With Easter being one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the Christian world, Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, an Islamic scholar, historian, and former Christian, joins TheDeenShow to trace the true origins of Easter and explain how the pure monotheistic teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) became intertwined with ancient pagan fertility celebrations. His analysis is grounded in both academic historical research and Islamic theology.
The Pagan Origins of Easter
Dr. Quick explains that Easter as celebrated today is an amalgamation of two completely separate traditions. The first is the monotheistic message of Jesus, who came to fulfill the law of Moses and called people to worship the One Creator alone. The second is an ancient European nature cult centered around a goddess named Eostra or Easter, whose spring festival celebrated the end of winter’s death with symbols of fertility — rabbits, eggs, chickens, and lilies. When the Roman Empire adopted Christianity, these pagan spring celebrations were merged with the narrative of Jesus’s alleged death and resurrection, creating the confused holiday known today.
“Instead of death in winter changing into spring — the resurrection of nature — it was now the death on the cross and the resurrection. They amalgamated the two so that nature worshippers could celebrate alongside those who had the teachings of Jesus.” — Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
What Jesus Actually Taught
Dr. Quick emphasizes that Jesus was a strict monotheist who upheld the first and greatest commandment: worship One God. He was a humble carpenter, not the blond-haired, blue-eyed figure from Michelangelo’s paintings. The Quran states that Jesus and his mother “used to eat food,” confirming their humanity. The concept of the Trinity did not originate with Jesus but traces back to Plato’s philosophy, ancient Egyptian mythology (Horus, Isis, Osiris), and Hinduism. Even the cross symbol predates Jesus by thousands of years as an ancient symbol of eternal life.
“The Trinity concept was not a new concept — it was in the ancient world. It has nothing to do with the Old Testament or Jesus’s teachings. Strict monotheism does not divide God into three parts.” — Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
Returning to Pure Monotheism
- Every prophet from Abraham to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them all) came with one unified message: worship the Creator, not the creation
- Shirk (polytheism) is considered the most serious sin a human being can commit — the ultimate blasphemy against God
- The Islamic belief is that Jesus was not crucified but was raised by Allah, saved from the humiliation of the cross, and will return before the Day of Judgment
- Every child is born upon the fitrah (natural disposition) of Islam — the innate recognition of One God — and it is environment and culture that steer people away
- Dr. Quick’s advice to all seekers: pray directly to the Creator, ask sincerely for guidance, and separate folk culture from divine revelation
