Is the Christian considered among the disbelievers, given that he is from the People of the Book? And who are the People of the Book? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.

Machine translationRead the Arabic original

The questioner : Is the Christian considered among the disbelievers, given that he is from the People of the Book? And who are the People of the Book?

The Shaykh : The People of the Book are the Jews and the Christians who are called Christians. These are the People of the Book. They are called the People of the Book because Allah the Exalted sent down books to His messengers. He sent down the Torah to Musa (peace be upon him), by which the Jews profess their faith, and He sent down the Gospel to 'Isa (peace be upon him), by which the Christians, who call themselves Christians today, profess their faith.
The religion of the Jews was abrogated by the religion of the Christians; that is, it was obligatory for the Jews to follow the Christians in their religion while the religion of the Christians was in effect. The religion of the Christians, and other religions, were abrogated by the religion of Islam with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent. Thus, the religion of Islam abrogated all religions. No religion is acceptable to Allah except Islam. Allah the Exalted said:

Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُ

[Ali 'Imran 3:19]

This formulation implies exclusivity, meaning that there is no religion with Allah other than Islam. And He the Exalted said:

And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

[Ali 'Imran 3:85]

This is evidence that all religions other than Islam are not acceptable to Allah, and that their followers are losers in the Hereafter, having no share in it. This is the case only for disbelievers. Accordingly, all Christians and Jews are not upon a religion acceptable to Allah. Since they are not upon a religion acceptable to Allah, they are disbelievers. Their disbelief is removed by believing in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and following him. If they believe in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), this is what their books indicate, as Allah the Exalted said:

but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses - ⁽¹⁵⁷⁾ Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. ⁽¹⁵⁸⁾ Say, [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. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.

وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ * الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالأَغْلالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ * قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

[Al-A'raf 7:156-158]

These two verses indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is known in the Torah and the Gospel, and that it is obligatory for them to believe in him and follow him. 'Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) said to his people:

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." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ

[As-Saf 61:6]

The good news given by 'Isa (peace be upon him) regarding the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates that it is obligatory for his followers to follow him. If that were not the case, his good news regarding him would have been of no benefit. Indeed, a person does not give good news except of what brings him benefit. Therefore, anyone who disbelieves in the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), whether from the Jews, the Christians, or others, is a disbeliever in Allah. This is because Allah the Exalted commanded all servants to believe in Him and in His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, and He made clear that this is the path of success, guidance, and rightness, and that anything other than that is misguidance. We ask Allah for well-being and guidance.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

Similar fatwas