Aslam

Praise be to Allah.Alone

and

peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there will be no more

Prophets, and upon his family and companions and whoever follows them

in truth until the Day of Resurrection.

The

Standing Committee on Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas (al-Lajnah

al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa’)

has examined the questions which have been submitted to it and the

opinions and articles published and broadcast in the media concerning

the call to unite the three religions of Islam, Judaism and

Christianity; and the call which stems from that, to build a mosque, a

church and a synagogue in one place, on university campuses and in

public squares; and the call to print the Qur’aan, Tawraat (Torah)

and Injeel (Gospel) in one volume, etc.; and the conferences, seminars

and meetings on this topic which are being held in the east and in the

west. After studying and pondering the matter, the Committee issues

the following statement:

(1)One of the basic principles of belief in Islam, something which

is obviously a basic principle and on which all the Muslims are agreed

(ijmaa’) is that there is no true religion on the face of the earth

apart from Islam. It is the final religion which abrogates all

religions and laws that came before it There is no religion on earth

according to which Allaah is to be worshipped apart from Islam. Allaah

says (interpretation of the meanings):

“This

day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you,

and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]

“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” [Aal ‘Imraan

3:85].

After the

coming of Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Islam

means what he brought, not any other religion.

(2)One of the basic principles of belief in Islam is that the Book

of Allaah, the Holy Qur’aan, is the last of the Books to be revealed

from the Lord of the Worlds. It abrogates all the Books that came

before it, the Tawraat, Zaboor,

Injeel and others, and

it is a Muhaymin [Muhaymin:

that which testifies the truth that is therein and falsifies the

falsehood that is added therein] over them. So there is no longer any

revealed Book according to which Allaah may be worshipped apart from

the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And

We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth,

confirming the Scripture that came before it and Muhaymin (trustworthy in

highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge among them by

what Allaah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging

away from the truth that has come to you.” [al-Maa’idah 5:48]

(3)It is obligatory to believe that the Tawraat and Injeel have

been abrogated by the Qur’aan, and that they have been altered and

distorted, with things added and taken away, as Allaah tells us in the

Qur’aan, for example (interpretation of the meaning):

“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”

[al-Maa’idah 5:13]

“Then

woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This

is from Allaah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for

what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn

thereby.” [al-Baqarah 2:79]

“And

verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as

they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from

the Book, and they say: “This is from Allaah,” but it is not from

Allaah; and they speak a lie against Allaah while they know it” [Aal

‘Imraan 3:78]

Hence,

whatever in the previous books was correct is abrogated by Islam, and

everything else is distorted and changed. It was reported that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) became angry when he saw

that ‘Umar had a page with something from the Tawraat written on it, and

he

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Are you in

doubt, O son of al-Khattaab? Have I not brought you something shining and

pure? If my brother Moosa were alive, he would have no choice but to

follow me.” (Narrated by Ahmad and al-Daarimi, and others).

(4)One of the basic principles of belief in Islam is that our

Prophet and Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be

upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, as Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“Muhammad

is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah

and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40]

So

there is no longer any Messenger whom it is obligatory to follow, apart

from Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If any of

the Prophets were alive, they would have no choice but to follow him, as

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And

(remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take

whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of

Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad)

confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help

him.’ Allaah 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).’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:81]

When

the Prophet of Allaah ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him) descends at the end of

time, he will follow Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon

him) and he will judge according to his Sharee’ah. Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning);

“Those

who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e.

Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tauraat (Torah) and the

Injeel (Gospel) — he commands them for Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic

Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from

Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has

forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibaat (i.e. all good and

lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and

prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and

unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he

releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allaah’s Covenant with the

children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them.

So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honour him, help him, and follow

the light (the Qur’aan) which has been sent down with him, it is they

who will be successful” [al-A’raaf 7:157]

It

is also one of the basic principles of belief in Islam that the Message of

Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is addressed to

all of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And

We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a

warner to all mankind, but most of men know not” [Saba’ 34:28]

“Say

(O Muhammad): “O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger

of Allaah” [al-A’raaf 7:158].

And

there are many similar aayaat.

(5)One of the basic principles of belief in Islam is that we must

believe that every Jew, Christian or other person who does not enter

Islam is a kaafir, and that those against whom proof is established

must be named as kaafirs and regarded as enemies of Allaah, His

Messenger and the believers, and that they are the people of Hell, as

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Those

who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and

Christians) and Al-Mushrikoon, were not going to leave (their

disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence” [al-Bayyinah 98:1]

“Verily,

those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islâm, the Qur’ân and Prophet

Muhammad) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and

Al-Mushrikoon will abide in the fire of Hell. They are the worst of

creatures” [al-Bayyinah 98:6]

“This

Qur’aan has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and

whomsoever it may reach” [al-An’aam 6:19]

“This

(Qur’aan) is a Message for mankind (and a clear proof against them), in

order that they may be warned thereby” [Ibraaheem 14:52].

And there are many similar aayaat. It was reported in Saheeh

Muslim that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be

upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no one among this

nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me, then dies without having believed

in that with which I was sent, but he will be one of the people of the

Fire.” Hence whoever does not regard the Jews and Christians as kuffaar

is himself a kaafir, according to the ruling of Sharee’ah, “Whoever

does not regard the kaafir as such after proof has been established

against him is himself a kaafir.”

(6)In the light of these basic principles of belief and the

rulings of sharee’ah, calling for the uniting of all religions, and

for them to be brought close to one another and cast in the same

mould, is an evil and crafty call whose aim is to mix truth with

falsehood, to destroy Islam and undermine its pillars, and to tempt

its followers into total apostasy. This is confirmed by the words of

the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):

“And

they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your

religion (Islamic Monotheism) if they can” [al-Baqarah 2:217]

“They

wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that

you all become equal (like one another)” [al-Nisaa’ 4:89]

(7)Among the effects of this evil call would be the cancelling out

of the differences between Islam and kufr, truth and falsehood, good

and evil. It would break down the psychological barrier that exists

between the Muslims and the kaafirs, and there would be no sense of al-Walaa’

wa’l-Baraa’ (loyalty and friendship towards Muslims,

disavowal and enmity towards kaafirs), or jihaad and fighting to make

the word of Allaah supreme in the earth of Allaah. Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“Fight

against those who (1) believe not in Allaah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3)

nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger(Muhammad(

(4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm)

among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay

the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued”

[al-Tawbah 9:29]

“and

fight against the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers

in the Oneness of Allaah) collectively as they fight against you

collectively. But know that Allaah is with those who are

Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-Tawbah 9:36]

“O

you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitaanah (advisors, consultants,

protectors, helpers, friends) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews,

Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to

corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared

from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We

have made plain to you the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses) if you

understand” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:118]

(8)If the call to unite the religions is made by a Muslim, this

considered to be blatant apostasy from the religion of Islam, because

it conflicts with the basic principles of belief. It is an acceptance

of disbelief in Allaah and a contradiction of the truth of the

Qur’aan and its abrogation of all laws and religions that came

before it. On this basis, it is an idea that should be rejected from

the point of view of sharee’ah, and it is definitely haraam

according to the evidence of Islam, Qur’aan, Sunnah and ijmaa’

(scholarly consensus).

(9)Based on the above:

(i)It is not permissible for a Muslim who believes in Allaah as

his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad

(peace and blessings

of Allaah be upon him) as his Prophet and Messenger, to call people to

this evil idea, to encourage it or to propagate it among the Muslims,

let alone respond to it or join the conferences and gatherings held to

promote it.

(ii)It is not permissible for a Muslim to print the Tawraat and

Injeel on their own, so how about printing them with the Qur’aan in

one volume? Whoever does this or calls for it is far astray, because

by doing so he is combining truth (the Qur’aan) with that which is

either distorted or was true but has now been abrogated (the Tawraat

and Injeel).

(iii)Similarly, it is not permissible for a Muslim to respond to the

call to build a mosque, church and synagogue in one place, because

this involves recognizing a religion in which Allaah is worshipped

other than Islam, and rejecting the idea that Islam should prevail

over all other religions, and giving the idea that there are three

religions and that it is OK for people to belong to any of these

three. This is a kind of equality which implies that Islam does not

abrogate the religions that came before it. Undoubtedly, if a person

approves of this, believes it or accepts it, this is kufr and

misguidance, because it clearly goes against the Qur’aan, the Sunnah

and the consensus (ijmaa’) of the Muslims and implies that the

distortions of the Jews and Christians come from Allaah – exalted be

He far above that. By the same token, it is not permitted to call

churches “Houses of God” or to say that the people there are

worshipping Allaah in a correct and acceptable manner, because this

worship is not done according to the religion of Islam, and Allaah

says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And

whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of

him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan

3:85].

On the

contrary, they are houses in which disbelief (kufr) in Allaah is

expressed; we seek refuge with Allaah from kufr and its people. Shaykh

al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’

al-Fataawaa (22/162): “They – churches and synagogues –

are not houses of Allaah; the houses of Allaah are the mosques. On the

contrary, they are houses in which disbelief (kufr) in Allaah is

expressed. Even if Allaah is mentioned therein, houses are the same as the

people in them, and the people in these houses are kuffaar, so they are

the houses of worship of the kuffaar.”

(10)It should be noted that it is obligatory on the Muslims to call

the kuffaar in general, and the People of the Book in particular, to

Islam through the clear texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. But this is

only to be done by explaining to them and arguing with them in a way

that is better (with good words and in a good manner) (cf.

Al-‘Ankaboot 29:46), not by compromising any of the beliefs of laws

of Islam. This is in order to convince them about Islam and bring them

into the religion, or to establish proof against them so that those

who are to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be

destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who are to live (i.e.

believers) might live after a clear evidence (cf. Al-Anfaal 8:42).

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say

(O Muhammad ):

“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is

just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah (Alone), and that

we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others

as lords besides Allaah. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear witness

that we are Muslims.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:64]

As

for debating and meeting with them in order to go along with their wishes

and fulfil their aims of destroying Islam bit by bit, this is falsehood

which is rejected by Allaah, His Messenger and the believers, and Allaah

is the One Whose help is sought against all that they ascribe to Him.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“but

beware of them lest they turn you (O Muhammad) far away from some of that

which Allaah has sent down to you” [al-Maa’idah 5:49]

The

Committee has made the above statement to the people. We advise the

Muslims in general, and people of knowledge in particular, to fear Allaah

and be aware that He is always watching, to guard Islam and to protect the

‘aqeedah (belief) of the Muslims from misguidance and those who promote

it and from kufr and its people, and to beware of this idea.