Arabs, and denied the existence of all so-called gods, and maintained that there is but one divine Being, the Creator and Governor of all things. In this he taught a strict and absolute monotheism.

On the other hand, he took a stand against what he believed to be the teaching of the Christian Church of his day and asserted that God cannot, because of His own Majesty and Greatness, enter into physical relations with any of His creatures so as to beget children, and that no created beings can in any way be associated for purposes of worship and adoration with the One and Only true God.

Whether he was misinformed as to what was the belief of the Christian Church, or simply did not understand the information which he received, or whether he knowingly misrepresented the Christian position, as some hold, is not a question which we need discuss. The point that interests us here is that all he is supposed to have said against the doctrine of the Trinity, never once really touches that doctrine. This will be clear from the following passages. 'They surely are Infidels who say, "God is a third of three": for there is no god but one God.' ¹ 'Infidels now are they who say, "Verily God is the Messiah Ibn Maryam (son of Mary)!"' ²

' O ye people of the Book! overstep not bounds in your religion; and of God speak only truth. The Messiah, Jesus, Son of Mary, is only an apostle of God, and His Word which He conveyed into Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Himself. Believe therefore in God

and His apostles, and say not "Three" (there is a Trinity) ¹ — Forbear — it will better for you. God is only one God! Far be it from His glory that He should have a son!² The last clause shows plainly that Muhammad was thinking only, and most crudely, of the supposed physical union of the divine and the human in the Son of Mary. ' And when God shall say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary: hast thou said unto mankind — Take me and my mother as two Gods, beside God?"' ³

It is clear from these passages that the whole argument of Muhammad was against a system of tritheism which he believed to be held by the Christian Church of his day. He nowhere says a word which leads us to suppose that he had ever heard of a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His whole attack on the Christian position was based on the supposition that the Church taught that God had entered into physical relations with Mary, and that the man Jesus and his mother were therefore associated with God in worship and adoration.

Against this tritheistic system he maintained that God was One, and only One, and never had entered, and never could enter, into such relations with the human race as physically to beget a son. 'And they say, "God hath a son." No! Praise be to Him! But — His whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earth! All obeyeth Him.' ⁴ 'Say He is God alone: God the Eternal! He begetteth not, and He is not begotten; And there is none like unto Him.⁵