Question
Assalamu ‘alaykum.
In the Quran from 5:73-75, Allah mentions that the disbelievers say Allah is a third of three. But in verse 75, Allah also mentions that Mary also ate food. Is this implying that the Christians believe Mary is a part of the trinity?
Answer
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
The verses you mentioned start by simply mentioning that believing in the Trinity is disbelief:
“Those who say, “Allah is one in a Trinity,” have certainly fallen into disbelief. There is only One God. If they do not stop saying this, those who disbelieve among them will be afflicted with a painful punishment. Will they not turn to Allah in repentance and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. ˹Many˺ messengers had ˹come and˺ gone before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both ate food. See how We make the signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded ˹from the truth˺!” (Qur’an, 5:73-75)
The belief in the Trinity was common amongst the Christian sects. The Qur’an did not aim to provide a list of their beliefs. Rather, Allah Most High pointed out certain issues of disbelief.
In verse 75, Allah showed that Jesus and his blessed mother are humans (peace and blessings be on them both), and therefore not worthy of being worshipped. This was done by showing their need for sustenance and indicating that the result of digestion is not something fitting divinity.
Mary was mentioned in the verse due to some Christians worshipping her as well. It does not include her in the trinity.
One can’t help marveling at the beautiful simplification of complex arguments the Qur’an presents. Verses like these gave Muslims a solid rational basis for their belief centuries before people in other places were able to think independently. All praise belongs to Allah.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani