The term "Heavenly Religions": Is it permissible to use this term, given that if we use it, we have acknowledged that there are earthly religions? And does this term fall under the category of religious innovations because it was not transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
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The questioner : The term: "Heavenly Religions": Is it permissible to use this term, given that if we use it, we have acknowledged that there are earthly religions? And does this term fall under the category of religious innovations because it was not transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
The Shaykh : Yes, we say: "Heavenly Religions," because there are earthly religions. A religion is whatever a servant worships his Lord with, whether it is from the Shari'ah of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) or from the laws of humans. It is well known that there are people who worship with other than a lawful religion; they believe in a religion where they prostrate to cows, prostrate to idols, and so on. Allah the Exalted did not legislate this in any book, nor on the tongue of any messenger.
Therefore, this religion that they worship with is not from the Shari'ah of Allah, so it is not heavenly.
As for the heavenly religions: they are those that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) legislated because they were sent down from the sky. However, it must be known by the questioner and others that all heavenly religions have been abrogated by the Islamic religion, and that they are not now what is worshipped with to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The One who legislated them and established them as a religion is the One who abrogated them with the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Just as the Christians acknowledge that the religion of Jesus abrogated much of the religion of Moses (peace be upon him), and that it is obligatory for the followers of Moses (peace be upon him) to follow Jesus, so we also say: Islam obligates the Christians to worship with it, and obligates all nations to worship with Islam. For the criterion is the later one; the later one from the Shari'ah of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said regarding Jesus that he said to his people:[As-Saf 61:6].
This good news from Jesus (peace be upon him) about Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates that it is obligatory for the Children of Israel, including the Christians, the Jews, and others, to follow him. For if the message that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought was not comprehensive for them, there would be no benefit in his giving them good news of it. If they did not benefit from this message by following it, there would be no benefit in it for them at all.
The important point is that I say: It must be known by the questioner and others that even if we express it as "heavenly religions," that does not mean we acknowledge that they remain. Rather, we say: they are abrogated by one religion only, which is the religion of Islam. And the established religion that Allah the Exalted is pleased for the servants to worship with is the religion of Islam alone. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] And He said: [Ali 'Imran 3:85] And success is from Allah.
The questioner : Based on this, is it permissible for us to say: "Heavenly Religions"?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for us to say: "Heavenly Religions," but not on the basis that they are currently established. Using this term is permissible, but if it is understood from it that these religions remain and that they are pleasing to Allah, then it is not permissible to use it unless accompanied by an explanation of the situation, by saying: The meaning of "heavenly" is that they are from what Allah the Exalted sent down upon the messengers, but He abrogated everything except Islam with Islam.
The questioner : What I understood from your message is: If a person says "heavenly religions," it means he acknowledges that there are earthly religions. Is it permissible to use this term "heavenly religions"?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for the meaning we indicated, because a religion is whatever a servant worships with. And it is well known that there are religions that Allah the Exalted did not send down and are not heavenly, such as those who worship Buddha, those who worship cows, those who worship the sun, and the like. They worship with this worship of these objects of worship in their view, and it is not from the religion of Allah; it did not come in any heavenly religion.
The questioner : So there are heavenly religions and there are earthly religions?
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, indeed yes.
The questioner : But these earthly ones are not upon truth.
The Shaykh : And even the heavenly religions, which were truth in their time, are now abrogated by Islam.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say: "Heavenly Religions," because there are earthly religions. A religion is whatever a servant worships his Lord with, whether it is from the Shari'ah of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) or from the laws of humans. It is well known that there are people who worship with other than a lawful religion; they believe in a religion where they prostrate to cows, prostrate to idols, and so on. Allah the Exalted did not legislate this in any book, nor on the tongue of any messenger.
Therefore, this religion that they worship with is not from the Shari'ah of Allah, so it is not heavenly.
As for the heavenly religions: they are those that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) legislated because they were sent down from the sky. However, it must be known by the questioner and others that all heavenly religions have been abrogated by the Islamic religion, and that they are not now what is worshipped with to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The One who legislated them and established them as a religion is the One who abrogated them with the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Just as the Christians acknowledge that the religion of Jesus abrogated much of the religion of Moses (peace be upon him), and that it is obligatory for the followers of Moses (peace be upon him) to follow Jesus, so we also say: Islam obligates the Christians to worship with it, and obligates all nations to worship with Islam. For the criterion is the later one; the later one from the Shari'ah of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said regarding Jesus that he 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.
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُThis good news from Jesus (peace be upon him) about Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates that it is obligatory for the Children of Israel, including the Christians, the Jews, and others, to follow him. For if the message that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought was not comprehensive for them, there would be no benefit in his giving them good news of it. If they did not benefit from this message by following it, there would be no benefit in it for them at all.
The important point is that I say: It must be known by the questioner and others that even if we express it as "heavenly religions," that does not mean we acknowledge that they remain. Rather, we say: they are abrogated by one religion only, which is the religion of Islam. And the established religion that Allah the Exalted is pleased for the servants to worship with is the religion of Islam alone. Allah the Exalted said:
and have approved for you Islam as religion
وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينًاAnd whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُThe questioner : Based on this, is it permissible for us to say: "Heavenly Religions"?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for us to say: "Heavenly Religions," but not on the basis that they are currently established. Using this term is permissible, but if it is understood from it that these religions remain and that they are pleasing to Allah, then it is not permissible to use it unless accompanied by an explanation of the situation, by saying: The meaning of "heavenly" is that they are from what Allah the Exalted sent down upon the messengers, but He abrogated everything except Islam with Islam.
The questioner : What I understood from your message is: If a person says "heavenly religions," it means he acknowledges that there are earthly religions. Is it permissible to use this term "heavenly religions"?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for the meaning we indicated, because a religion is whatever a servant worships with. And it is well known that there are religions that Allah the Exalted did not send down and are not heavenly, such as those who worship Buddha, those who worship cows, those who worship the sun, and the like. They worship with this worship of these objects of worship in their view, and it is not from the religion of Allah; it did not come in any heavenly religion.
The questioner : So there are heavenly religions and there are earthly religions?
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, indeed yes.
The questioner : But these earthly ones are not upon truth.
The Shaykh : And even the heavenly religions, which were truth in their time, are now abrogated by Islam.