Ibn Bazz: The religion in the Sight of Allah is Islam

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The religion in the Sight of Allah is Islam 

All Praise is due to Allah Alone!

We received the following letter, which reads:

Your Eminence, Shaykh `Abdul­`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz (may Allah protect him),

As­salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!) 

Q: The modern age has witnessed the rise of a sect in Europe and America, which has also attracted some Muslim thinkers, writers, and literates. The `Aqidah (creed) of this group dictates that the well­known religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions, are true religions which are accepted by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and whose sincere followers can reach Al­Haqq (the Truth), be saved from the Fire, and be admitted into the Jannah (Paradise) without having to embrace Islam. 

I hope Your Eminence would reply to these claims.

A: Praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his family, 

Companions, and whoever follows his guidance! 

These are false claims as proven by Nas (Islamic text from the Qur’an or the Sunnah) and Ijma` (consensus of scholars). 

In the Qur'an, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm. Allah (Glorified be He) also says: 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. 

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Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in Surah Al­Ma'idah:This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completedMyFavouruponyou,andhavechosenforyouIslâmasyourreligion. ThereareseveralAyahs(Qur'anicverses) stressing the same meaning. 

In the Sunnah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me and dies unbelieving in that with which I have been sent will be of the inhabitants of theFire. (RelatedbyMusliminhisSahih(authentic)BookofHadith) 

It is also reported in the Two Sahih Books of Hadith (i.e. Al­Bukhari and Muslim)on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah Al­Ansary (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) said: I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me: Every prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind... The same meaning is stressed in the Qur'an in the following Ayahs: And We have not sent you (O Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind 

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: this Qur’ân has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: This (Qur’an) is a Message for mankind (and a clear proof against them), in order that they may be warned thereby 

Also, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says inSurah Al­A`rafabout His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): So those who believe in him (Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’ân) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful. Allah (Glorified be He) then says: Say (O Muhammad 

O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allâh to Whom belongs the dominion of the" :)صـلى االله عليـه وسـلم heavens and the earth. Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad 

who believes in Allâh and His Words [(this Qur’ân), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allâh’s ,)صـلى االله عليـه وسـلم Word: "Be!" and he was, i.e. ‘Isâ (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), عليهما السلام], and follow him so that you may be guided." 

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Scholars have agreed that the Message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been sent for all Jinn (creatures created from fire) and mankind and that whoever does not believe in him and follow what has been revealed to him will be among the inhabitants of the Fire, whether they are Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, or any other followers of so­called creeds. 

Hence, all Jinn and mankind are obligated to believe in Allah and His Messenger, to worship Allah Alone, and to follow His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) until their death. By doing so, they will attain happiness, safety, and success in the world and the Hereafter as already shown in the above­quoted Ayahs 

and Hadith. 

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism) in this world’s life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of Resurrection) The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong­doers and disbelievers in the 

OnenessofAllâh).Theirswillbethecurse,andtheirswillbetheevilabode(i.e.painfultormentinHell­fire).Allah(Glorifiedbe He) also says: Verily, Allâh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allâh is All­Strong, All­Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) 

who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat­as­Salât [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al­Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al­Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be 

He) says in Surah Al­Nur: Allâh has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the land, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the 

authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieves afterthis,theyaretheFâsiqûn(rebellious,disobedienttoAllâh). ThereareseveralAyahsconveyingthesamemeaning. 

All other religions other than Islam include Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and Kufr (disbelief) and, thus, oppose the teachings of Islam with which Allah sent the messengers, revealed in His Books, and 

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sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the last and best of all prophets, to proclaim. Such religions also disbelieve in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and do not follow him. These two factors are enough to render their followers as Kafirs (disbelievers), who deserve Allah's Wrath and Punishment, are deprived of Jannah and are entitled to enter the Fire except those whom the Messenger's Da`wah (call to Islam) has not reached. Such people will be left to the Will of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). The correct opinion is that they will be put to test on the Day of Resurrection; if they respond positively, they will be admitted into the Jannah and if they disobey, they will be thrown into the Fire. The knowledgeable Ibn Al­Qayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) simplified this issue and its evidence at the end of his book ''Tariq Al­Hijratayn'' (The Path of the Two Migrations) under the title ''Tabaqat Al­ Mukallafin'' (Classes of Legally Competent Muslims). Whoever wants to refer to it will find it very useful. May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions! 

`Abdul­`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz 

President

of the Departments of Scholarly Research, Ifta', Daw`ah, and Guidance