Turning the Tables Pt. 7: Trinity Versus Tawhid

Here’s another installment in my ongoing series where I turn the very arguments utilized by Muhammadans against their own beliefs https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/turning-the-tables-pt-6b/.

A common objection that Muslims raise is the assertion that the word “Trinity” never appears in the Holy Bible:

TRINITY

The Trinity, which I came to know, is not biblical. The word trinity is not even in the Bible, nor the Bible dictionaries. The trinity was never taught by Jesus and was never specifically mentioned by Jesus. (Abdul Malik (M. J.) LeBlanc, The Bible Led Me to Islam, Endorsed by Sheikh Ahmed Deedat [Al-Attique Publishers Inc., CANADA, 5^th edition 2005], p. 42; http://www.islamicbook.ws/english/english-085.pdf)

And:

A. (Dr. Zakir): The sister has asked the question, that the Christians believe in ‘trinity’ – the father the son and the holy ghost, and that they are one. Does it mean that they also believe in one God? Sister, if you analyze, the word ‘trinity’ – it occurs, no where in the Bible. If you search the full Bible, the word ‘trinity’ doesn’t exist anywhere in the Bible – Its not there in the Bible. But the word ‘trinity’ in there in the Holy Qu’ran. (Dr. Zakir Naik: Question and Answer, November 12, 2012 https://zakirnaikqa.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/concept-of-god-in-major-religions-q1/)

What makes this rather ironic is that the very term, which Muslim scholars coined to describe the oneness or singularity of their god, namely tawhid, never appears in either the Quran or the traditions attributed to Muhammad!

To make matters worse, tawhid does not even bear the meaning of singleness, solitariness, unitary etc. Rather, its literal meaning is unification, to unify or consolidate, and/or to make something one!

This is a fact that Muslim scholars and polemicists themselves recognize and admit, including Zakir Naik himself:

Meaning of Tawhid

The word Tawhid comes from the verb wahhad which literally means TO UNITE. In Islamic terminology, it means to realize and maintain the unity of Allah in one’s actions (inwardly and outwardly). The actual word tawhid does not occur in the Quran or Sunnah though the present tense of the verb (from which tawhid is derived) is used in Sunnah. The Prophet sent Muadh ibn Jabal as governor of Yemen in 9 A.H. He told him, “You will going to the people of the book, so first invite yuwahhidu Allah [them to the assertion of the oneness of Allah]”.[1]

1. Sahih Bukhari vol 9, No. 469 and Sahih Muslim vol 1, No. 27 (The Concept Of Tawhid In Islam https://www.bismikaallahuma.org/islam/tawhid-in-islam/; bold and capital emphasis ours)

TAWHEED:

Definition and Categories:

Islam believes in ‘Tawheed’ which is not merely monotheism i.e. belief in one God, but much more. Tawheed LITERALLY MEANS ‘UNIFICATION’ i.e. ‘asserting oneness’ and is derived from the Arabic verb ‘Wahhada’ which means TO UNITE, UNIFY OR CONSOLIDATE. (Naik, Concept of God In Islam http://www.islam101.com/tauheed/conceptofGod.htm; see also https://zakirnaikqa.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/tawheed-and-its-types-by-drzakirnaik/; bold and capital emphasis ours)

1. CHAPTER ON THE CATEGORIES OF TAWHEED

LITERALLY Tawheed means “UNIFICATION” (making something one) or “asserting oneness”, and it comes from the Arabic verb (wahhada) WHICH ITSELF MEANS TO UNITE, UNIFY OR CONSOLIDATE.1 However, when the term Tawheed is used in reference to Allaah (i.e. Tawheedullaah2), it means the realizing and maintaining of Allaah’s unity in all of man’s actions which directly or indirectly relate to Him. It is the belief that Allaah is One, without partner in His dominion and His actions (Ruboobeeyah), One without similitude in His essence and attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat), and One without rival in His divinity and in worship (Ulooheeyah/‘Ebaadah). These three aspects form the basis for the categories into which the science of Tawheed has been traditionally divided. The three overlap and are inseparable to such a degree that whoever omits any one aspect has failed to complete the requirements of Tawheed. The omission of any of the above mentioned aspects of Tawheed is referred to as “Shirk” (lit. sharing); the association of partners with Allaah, which, in Islamic terms, is in fact idolatry. (Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism), p. 1 https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/84/84575EAC059788C5E8DFA51FEF117E4A_The%20Fundamentals%20of%20Tawheed.pdf; see also http://www.answering-christianity.com/FundamentalsOfTawheed.pdf, pp. 18-19; capital and underline emphasis ours)

Footnote

1 J.M. Cowan, The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, (Spoken Language Services Inc., New York, 3rd. ed., 1976), p.1055.

2 The word Tawheed DOES NOT ACTUALLY OCCUR IN EITHER THE QUR’AAN OR IN THE STATEMENTS (Hadeeths) OF THE PROPHET. However, when the Prophet sent Mu’aadh ibn Jabal as governor of Yemen in 9AH, he told him, “You will be going to Christians and Jews (ahl al-Kitaab), so the first thing you should invite them to is the assertion of the oneness of Allaah (Yuwahhidoo Allaah).” (Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas and collected by al-Bukhaaree (Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Sahih Al-Bukhari, (ArabicEnglish), (Riyadh: Maktabah ar-Riyaad al-Hadeethah, 1981), vol.9, pp. 348-9, no.469) and Muslim (Abdul Hamid Siddiq, Sahih Muslim (English Trans.), (Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf Publishers, 1987), vol.1, pp.14-5, no.27). In this Hadeeth the present tense of the verb from which the verbal noun Tawheed is derived was used by the Prophet. (Ibid., p. 31; capital and underline emphasis ours)

In light of this fact, tawhid is not the appropriate term to use in reference to the unitarianism that Muslims boast is plainly taught in their religious scripture. Ironically, it is actually a more apt description of God’s Triunity, as well as what the Quran actually teaches about the nature of the Islamic deity!

The fact is that the Muslim scripture does not teach that Allah is a singular person or consciousness, or that no other divine beings exist. On the contrary, the Quran clearly affirms the following:

The Holy/Faithful Spirit, also identified as the Spirit of Allah (i.e. “Our Spirit,” “My Spirit,” “His Spirit”), is a divine Being whom Allah breathes out of himself, appears in human form as Allah’s apostle to righteous servants such as Jesus’ blessed mother, creates, gives life, and strengthens all believers including Jesus (Q. 2:87, 253; 5:110; 16:102; 15:28-29; 21:91; 32:7-9; 38:71-72; 58:22; 66:12). The Spirit is also differentiated from all the angels, obviously because he isn’t an angel, but a being whose nature is mysterious since mankind knows very little about him (Q. 16:2; 17:85; 70:4; 78:38; 97:4).

Jesus is the divine preexistent Word of Allah and Spirit that came forth from him in order to enter into Mary for the express purpose of becoming human (Q. 3:45; 4:171). Jesus even creates, breathes life into inanimate clay objects, raises the dead, gives sight to the blind and heals specific diseases, functions that the Quran ascribes to Allah alone (Q. 3:49; 5:110 – cf. 15:28-29; 22:6-7; 38:71-72).

Orthodox sunni Islam proclaims that the Quran is one of the essential attributes of the Muslim deity, since it is the uncreated speech of Allah that became a book:

35. The Qur’an is the Word of God that emanated from Him without modality in its expression. He sent it down to His messenger as a revelation. The believers accept it as such literally. They are certain it is, in reality, the Word of God, the Sublime and Exalted.

36. Unlike human speech, it is eternal and uncreated. (The Creed of Imam Al-Tahawi (Al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah), translated, annotated and introduced by Hamza Yusuf [Zaytuna Institute, 2007], p. 54; bold emphasis ours)

73. We do not argue about the Qur’an. Rather, we testify that it is the Word of the Lord of the universe as revealed through the Trustworthy Spirit, who taught it to the paragon of messengers, Muhammad. It is the Word of God, the Sublime and Exalted. No mortal speech compares to it, and we do not say it is created. (Ibid., p. 64; bold emphasis ours)

As such, the Quran is composed of two distinct natures, one that is an eternal, and the other that is finite, temporal and physical.

There you have it folks. Not only does the word tawhid never appear in the Quran and ahadith, but it also doesn’t even mean what Muslims think or claim it means! Instead of affirming that the Muslim god is a singularity, the term actually points to Allah being a composite or compound unity, wherein several gods and/or divine persons come together as one.

And this is precisely what the Quran and sunni sources teach, namely, the Islamic deity is a unified being in which more than one god or divine entity consolidate together to form a unity.

So much for the Muslim objection against the word Trinity not being found in the Holy Bible!

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/26/turning-the-tables-pt-7-trinity-versus-tawhid/

IHS