Miller 1

Kelcey Miller

Dr. von Schlichten

HP 150 - Faith, Religion, and Society

25 April 2016

The Understanding of God in Islam and Christianity

The word God is of pagan origin and is the term many religions use to refer to their

deities. Each religion has their own perceptions of God. Two religions, Islam and Christianity,

agree and disagree on several topics related to the understanding of God. Both Islam and

Christianity are Abrahamic faiths that share the concepts of monotheism and chosenness.

However, the two religions tend to disagree on the belief of creation in the image of God and

the ways in which He is presented. Differences such as these have even led to violent conflicts

over the years.

Monotheism, or the belief in one God, is a common theme in Islam and Christianity.

Those who follow Islam, referred to as Muslims, believe in one God. They call him Allah, which

is the Arabic name for God. Muslims believe Allah is the only Creator, Preserver, and Nourisher

(“Concept of God in Islam”). This concept of oneness is referenced several times in the Islamic

sacred book, also known as the Qur’an. It is stated that “Blessed is He in whose Hand is

dominion, and He is over all things competent who created death and life to test you [as to]

which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving” (Sahih International

Version, Surat Al-Mulk 67.1-2). Christians also understand that since God is the creator of

everything, He is the only God. This is confirmed in Nehemiah:

 Miller 2

“You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry

host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,

and the multitudes of heaven worship you” (New International Version, Neh. 9.6).

Along with being monotheistic, both religions accept the concept of chosenness.

Muslims and Christians believe their God chose them for a specific mission – to worship Him

and spread His word. Muslims are advised to “…strive hard (in the way of) Allah as you ought to

strive for Him. He has chosen you…” (Sahih International Version, Surah Al-Hajj 22.78). A similar

verse in Christianity states, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of

darkness into His wonderful light” (New International Version, 1 Pet. 2.9). These God-given

missions have several characteristics. One characteristic is they are beneficial to all people.

Spreading the word of God is beneficial to both the person spreading the word and the person

receiving the word since both are given the opportunity to grow closer to God and get to know

Him more. The missions are also performed uniquely, according to each individual. No one else

can perform this job in the same way; it is a task only they can carry out. Lastly, being chosen is

a great responsibility and privilege. It is a responsibility because it determines one’s eternal

destiny and it represents a privilege since each individual is chosen for their special and unique

talents (Knitter 556).

While these religions are monotheistic and accept the concept of chosenness, they have

different views about creation in God’s image. Muslims do not believe they were created in

Allah’s image because He does not have an image. He is superior to any image (Vaux 52). They

believe Allah created them as His representatives, where their duties are to care for Allah’s
 Miller 3

creation and submit themselves to Him. This is evident in the Qur’an: “Behold thy Lord said to

the angels: I will create a vicegerent on Earth” (Sahih International Version, Surah 2.30).

Christians hold the opposite belief. They believe in the concept of Imago Dei, or the fact that

humans were created in the image of God (Staub). Additionally, they understand that they are

unique and easily distinguished from everything else He created (Vaux, 51). The most obvious

representation of this is in Genesis: “Then God said, Let us make man in our image, our

likeness…” (Gen. 1.26).

Muslims and Christians also have different views of the ways in which God is presented.

Allah is presented in only one form because of the Islamic belief that plurality within God denies

monotheism. This act of attributing partners to God is called Shirk and not only is it ungodly, it

is the only unpardonable sin in Islam. Committing Shirk condemns one to Hell (Sharp, Rentfrow,

and Gibson 2). Christians, in contrast, believe God is presented in three forms through the Holy

Trinity. The Holy Trinity consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father refers to

the God of the Old Testament who acts as the Creator, Father, and Judge (Sharp, Rentfrow, and

Gibson 2). The Son, often called the Son of God, is Jesus. This is the man who is believed to have

lived a human life on earth. The final form, the Holy Spirit, is the non-human form of God. The

Holy Spirit is often described through metaphors involving flames and doves.

In conclusion, Islam and Christianity, two very different faiths, have more in common

than one might think. They are both monotheistic religions that agree with the idea of

chosenness. However, they express different opinions on creation in the image of God and the

ways He is presented. Even though these disparities exist between the two religions, it is

important to remember that the biggest commonality among these two religions is the belief in
 Miller 4

God. Perhaps once the members of both religions realize they are all here for the same

purpose, there will be less religious conflict world-wide.

 Miller 5

Works Cited

“Concept of God in Islam.” Why Islam. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Knitter, Paul F. “Islam and Christianity Sibling Rivalries and Sibling Possibilities.” Cross Currents

59.4 (2009): 554-570. Academic Search Elite. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Sharp, Carissa A., Peter J. Rentfrow, and Nicholas J. S. Gibson. “One God but Three Concepts:

Complexity in Christians’ Representations of God.” Psychology of Religion and

Spirituality (2015): PsycARTICLES. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Staub, Dick. "What 'Made in the Image of God' Really Means." RELEVANT Magazine. 4 Mar.

2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan House, 2011. Print.

The Qur’an, Sahih International Version. The Noble Qur’an (2016). Web. 16 April 2016.

Vaux, Kenneth L. Journey Into an Interfaith World: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in a World

Come of Age. Eugene, Or.: Wipf & Stock, 2010. Google Books. Web.