Tawhid

Mahmoud Andrade Ibrahim

Monotheism

أنا ربك الإله، لا يجب أن تكون لك إلا أنا

"I am the Lord thy God, thou shall have no other god but Me."

The first commandment was revealed to Moses during a time when numerous pagan societies worshiped gods who had sons, wives, and other divine relatives. Ancient Greek mythology portrayed Zeus as the father of Perseus, Dionysus, Apollo and Ares, while Roman mythology depicted Jupiter having Hercules as his son. In such polytheistic societies, the idea of gods having offspring was prevalent, however, this notion was completely rejected by all of the biblical prophets, it is a concept that is unrecognizable to Hebrew and Muslim scholars alike.

Christian Beliefs Regarding Jesus:
Around 300 years after Jesus' time on Earth, a significant development took place within Christianity. The Council of Nicea codified the concept that Yahweh (Jehovah), the God of the Old Testament, had a co-eternal god who was Jesus. This idea was completely unknown to previous biblical prophets and marked a transformative shift in religious understanding. Christianity now presented Jesus not only as a prophet but also as an incarnate deity – part human and part divine.

The Council of Nicea, convened in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine, sought to address theological disputes that had arisen within early Christianity. One of the most contentious issues was the nature of Jesus Christ—was he merely human or more than that? This question gave rise to various theological positions, including Arianism which argued that Jesus was created by God and therefore subordinate to Him.

However, it was during this council that Athanasius of Alexandria and his supporters put forth their belief in what would become orthodox Christian doctrine—the concept of the Trinity. They argued that Jesus Christ was co-eternal with God the Father and shared in His divinity. This position emphasized both his humanity (as he walked on Earth) and his divinity (as he existed before time).

This distortion realigned Church thinking with Greek and Roman paganistic practices and brought about significant implications for Christian theology and worship. The teachings of previous biblical prophets did not explicitly address this aspect of Christ's nature; thus, early Christians relied on their interpretation through the lens provided by this council.

Moreover, this formulation elevated Jesus from being solely considered a prophet or teacher to being an object worthy of worship himself—a figure deserving reverence alongside Yahweh in direct contradiction to the first commandment. There is no other word for this except CORRUPTION.

This idea had been bantered around for some time prior to the conference, however the validation of this idea at the Council of Nicea sparked intense debates among Christian scholars who sought to comprehend and explain the nature of the Trinity. While some rightfully viewed it as a distortion of monotheistic beliefs, many others embraced it as a means to better explain God's relationship with humanity and the transforming power of Jesus.

The doctrine defined at the Council of Nicea had far-reaching consequences, shaping Christian theology for centuries to come. The Nicene Creed, which encapsulates this belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, remains a central tenet in many Christian denominations today.

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Muslim scholars hold a profound respect for Jesus, recognizing him as an important prophet and the Messiah. However, they reject the belief that he was the son of God. This rejection is based on their adherence to the first commandment, which prohibits associating any partner with Allah. Muslim scholars believe that accepting Jesus as divine contradicts and corrupts monotheism and explains how this perspective aligns with Islamic teachings.


To distinguish themselves from these beliefs and establish monotheism firmly in their faith system, Muslims emphasize that Allah is one without any partners or associates. By acknowledging only one God who has no sons or daughters nor any divine relatives, Muslims adhere strictly to monotheistic principles. It is summed up in the phrase, There is no god except Allah.

Islamic Perspective on Jesus
In contrast to Christian beliefs about Jesus' divinity, Islam maintains that he was solely a mortal prophet chosen by Allah for specific purposes within His grand plan for humanity's guidance. Prophet Muhammad preached this same message conveyed by all preceding prophets: لا إله إلا الله There is no god but ALLAH.

By categorizing belief in Christ's divinity alongside polytheistic practices where multiple deities have offspring or divine relatives, Muslims regard the notion of Jesus as God's son as a direct violation of monotheism. In Islam, it is crucial to maintain the unity and oneness of Allah without any division or partnership. Any other explanation that attempts to justify the pairing of a man-prophet with Allah is a gross corruption of truth.

The Quran (the holy book of Islam) affirms that Jesus was miraculously born to Mary, a chaste and pious woman, through divine intervention. It recounts several miracles performed by Jesus, including healing the sick, raising the dead, and speaking from infancy.

In Islamic teachings, Jesus' mission was centered around preaching monotheism and calling people to worship Allah alone. His message closely aligned with those of other prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Zechariah, Isaiah, Daniel, Moses, David, and Muhammad – all emphasizing the oneness of God.


Muslim scholars hold great reverence for Jesus while respectfully disagreeing with Christian beliefs about his divinity. This divergence stems from their commitment to monotheism – a principle deeply ingrained in both Hewbew and Islamic theology since its inception. By accepting Jesus as an important prophet and Messiah while rejecting his status as God's son or part of a divine trinity, Muslims align their beliefs with strict monotheistic principles derived from the first commandment: أنا ربك الإله، لا يجب أن تكون لك إلا أنا "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other god but Me."

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In this essay, the names Yaweh, Jehovah and Allah are all used in sacred literature to indicate the One Creator of the Universe.