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Unification of Religions

Maulana Khalid Dhorat
(Jamiatul 'Ulama, South Africa)

   While there may be accommodation in Sharî’ah for cooperation between religious groups on common issues, protagonists of the inter-faith movement have now gone a step further. There has been a call for the unification of all religions, building mosques, temples, churches and synagogues in one compound, and even the printing of scriptures such as the Qur’ân and the Bible in one book.

  Before giving a verdict on this new ‘unified’ religion, it is essential to know a few of the standing fundamentals of Islâm:

1. One of the fundamentals of faith in Islâm is that there is no true religion on the earth except Islâm, and that it is the final religion which abrogated all previous religions. Therefore, no other religion remains on earth by which Allâh can be worshipped except Islâm. He says, 

And  whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (3:85)

2. Also of the fundamentals of faith is the belief that the Qur’ân is the last Book that was revealed by the Cherisher of the Worlds. It abrogates all the Books revealed by Allâh before it, and as such no other Book has been left by which Allâh can be worshipped except the Qur’ân. Allâh, The Most High,says,

And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad, ) the Book (the Qur’ân) in truth, confirming the Scriptures that came before it, and trustworthy in highness and a witness over it (old scriptures). So judge between them by what Allâh has revealed, and follow not their vain desires. (5:48)

3. The Torah and the Bible were abrogated by the Qur’ân, and that they were changed by means of additions or deletions by their followers, as Allâh says,

So because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. (5:13)

   Accordingly, even whatever is considered as correct in these Books, has been abrogated by Islâm. The remaining parts are altered. This is proved by the following incident: The Prophet () got angry when he saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb ( ) holding a sheet containing some verses from the Torah and he said to him, “O ‘Umar! Are you in doubt? Have I not brought (the Message) as clear as white? If my brother Mûsa had been alive, he would have followed me.”

4. Another fundamental of faith in Islâm is that our Prophet and Mes­sen­ger Muhammad () is the seal of all the prophets and messengers. Allâh says, 

Muhammad ( ) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allâh and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allâh is All-Aware of everything. (33:40)

   As such, no other messenger is left to be followed except Muhammad (). If any of Allâh’s Prophets and Messengers had been alive, they too, along with their followers would have followed Muhammad (). Allâh says,

And (Remember) when Allâh took the Covenant of the Prophets saying ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (wisdom) and afterwards there will come to you a messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you. You must then  believe in him and help him.’ Allâh said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said, ‘We agree’. He said, ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this). (3:81)

5. Another fundamental of Islâm is that any Jew or Christian who does not embrace Islâm should be considered and designated as an unbeliever (kâfir), and such people will be the people of the Fire in accordance to Allâh’s saying:

Lo! Those who disbelieve, among the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) and among the polytheists, will abide in the fire of Hell..  (98:6)

6. Adulterating the fundamentals of Islâmic faith to serve the call for the unification of religions is but a devious call. It aims at mixing the Truth with Falsehood, destroying Islâm, demolishing its foundations and bringing all Muslims to clear apostasy (riddah). This can be seen in the sayings of Allâh, 

And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islâmic Monotheism) if they can. (2:217)

They wish that you reject faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you will become equal (like one another). (4:89)

   The inevitable consequence of such evil calls is the cancellation of differences between Islâm and Kufr, Truth and Falsehood, and complete negation of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong. Another result is the breaking of barriers of alienation between Muslims and unbelievers so that no loyalty nor jihâd nor struggle for the sake of elevating Allâh’s Word on Allâh’s earth will take place. Allâh, The Most High, commands:

And fight against the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolators, disbelievers in the oneness of Allâh) collectively, as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allâh is with the pious. (9:36)

   If such a call for unification of religions emanates from a Muslim, it will be considered explicit riddah (apostasy) from Islâm. Such a call of “interfaith” annuls the truth of the Qur’ân, denies that the Qur’ân has abrogated all the books that preceded it, and also negates that Islâm has abrogated all previous religions. Based on this, the call for such unification is rejected according to Sharî’ah and is strictly prohibited by all evidences of Islâm in the Qur’ân and the Sunnah.

  Based on the aforesaid it is not permissible for any Muslim who believes in Allâh as Lord, in Islâm as religion, and Muhammad () as Prophet, to call for this abominable belief, or encourage others to join it. It is prohibited for any Muslim to print the Torah and the Bible even independently so how could it be permissible to print them with the Qur’ân in one book? This is but an adulteration of the Truth with the altered or abrogated books. It is prohibited for any Muslim to respond to the call for building a mosque, a church, and a temple in one complex, as this would imply a confession that there are religions by which Allâh can be worshipped besides Islâm. This would also involve a denial that Islâm is the purest of all other religions. It would also imply a serious admission that religions are three and that people on earth may adopt whichever they wish of them equally, and that Islâm has not superseded the religions that preceded it. Undoubtedly, approving, believing, or accepting this call is considered Kufr (disbelief) and explicit error as it plainly contradicts the Qur’ân. It would also imply an affirmation that the alterations made by the Jews and Christians in their religions are from Allâh. Moreover, it is not permissible to call churches “Allâh’s houses” as the Christians do not perform a form of correct worship that is accepted by Allâh, nor is it a kind of worship based on Islâm. Allâh says,

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be one of the losers. (3:85) 

   Calling the kuffâr and the People of the Book to Islâm is incumbent upon all Muslims. Sometimes results are not achieved except through kind words and sound arguments. It should, nonetheless, be done in such a way as to not compromise any of the rules of Islâm, while they either become convinced of Islâm and embrace it, or reject it and die after a clear warning is given to them. Allâh says, 

Say: ‘O People of the Scripture. Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allâh, that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allâh.’ And if they turn away, then say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’ (3:64)

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