The Falsity of the Claim That the People of the Book and the Sabians Are on the Right Path
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Question:
One of the writers states in his book, "An Attempt at a Modern Interpretation of the Qur'an," on page 111: that the Qur'an says that all the People of the Book, whether Jews, Christians, or Muslims, are on the right path, and that even those who worshipped the sun as a symbol and a sign of Allah, namely the Sabians, are also on the right path, and that they have reward and forgiveness. He cited the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Baqarah:62]. He also stated that it is permissible for every person to take from the religions whatever he is able to take, and whatever suits his temperament and nature. How can we respond to this?
Answer:
This is a clear disbelief, and his misguidance is clear. Allah says: [al-Baqarah:163], and He says: [al-Fatihah:5], and He says: [Al Imran:19]. This is the response to him.
And He says: [Al Imran:85], and He says: [Al Maidah:17], and He—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—says: [Al Bayyinah:6]. In many verses, the state of these people is made clear.
And Allah said in the verse that the corrupt one mentioned: [al-Baqarah:62]. Whoever believes, yes. But as for the one who did not believe in Allah and the Last Day, he remains in his disbelief and misguidance.
And belief in Allah includes belief in the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the seal of all the messengers. So the one who believes in Allah but does not believe in Muhammad has not believed in Allah. One does not believe in Allah unless he believes in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The general verses are explained by the detailed verses. So the one who does not believe in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is considered a disbeliever. Allah says: [Al A'raf:158], and He says: [Saba:28].
So the one who says that Judaism is Islam, and Christianity is Islam, and Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Sabianism—this person has not known his religion, and he is misguided like them, and a disbeliever like them—may Allah grant us safety. Because whoever does not believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is a disbeliever, whether he is a Jew, a Christian, a Sabian, a Zoroastrian, or an idolater. He must believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and follow what he brought, otherwise he is a misguided disbeliever.
And likewise, before him, everyone who did not follow the messengers who were sent to them: whoever was in the time of Shaleh and did not believe in Shaleh, he is a disbeliever. And whoever was in the time of Hud, from the people of Hud, and did not believe, he is a disbeliever. And so on, whoever was in the time of Nuh, and whoever was in the time of Ibrahim, in the time of Lut, and so forth. Everyone who was from the people of a prophet among the prophets and did not believe in him, he is a disbeliever, misguided, whether he was in his time or he was hidden from him.
So the conclusion: That every nation to whom Allah sent a prophet, if they did not believe in him and did not follow him, then they are disbelievers. Then the nation of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) are the people of the earth. The nation of Muhammad are all the people of the earth, the people of the earth being Arabs, non-Arabs, jinn, and humans. Every individual who does not believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) while he knows that Muhammad has come and that he is a messenger, then he is a misguided disbeliever, whatever his state may be. But if the message did not reach him in the far corners of the earth, and he did not know about Muhammad, and did not know about the Qur'an, if we assume this, his case is left to Allah on the Day of Resurrection. He is counted among the people of the intervals (futurat). He will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If he responds, he will enter Paradise. If he disobeys, he will enter the Fire. May Allah grant us safety.
One of the writers states in his book, "An Attempt at a Modern Interpretation of the Qur'an," on page 111: that the Qur'an says that all the People of the Book, whether Jews, Christians, or Muslims, are on the right path, and that even those who worshipped the sun as a symbol and a sign of Allah, namely the Sabians, are also on the right path, and that they have reward and forgiveness. He cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَAnswer:
This is a clear disbelief, and his misguidance is clear. Allah says:
And your God is one God, there is no god but He, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy
وَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُIt is You we worship and You we ask for help.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُIndeed, the religion in the sight of Allah
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِAnd He says:
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 الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَThey have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary
لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَIndeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُولَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِAnd Allah said in the verse that the corrupt one mentioned:
those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness
مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًاAnd belief in Allah includes belief in the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the seal of all the messengers. So the one who believes in Allah but does not believe in Muhammad has not believed in Allah. One does not believe in Allah unless he believes in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The general verses are explained by the detailed verses. So the one who does not believe in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is considered a disbeliever. Allah says:
Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًاAnd We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًاSo the one who says that Judaism is Islam, and Christianity is Islam, and Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Sabianism—this person has not known his religion, and he is misguided like them, and a disbeliever like them—may Allah grant us safety. Because whoever does not believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is a disbeliever, whether he is a Jew, a Christian, a Sabian, a Zoroastrian, or an idolater. He must believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and follow what he brought, otherwise he is a misguided disbeliever.
And likewise, before him, everyone who did not follow the messengers who were sent to them: whoever was in the time of Shaleh and did not believe in Shaleh, he is a disbeliever. And whoever was in the time of Hud, from the people of Hud, and did not believe, he is a disbeliever. And so on, whoever was in the time of Nuh, and whoever was in the time of Ibrahim, in the time of Lut, and so forth. Everyone who was from the people of a prophet among the prophets and did not believe in him, he is a disbeliever, misguided, whether he was in his time or he was hidden from him.
So the conclusion: That every nation to whom Allah sent a prophet, if they did not believe in him and did not follow him, then they are disbelievers. Then the nation of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) are the people of the earth. The nation of Muhammad are all the people of the earth, the people of the earth being Arabs, non-Arabs, jinn, and humans. Every individual who does not believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) while he knows that Muhammad has come and that he is a messenger, then he is a misguided disbeliever, whatever his state may be. But if the message did not reach him in the far corners of the earth, and he did not know about Muhammad, and did not know about the Qur'an, if we assume this, his case is left to Allah on the Day of Resurrection. He is counted among the people of the intervals (futurat). He will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If he responds, he will enter Paradise. If he disobeys, he will enter the Fire. May Allah grant us safety.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.