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  • Are Christians Considered Polytheists?

    Posted by Yasmeen Tahir on January 25, 2023 at 5:56 pm

    Assalam O Alaikum . My question is two folds. Christians are considered people of the book and we are allowed to marry their chaste women. They are clearly not polytheist but how do you differentiate the concept of trinity from shirk. Is attributing Jesus as son of God not shirk? if then they are considered mushrik, why are we then allowed their food and their woman to marry.

    If Quran is a guide till the end of time and whatever is ordained in it by Allah is to be followed, then one should just eat their food and marry into them. The agreement that the Christian’s of that time were following some sort of “true” message then does not hold ground . What is ordained is ordained not matter what time we are living in.

    Your guidance would be much appreciated .

    Yasmeen

    Dr. Irfan Shahzad replied 1 year, 11 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
  • 1 Reply
  • Are Christians Considered Polytheists?

  • Dr. Irfan Shahzad

    Scholar January 25, 2023 at 11:54 pm

    The principles of Quranic injunctions are logically coherent and consistent in all their applications. The attitude you shared for a Muslim is quite right that whatever is ordained has to be followed, whether one understands the intrinsic wisdom and coherence and consistency or not.

    The Quran calls the trinity Shrik, but does not call the Christians Mushrik:

    لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ

    Those who said: “God is this Messiah, the son of Mary,” surely have committed disbelief also, [436] even though the Messiah himself had said: “O Israelites! Serve God, Who is my Lord and yours too.” [They should know that] whoever associates partners with God, God has denied him Paradise, and Hell is his abode and for such unjust people there will be no one to help them there.

    because they did not accept that what they do is shirk, but make interpretations or Taweel for their doctrine, claiming themselves monotheist. This position is different from the blatant shirk of the polytheists who admitted that they were Mushrik. (5: 72)

    This Taweel not only provide a basis for them of concession in this world but in the hereafter too, that if they are true in their wrong belief and honestly believe in it, they will be forgiven. See verses 5: 116 to the end of the surah.

    In the world, they enjoy the concession to be married to their woman by the Muslims and their food (Zabiha) is halal for Muslims.

    Quran allows for these Christians who believed in trinity or other false beliefs.

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