My question is that do these verses not directly implicate Christians to hell? Essentially it seems as though the belief in the trinity or hadrat Isa in a the capacity of the son of God makes them destined to hell? However, then the verse in Surah 2:62 confuses me because it states that they may be in paradise as well. Could you clarify?

It should be clearly understood that the context and the words of the referred verse have nothing to do with the determination of the destiny of Christians, in particular, in the life hereafter. A close look at the verse shall show that the real subject, context and implication of the said verse is to clarify that holding Jesus as the son of God or believing in trinity is a blasphemy which was never taught by Jesus himself. The verse clearly tells that both these beliefs, according to the Qur’an, are polytheistic in their nature. And that whoever knowingly ascribes to polytheism or holds other gods to be partners of Allah – the one God – shall be thrown in hell fire.

The message in these verses is that the Christian belief of God having a son or of trinity is not something that was ordained by Allah through any of His prophets or messengers, not even Jesus himself. It also tells us that the polytheists or those who hold partners with Allah, shall be destined to hell fire. But as is inherent in all punishments mentioned in the Qur’an with reference to the hereafter, only those people shall be put to these punishments who knowingly commit these crimes. Allah, in His infinite mercy, shall forgive the mistakes of His sevants. Thus, only those people – whether Christians, Jews, Muslims or ascribing to any other religion – shall deserve the punishment of hell fire who ascribe to a particular polytheistic belief not because of any mistake or misunderstanding but with full knowledge of the fact that it is a polytheistic belief.

According to the Qur’an, the case of the Christians and Jews of the time of the Prophet (pbuh) was a special one in this respect. Allah, through His Messenger had removed all doubts and all chances of error and mistake from their minds regarding what is right and what is wrong. The Jews and Christians of the days and place of the Prophet (pbuh) rejected faith knowing that they are rejecting the truth and accepted infidelity knowing that what they were accepting was nothing but falsehood. Such are the people, who according to the Qur’an deserve the everlasting punishment of hell fire.

But as we know, the case of the Jews and the Christians of our times is not exactly the same as that of those who lived during the days and place of the Prophet (pbuh). These Jews and Christians, like many Muslims, may ascribe to a particular polytheistic belief without complete knowledge of its being a polytheistic belief. This could be due to a philosophical mistake or an error in interpretation. Such errors and mistakes do not make a person a criminal or an infidel in the eyes of Allah. A criminal or an infidel, in the eyes of Allah, according to the Qur’an is a person who commits a crime knowing well that it is a crime in the eyes of his Lord or who ascribes to a blasphemous belief with full knowledge of its being a blasphemy in the sight of Allah.

It is therefore my opinion that we cannot decide about the fate of the present day people – whether they be Jews, Christians or Muslims – in the hereafter. Those among them who sincerely tried to search for and follow the truth in this life shall be rewarded for their efforts and sincerity with Allah whether they were know to the world as Jews, Christians or Muslims. While those who lived their lives in prejudices and biases and knowingly rejected the truth or behaved indifferently toward the call of their Lord shall deserve the penalty of hell fire, even though they were known to the world as Muslims or Christians or Jews.

I hope this helps. In case any aspect of my answer remains unclear, please feel free to write back to me at your convenience.

Regards