Jesus is God According to the Qur’an (Part Two)

Jesus is God According to the Qur’an (Part Two)

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
(Originally written on August 8, 2015)

---

Abstract

This study investigates whether Jesus Christ (ʿĪsā in Arabic) possesses divine attributes as affirmed in the Qur’an. The analysis compares the Qur’anic attributes of Allah with the biblical description of Jesus Christ to determine theological parallels, specifically focusing on the attribute Al-Wārith (“The Heir” or “The Inheritor of All Things”). Through scriptural comparison, it is demonstrated that the Qur’an, though written over six centuries after Christ, indirectly affirms Jesus’ divine nature by attributing to Him a title that is one of the exclusive Names of Allah.

---

1. Introduction

The Qur’an attributes to Allah several divine names known as Asma’ al-Husna (the 99 Beautiful Names of God). Among these is Al-Wārith (ٱلْوَارِثُ), meaning “The Inheritor of All Things.” This divine quality signifies that God is the ultimate possessor and heir of the heavens and the earth.

This paper examines whether the same attribute is also found in reference to Jesus Christ in the Bible, and if so, what theological implications arise when both texts—Qur’an and Bible—affirm the same divine characteristic.

---

2. The Qur’anic Witness: Allah as Al-Wārith

The Qur’an affirms this attribute in Surah Maryam (19:40):

“Indeed, We will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned.”
(Qur’an, Surah Maryam 19:40, Sahih International Translation)

In this verse, Allah declares Himself as the heir (Al-Wārith) of the entire world and all within it. According to Islamic theology, this attribute emphasizes Allah’s eternal sovereignty and ownership over creation.

However, the Qur’an was revealed approximately 632 A.D., over six centuries after Jesus’ earthly ministry. The concept of divine inheritance was already established in Christian Scripture, specifically in the New Testament, long before the Qur’an was written.

---

3. The Biblical Witness: Jesus as the Heir of All Things

The Epistle to the Hebrews explicitly attributes the same divine title to Jesus Christ:

“But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He also made the universe.”
(Hebrews 1:2, NIV)

Here, Jesus Christ is not only declared as the Heir of all things—a title equivalent to Al-Wārith—but also as the divine agent through whom the universe was created. This dual claim identifies Him both as Creator and as the eternal Inheritor of all creation, roles reserved for God alone.

Therefore, by comparing these two sources, one observes that the Bible ascribes to Jesus the same eternal attribute that the Qur’an ascribes to Allah. This shared title signifies divine continuity, not contradiction.

---

4. Theological Analysis

The chronological sequence is vital for theological inquiry. Since the Bible predates the Qur’an by over six centuries, any divine attribute later echoed in the Qur’an must be understood as derivative rather than original within Islamic revelation.

Historical methodology dictates that earlier data holds greater evidentiary weight. The biblical record, existing long before the Qur’an, establishes Jesus as “Heir of all things.” Thus, when the Qur’an later affirms that Allah is “the Inheritor of all things,” it inadvertently validates the prior biblical declaration that Jesus is the divine heir.

Consequently, one must conclude that the Qur’an—perhaps unintentionally—acknowledges the divinity of Christ by confirming His possession of a title belonging exclusively to God.

---

5. Conclusion

The investigation clearly reveals that Jesus Christ possesses the divine attribute of Al-Wārith—“The Heir of All Things.” This title, first revealed in the Bible (Hebrews 1:2), was later reiterated in the Qur’an (Surah Maryam 19:40) as a divine attribute of Allah.

Therefore, by its own theological admission, the Qur’an affirms a core truth of Christian theology: Jesus Christ shares in the divine essence of God. This realization invites the reader to consider which revelation—the earlier and consistent witness of Scripture or the later derivative text—provides the authoritative declaration of divine truth.

---

Bibliography

• The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

• The Qur’an, translated by Sahih International. Jeddah: Abul-Qasim Publishing House, 1997.

• Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid. The Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God (Al-Maqsad al-Asna fi Sharh Asma’ Allah al-Husna). Translated by David B. Burrell and Nazih Daher. Islamic Texts Society, 1992.

• Watt, W. Montgomery. Islamic Theology and Philosophy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1985.

• Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to New Testament Christology. New York: Paulist Press, 1994.

• Shimba, Maxwell. Yesu ni Mungu Kutokana na Qur’an (Part II). Shimba Theological Institute Publications, 2015.

---

In His Service,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Copyright © Max Shimba Ministries, 2015

---