Christians, Shirk and Your Interpretation of Verse 5:119
Question:
In an answer to a question you discussed the idea that the Quran does not consider Christians with sincere beliefs Mushrik, and that they do have a place in mercy. However, I have also read interpretations that the Surah al’Maidah 5:119 refers only to those who truthfully follow the Islamic concept of the Tawhid and no others. What do you make of this?
In truth, I ask this because I am a Christian. I arrived at this after exploring several different faiths including Islam. I consider this a truthful and sincere belief, but I would still like to keep an open mind to other faith’s ideas. Am I Mushrik?
Answer:
Quick answer is no, you are not mushrik.
Allow me to elaborate:
The basis in understanding that Christians are not mushrik is not verse 5:119, but the use of the terminology in the Qur’an. The Qur’an has criticised Christians for their concept of trinity, It has also referred to this concept as shirk.
لقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّڪُمۡۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَٮٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ۬ لَّقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ۬ۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
"Indeed, those who said: ‘God is the Messiah, the son of Mary’ have committed disbelief. Even though the Messiah himself had said: ‘O Israelites! Serve God, Who is my Lord and also yours.’ Whoever associates others with God (not due to ignorance but due to arrogance) God will deny him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode and for such wrong-doers there shall be no one to help them. Verily those who said: ‘God is the third of three’, even though there is but one God, committed disbelief. If they do not desist from such statements then those of them who persist in their disbelief (out of arrogance even after the truth has been conclusively communicated to them by the Prophet), a painful torment will visit them." (5:72, 73)
(Please note the commentary phrases in brackets in the above translation. I have not added these commentary phrases out of being nice or polite or to be politically correct. These are what I fully and genuinely believe are needed to deliver the correct interpretation of the verses and I am more than happy to elaborate on them in another writing, although I have already addressed this in a more general level in some of my writings in this website.)
Despite the above strong criticism to the concept of trinity, the Qur’an has never referred to Christians as mushriks and clearly distinguishes them from mushriks. For example in 98:1 we read:
لَمۡ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَةُ
"Those among the People of the Book and the polythesists who have rejected [the Qur’an] shall not be abandoned (by God) until there comes to them a clear sign" (98:1)
It is therefore important to understand the difference between shirk and mushrik in Arabic. Shirk is a noun. It refers to any aspect of polytheism, even if it is a mild polytheism. In this meaning any monotheist, including a Muslim, may have beliefs that involve shirk. For example a Muslim who prays to the prophet (pbuh) and asks him rather than God to answer his prayer can be said to have an aspect of shirk in his prayer. In this meaning, as you see in verse 5:72, a Christian who believes in three manifestations for God also has an aspect of shirk in his belief.
Mushrik on the other hand is a Subject. In the terminology of the Qur’an it refers to a person who believes in more than one god and proudly confesses to that and is categorically opposed to monotheism.
In the above examples, if you ask that Muslim or that Christian whether they believe in any god other than the one true God they will say with all honesty, No! Therefore in the terminology of the Qur’an none of them will be mushrik.
You also asked about the interpretation of verse 5:119. To better understand this verse I would like to explain for you three important principles in the Qur’an with regard to God’s guidance and success in the hereafter. Please note, what I am presenting here is my understanding and it is not in accordance to the view of the majority of Muslims and Muslim scholars:
1. There is no single path to the Almighty. Every community may have its own religious path. In particular each of Jews, Christians and Muslims are expected to follow their own religious path (5:43, 5:47, 5:48). The Qur’an is very clear that God never wanted all human beings to follow a same religious path (5:48). This of course does not negate the fact that a religious path needs to be purified from any false and wrong belief or practice. I have written an article about this diversity in the Qur’an which you can read here.
2.The Qur’an informs us that religious and sectarian labels have no meanings when it comes to what is acceptable by God. Whether a person is calling himself Jew, Christian, Muslim or anything else, as long as he believes in one God and the hereafter and does righteous things he will be fine before God (2:62, 5:69).
3. Even if a person has false beliefs, if that person is honestly convinced about that false belief then that person will be fine in the hereafter. This is because God does not hold people responsible for something that is beyond their capabilities (2:286). To demand a person to believe in something that he is not convinced about it or to leave a belief that he is convinced is correct equals to demanding something beyond that person’s capabilities. Verse 5:119 that you referred to is among the verses that is evidence to this and is very much in line with the previously mentioned verses. The verse implies that those who are honest in their understanding will be fine in the hereafter even if that understanding is not totally correct.This is my main answer to your question. However, as you correctly mentioned not all scholars interpret verse 5:119 the way that I interpreted it. Therefore in the next section of my answer I would like to analyse verse 5:119 to explore its correct meaning. This part is a bit technical and may not be of interest to many so I separate it from the main body of my answer.
**********
The important question that I am answering here is as follows:
Verse 5:119 promises heaven to Sadiqin (truthful). Does the truthful here mean those who follow the Islamic concept of monotheism or does it mean any person whose heart, tongue and deeds are in harmony?
Let me quote the verse within the context to explain this:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلۡتَ لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِى وَأُمِّىَ إِلَـٰهَيۡنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنۡ أَقُولَ مَا لَيۡسَ لِى بِحَقٍّۚ إِن كُنتُ قُلۡتُهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَهُ ۥۚ تَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِى وَلَآ أَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِكَۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ (١١٦) مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِى بِهِۦۤ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ شَہِيدً۬ا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيہِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡہِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ (١١٧) إِن تُعَذِّبۡہُمۡ فَإِنَّہُمۡ عِبَادُكَۖ وَإِن تَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ (١١٨) قَالَ ٱللَّهُ هَـٰذَا يَوۡمُ يَنفَعُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ صِدۡقُهُمۡۚ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَآ أَبَدً۬اۚ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ (١١٩)
"And when God said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say to people: Take me and my mother for two gods beside God? he said: Be glorified! It was not mine to say that to which I had no right. If I had ever said it, then You would have known it. You know what is in my heart, and I know not what is in Yours. Verily You, only You, are the knower of things hidden? (116) I spoke unto them only that which You commanded me, (that is): Worship God, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness to them while I dwelt among them, and when You gave death to me, You were the Watcher over them and You are Witness over all things. (117) If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the Mighty, the Wise. (118) God said: This is a day in which the truthfulness of the truthful will benefit them, for them are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they live forever, God being pleased with them and they being pleased with Him. That is the great success" (5:116-119)
I am using three evidences from the Qur'an here to prove my understanding of the word Sadiqin in this verse:
A. If you read these verses carefully you perhaps will agree with me that in verse 118 we are in fact seeing Jesus (pbuh) very respectfully interceding for forgiveness of his followers. The merciful God that the Qur’an presents will not reject such interceding from one of his most special prophets. It will be totally against God’s mercy after this intercession by Jesus (pbuh) that He would say only those who follow the Islamic concept of monotheism will be fine in that day.
B. This is further clear by noticing the expression “yanfa’u” (benefits) in the verse. The use of ‘benefit’ in the expression “the truthfulness of the truthful will benefit them” indicates the situation where in principle a person can be in trouble (due to shirk) but there is an element (i.e honesty) that ‘benefits’ him and saves him from that problem. The word ‘yanfa’u’ (benefit) would have not been an appropriate word if truthful here was meant to be limited to those who had the correct faith and practices.
You can see other verses of the Qur’an in which the same word or its derivatives are used for the same meaning, that is, benefiting someone who will be in trouble in the hereafter: 2:123, 20:109, 34:23, 74:48, 60:3, 26:88, 6:158, 30:57, 40:52, 43:39.
C. A look at other verses of the Qur’an where the word Sadiqin is used can clarify this. We can easily see what word/concept according to the Qur’an has an opposite meaning to the word Sadiqin:
As it is clear from the above, the opposite of Sadiqin according to the Qur’an is a person who is not true to himself and rejects the truth out of arrogance rather than out of mistake (liar, hypocrite, infidel). We do not have any verses of the Qur’an in which one who has taken a path by genuine mistake is referred to as the opposite to one who is considered among Sadiqin.
The word Sadiqin therefore does not necessarily mean one whose faith is totally correct. Rather, it means one who is honest in his faith and practices. In other words, one whose heart, tongue and deeds are in harmony.
I hope this clarifies.
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Related Topics:
- Are Christians polytheists?
- An Insight into the Concept of 'Kafir' in the Qur'an
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Farhad Shafti
September 2018
In an answer to a question you discussed the idea that the Quran does not consider Christians with sincere beliefs Mushrik, and that they do have a place in mercy. However, I have also read interpretations that the Surah al’Maidah 5:119 refers only to those who truthfully follow the Islamic concept of the Tawhid and no others. What do you make of this?
In truth, I ask this because I am a Christian. I arrived at this after exploring several different faiths including Islam. I consider this a truthful and sincere belief, but I would still like to keep an open mind to other faith’s ideas. Am I Mushrik?
Answer:
Quick answer is no, you are not mushrik.
Allow me to elaborate:
The basis in understanding that Christians are not mushrik is not verse 5:119, but the use of the terminology in the Qur’an. The Qur’an has criticised Christians for their concept of trinity, It has also referred to this concept as shirk.
لقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّڪُمۡۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَٮٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ۬ لَّقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ۬ۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
"Indeed, those who said: ‘God is the Messiah, the son of Mary’ have committed disbelief. Even though the Messiah himself had said: ‘O Israelites! Serve God, Who is my Lord and also yours.’ Whoever associates others with God (not due to ignorance but due to arrogance) God will deny him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode and for such wrong-doers there shall be no one to help them. Verily those who said: ‘God is the third of three’, even though there is but one God, committed disbelief. If they do not desist from such statements then those of them who persist in their disbelief (out of arrogance even after the truth has been conclusively communicated to them by the Prophet), a painful torment will visit them." (5:72, 73)
(Please note the commentary phrases in brackets in the above translation. I have not added these commentary phrases out of being nice or polite or to be politically correct. These are what I fully and genuinely believe are needed to deliver the correct interpretation of the verses and I am more than happy to elaborate on them in another writing, although I have already addressed this in a more general level in some of my writings in this website.)
Despite the above strong criticism to the concept of trinity, the Qur’an has never referred to Christians as mushriks and clearly distinguishes them from mushriks. For example in 98:1 we read:
لَمۡ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَةُ
"Those among the People of the Book and the polythesists who have rejected [the Qur’an] shall not be abandoned (by God) until there comes to them a clear sign" (98:1)
It is therefore important to understand the difference between shirk and mushrik in Arabic. Shirk is a noun. It refers to any aspect of polytheism, even if it is a mild polytheism. In this meaning any monotheist, including a Muslim, may have beliefs that involve shirk. For example a Muslim who prays to the prophet (pbuh) and asks him rather than God to answer his prayer can be said to have an aspect of shirk in his prayer. In this meaning, as you see in verse 5:72, a Christian who believes in three manifestations for God also has an aspect of shirk in his belief.
Mushrik on the other hand is a Subject. In the terminology of the Qur’an it refers to a person who believes in more than one god and proudly confesses to that and is categorically opposed to monotheism.
In the above examples, if you ask that Muslim or that Christian whether they believe in any god other than the one true God they will say with all honesty, No! Therefore in the terminology of the Qur’an none of them will be mushrik.
You also asked about the interpretation of verse 5:119. To better understand this verse I would like to explain for you three important principles in the Qur’an with regard to God’s guidance and success in the hereafter. Please note, what I am presenting here is my understanding and it is not in accordance to the view of the majority of Muslims and Muslim scholars:
1. There is no single path to the Almighty. Every community may have its own religious path. In particular each of Jews, Christians and Muslims are expected to follow their own religious path (5:43, 5:47, 5:48). The Qur’an is very clear that God never wanted all human beings to follow a same religious path (5:48). This of course does not negate the fact that a religious path needs to be purified from any false and wrong belief or practice. I have written an article about this diversity in the Qur’an which you can read here.
2.The Qur’an informs us that religious and sectarian labels have no meanings when it comes to what is acceptable by God. Whether a person is calling himself Jew, Christian, Muslim or anything else, as long as he believes in one God and the hereafter and does righteous things he will be fine before God (2:62, 5:69).
3. Even if a person has false beliefs, if that person is honestly convinced about that false belief then that person will be fine in the hereafter. This is because God does not hold people responsible for something that is beyond their capabilities (2:286). To demand a person to believe in something that he is not convinced about it or to leave a belief that he is convinced is correct equals to demanding something beyond that person’s capabilities. Verse 5:119 that you referred to is among the verses that is evidence to this and is very much in line with the previously mentioned verses. The verse implies that those who are honest in their understanding will be fine in the hereafter even if that understanding is not totally correct.This is my main answer to your question. However, as you correctly mentioned not all scholars interpret verse 5:119 the way that I interpreted it. Therefore in the next section of my answer I would like to analyse verse 5:119 to explore its correct meaning. This part is a bit technical and may not be of interest to many so I separate it from the main body of my answer.
**********
The important question that I am answering here is as follows:
Verse 5:119 promises heaven to Sadiqin (truthful). Does the truthful here mean those who follow the Islamic concept of monotheism or does it mean any person whose heart, tongue and deeds are in harmony?
Let me quote the verse within the context to explain this:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلۡتَ لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِى وَأُمِّىَ إِلَـٰهَيۡنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنۡ أَقُولَ مَا لَيۡسَ لِى بِحَقٍّۚ إِن كُنتُ قُلۡتُهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَهُ ۥۚ تَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِى وَلَآ أَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِكَۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ (١١٦) مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِى بِهِۦۤ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ شَہِيدً۬ا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيہِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡہِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ (١١٧) إِن تُعَذِّبۡہُمۡ فَإِنَّہُمۡ عِبَادُكَۖ وَإِن تَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ (١١٨) قَالَ ٱللَّهُ هَـٰذَا يَوۡمُ يَنفَعُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ صِدۡقُهُمۡۚ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَآ أَبَدً۬اۚ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ (١١٩)
"And when God said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say to people: Take me and my mother for two gods beside God? he said: Be glorified! It was not mine to say that to which I had no right. If I had ever said it, then You would have known it. You know what is in my heart, and I know not what is in Yours. Verily You, only You, are the knower of things hidden? (116) I spoke unto them only that which You commanded me, (that is): Worship God, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness to them while I dwelt among them, and when You gave death to me, You were the Watcher over them and You are Witness over all things. (117) If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the Mighty, the Wise. (118) God said: This is a day in which the truthfulness of the truthful will benefit them, for them are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they live forever, God being pleased with them and they being pleased with Him. That is the great success" (5:116-119)
I am using three evidences from the Qur'an here to prove my understanding of the word Sadiqin in this verse:
A. If you read these verses carefully you perhaps will agree with me that in verse 118 we are in fact seeing Jesus (pbuh) very respectfully interceding for forgiveness of his followers. The merciful God that the Qur’an presents will not reject such interceding from one of his most special prophets. It will be totally against God’s mercy after this intercession by Jesus (pbuh) that He would say only those who follow the Islamic concept of monotheism will be fine in that day.
B. This is further clear by noticing the expression “yanfa’u” (benefits) in the verse. The use of ‘benefit’ in the expression “the truthfulness of the truthful will benefit them” indicates the situation where in principle a person can be in trouble (due to shirk) but there is an element (i.e honesty) that ‘benefits’ him and saves him from that problem. The word ‘yanfa’u’ (benefit) would have not been an appropriate word if truthful here was meant to be limited to those who had the correct faith and practices.
You can see other verses of the Qur’an in which the same word or its derivatives are used for the same meaning, that is, benefiting someone who will be in trouble in the hereafter: 2:123, 20:109, 34:23, 74:48, 60:3, 26:88, 6:158, 30:57, 40:52, 43:39.
C. A look at other verses of the Qur’an where the word Sadiqin is used can clarify this. We can easily see what word/concept according to the Qur’an has an opposite meaning to the word Sadiqin:
- In verses 24:6 and 24:7 Kazebin (liars) is put opposite to Sadiqin.
- In 33:24 Munafiqin (hypocrites) is put opposite to Sadiqin.
- In verse 33:7, 8 Kafir (that in the terminology of the Qur’an is one who rejects the truth out of arrogance) is put opposite to Sadiqin.
As it is clear from the above, the opposite of Sadiqin according to the Qur’an is a person who is not true to himself and rejects the truth out of arrogance rather than out of mistake (liar, hypocrite, infidel). We do not have any verses of the Qur’an in which one who has taken a path by genuine mistake is referred to as the opposite to one who is considered among Sadiqin.
The word Sadiqin therefore does not necessarily mean one whose faith is totally correct. Rather, it means one who is honest in his faith and practices. In other words, one whose heart, tongue and deeds are in harmony.
I hope this clarifies.
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Related Topics:
- Are Christians polytheists?
- An Insight into the Concept of 'Kafir' in the Qur'an
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Farhad Shafti
September 2018
