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) prohibits both Adam and Eve from eating the fruits of the forbidden tree. However, the snake seduces Eve, and persuades her to eat from it: 'Now, the snake was the most subtle of all the wild animals that Yahweh God had made. It asked the woman: “Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The woman answered the snake: “We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death.’” Then the snake said to the woman: “No! You will not die! God knows in fact that the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good from evil.”. The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was enticing for the wisdom that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it.’ (Genesis; 3: 1-6).
We are then told that Eve, in turn, seduced Adam to eat with her; and that when Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) rebuked Adam for what he did, he put all the blame on Eve: ‘(God asked): “Have you been eating from the tree I forbade you to eat?” The man replied: “It was the woman you put with me; she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”’ (Verses 11-12).
Consequently, the Exalted said to Eve: ‘I shall give you intense pain in childbearing, you will give birth to your children in pain.’ (Verse 16).
The Qur’an presents a different account: ‘But you, Adam, and your wife live in the Garden. Both of you eat whatever you like, but do not go near this tree or you will become wrongdoers. Satan whispered to them so as to expose their nakedness, which had been hidden from them. He said: “Your Lord only forbade you this tree to prevent you becoming angels or immortals,” and he swore to them: “I am giving you sincere advice” - he lured them with lies. Their nakedness became exposed to them when they had eaten from the tree: they began to put together leaves from the Garden to cover themselves. Their Lord called to them: “Did I not forbid you to approach that tree? Did I not warn you that Satan was your sworn enemy?” (Al-A‘raf: 19-23).
You will see that the Qur’an - in contrast to the Bible - places equal blame on both Adam and Eve for their mistake. Nowhere in the Qur’an do we find even the slightest suggestion that Eve tempted Adam to eat from the tree; or even that she had eaten before him. In the Qur’an, Eve is not a temptress; not a seducer; and not a deceiver. Moreover, she is not told that she (and by implication, all women after her) would suffer intense pain in childbearing as a direct result of her actions.
Adam and Eve committed a sin. That much is clear. It was not Adam alone. When challenged they replied: ‘Our Lord, we have wronged our souls: if You do not forgive us and have mercy, we shall be lost.’ (Al-A‘raf: 23).
Muslims do not accept that ‘mankind suffers the consequences of Adam and Eve's sin’; and the reason they do not accept this is that the pair were forgiven.
Islam places great emphasis on the nature of Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla)’s forgiveness - not just for Adam and Eve - but for each of us. According to Islamic theology all will stand before Him on the Day of Judgment. Each will be given a record of their lives. Those whose book is placed in their right hand will be admitted to Paradise; and those whose book is placed in their left will not.
It is a tradition that a record of good deeds is made straight away; but that a record of bad deeds is delayed for some hours, to allow for repentance. Even when a sin is recorded it can be erased by sincere and genuine repentance (
tawbah). Not only does
tawbah wipe out an evil deed, it transforms that deed into a good one: ‘Those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, Allāh will change the evil deeds of such people into good ones. He is most forgiving, most merciful’ (Al-Furqan: 70).
Every day of their lives - many times a day - Muslims speak the words: ‘The Lord of Mercy’; ‘The Giver of Mercy’; ‘The Compassionate’; ‘The Merciful’. These are the Beloved‘s Names. We did not give them to Him, He chose them for Himself. Of all His Names these are His favorite. That is why we are asked to speak them so often - so that we do not forget Who it is that loves us; Who it is that binds us to Himself with ties of tenderness, mercy and forgiveness.
The truth that Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) not only forgives sin, but wipes them out is proclaimed in the Bible also: ‘Yahweh is tenderness and pity, slow to anger and rich in faithful love; His indignation does not last for ever, nor His resentment remain for all time; He does not treat us as our sins deserve, nor repay us as befits our offences. As the height of Heaven above earth, so strong is His faithful love for those who fear Him. As the distance of east from west, so far from us does He put our faults. As tenderly as a father treats his children, so Yahweh treats those who fear Him; He knows of what we are made, He remembers that we are dust.’ (Psalm 103: 8-14).
Christians and Muslims agree that the love, mercy and compassion of Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) is the greatest of things, without which none of us could stand, not even for the briefest of moments. A person could spend an eternity of lifetimes in contemplation of this truth and not touch the depth and breadth of it.
In conclusion:
Adam and Eve were not ‘thrown out of the Garden’ in punishment, as Christian’s claim. The Qur'an has made it clear that Allāh (Subḥānahu ūta'āla) accepted their repentance and pardoned them. His command that they leave the Garden for Earth brought to fulfilment the purpose for which they were created in the first place.
