What exactly is a false religion? How would we go about defining one? This would seem like such an easy question, but in the age that we live in much has become complicated. There tends to be a state of universalism now extent among us, meaning that people are now being massaged into spiritual sleep regarding contemplation on their eternal destination.
They are falsely led to believe that ‘all roads lead to the top of the mountain.’ But what if you are at the wrong mountain? Then whatever road you may use for transportation would be fruitless as you are at the
wrong location.
We must use the standard of Allah when judging all things, not merely what we think to be best. For if eternal truths have been laid down, that would of course necessitate that those things outside of those time honoured principles would be false. And if those things are false, this would mean that following it would result in divine judgement, something that no sane and sincere human being desires.
Perhaps we should examine exactly what Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has to say about other religions? Let us allow Him to speak in His Word and tell us the affair in our midst,
This Day I have perfected your religion for you, perfected My Favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
[Surat ul-Maa’idah (5), ayah 3]
Indeed the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 19]
But what if you are a good person and you practice what religion that you have to the best of your ability? As long as you are a good person, should this not be the criterion? Allah has answered this in the negative,
And whoever chooses other than Islam as a religion, it will never be accepted from him. And he will be from among the losers in the Hereafter.
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 85]
It has been inferred by some that as long as devotees of false religions faithfully practice the tenets of their faith, that this would be submission and count as a type of Islam. Therefore, those following the basic tenets of the world religions would be a sort of ‘generic Muslim’ populace. But is this what Allah has said about religion in general? Again, let us turn to His Infallible Word,
And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions, no matter how the idol worshippers may hate it.
[Surat us-Saff (61), ayah (verse) 9]
And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions. And Allah is sufficient as a witness.
[Surat ul-Fath (48), ayah (verse) 28]
But what of the good deeds and all the charitable works that many people who are not Muslim do in the world? Does that not count for anything? The answer is unfortunately no, as the Shahaadah (Testimony of Salvation and Faith) is the criterion for deeds to be valid and not self-goodness alone. What has Allah said about those who want to ‘measure up’ without believing?
Those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a sandy desert, which the one who is thirsty mistakes for water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him and Allah will pay him his account and Allah is swift in taking account.
[Surat un-Nur (24), ayah 39]
Those who disbelieve and hinder from the path of Allah, their deeds are nullified.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 1]
Those who do not believe and they hinder from the path of Allah and then they die while they are kuffar (unbelievers), Allah will never forgive them.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 34]
It is from this that we must understand that the following of any other faith besides Islam is the direct road to eternal judgement in the court of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Let there be no doubt that there are certainly some who may be exempt from eternal judgement based on certain circumstances that exist that Allah Himself knows the fullness of in totality. However, the exception to the rule is not to be held as the rule, but as an exception. Thus the general rule, as we do not know the unseen and the intimate knowledge that Allah has of every person, is that we have no choice but to assume that those who outwardly have not submitted to Allah with the creed of salvation as far as we know are indeed lost and headed for eternal judgement. Consider the general principle that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put forward for us to think about,
My example and yours is like that of a man who kindled a fire. Then the locusts and moths fell into it and the man was preventing them from it. And I am taking you by the seat of your clothes away from the Fire, but you are getting away from me.
[Collected by Imaams Muslim, hadith #2285 and Ahmad in his Musnad, V. 3, pp. 361 & 391]
What this statement is telling us is that the majority of humanity will not and are not going to submit and pronounce the word of salvation. They will not do so. It is for this reason, and not the exception, that we desire to reach out and pull as many people away from the Fire as possible through these articles and other tools for preaching the faith. Therefore, let the articles that we have given not be a form of entertainment, but a tool in presenting the faith handed down in the Infallible Word of Allah.
They are falsely led to believe that ‘all roads lead to the top of the mountain.’ But what if you are at the wrong mountain? Then whatever road you may use for transportation would be fruitless as you are at the
wrong location.
We must use the standard of Allah when judging all things, not merely what we think to be best. For if eternal truths have been laid down, that would of course necessitate that those things outside of those time honoured principles would be false. And if those things are false, this would mean that following it would result in divine judgement, something that no sane and sincere human being desires.
Perhaps we should examine exactly what Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has to say about other religions? Let us allow Him to speak in His Word and tell us the affair in our midst,
This Day I have perfected your religion for you, perfected My Favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
[Surat ul-Maa’idah (5), ayah 3]
Indeed the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 19]
But what if you are a good person and you practice what religion that you have to the best of your ability? As long as you are a good person, should this not be the criterion? Allah has answered this in the negative,
And whoever chooses other than Islam as a religion, it will never be accepted from him. And he will be from among the losers in the Hereafter.
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 85]
It has been inferred by some that as long as devotees of false religions faithfully practice the tenets of their faith, that this would be submission and count as a type of Islam. Therefore, those following the basic tenets of the world religions would be a sort of ‘generic Muslim’ populace. But is this what Allah has said about religion in general? Again, let us turn to His Infallible Word,
And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions, no matter how the idol worshippers may hate it.
[Surat us-Saff (61), ayah (verse) 9]
And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions. And Allah is sufficient as a witness.
[Surat ul-Fath (48), ayah (verse) 28]
But what of the good deeds and all the charitable works that many people who are not Muslim do in the world? Does that not count for anything? The answer is unfortunately no, as the Shahaadah (Testimony of Salvation and Faith) is the criterion for deeds to be valid and not self-goodness alone. What has Allah said about those who want to ‘measure up’ without believing?
Those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a sandy desert, which the one who is thirsty mistakes for water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him and Allah will pay him his account and Allah is swift in taking account.
[Surat un-Nur (24), ayah 39]
Those who disbelieve and hinder from the path of Allah, their deeds are nullified.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 1]
Those who do not believe and they hinder from the path of Allah and then they die while they are kuffar (unbelievers), Allah will never forgive them.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 34]
It is from this that we must understand that the following of any other faith besides Islam is the direct road to eternal judgement in the court of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Let there be no doubt that there are certainly some who may be exempt from eternal judgement based on certain circumstances that exist that Allah Himself knows the fullness of in totality. However, the exception to the rule is not to be held as the rule, but as an exception. Thus the general rule, as we do not know the unseen and the intimate knowledge that Allah has of every person, is that we have no choice but to assume that those who outwardly have not submitted to Allah with the creed of salvation as far as we know are indeed lost and headed for eternal judgement. Consider the general principle that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put forward for us to think about,
My example and yours is like that of a man who kindled a fire. Then the locusts and moths fell into it and the man was preventing them from it. And I am taking you by the seat of your clothes away from the Fire, but you are getting away from me.
[Collected by Imaams Muslim, hadith #2285 and Ahmad in his Musnad, V. 3, pp. 361 & 391]
What this statement is telling us is that the majority of humanity will not and are not going to submit and pronounce the word of salvation. They will not do so. It is for this reason, and not the exception, that we desire to reach out and pull as many people away from the Fire as possible through these articles and other tools for preaching the faith. Therefore, let the articles that we have given not be a form of entertainment, but a tool in presenting the faith handed down in the Infallible Word of Allah.
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