Dr. Saleh As-Saleh Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 31 | Size: 1 MB
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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]
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]
______________
Footnotes:
[1] In a testimony before a U.S. House
sub-committee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal
Justice, Atif Harden, the Executive Director of the American Muslim
Council (AMC) said, “I am weary of hearing and seeing Islam and Muslims
portrayed as foreign and different. We are cousins of Jews and
Christians. We worship the same God, follow the teachings of the same
Prophets, and believe in the same books. We are all followers of
Abraham.” [The full text was published by the Saudi Gazette (an English
Daily), Monday the 15th of October, 1998, p.9]. This concept is in
direct opposition to the teachings of the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.
Those who associate partners with Allah in worship and (or) worship
Prophets are not believers in Allah. The books of the Jews and
Christians contain alterations and are completely abrogated by the
Qur’an. The Jews and Christians are not followers of the faith of
tawheed of Ibrahim for Ibrahim was neither a Christian nor a Jew, he was
a pure Muslim, as Allah I says:
Ibrâhim
(Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim
Hanifa (Islâmic Monotheism – to worship none but Allâh Alone) and he was
not of Al-Mushrikûn (See V.2:105).[Qur’an, Surat Aal-’Imraan 3:67]
Had they been true followers of their
Prophets, the Jews and Christians would believe in the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) and his message of Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) said:
“By Him
(Allah) in Whose Hand Muhammad’s soul is, there is none from amongst the
Jews and the Christians (of these present nations) who hears about me
and then dies without believing in the Message with which I have been
sent (i.e. tawheed), but he will be from the dwellers of the (Hell)
Fire.”[Reported by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh (English Translation), vol. 1, no. 284]
The belief in the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
is the attestation with full acceptance and submission, not just mere
attestation, that what he brought forth is the truth. That is why Abu
Taalib (the uncle of the Prophet (PBUH)) did not become a believer in
the Messenger (PBUH) despite his attestation to what the Prophet (PBUH)
brought forth and his witness that it is the best of religions.
When there
comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it
known (among the people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger
or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators
would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the
Grace and Mercy of Allâh upon you, you would have followed Shaitân
(Satan), save a few of you. [Qur’an, Surat An-Nisaa’ 4:83]
It was the norm for the sahaabah to ask
the Prophet (PBUH) in his life of what they did not know. Then after his
death they asked the learned amongst them, and so did those who
followed their path in righteousness. Asking the learned scholars,
therefore, was the way of the salaf especially if something doubtful
arose.
[3] A past nation who used to live in al-Mawsil (‘Iraq) and said, “La Ilaaha Illallaah.” They were neither Jews nor Christians.
[4] Ibn Taymeeyah in Al-Jawaabus-Saheeh
Liman Baddala Deenal-Maseeh (The Correct Response for those who Altered
the Religion of ‘Eessa) [Riyadh, KSA: Daarul ‘Aasimah, 1414/1993] vol.
2, pp. 212-213. As to whether Jews and Christians of our times are from
the People of the Book or not, one first should understand what the term
“People of the Book” means. It means that original Books were revealed
to their prophets, Mûsa and ‘Eessa, respectively. When they held to the
beliefs of ‘Eessa and Mûsa, they were not kuffaar. However, when they
continued to believe in the altered and abrogated forms of these Books
and commit shirk, they became kuffaar, even though they are still
referred to as “People of the Book”. Allah knew they would alter the
Books and warned them against that. He I still refers to them in the
Qur’an as “People of The Book,” and clearly states that they have
committed kufr and deviated from the path of tawheed which their
prophets called them to adhere to.
[5] Like the belief of Muslims who accepted the Message of Muhammad (PBUH).
[6] Includes those amongst them who had faith before Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to mankind. The believers whom Allah described:
Then, We
sent after them, Our Messengers, and We sent ‘Īsā (Jesus) son of Maryam
(Mary), and gave him the Injeel (Gospel). And We ordained in the hearts
of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But the monasticism
which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but
(they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but they did not
observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them who
believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious,
disobedient to Allâh).[Qur’an, Surat Al-Hadeed 57:27]
[7] The revelation includes the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah.
[8] Ibn Taymeeyah explained that some of
the sahaabah (e.g. Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, ibn ‘Abbaas, and Anas ibn
Maalik as well as most of the scholars mentioned that the aayah (Qur’an
3:199), was revealed concerning the faith of an-Najaashi, the king of
Abasseenyah known as “as-hamah” (‘Atiyyah, in Arabic), who knew that the
Message of Muhammad (PBUH) was the truth confirming that of ‘Eessa
before him. He accepted Islam but was unable to migrate to daarul-Islaam
(where Islam is the apparent and practiced deen), nor he was able to
declare it amongst his Christian nation. After the Prophet (PBUH) knew
of his death, he called upon the sahaabah and performed the funeral
prayers in absentia on an-Najaashi, thus confirming his belief in Islam.
The aayah, therefore, may apply to anyone from the People of the Book
or the mushrikeen who lives in daarul-harb (a land in which the kuffaar
are prevailing, or land of the kuffaar between whom and the Muslims
there is no peace) and who believes in Allah and in Muhammad (PBUH) as
Allah’s Final Messenger, yet unable to declare his faith openly or
unable to migrate to any Muslim country. He does what he is able to do
from the acts of worship and as he knows them. [See ibn Taymeeyah’s
Al-Jawaabus-Saheeh], pp. 202-210.
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