Chapter 2

Religions

48987: Did Islam exist before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?

Question:

Was there a religion called Islam before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

It should be noted that the word "Islam" may refer to two things: a general meaning and a specific meaning.

Islam in a general sense means submitting to Allaah alone, which implies worshipping Him alone and obeying Him alone.

Everyone who believes in Allaah alone and worships Him according to His laws that have not been abrogated is a Muslim.

Shaykh al-Islam said in al-Tadmuriyyah, p. 168-170:

This religion is the religion of Islam, besides which Allaah will accept no other religion, either from the earlier or the later generations. All the Prophets followed Islam. Allaah says of Nooh (interpretation of the meaning):

"And recite to them the news of Nooh (Noah). When he said to his people: `O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allaah. So devise your plot, you and your partners, and let not your plot be in doubt for you. Then pass your sentence on me and give me no respite.

72. `But if you turn away (from accepting my doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allaah), then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allaah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims (i.e. those who submit to Allaah's Will)'"

[Yoonus 10:71-72]

And Allaah says of Ibraaheem (interpretation of the meaning):

"And who turns away from the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous.

131. When his Lord said to him, `Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!' He said, `I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the `Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).'

132. And this (submission to Allaah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibraaheem (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qoob (Jacob) (saying), `O my sons! Allaah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims — Islamic Monotheism)'" [al-Baqarah 2:130-132]

And He says of Moosa (interpretation of the meaning):

"And Moosa (Moses) said: `O my people! If you have believed in Allaah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allaah's Will)'" [Yoonus 10:84]

And He says of the Messiah (interpretation of the meaning):

"And when I (Allaah) inspired AlHawariyyoon (the disciples) [of `Eesa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: `We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims'"

[al-Maa'idah 5:111]

And He says of the previous Prophets (interpretation of the meaning):

"…by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah's Will …" [al-Maa'idah 5:44]

And He tells us that Bilqeez said (interpretation of the meaning):

"My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit [in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon)] to Allaah, the Lord of the `Aalameen(mankind, jinn and all that exists)"[al-Naml 27:44]

This is the religion of Islam, besides which Allaah does not accept any other. This means obeying Allaah at any given time by doing what He commanded at that time. So initially the command was to face towards the Rock [in Jerusalem] in prayer, then the command came to face towards the Ka'bah. Both actions come under the heading of the religion of Islam, because religion is obedience and worship in both cases, but the actions varied in some regards which was the direction faced in prayer. Similarly the religion of all the Messengers is one and the same, but their laws varied. End quote.

With this general meaning of the word "Islam" in mind, it is correct to say that there was a religion called Islam before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent.

All the Prophets who were sent were Muslims, and their followers who adhered to their true religion, before it was distorted or abrogated, were Muslims.

Before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came there were a few individuals who followed the true religion with which Allaah had sent `Eesa (peace be upon him). This is indicated by the report narrated by Muslim (2865) from `Iyaad ibn Himaar al-Mujaashi'i, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said one day in his khutbah: "Allaah looked at the people of the earth and was angry with them all, Arabs and non-Arabs, except for the remainder of the People of the Book. And He said: `I have only sent you to test you and test others by you…'"

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Maqt (translated here as "angry") means extreme anger. Looking refers to the time before the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent. What is meant by the remainder of the People of the Book is those who continued to adhere to their true religion without altering it. End quote.

With regard to Islam in a specific sense, this is the religion with which Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

In this specific sense, it is not correct to say that there was a religion called Islam before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent.

Shaykh al-Islam said in al-Tadmuriyyah (p. 173-174):

People have disputed concerning those who came before them of the nations of Moosa and Ibraaheem _ were they Muslims or not?

This is a semantic dispute, because Islam in the specific sense with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the law of the Qur'aan is not followed by anyone except the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is what is meant by Islam nowadays. But with regard to Islam in a general sense, referring to every law with which Allaah sent one of His Prophets, this includes the Islam of every nation that followed one of the Prophets.

And Allaah knows best.

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33679: Islam and the west between strength and weakness

Question:

Looking at the calamities faced by the Muslims in all places, I want to know what is the difference between the Islamic way of life and the life of wealth, progress and strength in the west, and between the rulings on women in both societies. I am asking because I am sad about the situation of the Muslims in those countries.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The disasters and calamities that are befalling the Muslims are only happening because they have forsaken the laws of Allaah regarding themselves, their societies and their nations. They do not support (the cause of) Allaah so how will He support them?

When some of the Muslims disobeyed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Battle of Uhud, Allaah punished them with defeat, even though the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the senior Sahaabah were among them. So what about the Muslims nowadays when they are disobeying Allaah night and day and transgressing His sacred limits, except for those on whom Allaah has mercy?

Secondly:

Although the Muslims are living through disasters and calamities, and are suffering a great deal, what the west is facing in its societies and in their personal situations is even worse, with regard to faith, security and the family, especially in matters pertaining to women.

If you look at recent statistics from western countries, you will see that they are more deserving of pity because of their situation. We will look at a few examples:

65% of female workers are faced with sexual harassment in the work place in some European countries.

18% of women in America have been raped or have been faced with attempted rape at some stage in their lives.

More than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 17.

Ihsaa'aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 140.

According to a phone survey in Canada, covering 12,300 women throughout Canada between February and June 1993:

Half of Canadian woman have been exposed to an incident of physical or sexual violence after the age of 16.

45% were attacked by men who were known to them.

23% of them were attacked by strangers.

23% were attacked with weapons as the result of marital disputes.

Ihsaa'aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 141

In America:

One million illegitimate children are born each year.

12 million children are homeless and living in unhealthy circumstances.

There are one million abortions each year in America.

In Britain:

25 million obscene phone calls were recorded in one year.

40 million children are homeless in Latin America.

The law in Sweden allows marriage of brothers and sisters.

Ihsaa'aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 150.

Thirdly:

We appreciate your pride in Islam, and your protective jealousy concerning the Muslims. We ask Allaah to give us and you strength.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

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20884: Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman

Question:

A non muslim girl wants to loves a muslim guy and has decided to marry him. she is also ready to accept islam. does islam permits a muslim guy to marry a non muslim asian girl. both love each other very much and cant stay without each other. what must be done now, how and when can she accept islam.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

Through this website we will send a message to this non-Muslim woman and others, telling them that no one can attain true life, happiness and peace of mind unless he believes in Allaah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as his Prophet. For all of the universe is created, and its Creator is Allaah. He is the One Who raised the heavens with no pillars and spread out the earth, and created the mountains to stabilize it, and created the sea and the rivers.

"Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allaah, the Lord of the `Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!"

[al-A'raaf 7:54 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Once this is clear, it should be understood that Allaah sent Messengers to His slaves, to show them the way, teach them and guide them to the path of salvation.

"Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allaah after the (coming of) Messengers"

[al-Nisa' 4:165]

And He ended the series of His Messengers with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets"

[al-Ahzaab 33:40 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah sent him with the religion of Islam other than which He will not accept any religion from anyone:

"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers"

[Aal `Imraan 3:85 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Secondly:

With regard to when and how she may become Muslim:

It is very easy indeed. All she has to do is to say "Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illaaha ill-Allaah wa ashhadu anna Muhammad `abduhu was rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." Once she says that, she becomes Muslim. She should hasten to do that, because death may come suddenly, and no one knows whether he will live until tomorrow or not.

We welcome her as our sister in Islam, and we ask Allaah to inspire her and guide her to do that which will bring her happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.

Thirdly:

What is stated in this question is that the woman is "non-Muslim". This may be understood as meaning that she is one of the people of the Book _ i.e., Jewish or Christian _ or it may be understood as meaning that she is something else _ such as Buddhist, Zoroastrian or communist. If the woman who wants to marry a Muslim man is one of the people of the Book, there is no shar'i impediment to this marriage, so long as it fulfils the shar'i conditions, such as the requirement that she be chaste. But the Muslim husband should be keen to bring his wife into Islam so as to save her from eternity in the Fire and so that he and his children will have a home that is based on Islam.

But if the woman who wants to marry a Muslim man is not one of the people of the Book, then it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry her.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat (idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to AlMushrikoon till they believe (in Allaah Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases you. Those (Al-Mushrikoon) invite you to the Fire, but Allaah invites (you) to Paradise and forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember"

[al-Baqarah 2:221]

Ibn Katheer said:

Here Allaah forbids the believers to marry mushrik woman who worship idols, and if this were general in meaning, it would include every mushrik woman, whether she is of the people of the Book or is an idol worshipper, but the woman of the people of the Book are excluded from that in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

"(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends"

[al-Maa'idah 5:5]

`Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn `Abbaas concerning the words "And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat (idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah Alone)": Allaah excludes from that the women of the people of the Book. This was also the view of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa'eed ibn Jubayr, Makhool, al-Hasan, al-Dahhaak, Zayd ibn Aslam, al-Rabee' ibn Anas and others. And it was said that what is meant is the mushrikoon who worship idols, and it does not mean the people of the Book at all. This meaning is close to the first meaning. And Allaah knows best.

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/474

Whilst noting that this is permissible, we should also remember that Islam encourages the Muslim man to marry a Muslim woman who is religiously committed, because the Muslim's life with his wife is a complete and comprehensive life which involves chastity, lowering the gaze, and protecting and looking after the house and children. These and similar things cannot be achieved except with a religiously-committed wife.

See the answer to question no. 12283; also the answer to question no 20227, which gives more details on the bad consequences of marriage to a non-Muslims woman. In the answer to question no. 3320 it states that it is not permissible to allow her to celebrate (non-Islamic) festivals inside or outside the home.

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27093: The differences between Christianity and Islam

Question:

What are the factors which causes a widening gap between muslim and christian communities?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

There are many great factors that widen the gaps between Muslims and Christians. The differences in belief between us and them do not let us get close unless they give up their kufr (disbelief) and misguidance, and join the monotheists who believe in One Lord and God, and bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is His Messenger, and believe that `Eesa (Jesus _ peace be upon him) was a human being.

These are the most significant deviations in their religion, which widen the gap between us Muslims and them:

1. The Christian belief that the Messiah is the son of God.

2. The Christian belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a god alongside God and that he is the second person of the holy trinity, according to their beliefs.

3. The belief that divinity may be incarnated in humanity.

4. The belief that God is formed of three Persons, which is known as the doctrine of the trinity.

5. The Christian belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) was crucified by the Jews on the command of Pontius Pilate, and that he died on the cross.

6. The Christian belief that the Messiah died on the cross as a ransom for mankind and as expiation for original sin.

7. The Christian attitude towards the Jews who disbelieved in Jesus (peace be upon him) and claimed that they crucified him and killed him, and they accused his mother Mary (Maryam) of fornication _ of which she was innocent _ yet despite all that their attitude towards them today is one of support and loyalty, and their attitude towards the Muslims who venerate Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother is one of enmity and disavowal.

8. Their distortion of the Book of God the Gospel (Injeel), whether they distorted the words by changing them or by adding words, or they distorted the meaning, and in doing that they attribute things to God that cannot be attributed to Him.

9. The doctrine of redemption, which is their belief that God sent His only son to redeem mankind from a sin committed by the father of mankind (Adam _ peace be upon him), but God was unable to forgive his sin, so He sent His only son who had no sin, to sacrifice himself in order to do away with sin. This is an attribution of imperfection to the Lord of the Worlds and a denial of the fact that Adam (peace be upon him) repented and Allaah saved the Messiah (peace be upon him) from death.

10. Their disbelief in the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), even though he is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments.

11. Their belief in the soundness of the distorted Torah that they have in front of them today, which contains insults against God, describing Him as having shortcomings, and insults against the Prophets and Messengers, saying things that one can hardly dare utter, but we mention them in order to highlight the abhorrent nature of the kufr (disbelief) that they follow. They describe God as weeping with regret for the Flood which drowned the people of Noah, until His eyes became sore, and the angels came to visit Him _ exalted be He far above that.

They describe Lot (peace be upon him) as committing incest with his two daughters, and Noah as drinking wine until he became drunk and his `awrah (nakedness) became visible. And there are even more foolish stories than that.

See Hidaayat al-Hayaara fi Awbah al-Yahood wa'l-Nasaara by Ibn al-Qayyim; Naqd al-Nasraaniyyah by Dr. Muhammad ibn `Abd-Allaah al-Saheem

And Allaah knows best.

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22029: Ruling on reading the books of Ahl al-Kitaab and debating with them on the internet

Question:

My worry is the propogation of false notions about quran by some christians through internet.i even sent a mail to the so called muslim to christians about their fabricated stories.i want to know what should be our response regarding alkexander the great whom they say according to history died young at 33 and in koran it states that he died at a ripe old age.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

It is not permissible to read the specious arguments that the Christians propagate on the internet or via other media, or to engage with them in religious disputes and debates, except for those who are qualified to do so, who have proof and evidence and who know how to present arguments. A number of scholars have stated that it is haraam to look at any of the books of the People of the Book, except for those who have deep knowledge, because we are commanded neither to believe nor disbelieve what they tell us about stories that are not present in our religion. There is no guarantee that the ordinary person who has no knowledge will not end up believing in falsehood and rejecting the truth. Moreover, man is weak and specious arguments may take root in the heart and it may be difficult to get rid of them. The following fatwa was issued by the Standing Committee:

"A great deal of distortion, addition and subtraction has befallen the previous divinely-revealed scriptures, as Allaah has stated, so it is not permissible for a Muslim to read them and study them, unless he is one who has deep knowledge and is seeking to explain the distortions and contradictions therein." (3/311).

So whatever Christian books have come to you, you must hasten to get rid of them.

With regard to what you say about Alexander the Great, this is a specious argument which is indicative of the stupidity and ignorance of the Christians. We may respond to that from several angles, as follows:

1 _ There is no mention in the Qur'aan of how long Dhu'l-Qarnayn (Alexander) lived, or of the era in which he lived.

2 _ Dhu'l-Qarnayn who is mentioned in the Qur'aan is not Alexander the Macedonian or Greek who built Alexandria. This Alexander is the one who died at the age of 33, as mentioned in the Christian books. He lived 323 years before the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him).

Dhu'l-Qarnayn who is mentioned in the Qur'aan lived at the time of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and it is said that he became Muslim at the hands of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and he went on pilgrimage to the Ka'bah walking. The scholars differed concerning him, as to whether he was a Prophet or a righteous slave and just king, but they agree that he was a Muslim, a monotheist (believer in Tawheed) and one who was obedient to Allaah.

The correct view is to refrain from stating what he was, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I do not know whether Tubba' was a Prophet or not, and I do not know whether Dhu'l-Qarnayn was a Prophet or not."

(Narrated by al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', no. 5524).

3 _ The difference between this righteous slave, and the Macedonian Alexander who was a kaafir, is well known to Muslim scholars. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Badaayah wa'l-Nahaayah (1/493):

"It was narrated that Qutaadah said: Alexander was Dhu'l-Qarnayn and his father was the first of the Caesars, and he was one of the descendants of Saam ibn Nooh (Shem the son of Noah). As for Dhu'l-Qarnayn, he was Alexander son of Philip… ibn Roomi ibn al-Asfar ibn Yaqaz ibn al-`Ees ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibraaheem al-Khaleel. This is the genealogy of him given by al-Haafiz ibn `Asaakir in his Taareekh. (He is known as) the Macedonian, the Greek, the Egyptian, builder of Alexandria, on the events of whose life the Greeks based their calendar. He came much later than the first Alexander. This was approximately three hundred years before the Messiah. The philosopher Aristotle was his minister and he is the one who killed Daar ibn Daar (Darius) and humiliated the kings of Persia and invaded their land.

We have drawn attention to him because many people think that they are one and the same and that the one who is mentioned in the Qur'aan is the one whose minister was Aristotle, which has resulted in a lot of mistakes and far-reaching corruption. The former was a righteous believing slave and a just king, and the latter was a mushrik and his minister was a philosopher. There were more than two thousand years between the two, so what comparison can there be between them? They are not alike at all and they have nothing in common, except in the mind of a fool who does not know anything."

4 _ The Christians have no information in their holy book about the second Alexander, let alone the first. All they have is the story of the visions of Daniel, which they claim refer to the rule of this infidel Alexander, and the division of his kingdom after his death.

5 _ If we assume that there is a difference between what the Qur'aan says and what their book says about a person or an event, why should that be regarded as strange? There are many such differences, especially in the stories of the Prophets such as Ibraaheem (Abraham), Nooh (Noah), Loot (Lot), Moosa (Moses), Dawood (David) and `Eesa (Jesus) (peace be upon them). The Christians have no reliable and continuous chain of narration for this book in which they believe, and they know nothing about those who translated it. Moreover it contains dozens of contradictions which effectively nullify any claim to infallibility or to have been written with inspiration from the Holy Spirit. It is sufficient to note the contradictions in the genealogy of Jesus (peace be upon him)!

So how can we take what is in these distorted books as a standard by which to judge the Holy Qur'aan which is preserved by Allaah?!

And Allaah knows best.

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12713: Is the trinity that the Christians believe in mentioned in Islam?

Question:

In christianity the word TRINITY is used as the main pillers of the religion.is there any mention of this belief mentioned in Qurran.If this is a true belief,will this not come within the perview of SHIRK.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, this belief is mentioned in the Qur'aan, but that is by way of refutation and proving it to be false, and describing the one who believes in it as a kaafir and mushrik. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)" [al-Maa'idah 5:17]

"Surely, disbelievers are those who said: `Allaah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no Ilaah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilaah (God —Allaah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them" [al-Maa'idah 5:73]

"And the Jews say: `Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!

They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worship none but One Ilaah (God — Allaah) Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)"

[al-Tawbah 9:31]

This is something that is well known among the Muslims, and they are unanimously agreed that the Christians are kaafirs, and even that those who do not regard them as kaafirs are also kaafirs. Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhaab said concerning the things which are unanimously agreed to nullify Islam:

"Whoever does not regard the mushrikoon as kaafirs, or doubts that they are kaafirs, or thinks their religion is correct, is himself a kaafir." (See also question no. 31807).

We are surprised at the question, in which the questioner appears to think that the shirk which exists among the Christians also exists in the religion of the Muslims. Hence we advise the questioner to read the books of `aqeedah which explain Tawheed (the Oneness of Allaah) and discuss its meaning and rulings, and also describe the various kinds of shirk. He should also listen to useful tapes on this topic, for this is one of the most important obligations that are enjoined upon people. This trinity in which the Christians believe is not one of the things that lead to shirk, rather it is the essence of shirk. The trinity that the later Christians have fabricated has no evidence in reason and fitrah (the innate nature of man), and there is nothing to support it in the divinely-revealed Books which Allaah sent down.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

This is the attitude all the people of misguidance with their leaders and followers. When a monotheist (believer in Tawheed) disputes with the ignorant Christians and points out that their trinity is false and self-contradictory, they say, "The answer is with the priest." The priest says, "The answer is with the archbishop." The archbishop says, "The answer is with the patriarch." The patriarch says that the answer is with the three hundred and eighteen clergymen who gathered at the time of Constantine and enjoined upon the Christians this trinity and shirk which contradicts sound reasoning and religion… Miftaah Daar al-Sa'aadah, 2/148.

With regard to the word "trinity" (tathleeth) it is not mentioned in either the Qur'aan or the Sunnah, rather the word tathleeth (in the sense of doing something three times) is mentioned by the scholars when they discuss cleaning onself with pebbles after relieving oneself, or when discussing wudoo', ghusl, washing the dead, saying tasbeeh when bowing and prostrating, asking permission to enter a house, etc.

What is meant in all of these cases is doing something three times, and it has nothing to do with the trinity of the Christians, which Allaah mentions describing their words and commanding them to believe that He is One (Tawheed) and to believe that `Eesa (Jesus) is a Messenger and not a god.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah `Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (`Be' — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: `Three (trinity)!' Cease! (it is) better for you"

[al-Nisa' 4:171]

In this verse Allaah referred to `trinity and incarnation, and forbade both of these beliefs. He states that the Messiah is only "a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (`Be' — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him". And He says, "so believe in Allaah and His Messengers", then He says, "Say not: `Three (trinity)!' Cease! (it is) better for you".

Al-Jawaab al-Saheeh, 2/15

Some Christians _ because of their ignorance _ think that the plural pronoun which is used to show respect in verses such as "Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1] and "Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'aan…" [Yoosuf 12:2] is proof of their false belief in trinity.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

The view of the salaf (early generations) of this ummah and of its imams and later generations is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard the Qur'aan from Jibreel, and Jibreel heard it from Allaah. The use of plural forms in such phrases is the style of Arabic speech used to refer to one who is of high standing and has helpers who obey him. So if his helpers do something by his command, he says, "we did it". This is like when a king says, "We conquered this land, we defeated this army" and so on. Because he did that through the actions of his helpers. Allaah is the Lord of the angels and they speak not until He has spoken, and they act in accordance with His commands; they do not disobey the commands of Allaah, rather they do what He commands. Moreover He is their Creator and the creator of their deeds and their power. But He has no need of them; He is not like a king whose helpers do things by their own strength. So what He says when He does something through His angels is, "We did it", this is more appropriate and He is more entitled to say it than some king.

This plural form is ambiguous and the Christians try to use it as evidence against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when they find such phrases in the Qur'aan as "Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1], etc. But Allaah condemned them for ignoring the clear verses in the Qur'aan which state that God is One, but they cling to the ambiguous verses which may be interpreted as referring to one who has a peer with him, or to one who has helpers who are his slaves and creation. They follow the ambiguous verses, seeking to stir up confusion in this manner. This is confusion in the heart, by thinking that there are many gods, and seeking to twist the meaning. No one knows the true interpretation except Allaah and those who are well versed in knowledge.

Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 5/233, 234

See also question no. 606

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21534: Attitude of Islam towards other religions

Question:

I have some questions about Islam, could you explain them for me? What does Islam say about people of other religions? Are all non-Muslim people regarded as sinners because they do not follow Allaah and Islam? Can any non-Muslim person enter Paradise without following Islam?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

The ruling of Islam concerning other religions is that they are all either fabricated and false, or abrogated.

The fabricated and false religions are those like the ancient Arabian practise of worshipping idols and stones.

The abrogated religions are those which were taught by the Prophets who came before our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They are valid in that their origins are from Allaah, but Islam came and took their place, not with regard to basic beliefs such as the existence of God, the angels, Paradise and Hell, for these are matters which all the Messengers have in common, but there are differences between them with regard to ways of worshipping and drawing close to Allaah by means of prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, alms, etc. The later followers of the Prophets have fallen into deviations of belief and shirk, but Islam came to point that out and bring people back to the correct belief taught by the earlier Prophets.

It was narrated that Abu'l-Darda' (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: `Umar brought some pages of the Tawraat to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, these are some pages of the Tawraat which I took from a brother of mine from Banu Zurayq." The expression of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) changed, and `Abd-Allaah ibn Zayd _ who had been shown the adhaan [in a dream] _ said, "Has Allaah taken away your mind? Do you not see the expression on the face of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?" `Umar said, "We are pleased with Allaah as our Lord and with Islam as our religion and with Muhammad as our Prophet and with the Qur'aan as our guide." Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) relaxed [?}, and said, "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if Moosa were to come among you and you were to follow him and leave me, you would have gone far astray. You are my share among the nations and I am your share among the Prophets." (Narrated by Ahmad, 15437).

Ibn Hajar said:

All the isnaads of this hadeeth are such that they could not be taken as evidence individually, but when taken together they prove that this hadeeth is correct. (Fath al-Baari, 13/525).

The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah says (interpretation if the meaning):

"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers"

[Aal `Imraan 3:85]

Imam al-Tabari said in his commentary on this verse:

What Allaah means by that is that whoever looks for a religion other than Islam to follow, Allaah will never accept that from him, "and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" meaning, one of those who deprived themselves of their share of the mercy of Allaah."

(Tafseer al-Tabari, 3/339)

Islam does not regard them (followers of other religions) only as sinners, but as kaafirs (disbelievers) who will abide forever in the Fire of Hell, as stated in the verse quoted above.

He (the kaafir) will be a loser in Hell, and will not come of out it. It is not possible for a kaafir to enter Paradise unless he becomes Muslim. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Verily, those who belie Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists, sinners)"

[al-A'raaf 7:40]

It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "By the One is Whose hand is my soul, no one of this nation, Jew or Christian, will hear of me and not believe in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the people of Hell." (Narrated by Muslim).

We ask Allaah to guide the seekers of truth from other religions to look into the religion of Islam and its Book, the Qur'aan. May Allaah guide them and open their hearts to enter Islam.

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26728: Ruling on saying "We are the children of Allaah"

Question:

What is the rulling on, when a Muslim say "We believe we are all children of Allah" Basing it on the weak Hadeeth (All creations are sustained by Allah). Please provide details of the ruling.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

The hadeeth mentioned was narrated by al-Bazzaar and Abu Ya'la from Anas, and says, "All of mankind are the dependents of Allaah, and the most beloved of them to Allaah are those who are most helpful to their dependents." This is a very weak (da'eef jiddan) hadeeth as al-Albaani said in Da'eef al-Jaami', hadeeth no. 2946.

Any Muslim who says, "We believe that we are all the children of Allaah" should be asked to explain what he means before any judgement is made concerning him.

1 _ If what he means by being children is the metaphorical meaning, which is that people are dependent upon Allaah, and he is using this word for a purpose allowed in sharee'ah, such as refuting the Christians who say that the Messiah is the son of God, then there is nothing wrong with that if he uses it only with Christians in order to show that their belief is false, but he should not use it with others lest that generate confusion and misunderstanding. That is because one of the means of showing the Christians' beliefs concerning `Eesa (peace be upon him) to be false is to use the same expressions as are mentioned in their holy Book (the Bible) to prove that others were described as "sons of God" as well as `Eesa, which clearly indicates that what is meant by being a son of God in the texts of the Gospels is not "sonship" in the literal sense, which St. Paul claimed for Jesus in order to lead them astray from belief in Divine Oneness (Tawheed). St. Paul based his argument on the confusion that may arise from the use of the words "father" and "son". Some of the Bible texts that may used to refute their argument are as follows:

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said of those who believed in him:

"They are like the angels. They are God's children since they are children of the resurrection."

[Luke 20:36]

And in the Book of Isaiah:

"Bring back My sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth"

[Isaiah 43:6]

And this is what was said describing God as the Father, as it is narrated in the Gospel of Matthew that the Messiah said to his students:

"If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."

[Matthew 6:1]

In the Gospel of Luke:

"When you pray say, `Our Father, Who art in heaven…'"

[Luke 11:2]

In the Gospel of John:

"I am returning to my Father and your Father, my God and your God."

[John 20:17]

The Christians do not say that the angels, the Children of Israel and the Disciples were sons of God in a literal sense, or that God was their father in a literal sense, rather they interpret that in a metaphorical sense, i.e., that He is a father to them in the sense of blessing them, being kind to them, protecting them and taking care of them, and they are His children in the sense that they worship Him, need Him and are dependent upon Him.

This demonstrates the falseness of their understanding of `Eesa being the son of God, basing their argument on some texts that say that he is the son of God.

2 _ If he means that all people are children of Allaah just as `Eesa is the son of Allaah, in the sense of the Christian belief, then this is kufr (disbelief) that is worse than the kufr of the Christians.

3 _ If he means that we are all children of Allaah or dependent upon Him, with no difference between Muslims and kaafirs, and he means that the Jews, Christians and idol-worshippers are not kaafirs, then this is riddah or apostasy from Islam, because whoever doubts that the Jews and Christians are kaafirs or approves of their religions is a kaafir, according to scholarly consensus.

4 _ If he means thereby to justify using the word "brother" for Jews and Christians, because we are all the children of Allaah, this is false, because there is no brotherhood between the believers and the disbelievers. The hadeeth (which some may interpret as meaning that all men are brothers) has been proven to be not saheeh. Even if it was saheeh, it could not be interpreted in this fashion.

We must beware of using confusing words which may cause a person to fall into something haraam or make people think badly of him, especially words which have to do with the Oneness of Allaah (Tawheed) and His Uniqueness in His names and attributes. For the rights of Allaah take precedence and must be taken care of, and we must avoid anything that may violate them, especially when those words are used by the Jews and Allaah quotes them in the Qur'aan in the context of condemnation.

"And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: `We are the children of Allaah and His loved ones.' Say: `Why then does He punish you for your sins?' Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created…"

[al-Maa'idah 5:18 _ interpretation of the meaning]

And Allaah knows best.

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26301: Can a person who believes that Jesus is the son of God be a Muslim?

Question:

Can you be a muslim and still believe that Jesus is the son of God?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah. One of the most important principles of belief in Allaah is to declare that Allaah is above all attributes that imply shortcomings. One of the attributes that imply shortcomings that the Muslim must reject is the notion that Allaah has a son, because that implies need and that there is a being who is like unto Him, and these are matters which Allaah is far above. Allaah says in Soorat al-Ikhlaas, which describes an attribute of the Most Merciful and is regarded as being equal in reward to reciting one-third of the Qur'aan:

"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One.

AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)].

He begets not, nor was He begotten.

And there is none coequal or comparable unto Him"

[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Because the Christians believe that `Eesa (Jesus) is the son of God _ exalted be Allaah far above what they say _ many verses of the Qur'aan deny this claim and refute it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And the Jews say: `Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!"

[al-Tawbah 9:30]

"O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah `Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (`Be!' — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: `Three (trinity)!' Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allaah is (the only) One Ilaah (God), glory is to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allaah is AllSufficient as a Disposer of affairs"

[al-Nisa' 4:171]

"The Messiah [`Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddeeqah [i.e. she believed in the Words of Allaah and His Books]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allaah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them; yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)"

[al-Maa'idah 5:75]

"And the Jews say: `Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!"

[al-Tawbah 9:30]

Because this false belief existed among the Christians, it was essential for those among them who entered Islam to give up these false beliefs which contradict Islam, one of which is this belief. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever bears witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and that `Eesa is His slave and Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is real and Hell is real, Allaah will admit him to Paradise (and grant him a position therein) according to his deeds." (al-Bukhaari, 3435; Muslim, 28). Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: From this it may be understood what the Christian must be taught to say when he becomes a Muslim. Fath al-Baari, hadeeth no. 3435.

Based on this, a person can only be regarded as a Muslim if he disavows himself of this false belief, and believes that Allaah is above all shortcomings. Whoever acknowledges the greatness of Allaah will find it easy to give up his old beliefs that are not appropriate with regard to Allaah. We ask Allaah to help us to venerate Him and appreciate how great He is.

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Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

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9607: Guidelines of the true religion

Question:

What are the attributes of the correct religion?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Every member of a faith tradition believes that his community is following the truth. Every follower of a religion believes that his religion is the best religion and the straightest way. Whenever you ask the followers of deviant religions or the followers of man-made traditions about the evidence for their beliefs, they tell you that they found their fathers doing this so they are following in their footsteps, then they tell you stories and reports that have no sound basis and whose texts are not free of faults and discepancies. They rely on inherited books of which it is not known who wrote or said them, or in which language they were originally written, or in which land they originated; rather they are a mixture that has been gathered and written in a book that is venerated, then they were passed down from generation to generation with no proper scientific examination of the source of the text or of the text itself.

These unknown books and stories and blind imitation do not provide valid proof with regard to religions and beliefs. Are all these deviant religions and human traditions true or false?

It is impossible that they could all be true, because the truth is one; there are not many "truths". And it is impossible that all these deviant religions and human traditions could have come from Allaah and all be true. If they are many, and the truth is one, then which of them is the truth? So there have to be guidelines by which we may recognize the true religion and distinguish it from false religions. If we find that these guidelines apply to a religion then we will know that it is the truth; if these guidelines or one of them is absent from a religion then we will know that it is false.

The guidelines by which we distinguish the true religion from false religions

1 _ The religion should have come from Allaah, revealed through one of the angels to one of His Messengers, to convey it to His slaves, because the true religion is the religion of Allaah, and Allaah is the One Who will judge mankind and bring them to account on the Day of Resurrection according to the religion which He revealed to them. Allaah says:

"Verily, We have sent the Revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We sent the Revelation to Nooh (Noah) and the Prophets after him; We (also) sent the Revelation to Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ismaa'eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), Ya'qoob (Jacob), and AlAsbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya'qoob (Jacob)], `Eesa (Jesus), Ayyoob (Job), Yoonus (Jonah), Haaroon (Aaron), and Sulaymaan (Solomon); and to Dawood (David) We gave the Zaboor (Psalms)"

[al-Nisa' 4:163]

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)"
[al-Anbiya' 21:25]

Based on this, then any religion which is introduced by some person who attributes it to himself and not to Allaah is undoubtedly a false religion.

2 _ It should call for the worship of Allaah alone, and forbid shirk (polytheism or the worship of anything other than Allaah). It should also forbid the means that lead to that, because promoting Tawheed (belief in the oneness of Allaah) is the basis of the call of all the Prophets and Messengers. Every Prophet said to his people:

"Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him" [al-A'raaf 7:73 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Based on this, any religion that includes shirk and joins others in worship with Him, such as a Prophet, angel or wali ("saint") is a false religion, even if its followers attribute it to one of the Prophets.

3 _ It should be in accordance with the principles advocated by the Messengers, such as the worship of Allaah alone, calling people to His path, and forbidding shirk, disobedience to parents, unlawful killing and immoral deeds, both hidden and open. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)"
[al-Anbiya' 21:25]

"Say (O Muhammad): Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty — We provide sustenance for you and for them. Come not near to Al-Fawaahish (shameful sins and illegal sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand"

[al-An'aam 6:151]

"And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint aalihah (gods) to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allaah)?"

[al-Zukhruf 43:45]

4 _ It should not be self-contradictory, so it should not issue one command that is contradicted by another, or forbid something then allow something very similar for no reason, or forbid something or allow it for some but not for others. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Do they not then consider the Qur'aan carefully? Had it been from other than Allaah, they would surely, have found therein many a contradiction"[al-Nisa' 4:82]

5 _ The religion should guarantee to protect people's religious commitment, honour, wealth, lives and children though the commands, prohibitions and morals that it prescribes, which protect these five holistic principles.

6 _ The religion should be a mercy to mankind, freeing them from the wrongs that they do to themselves and to one another, whether those wrongs have to do with violating their rights, giving control of wealth to the few or leaders misleading the masses. Allaah says, telling us of the mercy that was contained in the Tawraat which He sent down to Moosa (peace be upon him:

"And when the anger of Moosa (Moses) was calmed down, he took up the Tablets; and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord"

[al-A'raaf 7:154 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah says, telling us how He sent `Eesa (peace be upon him):

"And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allaah)"

[Maryam 19:21 _ interpretation of the meaning]

And Allaah says of Saalih (peace be upon him):

"He said: O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord, and there has come to me a mercy (Prophethood) from Him"

[Hood 11:63 _ interpretation of the meaning]

And He says of the Qur'aan:

"And We send down of the Qur'aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe"

[al-Isra' 17:82 _ interpretation of the meaning]

7 _ It should include guidance regarding the laws of Allaah and should show people what Allaah wants, and should tell them where they came from and where they are going. Allaah says of the Tawraat:

"Verily, We did send down the Tawraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light"

[al-Maa'idah 5:44 _ interpretation of the meaning]

He says of the Injeel:

"and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light"

[al-Maa'idah 5:46 _ interpretation of the meaning]

And He says of the Qur'aan:

"It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam)"

[al-Tawbah 9:33 _ interpretation of the meaning].

The true religion is that which contains guidance concerning the laws of Allaah and brings security and peace of mind, so that all whispers of the Shaytaan are driven away and all questions are answered, and all confusing matters are cleared up.

8 _ It should advocate the best attitudes and actions, such as truthfulness, justice, trustworthiness, modesty, chastity and generosity. And it should forbid bad attitudes and actions, such as disobedience to parents, murder, immoral actions, lying, wrongdoing, oppression, miserliness and promiscuity.

9 _ It should bring happiness to those who believe. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"TaaHaa.

[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.]

We have not sent down the Qur'aan unto you (O Muhammad) to cause you distress"[Ta-Ha 20:1-2]

It should be in accordance with the sound natural disposition of man (al-fitrah):

"Allaah's Fitrah (i.e. Allaah's Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind"

[al-Room 30: 30 _ interpretation of the meaning]

It should also be in accordance with sound reason and common sense, because the true religion is the laws of Allaah, and sound reason is the creation of Allaah, and it is impossible that the law of Allaah and the creation of Allaah would contradict one another.

10 _ It should point towards the truth and warn against falsehood. It should show the way to true guidance and steer people away from misguidance. It should call people to the straight path in which there is no crookedness. Allaah tells us that when the jinn heard the Qur'aan, they said to one another:

"O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur'aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to the Straight Path (i.e. Islam)"

[al-Ahqaaf 46:30 _ interpretation of the meaning]

It does not call them to that which would cause them misery. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"TaaHaa.

[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.]

We have not sent down the Qur'aan unto you (O Muhammad) to cause you distress"[Ta-Ha 20:1-2]

And it does not enjoin them to do anything that would cause their doom. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you"[al-Nisa' 4:29]

It does not differentiate between its followers on the grounds of race, colour or tribe. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has AtTaqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]. Verily, Allaah is AllKnowing, AllAware"

[al-Hujuraat 49:13]

The only distinguishing feature for which people may be preferred over others, according to the true religion, is piety or fear of Allaah.

In the light of the guidelines by which we may distinguish between the true religion and false religions, supported by that which what is said in the Holy Qur'aan, which indicates that these guidelines apply to all the truthful Messengers who were sent from Allaah, we may then discuss different types of religions.

From Kitaab al-Islam Usooluhu wa Mabaadi'uhu, by Dr. Muhammad ibn `Abd-Allaah ibn Saalih al-Suhaym. (www.islam-qa.com)

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