Dr. Saleh As-Saleh
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We hear nowadays a strange call by organized groups involving some Christians, Jews, and “Muslim” intellectuals calling for “wihdatul adyaan”. They claim that these three religions stand for the same belief that there is One God and should unite in their call for the implementation of great moral values. Some of those involved call for the establishment of centers containing churches, synagogues, and massaajid side by side, and printing the Qur’an, the Bible, and the Torah in one binding, etc.
In the name of defending Islam against political and media distortions in the West, some organizations are compromising the basics of the Islamic creed through what is called “Bridging the Faiths.” [1] This is a very dangerous call because it mixes the truth with falsehood and thus practically implies the elimination of the truth perfected in the deen of Islam. The Christians and Jews want the Muslims to be like them. That is why they support this deceptive call for “unity”. Allah spoke of their attempts and called the Muslims to be aware of them:
وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَآءً۬ۖ فَلَا تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنۡہُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ حَتَّىٰ يُہَاجِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَخُذُوهُمۡ وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنۡہُمۡ وَلِيًّ۬ا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you all become equal (like one another). So take not Auliyâ’ (protectors or friends) from them, till they emigrate in the Way of Allâh (to Muhammad SAW). But if they turn back (from Islâm), take (hold of) them and kill them wherever you find them, and take neither Auliyâ’ (protectors or friends) nor helpers from them. [Qur’an, Surat an-Nisaa’ 4:89]
One of the fundamental beliefs in Islam is the kufr (unbelief) of the Christians and Jews because they reject the Qur’an and the Message of Muhammad (PBUH) to them. They have also altered their books in such a way that it permits or even enjoins worship of other than Allah and (or) the association of partners with Him in worship. Any Muslim who doubts their kufr is a kaafir himself.
Some Muslims who do not understand certain texts from the Qur’an and (or) authentic Sunnah and may be easily deceived by the call for “unity of religions”. It is important to know that if certain texts are not clear to some, they are clear to others from those who are firm in the knowledge of the deen. [2] Consequently, nothing stays unclear for those who are seeking the truth and not just following vain desires.
For example, some may understand that the following text is evidence that the Jews and Christians are not kuffaar:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ
Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allâh and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [Qur'an, Soorat Al-Baqarah (2:62)].
Ibn Taymeeyah said: “The aayah (above) tells about the followers of these four unaltered milal (Paths) before abrogation [by the advent of Prophet Muhammad’(PBUH) complete message].” [4] It, therefore, addresses those who believed in tawheed and followed the Path of Allah as was known to them. Those who continued on this belief and did not alter the Scriptures must follow the Qur’an and the Message of Islam as explained by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Furthermore, the order of the above ayah, as Ibn ‘Abbaas explained, was canceled by ayah 3:85, which states:
وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. [Qur'an, Surat Aal-’Imraan 3: 85]
Following the alterations in their religion, most of the People of the Book turned kuffaar and few remained on the original teachings of the Torah and the Gospel. This is clear in the Qur’anic texts where Allah, the Most High, says:
كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِۗ وَلَوۡ ءَامَنَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيۡرً۬ا لَّهُمۚ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَأَڪۡثَرُهُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ
You [true believers in Islâmic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad SAW and his Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden), and you believe in Allâh. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are Al-Fâsiqûn (disobedient to Allâh – and rebellious against Allâh’s Command). [Qur’aan, Soorat Aal-’Imraan 3:110]
Following the above description, Allah (SWT) said:
لَيۡسُواْ سَوَآءً۬ۗ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَآٮِٕمَةٌ۬ يَتۡلُونَ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَهُمۡ يَسۡجُدُونَ – يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Verses of Allâh during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer. (113) They believe in Allâh and the Last Day; they enjoin Al-Ma’rûf (Islâmic Monotheism, and following Prophet Muhammad SAW) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and opposing Prophet Muhammad SAW); and they hasten in (all) good works; and they are among the righteous. (114) [Qur’an, Surat Aal-’Imraan 3:113-114]
This party includes those who held to the original Scriptures before they were abrogated by Qur’an and Sunnah. They were on the right religion enjoining tawheed and forbidding shirk, just as Allah described the believing followers of Musa:
وَمِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٌ۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعۡدِلُونَ
And of the people of Mûsa (Moses) there is a community who lead (the men) with truth and establish justice therewith (i.e. judge among men with truth and justice). [Qur’an, Surat Al-A’raaf 7:159].
Whoever held to these qualities amongst them (i.e. to the true revelations), prior to the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a believer. The believers from the People of the Book who accepted the Prophet’s (PBUH) Message of Islam will receive a double reward:
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ
And who believe in (the Qurân and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him ) and in that which we sent down before [the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell,) [Qur’an, Soorat Al-Baqarah 2:4]
وَإِنَّ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَمَن يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ خَـٰشِعِينَ لِلَّهِ لَا يَشۡتَرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاًۗ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ
And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allâh and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allâh. They do not sell the Verses of Allâh for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allâh is Swift in account. [Qur’an, Soorat Aal-’Imraan 3:199] Continue reading →
