Questions About the Nature of Christ and a Call to Reflection

*By: Faisal Al-Sharif*

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to the straight path and granted us the blessing of reason to reflect and ponder His clear signs. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the prophets and messengers, who was sent as a mercy to the worlds to bring people out of darkness into light, and to guide them to the path of truth and salvation.

To every Christian seeking the truth, I present these questions as an invitation to reflection and contemplation, for Allah has endowed us all with intellect to think deeply about what we believe and strive to understand it more clearly.

### Introduction

Belief in Allah and His oneness is the cornerstone of every believer's life, whether Muslim or Christian. We Muslims believe that Allah is One, without any partners, and that He is the Creator, capable of all things, who needs nothing from His creation. Allah says in His Noble Book: *"Say, He is Allah, [Who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent."* (Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4).

However, when we consider the Christian doctrine that teaches the divinity of Christ (Jesus, peace be upon him) and that he is part of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a number of questions arise that I invite you to reflect upon with your hearts and minds.

### Questions About the Nature of Christ

1. *How can God need food and drink?*


   - If God is the all-powerful Creator who needs nothing, how could Christ, who is considered God in Christian doctrine, need food and drink like humans? How can a believer reconcile God's perfection with the human needs of Christ? Allah says in the Quran: *"And it is He who feeds and is not fed."* (Surah Al-An'am 6:14). So how could a god need food like humans?

2. *How can God die?*


   - Christian doctrine teaches that Christ died on the cross and then rose from the dead. But how can God, who does not die and does not change, experience death? The Bible says: *"For I the Lord do not change."* (Malachi 3:6). Similarly, Allah says in the Quran: *"Every soul will taste death."* (Surah Al-Imran 3:185). How can the eternity of God be reconciled with the experience of death that Christ went through on the cross?

3. *How can the divine and human natures be combined?*


   - Christian doctrine teaches that Christ has two natures: divine and human. How can this union be understood without detracting from God's perfection and oneness? Is it possible for these two natures to intersect without conflict or diminishing God's absolute nature? The Bible says: *"God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?"* (Numbers 23:19). In the Quran, Allah states: *"There is nothing like unto Him."* (Surah Ash-Shura 42:11), affirming His uniqueness above any creation.

4. *Why did Christ pray?*


   - If Christ is God, why did he pray and seek support from God the Father? To whom was he directing his prayers if he himself was God? Isn't this a question that deserves reflection on the concept of prayer in Christ's life and its role in his relationship with God? In the Bible, Christ prayed saying: *"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."* (Matthew 26:39). In a hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: *"Supplication is worship."* (Narrated by Tirmidhi). If supplication is worship of Allah alone, how can God pray to Himself?

5. *How can the Almighty God endure the weakness of human nature?*


   - God is described in all monotheistic religions as absolute perfection, unchanging and unaffected by anything. The Bible says: *"You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end."* (Hebrews 1:10-12). In the Quran, Allah says: *"And their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great."* (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255). So how can this perfection take the form of a human who suffers from the weakness of human nature? How does this incarnation align with the concept of an almighty and perfect God who does not undergo any form of change?

### Conclusion

Dear friends, these questions are not an attempt to undermine your faith, but rather an invitation to reflection and contemplation. We believe that reflecting on the nature of God and His oneness is essential for every believer, and we invite you to consider these questions with your hearts and minds. The goal is to achieve a deeper and clearer understanding of the beliefs that guide our lives and that we strive to share.

We ask Allah to guide us all to the straight path, to keep us firm on the truth, and to grant us the following of His true messengers. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.