The ruling on remaining Christian after the mission of the Prophet
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Question:
The Shaykh said: Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, mentioned that some of the contemporary scholars stated in one of the comprehensive works that a group of Christians has now emerged who call themselves "the Monotheists," and that they do not engage in distortion. What is your opinion on this?
Answer:
If this were true, it would be obligatory for them to follow the Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is not permissible for them to remain Christian. This is because after the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), it is not permissible for the people of the earth, whether Jews, Christians, or others, except to follow him (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever remains on his religion and does not follow the Messenger of Allah, he becomes a disbeliever.
He becomes a disbeliever in Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and he does not follow the prophet whom he claims to be a prophet, because the prophethood of the prophet he followed was abrogated by the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not permissible to remain on an abrogated religion. The one who remains on an abrogated religion is not on the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because it is an abrogated and ended religion. Therefore, it is obligatory for all the people of the earth, jinn and humans, Arabs and non-Arabs, the People of the Book and others, to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). No one is excused after the mission of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) except to follow him. If he does not follow him, he is certainly from the people of the Fire, because he is on a religion other than the true one. The prophets used to advise following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was sent, and the last of them was 'Isa (peace be upon him), who said:[As-Saf 61:6] Thus, he referred to this Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and gave glad tidings of him. So it is obligatory to follow him (peace and blessings be upon him). [Al-A'raf 7:158].
And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) described him by saying that his mission was a mercy for the worlds, and He said:[Saba 34:28] So there is no one on a true religion except the religion of the Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh said: Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, mentioned that some of the contemporary scholars stated in one of the comprehensive works that a group of Christians has now emerged who call themselves "the Monotheists," and that they do not engage in distortion. What is your opinion on this?
Answer:
If this were true, it would be obligatory for them to follow the Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is not permissible for them to remain Christian. This is because after the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), it is not permissible for the people of the earth, whether Jews, Christians, or others, except to follow him (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever remains on his religion and does not follow the Messenger of Allah, he becomes a disbeliever.
He becomes a disbeliever in Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and he does not follow the prophet whom he claims to be a prophet, because the prophethood of the prophet he followed was abrogated by the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not permissible to remain on an abrogated religion. The one who remains on an abrogated religion is not on the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because it is an abrogated and ended religion. Therefore, it is obligatory for all the people of the earth, jinn and humans, Arabs and non-Arabs, the People of the Book and others, to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). No one is excused after the mission of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) except to follow him. If he does not follow him, he is certainly from the people of the Fire, because he is on a religion other than the true one. The prophets used to advise following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was sent, and the last of them was 'Isa (peace be upon him), who said:
O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُSay, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِAnd Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) described him by saying that his mission was a mercy for the worlds, and He said:
And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 4/14 شرح مسائل الجاهلية / الشريط الرابع — youtube.com (39:50)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.