What does the Qur'an say about trinity?

Sources

• ✓ 4:171 · An-Nisaa

  4:171 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا

  O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.

• ✓ 5:73 · Al-Maaida

  5:73 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَٰثَةٍۢ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

  They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no Allah save the One Allah. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 4:171

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 4:171

  The Almighty forbids the People of the Book from excessive exaggeration and undue praise, particularly directed towards Jesus. This is common among the Christians, who went beyond true belief in Jesus by elevating him above the status given to him by Allah. They took him out of the realm of prophethood and even worshipped him as a god besides Allah. Some of his followers—claiming to follow his religion—went to extremes by asserting his infallibility and followed their leaders blindly, whether their statements were true, false, misguided, or correct. For this, Allah said: "They took their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Mary; yet they were commanded only to worship one God—there is no god but He. Glory be to Him above what they associate with Him." (At-Tawbah: 31) Imam Ahmad reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who narrated from Umar that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Do not praise me excessively as the Christians praised Jesus, son of Mary; for I am only Allah’s servant and messenger." This hadith was also transmitted by Ali ibn al-Madini, who affirmed its soundness. The Prophet also corrected the one who addressed him with exalted titles, reminding people to call him “the servant of Allah and His messenger” as Allah raised his rank only to that extent. The verse continues: "Do not say about Allah except the truth," warning against fabricating lies attributing a partner or child to Him—Allah is exalted beyond such claims, singular and unique in His majesty and greatness. Regarding the phrase, "The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, is but a messenger of Allah and His word which He cast into Mary and a spirit from Him," it means Jesus is a servant and creation of Allah. He came into existence by Allah’s command "Be," and he was a messenger among His prophets. The "word" refers to the divine command conveyed by Gabriel to Mary, into which Allah breathed a spirit by His permission, creating Jesus. This is why Jesus is called the word of Allah and a spirit from Him, as he had no earthly father but was created by divine decree. Allah said: "The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a messenger; messengers passed away before him and his mother was a truthful woman who ate food." (Al-Ma’idah: 75) And: "The likeness of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him ‘Be,’ and he was." (Al-Imran: 59) Also: "And the one who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her of Our spirit, and made her and her son a sign for the worlds." (Al-Anbiya: 91), and: "Mary, daughter of Imran, who preserved her chastity; we breathed into her spirit and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was devout." (At-Tahrim: 12) Several scholars explained "His word cast into Mary and a spirit from Him" as the divine command causing Jesus’s creation. Some said the spirit is a messenger or a love from Him, but the best view is that Jesus was created from a created spirit added to Allah with honor, much like sacred things are related to Him by way of exaltation. The verse then commands, "So believe in Allah and His messengers," meaning acknowledge that Allah is One without a partner or child and that Jesus is His servant and messenger. Hence Allah says, "Do not say 'Trinity,' cease, that is better for you. Indeed Allah is the only God, exalted above having a child. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth, and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." (An-Nisa: 171) This verse and others, like those in Surah al-Ma’idah, make clear that the Christian claims of the Trinity and deifying Jesus are false and that their beliefs are diverse and contradictory. Historical records show multiple sects within Christianity, with no agreement even among themselves about these matters, each accusing the others of heresy. The essence is that Allah is unique, the sole Creator and Lord, and it is false and an enormous elevation beyond Allah’s transcendent majesty to ascribe children or partners to Him. Allah says: "Originator of the heavens and the earth, how could He have a son when He has no consort?" (Al-An’am: 101) and also: "They said, 'The Most Merciful has taken a son.' You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation that they have ascribed a son to the Most Merciful." (Maryam: 88-92) This is the orthodox Muslim understanding affirming the prophethood and human creation of Jesus, rejecting any form of deification or association with Allah.