Islam & the Son Of God

The moment we begin to speak with a Muslim, typically he or she will get offended by the fact that we are calling Jesus the Son of God. This is because when we say "Son of God", they think we are talking about a son who was conceived in the traditional, "normal" way, and they believe this assertion is blasphemy. They are right to believe this assertion is blasphemy. We must clarify to the Muslim that when we say, "Son of God', we do not believe that God ever had a physical relationship with a woman to have this son.

As we look at the Quran and what the Holy book says about Isa Al-Masih (Jesus the Messiah), we see in chapter 19th the angel talking to Maryam (Mary):

Quran 19:19 He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.

 Here Isa (Jesus) is referred to as a Holy Son, but please take note what is says in chapter 112:

Quran 112:1 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;

Quran 112:2 Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;

Quran 112:3 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; (or, God neither gave birth nor is born)

Here we read that Allah begetteth no one.

Islam fights the major doctrine in Christianity. First, the doctrine of devils and seducing spirits had found its way into the church through the teachings of the trinity. And we know that there was many form of trinity in early church history. This condemned teaching is taught by the Churches and Quran attacks it very clearly;

Quran 5:73 “They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: …”

And secondly Islam fights a heresy is found in paganism, it teaches that God has sexual relations with women to create other gods. And this heresy also finds its way to the Roman Catholic Church. Even today there is some Catholic Christians who believe that Mary preexist in heaven and was also pregnant and gave birth to Jesus in heaven!!!

The problem starts with the word “begotten”. What’s the word begotten means?

We read in Mathew chapter 1:

Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; (See also Mat. 1:3-16)

When we look at the word begat or begotten in this context, we can see that it consists of a sexual relation to give birth to a son or daughter. Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac.

And here we must remember the verse about God in Quran that says: 112:3 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;

When we read verse 3 in chapter 112 we see so clearly that the words “begetteth” and “begotten” used in the context that consist sexual relation. We will come back to this and compare the word “begat” in the book of Mathew and the word “begotten” in John 3:16 and then we can have full understanding of the words “begetteth” and “begotten” in the Quran chapter 112:3.

As we just read, Matthew begins his gospel with, “Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob….’ and he continues on through the generations, tracing the lineage of ‘Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham’. When he gets down to Joseph, the foster father of Jesus he continues, “… the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ”.

It is obvious to the discerning observer that Matthew does not say, “….and Joseph begat Jesus”, as he had done with the preceding generations.  He thus makes it clear that Joseph was not the genetic father of Jesus. No man was.

There is a second definition in which describes begotten to bring forth, to be born, to be shapen, to be formed. This means to sire or father without any sexual relations or partners.

When we look at the birth of Isa (Jesus) on earth, we see that He was born of Mary but not from any sexual relations.

Quran 3:45 (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah."

And Jesus existed from eternity:

“The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him as his right. This was no robbery of God. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way," he declares, "before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth."” {E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 7}

Jesus bring forth, cause to exist, generate, to form, caused to be. Allah has given us a gift of a holy righteous son. One who has shown perfect submission to Allah and he being the utmost example for all man kind. In proverbs 8:22-30 we find where Jesus has his beginning of days. Please notice the words brought forth, brought up, set up.

Proverbs 8:22 The LORD (Allah) possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

Proverbs 8:23 I (Isa) was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Proverbs 8:24 When [there were] no depths, I (Isa) was brought forth; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water.

Proverbs 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I (Isa) brought forth:

Proverbs 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

Proverbs 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I (Isa) [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

Proverbs 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

Proverbs 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Proverbs 8:30 Then I (Isa) was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I (Isa) was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him;

Here we see that Isa (Jesus) has his beginnings even before the earth was ever created. He was the firstborn of heaven and had His beginnings so far back in eternity that no man can count or fantom it. This does not say that God had any partner to have His firstborn Son Jesus Christ.

In the Arabic version of the Bible, there is a big difference between the words "son" of God and "child" of God. In Arabic, there are the words "lbn" and "walad". "Ibn" means "son" and "walad" means "child"; a child that born out of sexual relations.  The Arabic Bible never calls Jesus "Walad Allah" the child of God, but He is "Ibn Allah", the Son of God; meaning He came from God and never means that God had sexual relations with a woman to have Jesus.

The Arabic word “walad” used in Quran when a protest is brought about Allah having a child. Next few verses show clearly that the Islamic denial is directed against the teachings that God has sexual relations with women to have a child “walad”.

Quran 4:171

Transliteration

: innama Allahu ilahun wahidunsubhanahu an yakoona lahu waladun

English Translation

“… surely Allah is only One God. All Extolment be to Him-that He should have a child. …”

Quran 2:116

Transliteration

: Waqaloo itakhatha Allahuwaladan subhanahu bal lahu ma fee assamawatiwal-ardi kullun lahu qanitoon

English Translation

And they have said, "Allah has taken to Him a child." All Extolment be to Him! No indeed, He has whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devout to Him,

Quran 72:3

Transliteration

: Waannahu taAAala jaddu rabbinama ittakhatha sahibatan wala walada

English Translation

And (we believe) that He-Supremely Exalted be our Lord's Dignity- in no way has He taken to Him either a female companion or a child.

Quran 6:101

Transliteration

: BadeeAAu assamawatiwal-ardi anna yakoonu lahu waladun walamtakun lahu sahibatun wakhalaqa kulla shay-in wahuwabikulli shay-in AAaleem

English Translation

He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.

Please notice how the word WALAD used in the Quran talks about a child: God in no way has He taken to Him either a female companion or a child. How God can He have children when He has no wife? We see the word “walad” in these two verses clearly consist a sexual relation for the word walad mentioned along with female companion and wife.

Let’s continue.

Quran 19:35

Transliteration

: Ma kana lillahi anyattakhitha min waladin subhanahu itha qadaamran fa-innama yaqoolu lahu kun fayakoon

English Translation

In no way is it for Allah to take to Him a child. All Extolment be to Him! When He decrees a Command, then He only says to it, "Be!" and it is.

Quran 19:88

Transliteration

: Waqaloo ittakhatha arrahmanu walada

English Translation

And they have said, "The All-Merciful has taken to Him a child."

Quran 19:91

Transliteration

: An daAAaw lirrahmani walada

For that they have attributed to The All-Merciful a child;

Quran 19:92

Transliteration

: Wama yanbaghee lirrahmanian yattakhitha walada

English Translation

And in no way does it behoove The All-Merciful to take to Him a child.

Quran 25:2

Transliteration

: Allathee lahu mulku assamawatiwal-ardi walam yattakhith waladan …

English Translation

To Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and He has not taken to Him a child …

Quran 43:81

Transliteration

: Qul in kana lirrahmani waladun faana awwalu alAAabideen

English Translation

Say, "In case The All-Merciful has a child, then I am the first among the worshippers.

Quran 17:111

Transliteration

: “Waquli alhamdu lillahi allatheelam yattakhith waladan …”

English Translation

And say, "Praise be to Allah, Who has not taken to Him a child,…"

We see that there is two definition of the word “beget”.  We read in Mathew chapter 1:

Mat 1:2 (KJV) Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; (See also Mat. 1:3-16)

Transliteration

Ibrahim waled Izhaac, wa Izhaac waled Yaakoub, wa Yaakoub waled Yahouda wa ihwatahu.

The Arabic translation is more accurate to ISV:

Mat 1:2 (ISV) Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers.

We see in Matthew the word “begat” clearly consist a sexual relation. And in Arabic Bible this word “begat” translated as “waled” which means a father;  Father that when a man get married and have a kid so become a father.

Let’s see now John 3:16.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Transliteration

Li annaho hakatha ahabba Allaho al alam hatta bithal ibnihi al wahid likay la yahliko kol man yo'min bihi bal takoon laho al hayah al abadiya

Notice please the word “SON” in John 3:16 translated as “IBN” and not “walad” in Arabic Bible.

The study of the phrase "only begotten" is very interesting, when you consider its usage in the Bible. The Greek word, monogenes, which is translated as "only begotten" means "single of its kind, only," or "the only member of a kin or kind." (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1889, p. 417; Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, Oxford, 1968, p. 1144) In the Bible only begotten is used to describe the relationship of both sons and daughters to their parents.

The Bible speaks of "the only-begotten son" of a widow who lived in the city of Nain, of Jairus’ "only-begotten daughter”, and of a man’s "only-begotten" son whom Jesus cured of a demon. (Please see Luke 7:11,12; 8:41,42; 9:38.)

Paul referred to Isaac as Abraham’s “only-begotten son” (Heb 11:17), even though Abraham also fathered Ishmael by Hagar as well as several sons by Keturah. (Genesis 16:15; 25:1- 2; 1 Chronicles 1:28, 32) But, Isaac was the only and unique son of Abraham that was promised by God.

Only begotten is not always used in relation to birthing a baby, like humans might beget children.

One example is Deut. 32:18-20, where Jehovah God is said to have "begat" or given "birth" to the Israelites, who he thought of as his sons and daughters. The Israelites had natural human parents, yet, God fathered them by feeding them and protecting them in the wilderness. He cared for them both physically and spiritually like a human father should care for his children. It was as if he suffered labor pains with them, yet, he did not literally give birth to them.

Another example, 1 John 5:1 states, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." Here God is said to beget those who believe that Jesus is the Christ; yet, we know that God did not give birth to them literally, like a human does. Similarly, 1 Peter 1:3 state, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," Here again, is another example like that which John wrote above.

A third example is written by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 4, where he speaks of those in the Corinthian congregation that were his beloved children, because he begat them through the gospel (good news) that he preached to them. These spiritual children were not literally begotten like in a human birth.

1 Corinthians 4:14-17 (KJV)

1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

1Co 4:15  For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1Co 4:16  Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

1Co 4:17  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

The word "begotten" or "begat" or "beget" does not always refer to giving birth literally, like humans do. So, in what way was Jesus Christ begotten in the beginning, before all other creatures as God's firstborn? Was Jesus literally birthed like a human being gives birth?

Quran 112:3 He begets not, nor is He begotten.

Transliteration

: Lam yalid walam yoolad

In Quran 112:3 says; God neither gave birth (yalid) nor is born (yoolad) and it’s so clear the word “beget” here as it is in Mathew 1:2. Means God did not begat a son as Abraham did begat Isaac.

Many Christians believe that the Quran denying Father-Son relationship between God and Jesus Christ. If that’s true then the Quran must deny the New Testament. For the New Testament witness to the Father-Son relationship between God and Jesus Christ is undeniable. The consistency and repetition observed in the gospels is striking. We do not have one single verse in Quran denying the Bible but we have many verses says that the Quran is CONFIRMING the Bible. If the Quran Confirming the Bible it must confirm the Father-Son relationship between God and Jesus Christ as it is in the Bible and as it is understood and taught by the true believers.