Will you please give information about attributing fatherhood to Allah, trinity and the phrase spirit of Allah?

- Christians say "ibnullah", that is, son of Allah, for Hz. Isa. However, they probably say they use it metaphorically, not in its real sense.

Dear Brother / Sister,

Such phrases may have been included in the origin of the religion of Christianity. It may aim to symbolize that God has authority, power, compassion and mercy - like a father. For, maybe it was possible to show the greatness of God to people living in the past only through such a simile. However, it seems that the phrase “son of God” was moved away from its context afterwards and was allocated to Hz. Isa, who was a person that was created differently from the law of reproduction since he was created without a father. Thus, the creed of trinity consisting of father-son-holy spirit was formed instead of that general principle.

In fact, Hz. Isa used the word “father”, which he used metaphorically for God and for himself, for other people too. The following statement exists in a verse in the Gospel: “I am going to God, who is both your father and my father.” If that expression were real, not metaphorical, it would be permissible to regard all people or Christians as God’s children, which is unacceptable and unreasonable. 

In addition, the word Lord is sometimes used for Hz. Isa in the sense of educator, pedagogue and teacher.  (Mark, 16/19). However, the word Lord used there is not in the sense of God.

As a matter of fact, when Isaiah mentions Hz. Isa in the Matthew Bible, he uses the word servant: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight...” (Matthew, 12/18). Thus, it is mentioned in the Bible itself that Hz. Isa is a servant.

The following statement of Hz. Isa also shows that he is not a lord in the sense of a deity:  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Mark, 12/29) 

Attributing friendship and love to Allah, saying Allah’s beloved slave has no connection with saying Allah’s son. One of the names given to Hz. Ibrahim is Halilur-Rahman (friend of ar-Rahman). One of the names given to Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is Habibullah (the beloved of Allah). There are verses that show the trueness of those concepts. There are also verses showing that phrases like “sons of Allah” are not approved.

For instance, this wrong understanding of Jews and Christians are rejected severely in a verse:

“(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are sons of Allah, and his beloved.’ Say, ‘Why then doth He punish you for your sins?’ Nay, ye are but men,- of the men he hath created.” (al-Maida, 5/18)

There are different views about the meaning of the verse above in tafsir books. However, what needs to be learned from the verse is the emphasis that such a claim is never approved by Allah. 

The following is stated in another verse: 

“The Jews call ‘Uzair a son of Allah’, and the Christians call ‘Christ the son of Allah’. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah´s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!” (at-Tawba, 9/30)

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