The Holy Spirit is a vital companion in every Christian’s spiritual life. God’s Spirit was promised to every person who believes in Jesus:
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer when they surrender their life to Christ and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. God’s Spirit gives us guidance and companionship through our daily life and He is God who lives within us.
When you’re talking to your Muslim friend about spiritual things, the topic of the Holy Spirit might come up. It is important to know what Islam teaches about the Holy Spirit so you can understand where your Muslim friend is coming from.
What does Islam teach about the Holy Spirit?
Essentially, Islam doesn’t believe in the Trinity, so the Holy Spirit is a foreign concept. Islam teaches that Allah is a simple, single being, so the plurality (and unity) of the Triune God goes against its belief. Islam teaches incorrectly that Christians worship three gods; God, Mary, and her son, Isa (Jesus)– so even in their mention of a trinity, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned.
The Quran has a few key verses that directly address the topic of the Trinity:
“O People of the Book! (This is referring to Jews and Christians) Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfillment of His Word through Mary and a spirit created by a command from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.” Quran 4:171
“Those who say, “Allah is one in a Trinity,” have certainly fallen into disbelief. There is only One God. If they do not stop saying this, those who disbelieve among them will be afflicted with a painful punishment.” Quran 5:73
The spirit as an attribute of Allah
Islam does teach that Allah is a spirit. When the Quran talks about this spirit it is not a separate being from Allah himself, but rather an attribute of Allah.
Islam teaches that Allah sends his sacred or holy spirit, “Rūḥ al-qudus,” to bring a revelation to someone. This spirit is also associated with the angel Gabriel when he brought Muhammad messages from Allah that eventually formed the Quran.
“Tell them: ‘It is the spirit of holiness that has brought it [the Quran] down, by stages, from your Lord so that it might bring firmness to those who believe, and guidance to the Right Way, and give glad tidings of felicity and success to those who submit to Allah.’” Quran 16:102
A Hadith quotes Muhammad saying, ““Verily, the holy spirit has cast this idea in my heart: No soul shall die before its appointed time and without having exhausted the means of livelihood apportioned for it, so try to look for a livelihood as best as you can, but don’t seek it through unlawful means.” (Reported by Abu Nu`aym in Hilyah)It is important to recognize that these references to a holy spirit are a way to talk about Allah’s spiritual interactions with humans. Odds are, your Muslim friend will say they do not believe in a Holy Spirit, and if they bring up these verses it is important for you to know that it is not the same concept as the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?
We believe that the Holy Spirit is part of the Holy Trinity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As such, He is personal and also fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son .
In addition to the verse we referenced above where Jesus told His followers about the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us more. We hear Jesus talk about the Holy Spirit again while He was ascending into heaven, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Paul explains that “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words…” Romans 8:26
The Holy Spirit helps us, teaches us, and intercedes for us. Through His presence in us we can talk to God whenever we need to without going to a particular place or time! The Holy Spirit gives us discernment when reading the Bible and understands us intimately.
Having the Holy Spirit within us is one of the ways that our relationship with God can be a personal relationship, not one ruled by rituals and trying to be perfect. Learning to share that relationship with our Muslim friends can literally change their life.
For more specifics on how to talk about the Holy Spirit with your Muslim friend, check out this blog post.
Prayer
Dear Lord, please give me wisdom to know how to approach this complex topic with my Muslim friend. Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit as a friend and helper. I want my heart to be open to Your prompting. Amen.
