Many people at some point believe, directly or indirectly, in a philosophy of God becoming a human or taking a human form or the other way round that is, a human getting elevated to the status of God. This philosophy may be referred to as, ‘anthropomorphism’; in which God Almighty is given human characteristics or human beings are presented, portrayed, depicted or considered as God. However, such a philosophy is flawed and Islam rejects such concepts. If God becomes human, who would be looking at the affairs of the universe? And then how can he become God again? Humans are imperfect but God is Perfect. If He becomes a human - how can He be perfect and imperfect, both, at the same time?
We can have several such questions like:
* Humans require to eat, God does not require to eat. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
..and He it is that feeds but is not fed..
[al-Qur’an (6:14)]
How can it be possible for someone, to have the requirement to eat and no such requirement at all?
* Humans feel tired and need sleep. God never feels tired and never sleeps. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
..no slumber can seize Him nor sleep..
[al-Qur’an (2:255)]
How can it be possible, that someone feels tired and does not feel tired and requires sleep and does not require sleep?
* Humans commit mistakes and can forget things. God Almighty does not make mistakes, neither forgets anything. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
..and your Lord never forgets
[al-Qur’an (19:64)]
At other place, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) is quoted as having said:
..my Lord never errs, nor forgets..
[al-Qur’an (20:52)]
How can it be that someone commit mistakes and forget things and does not commit mistakes or forget things?
* Humans can do injustice. God is never unjust. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
..Allaah is never unjust in the least degree..
[al-Qur’an (4:40)]
How can we have someone who is unjust and just simultaneously?
* Humans take birth. God Almighty is never begotten. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
He does not give birth to anyone; neither did anyone give birth to Him
[al-Qur’an (112:3)]
How can we have someone who takes birth and is never begotten?
* Humans die. God never dies! Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
And put your trust in Him Who lives and dies not..
[al-Qur’an (25:58)]
How can we have someone who will surely die and will surely never die?
In other words, how can we have someone who is a man and God at same time? It is illogical. Both have different characteristics. There can be God or there can be man, but there can’t be God-man.
Some argue that since God is all-Powerful and can do everything, so why can’t He become human? Allaah says in the Qur’an:
(He is the) Doer of all that He intends.
[al-Qur’an (85:16)]
God only does Godly things. He does only those things which suits His Majesty. Though God Almighty has power over all things, as mentioned in the Qur’an in many places like 2:109, 2:284, 3:29, 16:77, 24:45, 29:20, 33:27, 35:1, 48:21, 59:6, 65:12 etc.; but God Almighty will never do unGodly acts. Becoming human or taking a human form is not a Godly act, it does not suit His Majesty.
Those who believe in the theory of anthropomorphism or similar concepts, have an understanding that God would become human or take human form due to one of the following three reasons viz.;
· to understand the difficulties and problems faced by man,
· to teach men by example,
· to destroy evil.
Let us analyze these three reasons one-by-one:
· To understand the difficulties and problems faced by man.
The question that arises here is - ‘Does God know all our needs or not?’ Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
Should He not know, He that created? And He is the One that understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them).
[al-Qur’an (67:14)]
Even a manufacturer of a device knows his machine. He knows the parts that he has put in his machine and how they work. Surely, God has incomparably perfect knowledge about His creation. So, it is illogical to think that God does not know the human difficulties and that he has to take a human form to understand them.
· To teach men by example.
If God comes to teach men by example, humans will have a valid excuse of not following the way, saying that He is God and that is easy for Him to do it, but we are humans and it is very difficult for us to follow it. Hence, to guide mankind, God chooses a man from amongst men and guides him to teach mankind what is right and wrong. Such men are called Prophets and Messengers of God. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
Verily We have sent you in truth, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner: and there never was a people, without a warner having lived among them (in the past).
[al-Qur’an (35:24)]
God Almighty sent many Prophets like Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus and many others (peace be upon them all). But about fourteen hundred years ago God sent His Last Prophet, Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). As Allaah says:
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allaah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allaah has full knowledge of all things
[al-Qur’an (33:40)]
All the previous Prophets were sent only for a group of people and the laws that were sent with them were only to be followed for a time period. But, since Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the Last and Final Prophet, no new Prophet is to come now, hence today one needs to follow the Message and Laws given to Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) only.
· To destroy evil.
Some people believe that God takes human form to destroy evil. Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:
It is He Who gives Life and Death; and when He decides upon an affair, He says to it, "Be", and it is.
[al-Qur’an (40:68)]
Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) says that whenever He Decrees a matter He just says “Be” and ‘it is’. To destroy evil He merely has to Will it and it will be done. Not that He should take a human form to do it.
On the other hand, there are people who claim to be god or to be elevated to the status of god. These people do nothing but fool innocent people by showing some cheap tricks and claiming them to be divine miracles. There have been quite a few such people who claimed godhood in the last century itself. They have been exposed time and again. Such people, would generally target general, mostly uneducated, people who would not catch the hand-tricks and would consider them to be miracles and start following and even worshiping such people. These god-men would then ask money and other things from their followers and devotees. Why would a ‘god’ want such things from his devotees?
God does not become human nor can humans become god. God is the Creator and humans are the creation, creations can never be the creator nor can the creator be his own creation. God is not like humans nor are/can humans be like God. All major religions of the world reject any such concept or philosophy, so also human logic, reason and rationale. O humankind realize your True God and worship Him Alone. Worship the Creator, not His Creations.
..There is none like Him.. [al-Qur’an (42:11)]
