Few theological debates cut to the heart of the differences between Islam and Christianity as directly as the question of whether Jesus (peace be upon him) is God. In this landmark dialogue — part of The Deen Show’s ongoing series — the renowned Islamic scholar and debater Sheikh Ahmed Deedat methodically dismantles three of the most commonly cited “proofs” of Jesus’s divinity: the exclamation of Thomas, the prayers of Jesus, and the declaration “I and the Father are one.” What emerges is not merely a point-by-point rebuttal, but a powerful affirmation of the Islamic understanding of tawhid — the absolute, indivisible Oneness of Allah — and why the clear guidance of Islam calls sincere seekers of faith and spirituality to examine the evidence honestly before drawing their conclusions.
“My Lord and My God” — An Exclamation, Not a Divine Declaration
When Thomas, who had been absent from the upper room when Jesus first appeared to the disciples, declared “My Lord and my God,” Christians frequently cite it as the clearest New Testament proof that Jesus accepted worship as God. Sheikh Deedat’s response cuts through this claim with precision rooted in scholarship and faith. Thomas was a doubter — he had refused to believe the disciples’ testimony until he could physically touch the wounds himself. When confronted with the risen Jesus, his cry of “My Lord and my God” was the spontaneous exclamation of a man overcome by shame at his own faithlessness, not a deliberate theological declaration of divinity. As Sheikh Deedat illustrated with characteristic clarity, even in everyday speech, saying “my God!” or “oh God!” carries no literal theological content — it is a figure of speech, an expression of awe and shock. Had Thomas intended a creedal statement, one would expect Jesus (peace be upon him) to have affirmed it directly; instead, he rebuked Thomas for disbelieving without seeing. The Islamic framework preserves the noble status of Jesus as a Messenger of Allah, free from the distortion of deification, while honouring what the Qur’an affirms — that he was a Word from Allah and a spirit created by His command. Key takeaways from this discussion include:
- Thomas had publicly declared he would not believe without physical proof — his exclamation reflected shock and shame at his own doubt, not a creed.
- Jesus (peace be upon him) responded by rebuking faithlessness, not by accepting or confirming a claim to divinity.
- The Gospels consistently show Jesus directing worship and prayer toward the Father — not toward himself — which alone raises serious questions about the Trinitarian reading.
- The same Bible that calls Jesus the “son of God” uses identical language for Adam, Israel, Solomon, and even all peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) — confirming it is a metaphor for righteous servitude, not literal divine sonship.
- Islam’s concept of pure monotheism, affirmed by every Prophet from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all), provides the most coherent lens through which Jesus’s life, words, and mission are understood.
“The Bible in which it says that the Messiah is the son of God is the same Bible in which the lineage of the Messiah ends with Adam (peace be upon him), and he too is described as a son of God. Were Adam, Israel and Solomon all other sons of God before the Messiah? Exalted be Allaah far above what they say.” — Islam Q&A
One in Purpose, Not in Essence — Dismantling “I and the Father Are One”
The second major pillar of the Christian argument addressed in this episode is the statement from John 10:30 — “I and the Father are one.” A questioner pressed Sheikh Deedat specifically on the Greek word used: hen, described as neuter, allegedly indicating oneness of essence and nature rather than merely purpose. Sheikh Deedat’s response is linguistically and spiritually decisive. The exact same Greek word hen appears in John chapter 17, where Jesus prays to God Almighty: “I am one with you and you with me, and the disciples with me — I in thee and thou in me, we are all one.” If hen truly denotes a literal, essential oneness of being, then by that same logic, all twelve disciples — including the traitor Judas Iscariot — would share in that same divine essence. The absurdity of this conclusion is self-evident. The Bible itself uses identical language for the union of Adam and Eve: “they twain shall be one flesh” — a unity of purpose and covenant, not a metaphysical merging. Furthermore, the unanswered question hanging over the entire debate is this: if Jesus were an all-perfect God, why did he need to pray at all — and to whom was he crying “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The Trinitarian framework cannot resolve this without internal contradiction, whereas Islam’s pure monotheism — the aqeedah that anchors faith, spirituality, and all guidance from Allah — answers it simply: Jesus (peace be upon him) was a servant and Messenger of God, praying to the One who sent him, as every Prophet before him had done.
“Indeed, in the Gospel of John itself there is an explanation of what is meant by being called a son — it includes all the righteous servants of God, so there is nothing unique about Jesus or any other Prophet in this regard. ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.’ [John 1:12]” — Islam Q&A
This debate is not merely a historical or academic exercise — it speaks directly to the purpose of human existence, the nature of worship, and the spiritual guidance that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has preserved for humanity through the final revelation of the Qur’an and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam does not diminish Jesus (peace be upon him); it honours him as one of the mightiest Messengers of Allah, born of a virgin, granted miraculous signs by Allah’s permission, and destined to return before the Day of Judgement. What Islam firmly rejects — on the basis of reason, revelation, and the unbroken chain of prophetic monotheism — is the elevation of any created being to the status of the Creator. For those who engage honestly with the evidence examined in episodes like this one, the path of sincere faith and true spirituality leads not to the contradictions of the Trinity, but to the serene, luminous clarity of La ilaha illAllah — there is no god but Allah.
