Do Muslims and Christians Really Worship the Same One God?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
How does the Quran state that Muslims and Christians worship the same God when Christians believe in the Trinity and worship Jesus, while Islam teaches pure tawhid?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
The Quran acknowledges that Muslims, Jews, and Christians are all “People of the Book” and that they were originally given revelation from the same God—the God of Abraham. However, the Quran criticizes the divergence of beliefs, such as the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, as departures from that original monotheism (tawhid).
Shared Origin: Same God of Abraham
The Quran says,
“Say: We believe in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes…”[Quran, 2:136]
“And do not argue with the People of the Book except in a way that is best… and say, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us and revealed to you. Our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit.’”[Quran, 29:46]
These verses affirm a shared root and a common God, the God who sent Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). So in origin, yes, it’s the same God
Tawhid vs. Trinity—Divergence in Belief
The Quran is very clear in rejecting the Trinity and divinity of Jesus:
“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary’…”[Quran 5:72]
“‘Trinity.’ Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.” [Quran, 4:171]
So, while Christians believe they are worshipping the God of Abraham, the Quran teaches that associating Jesus with God (shirk) is a grave theological error—a corruption of the original monotheism.
Summary
The same God is recognized in origin, i.e., the God of Abraham, but there is a different understanding. Islam emphasizes the concept of pure tawhid, meaning that God is absolutely One. In contrast, Christianity, which affirms the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, is viewed by the Quran as having deviated from that oneness. Therefore, while both faiths intend to worship the same God, their concepts and methods of worship differ fundamentally.
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
