The Prophet's statement and a man from the People of the Book who believed in me: Does this include the People of the Book now?

The questioner : The statement of one who understands his hadith: A man from the People of the Book who is committed to his religion: Does this include them? Do we suffice with their religion and their herbs?

The Shaykh : I do not think so, because the religion of the People of the Book now is abrogated since the sending of the Messenger. And if the general wording appeared, except if the man from the People of the Book did not know of the sending of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so when he knew, he hastened to believe, then this falls under the hadith.

The questioner : The Shaykh al-Hafiz mentioned that the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that you entered Islam twice indicates that if a Christian is on a distorted religion and enters Islam, he falls under the hadith.

The Shaykh : Yes, if the hadith is general, but the question is about what one enters now, meaning after he knew that the Messenger is the truth but he disbelieved in Muhammad, then entered Islam: Is he given his reward twice? We say: This does not appear, because he remained on a religion that is not permissible for him to remain on. Yes, if for example he was in a distant land and did not know anything about Islam, so when he knew about Islam he entered Islam, then this falls under the hadith. Yes.