IS ALLAH THE SAME AS YAHWEH?
EXAMINING THE GOD OF ISLAM AND THE GOD OF THE BIBLE
Key Scriptures
Colossians 2:9 “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”
Philippians 2:5-6 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God…”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Matthew 5:46 “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”
Key Quran Passages
29.46 “Do not argue with those who were given the Book save in the best way, unless it be those of them who are given to wrongdoing (and, therefore, not accessible to courteous argument). Say (to them): "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you, and your God and our God is one and the same. We are Muslims wholly submitted to Him.”
5.72 “They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.”
5.73 “Assuredly they also have disbelieved who say, "God is the third of the Three," whereas there is no deity save the One God. If they desist not from their saying so, there shall touch those of them who disbelieve a painful punishment.”
3.31 “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.”
Application
Many people have asserted that the god of the Quran and the God of the Bible are two different perspectives of one God. Even the Quran itself can be interpreted to assert this. It states that the “people of the book” and Muslims are the same (Surah 29.46). In addition to this, there are multiple overlapping narratives throughout the Quran and the Bible. From the creation of Adam and Eve to the Exodus and even the virgin birth, the stories told about the God of the Bible and the god of the Quran are very similar. However, despite their similarities, it becomes clear that they are distinct from one another when examining their nature and character.
God’s Nature
The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most significant differences between the Muslim god and the Christian God. In verses throughout the Old and New Testament, there are clear indications of a trinitarian God (Gen. 1:2,1:26, 3:22; Isaiah 9:6, Exodus 23:20-21). These references to a trinitarian God are consistent and become clearer throughout Scripture. The Athanasian Creed interprets the biblical teaching concerning the Trinity to reveal a God who is three persons and one essence, completely eternal. While both religions are monotheistic (worshiping only one God), the doctrine of the trinity is vastly different from what is written in the Quran concerning the being of God. Jesus Christ is expressly forbidden from being of the same essence as god (Surah 5.72). The Trinity is a core doctrine of Christian faith and describes the nature of the God of the Bible. However, the concept of the Trinity is not in alignment with the teachings of the Quran. To both Christian and Islamic theology, this discrepancy is significant. This one irreconcilable difference alone would be enough to show that the God of the Bible and the god of the Quran are not the same. However, there are many more differences that further show the differences between the Muslim and Christian God.
God’s Character
The character of God also differs widely in the Islamic and Christian holy books. Perhaps the most obvious character difference is the love of God. The god of the Quran only loves those who love and follow him. However, Jesus says that this is the kind of love that even tax collectors exhibit (Matt. 5:46). The love that the God of the Bible shows is an unconditional form of love even for those who are in opposition to Him. While Allah only loves those who love Him, God loved us even when we were sinning against Him (Rom. 5:8). This character difference is significant as one examines the importance of the love of God in Christian theology. The love that the God of the Bible has for humanity drives his actions in history with His people and His actions toward humanity today. His love is so unconditional and so radical that He went to the length of sending His own Son to die so that humanity might have the opportunity to know Him and have restored relationship with Him. Allah, however, would never engage in an act such as self-sacrifice because His love is conditional and, in many cases, self-seeking.
Conclusion
Christians, in different traditions and denominations, may disagree about the workings of God in specific situations or various doctrines of how their faith should be practiced. However, they agree on the fundamentals of God’s nature and character. This is not the same as the differences that exist between Islam and Christianity. The Christian God is love and his actions are an outpouring of that defining love. God even loved humanity when we were sinners, to the extent that He sent His own Son to die (John 3:16). This is not the god described by the Quran. The god described by the Quran is not trinitarian and does not love with the same love that the God of the Bible does. They are essentially distinct from one another.