“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you”
The religion of Islam is an upright religion that calls to the people of the book from among the Jews and the Christians, to some common ground, that commonality is what was the message of all the prophets, a word that is no rejected except by those who are astray, a word which is not exclusive to one side over another, rather they are both implicated in this word, this is to be objective this word can be broken down into the following:
1) That we single out Allah alone for worship, and so love him and are fearful and hopeful in him.
2) That we do not associate any partners with him, not to a prophet or a saint nor an idol or a statue.
3) That obedience is only for the messengers of Allah and His prophets, as they are the bringers of glad tidings for us and the Jinns and the bring us likewise a warning.
4) That there is no obedience to the creation if that means a disobedience to the creator. By obeying other than Allah you are offering a part lordship to that thing.
By agreeing to these pure words , words that are common ground for all leaving behind partisanship, desires and falsehood, these words would then permeate into ones natural disposition and with sincerity of the heart would lead to an agreement with the Muslims:
That belief in what the last messenger bought, regarding absolute oneness of Allah, a pure and clear doctrine, guided worship, beautified transactions and interactions and a high moral, ethical and behavioral code. Moreover it will confirm the belief in the final revelation of Allah and the seal of His messengers Muhammad (ﷺ), belief in a book that came as a confirmation on all the other revelatory texts, a scripture that Allah has undertaken the preservation and protection of, a book the authenticity of which has been proven.
Islam is therefore the religion of God as Allah says:
85. 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.
[The Family of Imraan 85]
Islam in brief is the complete surrender and submission to Allah, and the belief in all of Allah’s messenger including the belief in Moses and in Jesus (peace be upon them) and in the final prophet of Allah the seal of all the prophets Muhammad.
Choosing between Islam Christianity and Judaism.
Allah has bestowed upon us the blessing of the intellect and with it He favouredmankind over many of the other creations as a test to see how we use this great blessing. So do we use it positively in doing what is pleasing to Allah, consequently gaining His rewards and blessing. Or do we use it negatively by doing what angers Allah and warrants His punishment?
Like many of the other blessings which Allah has blessed us with, from the healthof our bodies and wealth Allah has blessed us with and safety from a lot of destructive things in this life in which we live in, and the time that we have free from time to time and so on. Do we use it positively in Allah’s worship or do we use it negatively in disobedience to Allah.
Therefore, we are responsible for this great blessing (the blessing of the intellect did we use it positively in searing for the truth and following it against all desires and partisanship or not?
And before we discuss how to use the intellection relation to our topic, which is the choice between Islam and Christianity and Judaism, we clarify that:
Islam is the religion of Allah with which He sent all his Prophets and Messengers even if the religion differed like Christianity, Judaism and others. Islam means submission and complete humility of the heart and limbs to Allah Almighty. This is achieved by following His orders, avoiding what He has prohibited and ruling by His laws and being satisfied with it. And therefore, all of this is from love for Allah and why not?! He is the Lord, the Creator who Created from nothing, the bestower of all blessings, the One who has no associate in His Lordship and therefore He deserves to be singled out in worship and worshiped alone, with complete submission and humility to Him Glorified and Exalted.
From Allah’s mercy upon us, He sent to us Prophets and Messengers, helped by Him, which is shown in the truth of their call and message in order to clarify and show us the truth, which is from the same angle that the people of falsehood seek to attack.
Therefore, it is from Allah’s wisdom that He sent the Prophets one after another, helped by Him with miracles to call people and guide them to Allah and warning them from straying from the straight path to the paths of those who are corrupt using their intellect incorrectly and being lead and following their whims and desires.
Therefore, one must believe in Allah’s Prophets and Messengers once the truth of their message is clearand in accordance with the natural disposition and the purity of ones instinct and the sound mind supported by the miracle which Allah chose for all of them in accordance with His wisdom and will.
And it is not permissible for anyone to belie the message of any of the Prophets even if he believed in all of the Prophets before and after him.
The religion of the Prophets is one, and they only came with one religion, which is Islam even if the legislation, which they came with to their nations, differed in accordance with Allah’s wisdom and will.
But if Allah one after the other at some point in time did not send Prophets, the example of this is that of Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon them. Allah sent Prophet Moses with the Torah, then after a long time, He sent Prophet Jesus with the Bible. During this long period between the message of Moses and the message of Jesus, the people followed the message of Moses as Prophet Jesus’ message had not come yet. Then the message of Prophet Jesus was sent in accordance with Allah’s will, His wisdom and His knowledge, so it is obligatory upon everyone to follow the message Prophet Jesus came with and it is not permissible for anybody to reject what Prophet Jesus came with claiming to follow the message of Prophet Moses.
If the rules brought by the legislation of Jesus were to differ with the previous legislation of Moses then it is considered as an abrogation for the previous rule and so it is binding for all those who follow Prophet Jesus until another law is revealed.
Note: It is known that Jesus was not only sent to the Children of Israelthis is also stated in the Holy Bible.
We find within the Bible that it is said that Jesus was sent to the Israelites only, in the Gospel of Mathew 15:22-26 Jesus says:
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
Following on from what we have clarified, after a period of time, the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was sent by Allah as a confirmation and abrogation of what came before it in accordance with Allah’s will, His knowledge and His wisdom, after the corruption and alterations which occurred in the Torah which Prophet Moses came with and the Bible which Prophet Jesus came with may Allah’s blessings be upon them.
Therefore, both Christians and Jews must follow the message Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was sent with from Allah.
So it is not permissible for a Christian to reject the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him claiming that he is following the message of Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon him.
Similarly, it is not permissible for a Jew to reject the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him claiming that he is following the message of Prophet Moses or even the message of Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon them.
The message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is universal, to all people in all places until the day of judgement, so everybody must follow the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, believe in his call and believe in the book he was sent with (The Quran), protected by Allah as a miracle until the day of Judgement as a confirmation to all the previous books.
Note: The disbelief in any one of the Prophets or Messengers of Allah, after the truth of their call was made apparent which is in accordance with the natural disposition and the sound minds and aided by the miracles of Allah is complete apostasy in Islamwhich we made clear is the religion of Allah, which all the Prophets and Messengers came with even if they came with different legislations.
This disbelief warrants Allah’s eternal punishment. To clarify this, we give an example:
If somebody believed in the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him but then said I do not believe in the Prophethood of Jesus (for example), with that he has completely left the fold of Islam and his belief in Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is of no benefit to him. This is because it is obligatory upon him to believe in all of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah and not to belie any of them.
As long as this person (that we have given an example of) has believed in the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and the book that he was sent with (The Quran), then he must believe in the Prophethood of Jesus as the Quran has confirmed the Prophethood of Jesus as well as that of Prophet Moses may Allah’s blessings be upon them.
Also this person (we have given as an example) must believe in the Prophethood and message of all those that the Quran mentions their Prophethood and Message because disbelieving in any of their Prophet hood or message counts as disbelief in the Quran which has affirmed their Prophethood and message.
For example, if a Jew believed in Prophet Moses may Allah’s blessings be upon him then said that he didnot believe in the Prophet Jesus or Prophet Muhammad, then his belief in Prophet Moses does not benefit him in any way and hence becomes deserving of Allah’s eternal punishment because belief is not dividable.
Also, if a Christian believed in Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon him but then said that he did not believe in the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him or another Prophet, then his belief in Jesus doesn’t not benefit him in any way and hence he becomes deserving of Allah’s eternal punishment.
In completion to this point: Similar to what we have mentioned is the belief in the angels as it is not permissible to disbelieve in any one of the angels as long as u have believed in the books sent to the Prophets and messengers.
In addition it is obligatory upon everybody to believe in Allah and His Oneness, to believe in His angels, His Prophets and Messengers, His heavenly Books which were sent to His Prophets and Messengers, the day of Judgement, Pre-ordainment, (that everything that occurs does so by Allah’s will, His wisdom known to Allah before it occurs). It is not permissible to disbelieve in any of the above-mentioned otherwise one leaves the fold of Islam which obligates the belief in everything we have mentioned. Consequently, this disbelief warrants the punishment of Allah.
From what we have said, it is clear that Islam is the religion of Allah which Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was sent with. It is also the religion that all of the other Prophets and Messengers came with, therefore anything other than Islam is not accepted.
It is also clear that the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is more universal and complete in comparison to the message of Prophet Jesus and Prophet Moses may Allah’s blessings be upon them. This is because Prophet Moses’ and Prophet Jesus’ messages may Allah’s blessings be upon them were sent only to the Children of Israel whereas the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was sent to all of mankind in all places until the day of judgement. The miracle of the everlasting Quran is a proof for that.
This clarifies the point that the scared law Prophet Muhammad came with is an abrogation of what came before it hence making it obligatory for everyone to follow it.
In completion of this point: some reasons for choosing Islam as a religion and choosing the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him over Christianity or Judaism is as follows
1) Islam is the religion of Allah that all the Prophets and Messengers called to.
2) Islam includes the belief in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah and from them is the Prophet Moses and the Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon them as well as the belief in the final Prophet of Allah being Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
3) Islam includes the belief in all of the heavenly books sent to the Prophets and Messengers of Allah. This includes the Torah which was sent to Prophet Moses and the Bible sent to Prophet Jesus may Allah’s peace be upon them before they were altered and lost. Also, the belief in The Quran which is the last of the heavenly books and the confirmation which was sent to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
4) Islam also includes the belief in all the previous legislations which were sent to the Prophets and Messengers including what Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus peace be upon them were sent with. It also includes belief in the last revelation and that it was an abrogation forwhat was before it which Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him came with.
5) Islam includes the belief in the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and this means the belief in the message of Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon them as well as the other prophets. Choosing Christianity over the message of Islam, meaning belying the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and choosing Judaism over the message of Islam, again belying the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as well as the message of Prophet Jesus may Allah’s blessing be upon him. No doubt that belying the message of even one Prophet is considered disbelief because believing consists of believing all of the Prophets and their messages.
6) There are numerous evidences and clear signs proving absolutely the Prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and the belief in his message more than any other Prophet, and for wider reading in this topic one can refer to this book : Muhammad peace be upon him, truthfully and with honesty.
And we indicate this point in the following brief account:
a) Muhammad peace be upon him came with a pure and clear doctrine which is in accordance with the natural disposition and the sound minds from the absolute unity and Oneness of Allah and the belief in His complete Majesty and His absolute power and the belief in His angels, His books, His messengers, the day of Judgement and his preordainment, good or bad.
b) Muhammad peace be upon him called for the belief in the Prophet hood of Prophet Jesus peace be upon him and the belief in his message despite the belying of the Jews towards him (Jesus) and insulting him as well as insulting his mother Mary.
c) Muhammad peace be upon him and freed Jesus from the accusation of divinity. This is a station that was given to him from the people who exaggerated beyond all reason.
d) Muhammad peace be upon him also freed Mary from what the Jews attributed to her with regards to committing the unspeakable acts. Muhammad peace be upon him honoured her and testified her piety and chastity.
e) Muhammad peace be upon him confirmed the miraculous birth of Jesus without a father may Allah’s blessings be upon him as well as his confirmation of the miracle of Jesus speaking in the cradle, a vindication for his mother (Mary) and a testimony for his Prophet hood and message.
f) Muhammad peace be upon him came with guided worship, upright legislation, excellent mannerisms, just transactions and teachings of the highest order and so on.
g) Muhammad peace be upon him also came with many miracles and abnormalities which are proof of the authenticity and the truth of his call and message, and at its beginning the miracle of the Quran which the ever lasting miracle until the day of judgement a witness to the universality of the message of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and its confirmation to all of the messages before it.
7) The credibility of the Quran which we have shown extensively, the lack of credibility (in the Torah which is in the hands of the Jews today, and the Holy Bible) after the alterations, additions and deletions which it has gone through, and we have already made reference to some of the absolute proofs which prove that.
8) The upright legislation which Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him came with, which the natural disposition agrees with and that which guided minds accept, cannot becompared with Judaism or Christianity of today after what has reached both Judaism and Christianity in relation to alterations and corruptions.
We have clarified in some points with examples of such legislation in Judaism and Christianity which show it is not possible for some one of a sound mind to accept that is revelation from Allah Almighty.
And other than this we have pointed out frequently from reasons for choosing Islam over Judaism and Christianity and other religions but we will end with this reason (from the book Ighaathatul Lihfaan By Ibn Qayyim):
9) It is never possible for Jews to believe in the Prophet hood of Moses and not believe in the Prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Likewise, it is never possible for Christians to believe in Jesus may Allah’s blessings be upon him except after its acceptance of the Prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Therefore, it is said to all Jews and Christians: you did not see these two Prophets, Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus, may Allah’s blessings be upon them, and you did not see their signs and miracles and proofs of their Prophet hood, then we specify a question to both nations (Jews and Christians) which is:
How do you know about Prophet Moses’ prophet hood and his truthfulness whilst not seeing his miracles and proofs of his Prophet hood?
The first answer: They will say that their forefathers informed them of that.
So we say to them: How do you know they are telling you the truth?
So they will turn to the second answer which is so numerate in transmission that the observer of his miracles and signs and proofs that he came with proved that to us.
Likewise pose the same question for the Christians.
How do you know about Jesus’ may Allah’s blessings be upon him and his truthfulness and you believed in him whilst not seeing his miracles and proofs of his Prophet hood?
The response will be one of the two previous answers.
The first answer will be: our forefathers informed us of that.
So we say to them: How do you know they are telling you the truth?
So they will turn to the second answer which is: they will say its unbroken transmission observations of his miracles and signs and proofs that he came with proved that to us.
So we say to them:
This means that you must believe in the messenger ship of the prophet Muhammad, as it is well known that the narrators and transmitter of his miracles are double and triple the amount you are talking about. Secondly Allah has combined two types of miracles in the prophet a tangible and a theoretical, never was a prophet given a miracle except the prophet Muhammad was given the like of it or better than it. Especially as the message of the prophet Muhammad is the final and universal message.
So from what has been presented one has no choice but to accept Islam as a religion, the prophet Muhammad as his messenger and belief in the Quran as the final book
