Islamic theology confirms
That both Jesus and his followers claimed that he is God!
In this article I have decided to once again compile a list of some of the names and characteristics which Islam claims belong only to Allah in order to demonstrate that the New Testament affirms the absolute Deity of the Lord Jesus. I will show where the Lord Jesus and his disciples applied to Christ the very same divine names and titles that Islam claims belong to God alone, thereby proving that both Jesus and his glorious Apostles proclaimed the Deity of God’s unique and beloved Son. This will also establish that Jesus didn’t have to come out and say “I am God” in order to show that he believed and taught that was truly and fully Divine since there were other ways for him to communicate this same divine truth.
With that said we now proceed with our examination of what the Quran and Muslim scholars have to say concerning the unique names and qualities of Allah.
The Quran describes Allah as the truth, the most high and exalted over all things, the king who has no partner in his kingdom and to whom the heavens and earth belong, as well as the living one who gives life, brings death, and resurrects the dead:
Knowest thou not that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that you have none, apart from God, neither protector nor helper? S. 2:107 Arberry
Say: 'O God, Master of the Kingdom (malika al-mulki), Thou givest the Kingdom to whom Thou wilt, and seizest the Kingdom from whom Thou wilt, Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt, and Thou abasest whom Thou wilt; in Thy hand is the good; Thou art powerful over everything. S. 3:26 Arberry
Then they are restored to God their Protector, the True (al-haqqi). Surely His is the judgment; He is the swiftest of reckoners. S. 6:61 Arberry
There every soul shall prove its past deeds; and they shall be restored to God, their Protector, the True (al-haqqi), and there shall go astray from them that they were forging. That then is God, your Lord, the True (al-haqqu); what is there, after truth, but error? Then how are you turned about? S. 10:30, 32 Arberry
High above all is God, the King, the Truth (al-haqqu)! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." S. 20:114 Y. Ali
Wherefore let God be exalted, the King, the Truth (al-haqqu)! There is no god but He! Lord of the stately throne! S. 23:116 Rodwell
That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and it is He Who gives life to the dead, and it is He Who is Able to do all things. And surely, the Hour is coming, there is no doubt about it, and certainly, Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves. S. 22:6 Hilali-Khan
That is because Allah, He is the True (al-haqqu), and that whereon they call instead of Him, it is the false, and because Allah, He is the High (al-aliyyu), the Great. S. 22:62
On that Day God will pay them back (all) their just dues, and they will realise that God is the (very) Truth (al-haqqu), that makes all things manifest. S. 24:25 Y. Ali
He, Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Who did not take to Himself a son, and Who has no associate in the kingdom, and Who created everything, then ordained for it a measure. S. 25:2 Shakir
This is because Allah is the Truth (al-haqqu), and that which they call upon besides Him is the falsehood, and that Allah is the High (al-aliyyu), the Great. S. 31:30 Shakir
To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is Most High (al-aliyyu), Most Great. S. 42:4 Y. Ali
His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He gives life and causes death; and He has power over all things. S. 57:2 Shakir
Allah is also said to be holy and just, as well as the judge of all mankind to whom all judgment belongs:
Say: 'I stand upon a clear sign from my Lord, and you have cried lies to it. Not with me is that you seek to hasten; the judgment is God's alone. He relates the truth, and He is the Best of deciders.' S. 6:57 Arberry
Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners. S. 6:62 Pickthall
That which you serve, apart from Him, is nothing but names yourselves have named, you and your fathers; God has sent down no authority touching them. Judgment belongs only to God; He has commanded that you shall not serve any but Him. That is the right religion; but most men know not. S. 12:40 Arberry
And he said: O my sons ! do not (all) enter by one gate and enter by different gates and I cannot avail you aught against Allah; judgment is only Allah's; on Him do I rely, and on Him let those who are reliant rely. S. 12:67 Shakir
Say: Allah knows best how long they remained; to Him are (known) the unseen things of the heavens and the earth; how clear His sight and how clear His hearing! There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him, and He does not make any one His associate in His Judgment. S. 18:26 Shakir
And He is God; there is no god but He. His is the praise in the former as in the latter; His too is the Judgment, and unto Him you shall be returned. S. 28:70 Arberry
(It will be said): "This is because, when Allah Alone was invoked (in worship, etc.) you disbelieved, but when partners were joined to Him, you believed! So the judgement is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!" S. 40:12 Hilali-Khan
God is He, than Whom there is no other god; - the Sovereign (al-maliku), the Holy One (al-quddoosu), the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to God! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. S. 59:23 Y. Ali
Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare the Praises and Glory of God, - the Sovereign (al-maliki), the Holy One (al-quddoosi), the Exalted in Might, the Wise. S. 62:1
The Muslim scripture further identifies Allah as the first and the last who knows everything:
He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward; He has knowledge of everything. S. 57:3 Arberry
Interestingly, the Holy Bible states that it is Yahweh who is the Most High over the entire creation, gives life and causes death, and is the Sovereign King who owns everything in the heavens and earth. The prophetic writings also teach that Yahweh God is the First and the Last who is the Holy and Righteous One, whose name is actually Holy.
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he … See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:4, 39
“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.” Psalm 22:1-3
“Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” Psalm 83:18
“For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” Psalm 97:9
“From the ends of the earth we hear singing: ‘Glory to the Righteous One.’ But I said, "I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!” Isaiah 24:16
“This is what the LORD says — Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the First and I am the Last; apart from me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6 – cf. 48:12; 41:4
“For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before Me, And the breath of those whom I have made.” Isaiah 57:15
The inspired Scriptures further attest that Yahweh will gather and judge all the nations in order to repay them for all their deeds:
“One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.” Psalm 24:11-12 – cf. Proverbs 24:12; Isaiah 40:10-11; 62:11
“I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. … Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD! Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.” Joel 3:2, 11-12
The reason why Yahweh is able to do this is because he has perfect knowledge of everything a person thinks, desires, feels, says and does!
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 – cf. 1 Kings 8:39
“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10 – cf. 11:20; 29:23
Now in light of what the Quran says concerning Allah’s characteristics it is not surprising to discover that Muslim scholars concluded that these descriptions and qualities are some of the names which belong to Allah alone:
Al-Haqq: The Truly Real
The Truth, the Real, the Really-existing, He whose existence and divinity are true, the One who creates according to the requirements of wisdom, justice, right, rightness, the Necessarily-existing by His own Essence, He whose existence is undeniable. Every reality exists from His essence and nothing has any intrinsic reality except Him.
Al-Haqq is one of the Ninety-Nine Names…
As-Subbûh, Al-Quddûs: The All-Perfect, Utterly Pure
Subbuh is from Subhan, which is glorification and tanzih, disconnecting and elevating Him above any others. He is All-Perfect, All-Pure, All Glorious, far removed from everything evil and imperfect.
Quddus means pure (tahir, munazzah), pure and free of any imperfection .He is far removed from every imperfection or impurity or from anything that would detract from His glory, and disconnected from every description perceived by the senses and thought, All-Holy, All-Pure, All-Perfect.
Some say Subbuh denies imperfection and Quddus affirms perfection.
Al-Quddus is one of the Ninety-Nine Names...
Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir: The First and the Last
Al-Akhir is He who remains after all His creatures have perished.
Al-Awwal is the First, preceding all others.
Al-Awwal and Al-Akhir are two of the Ninety-Nine Names…
Al- Muta'âlî: The High Exalted
He Who is free of imperfection and none has power like His, He who is great or supremely great, above the lies of the liars, or the Most High, who is higher than every other high one, or He who has ascendancy over everything by His power or He who is exalted above the attributes of created things.
Al-Muta'ali> is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah knows what every female bears and every shrinking of the womb and every swelling. Everything has its measure with Him, the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, the Most Great, the High Exalted." (13:9-10)
"May Allah be exalted above what they associate with Him!" (27:63)
Al-'Alî, Al-'Âlî, Al-'A'lâ: The Most High
Above and beyond, the High above whom there is nothing higher.
Al-'Ali is one of the Ninety-Nine Names…
Al-Hayy: The Living
Ever-Living, i.e. Deathless.
Al-Hayy is one of the Ninety-Nine Names...
Al-'Âlim, Al-'Alîm, Al-'Allâm: The All-Knowing
The Knower. He who knows what has been and what will be, who ever has known and ever will know what has been and what will be, from whom nothing is concealed in the earth nor in the heaven, whose knowledge comprehends all things in the most complete manner. His knowledge is timeless and essential.
Al-'Alim is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Truly Allah has knowledge of the Hour and sends down abundant rain and knows what is in the womb. And no self knows what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in what land it will die. Allah is All-Knowing ('alîm), All-Aware." (31:33)
"That is the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, the Almighty, the Most Merciful." (32:5)
"Allah knows the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. Allah knows ('âlam) everything the breasts contain." (35:38)
"If I did say it, then You would have known it. You know what is in my self but I do not know what is in Your Self. You are the Knower ('allâm) of all unseen things." (5:118) …
Al-Bâ'ith: The Raiser
The Raiser, Resurrector. To re-create, like Mu'id; revive; also to send. The One who Quickens mankind after death. To cause something to be.
Al-Ba'ith is one of the Ninety-Nine Names…
Al-Malik; Al-Mâlik: The King, the Master
Al-Mali is the King, the Sovereign; Al-Mâlik is the Master, Owner, Malik is the governor of beings who have the consciousness of being governed, not the case with Mâlik, who owns everything.
Al-Malik is one of the Ninety-Nine Names…
Mâlik al-Mulk: The Master of the Kingdom
Owner or Possessor of the Kingdom, who grants sovereignty to whomever He will.
Malik al-Mulk is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
Ar-Rabb: The Lord
Lord: master, owner; chief; the Cherisher, the one who takes care of a thing. Ar-Rabb is the one who puts right, manages, compels and guards. He is the One worshipped. Some scholars say that the name is the greatest name of Allah because of the great number of those who make supplication using it. It reflects the true relationship of a person with his Lord, containing both mastery and kindness, concern, and nurture…
Al-Muhyî, Al-Mumît: The One Who Gives Life, The One who Makes Die
The Life-Giver or Quickener who makes something alive, to be a living thing; He quickens him or endues him with life or revives him. He revives the earth with rain and endues with intelligence. Al-Mumit is the One who causes to die.
Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumit are two of the Ninety-Nine Names…
Al'Adl, Al-'Âdil: The Just
The Just and Equitable. He whom desire does not cause to incline or decline so that He should deviate from the right course in judgement.
Al-'Adl is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah commands justice." (16:90) …
Al-Hakam: The Judge
The Arbiter, Allah judges and there is no reversing His judgement.
Al-Hakam is one of the Ninety-Nine Names. (Aisha Bewley, The Divine Names)
Islamic scholarship further concluded that these must have always been Allah’s unique names and, as such, can never be abrogated or ascribed to anyone other than the Islamic deity, especially in their definite forms, e.g. when the definite article precedes these names or descriptions:
5. Maintaining the unity of Allaah’s names also means that Allaah’s names in the definite form cannot be given to His creation unless preceded by the prefix ‘Abd meaning "slave of" or "servant of". Many of the Divine names in their indefinite form like Ra’oof and Raheem are allowable names for men because Allaah has used some of them in their indefinite forms to refer to the Prophet …
"A messenger has come to you from among yourselves to whom anything which burdens you is grievous. He is full of concern for you and is full of pity (Ra’oof) and full of mercy (Raheem)."
But ar-Ra’oof (the One Most Full of Pity) and ar-Raheem (the Most Merciful) can only be used to refer to men if they are preceded by ‘Abd as in ‘Abdur-Ra’oof or ‘Abdur-Raheem, since the definite form they represent a level of perfection which only belongs to God. Similarly, names like ‘Abdur-Rasool (slave of the messenger), ‘Abdun-Nabee (slave of the Prophet), ‘Abdul-Husayn (slave of Husayn), etc., where people name themselves slaves to other than Allaah are also forbidden. Based on this principle, the Prophet forbade Muslims from referring to those put under their charge as ‘Abdee (my slave) or Amatee (my slave girl). (Dr. Abu Ameenah Philips, The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) [Islamic Book Service, New Delhi, India, Reprint Edition: 2004], 1. Chapter on the Categories of Tawheed, pp. 14-15; see pp. 31-32 of this online version of Philips' book)
And since the Quran claims that Islam has been the religion of all the true prophets this means that they must have all believed the same exact thing concerning the names and attributes of God:
The phrase: '…of a ruling…', implies that naskh is only valid in laws, and not in belief ('aqeedah). In other words, naskh cannot occur with regards to belief in Allah, His Names and Attributes, the Day of Judgement, and other matters related to the fundamentals of belief. It is concerning those non-abrogated beliefs that Allah says…
<<He has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Nooh, and that which We have inspired to You (O Muhammad), and that which we ordained for Ibraheem, Moosaa, and 'Eesaa, saying that you should establish religion and make no division in it>> [42:13] (Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi, An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'aan [al-Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, Birmingham UK, Second Print 2003], Chapter 13. Abrogation in the Qur’aan: An-Naskh Wa Al-Mansookh, I. The Definition of Naskh, p. 233; bold and underline emphasis ours)
Moreover, even Jesus’ disciples were Muslims according to the Quran:
When Jesus found Unbelief on their part He said: "Who will be My helpers to (the work of) God?" Said the disciples: "We are God's helpers: We believe in God, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims. S. 3:52
And when I (Allah) put in the hearts of Al-Hawarieen (the disciples) [of 'Iesa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims." S. 5:111 Hilali-Khan
This means that they too must have believed the same thing concerning Allah’s unique names and attributes.
Therefore, if these assertions are correct then we wouldn’t expect Christ or his followers ascribing any of these exalted names, titles, descriptions of God to Jesus.
However, this is precisely what we do not find! Instead, we have both the Lord Jesus and his blessed followers ascribing to Christ the very exclusive and unique divine names and characteristics which Islam says must never be attributed to anyone other than Allah or God.
For example, Jesus claims to be THE Truth and THE Life,
“Jesus answered, ‘I am THE Way and THE Truth (HE aletheia) and THE Life (HE zoe). No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6
Christ also says that he is THE Resurrection who gives life and who will resurrect the dead on the last day:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am THE Resurrection (HE anastasis) and THE Life (HE zoe). He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ she told him, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.’” John 11:23-27
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, where the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear HIS [the Son’s] voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John 5:25-29
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:37-40, 54
Christ further stated that he is the First and the Last, and the Living One who has power over death:
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am THE First and THE Last (ego eimi HO protos kai HO eschatos). I am THE Living One (HO zon); I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18
Jesus Christ is also the Most High who possesses all authority and owns everything in heaven and on earth, the One whom the Father has exalted as King over all creation forever,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” Matthew 28:18
“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.’” Luke 1:30-33
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.” John 3:35
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” John 13:3
“All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” John 16:15
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.” John 17:10
“Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Mark 14:61b-62
According to the inspired Scriptures to be seated at God’s right hand is to be exalted higher than all creation, far above every rule or authority, and to have everything under complete subjection:
“and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 1:19-23
“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) Ephesians 4:7-10
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Philippians 3:20-21
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority… If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 2:9-10, 3:1
“Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” Hebrews 7:26-28, 8:1-2
“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” 1 Peter 3:21-22
This explains why Jesus is said to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, e.g. since everyone and everything is subjected to his supreme power and control:
“Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.” Revelation 1:5
“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them BECAUSE he is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14 – cf. 19:16
Jesus’ disciples also went around proclaiming that Christ is the Just and Holy One and the Author of Life:
“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned THE Holy and Just One (TON hagion kai dikaion) and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed THE Author of Life (TON de archegon tes zoes), but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.” Acts 3:13-15
“Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of THE Just One (TOU dikaiou). And now you have betrayed and murdered him—” Acts 7:52
“Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see THE Just One (TON dikaion) and to hear words from his mouth.’” Acts 22:14
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of THE Holy One (HO hagios), THE True One (HO alethinos), who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.” Revelation 3:7
Jesus will also return to gather all the nations to stand before him as he is seated on his throne of glory in order to judge and determine the eternal destiny of every individual:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world... Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ … Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’” Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46
The Lord Jesus went so far as to say that the reason why all judgment has been appointed to him is so that everyone worships and honors him in the same exact way that they worship and honor his Father!
“Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted ALL judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son JUST AS they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him... And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” John 5:22-23, 27
This perhaps explains why the blessed Apostle Paul breaks out in praise of the risen Lord after mentioning that Christ would come to judge and reward the living and the dead:
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and HIS kingdom, I give you this charge… Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which THE Lord (HO kyrios), THE righteous Judge (HO dikaios krites), will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing… The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to HIS heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 8, 18
And the reason why Jesus can judge everyone is because he knows all things, even the secret intentions of the hearts of men, and can therefore perfectly repay a person for whatever s/he has done:
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” Matthew 16:27
“Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.’ ‘You believe at last!’ Jesus answered.” John 16:30-31
“The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’” John 21:17
“This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” Romans 2:16
“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” 1 Corinthians 4:4-5
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first… Then all the churches will know that I AM HE who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Revelation 2:18-19, 23b
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am THE Alpha and THE Omega, THE First and THE Last, THE Beginning and THE End.’… He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:12-13, 20
Here is what we have discovered thus far from the teachings of both the Lord Jesus and his blessed disciples.
- Jesus is the Truth (Al-Haqq).
- Jesus is the First and the Last (Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir).
- Jesus is He who knows, having knowledge of all things (Al-Alim).
- Jesus is the Most High, the Highly Exalted (Al- Muta'âlî, Al-'Alî, Al-'Âlî, Al-'A'lâ).
- Jesus is the Living One who gives life and resurrects the dead (Al-Hayy, Al-Muhyi, Al-Ba'ith).
- Jesus has power over death (Al-Mumit).
- Jesus is the King, in fact the King of kings and Lord of lords, who owns the entire creation (Ar-Rabb, Al-Malik, Malik al-Mulk).
- Jesus is the Holy One (Al-Quddus).
- Jesus is the Just or Righteous One (Al-Adl).
What this shows is that both Jesus and his followers ascribed to Christ many of the names and characteristics which Islam says belong only to God or Allah! In light of all this, can there be any doubt left that the Lord Jesus, his blessed Apostles, and their followers all proclaimed that Christ is the unique Divine Son of God?
Moreover, how can anyone think for even a moment that Jesus and his followers were Muslims when all of our earliest sources prove that they not only believed in the Deity of Christ but also affirmed his crucifixion, death, and burial as well as his physical, bodily resurrection on the third day?
Muslims must face reality and come to terms with all of the evidence that conclusively proves that the very first Christians proclaimed that Jesus is the Divine Son of God who died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, rose again on the third day, and ascended to heaven to sit enthroned at his Father’s right hand as King of kings and Lord of lords. There is simply no way of escaping this fact.
The only real option left for Muslims is to abandon Islam and the false prophet Muhammad and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Excursus
In our discussion we saw how Jesus and his first disciples applied to Christ some of the very names and titles which the Muslim doctrine of tauhid says belong only to God. Not only does this show that Jesus and his followers were not Muslims but it actually confirms that Christ himself and the earliest Christians taught that Jesus is God (even though he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit).
It is evident from the teachings of Jesus and his disciples that Christ was identified with God from the very start of Jesus’ movement. All of the earliest believers testified that Jesus shared in God’s exclusive attributes and authority.
The point that we are trying to make is that the Muslims must accept the fact that there are no first century documents which present a merely human Jesus, one who was nothing more than a mighty prophet of God. According to all of our earliest Christian sources both Jesus and his followers proclaimed that Christ is God Incarnate since they attributed to Jesus the very names, titles and functions which the Islamic concept of tauhid says belong to God alone.
Let’s take for example what Islam teaches concerning Allah’s unique sovereignty and sole rule over all things, commonly referred to as tauhid al-rububiyah.
The Quran states in many passages that Allah is the only king or ruler of creation and that the kingdom or dominion of the heavens and earth belongs to him alone:
Knowest thou not that to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that you have none, apart from God, neither protector nor helper? S. 2:107
To Allah belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and of the earth; and Allah is powerful over everything. S. 3:189 – cf. 5:17-18; 9:116
Other Quranic texts emphasize that Allah doesn’t share his rule with anyone and therefore doesn’t have any associate in his kingdom:
And say: 'Praise belongs to Allah, who has not taken to Him a son, and who has not any associate in the Kingdom, nor any protector out of humbleness.' And magnify Him with all the magnificence. S. 17:111
Say: “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Wali (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes NONE to share in His Decision and His Rule.” S. 18:26 Hilali-Khan
Blessed be He who has sent down the Salvation upon His servant, that he may be a warner to all beings; to whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and He has not taken to Him a son, and He has no associate in the Kingdom; and He created every thing, then He ordained it very exactly. S. 25:2
The Muslim scripture also mentions that on the judgment day Allah will show that the kingdom belongs only to him:
It is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth; and the day He says 'Be', and it is; His saying is true, and His is the Kingdom the day the Trumpet is blown; He is Knower of the Unseen and the visible; He is the All-wise, the All-aware. S. 6:73
The Kingdom upon that day shall belong to Allah, and He shall judge between them. As for those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, they shall be in Gardens of Bliss. S. 22:56
Upon the day that heaven is split asunder with the clouds and the angels are sent down in majesty, the Kingdom that day, the true Kingdom, shall belong to the All-merciful and it shall be a day harsh for the unbelievers. S. 25:25-26
Exalter of ranks is He, Possessor of the Throne, casting the Spirit of His bidding upon whomever He will of His servants, that he may warn them of the Day of Encounter, the day they sally forth, and naught of theirs is hidden from Allah. 'Whose is the Kingdom today?' ‘It is Allah's the One, the Irresistible!’ Today each soul shall be recompensed for that it has earned; no wrong today. Surely Allah is swift at the reckoning. S. 40:15-17
In light of this we would not expect to find either Jesus or his followers claiming that Christ shares God’s unique, exclusive rule over all creation if they were Muslims who believed in tauhid. We shouldn’t find our earliest Christian documents stating that Jesus has all authority and that every creature is subject to him since this would be an express violation of tauhid al-rububiyah. As one Muslim scholar stated in relation to the traditional historic Christian view of the Trinity:
Shirk in Rububiyah
This category of shirk refers to either the belief that others share Allah’s Lordship over creation as His equal or near equal, or to the belief that there exists no Lord over creation at all. Most religious systems fall into the first aspect of Shirk in Rububiyah while it is the philosophers and their man-made philosophies that tend to fill the second aspect…
Christian belief states that the one God reveals himself in three persons of Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. These three persons are nevertheless regarded as a unity, sharing one ‘substance’. Prophet Jesus is elevated to divinity, sits on the right hand of God and judges the world. The Holy Spirit, who in the Hebrew Bible is the means by which God exercises His creative power, in Christian thought becomes a part of the Godhead. Paul made the Holy Spirit the alter ego of Christ, the guide and help of Christians, first manifesting itself on the day of Pentecost. Consequently, Shirk in Rububiyah occurs in the Christian belief that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God’s partners in all of His dominion, in their belief that Jesus alone pronounces judgment on the world, and in their belief that Christians are helped and guided by the Holy Spirit. (Dr. Abu Ameenah Philips, The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) [International Islamic Publishing House, 2nd edition 2005], Chapter Two. The Categories of Shirk, Shirk in al-Asma’ was-Sifat, 1. Shirk by association, pp. 45, 46; underline emphasis ours)
However, as we saw in our article this is precisely what the Holy Bible teaches concerning the Lord Jesus! We quoted verses showing that the inspired Christian Scriptures depict the Lord Jesus as sitting on God’s own throne in heaven and ruling over every creature as the eternal Lord and King. Here are just some of the many Biblical citations which affirm that Christ is co-ruler of creation along with God Father:
“The Son of Man will send out HIS angels, and they will weed out of HIS kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:41-43
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ … Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-41, 46
“and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 1:19-23
“For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:5
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation 3:21
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15
“She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne… Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.’” Revelation 12:5, 10
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne (singular) of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.” Revelation 22:1-3
Christ and his followers also taught that Jesus is the unique beloved Son of God and Heir who owns everything God possesses:
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.” Mark 12:6-8
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27 – cf. Luke 10:22
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.” John 3:35
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” John 13:3
“He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” John 16:14-15
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.” John 17:10
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and FOR him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:13-17
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed Heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3
In other words, contrary to what the Quran says about Allah, Jesus and his followers proclaimed that the true God does indeed have a beloved Son who is his associate or partner in the kingdom!
Hence, it isn’t simply the Christians who elevated Jesus to divinity, but rather it was Christ himself along with all of his first disciples who proclaimed that Jesus is fully God in nature!
The Muslims must therefore contend with the fact that all of the earliest first century Christian sources contradict the Islamic scripture and conflict with the doctrine of tauhid as understood and defined by Muslim theologians. Contrary to both the teachings of the Quran and Islamic theology, Jesus and his followers taught that God has a beloved Son who is his partner in the kingdom, and that the one true God is multi-personal since they all affirmed that Christ, who is personally distinct from both the Father and the Holy Spirit, is fully God in essence.