Were the first Christians people of tawhid (monotheists)?

How do we know that the first Christians in the time of the Prophet Isa (Jesus) did not believe he was God and that he spread the message of tawhid (the message of Islam)? If the first Christians—that is, the first apostles of Jesus—had accepted that he was only a prophet and that he was preaching a message of tawhid (the message of Islam), this would show that Islam is true. However, some claim that the apostles already considered him God at that time while others say that it is not true.

Dear Brother / Sister,

As with other prophets, there were those who believed in Jesus and those who denied. Belief, first and foremost, means believing in the oneness of Allah.

“And behold! I inspired the disciples to have faith in Me and Mine Messenger. they said, ‘We have faith, and do thou bear witness that we bow to Allah as Muslims’. Behold! the disciples, said: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a table set (with viands) from heaven?’ Said Jesus: ‘Fear Allah, if ye have faith’.” (al-Maida, 5/111-112)

The first verse, by saying “In Me and My Messenger”, draws attention to the fact that Jesus is a messenger of Allah and the second verse, in which the apostles address Jesus as “O Jesus, the son of Mary!” emphasizes that those who initially believed in Jesus were convinced of both the existence and oneness of Allah, and that Jesus was a human being, the son of Mary (not of Allah).

“Christ the son of Mary was no more than an apostle; many were the apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth?” (al-Maida, 5/75). This verse attracts attention to the doctrine of tawhid (oneness) from many points.

Thus, the first Christians believed in monotheism and regarded Jesus as the servant and prophet of Allah.

The subsequent debates about deification are a matter of later interpretations, not that initial period. As it is stated in the verse, they “deluded away from the truth” and fell into polytheism (shirk).

Given that everything will return to its origin, we hope that they too will return to monotheism and embrace Islam, the final religion.

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