Believing in One God

1Two friends, one question

Keza is a Christian and her best friend Amina is a Muslim. They live on the same umudugudu and walk to school together. One day Keza asks, "Do we believe in the same kind of God?" Amina thinks and says, "We both believe there is only one God, who made everything."

Let's see what the Bible and the Qur'an say.

2One God, the Creator

Christians and Muslims both believe that there is only one God. Believing in one God is called monotheism (mono means one). Both faiths teach that God created the heavens, the earth, plants, animals and people.

In Kinyarwanda, God is called Imana. Muslims also use the Arabic word Allah, which simply means "God". Arabic-speaking Christians say "Allah" for God too.

Christian teaching

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

"Hear, Israel: The LORD is our God. The LORD is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Christians believe that the one God is known as the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. They call this the Holy Trinity: one God, not three gods.

Islamic teaching

"Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him." (Qur'an 112:1–4)

In simple words: Allah is One. Everything depends on Him, but He depends on nothing. He has no children and no parents, and nothing is like Him. Muslims call the oneness of Allah Tawhid. Muslims honour Jesus, whom they call 'Isa, as a great prophet.

"Your God is One God; there is no God save Him, the Beneficent, the Merciful." (Qur'an 2:163)

"Save Him" is old English for "except Him", and "Beneficent" means very kind and generous.

3What this means for us

• If one God made all people, then all people are one big human family.
• Christians and Muslims in Rwanda live side by side as neighbours, classmates and friends. Rwanda's law protects everyone's freedom to follow their religion.
• We respect each other's faith, even when we pray in different ways.

Try it yourself