Triad of Gods, consisting of 1God, Jesus and Mary. Christians have never
believed in this Triad. It is only too true that many ignorant
"Christians" in Muhammad's time worshipped Mary (as some still do), asking her
to intercede with her Son for them, and the early Muhammadans may hence have fancied that
belief in three separate Gods, of which Mary was one, was what was meant by the doctrine
of the Trinity. But such an idea was wrong and of heathen origin. The Gospels show
that Christ did not bid men worship His mother, and He did use words very similar to those
here imputed to Him, for in John viii. 28, He says, "I do nothing of Myself; but as
My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things"; and in xx. 17, He says, "I
ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." But in both
passages He asserts His own Divine Sonship. If therefore the Qur'an is correct in
representing Him as saying, "I spake not unto them aught but that which Thou didst
bid Me," we cannot be blamed for accepting this and every other part of His teaching.
133. M. The Qur'an refutes this as part of the doctrine of the Trinity, for in
Surah IV., An Nisa', 169, we read: "O people of the Book! overstep not bounds in
your religion; and of God speak