All of this makes it plain that the Messiah is a servant—not a deity—and that he is a created being just as Adam was created. The Prophet was instructed to enter into a mutual imprecation with anyone who claimed that he is God: each of the two parties was to summon his own sons, womenfolk, and closest kinsman, after which both sides would earnestly call upon Allah to place His curse upon the liars.

If the Christians were lying in their assertion, “He is God,” then the curse would fall upon them; and if the one who said, “He is not God but the servant of Allah,” were lying, the curse would fall upon him. Such fairness can only come from someone possessed of certainty, fully aware that he is on the side of truth. Because the Christians were not sure they were upon the truth, they withdrew from the mubāhalah.

Immediately afterward Allah said: “This is indeed the true narrative; there is no deity but Allah, and Allah is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” ⦗Āl ʿImrān: 62⦘—a rebuttal of the Christians who declare, “He is true God from true God.” How, then, can anyone claim that Allah intended to affirm in the Messiah both lāhūt (divinity) and nāsūt (humanity), and that the passage refers only to his humanity apart from his divinity? With this, the reply to their contention becomes clear.

Elsewhere He says: “Indeed, the likeness of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam.” ⦗Āl ʿImrān: 59⦘. They argue that by mentioning “Jesus,” He is pointing to the human nature derived from the pure Mary, since He does not employ the title “the Messiah” here.