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"Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet,
whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel."
[Soorahal-A'raaf7:157]
Futhermore, from the fundamental belief of Islaam is that Muhammad
sallallaa.hu 'alayhi wa sallam was sent to the whole of mankind, as Allaah
the Exalted said:
"And We have not sent you, except to the whole of mankind, as
a bringer of good news and as a warner. But most of mankind
do not know. " [Soorah Sabaa' 34:28]
And Allaah, the One free from all imperfections, said:
"Say: 0 mankind! Indeed I am the messenger of Allaah, sent to
you all." [Soorah al-A'raaf 7:158]
Fifthly: From the fundamentals of Islaam it is obligatory to believe that
whoever does not enter into Islaam - whether he be a Jew, a Christian, or
other than that - is to be designated as an unbeliever (kaafir) and an enemy
to Allaah, His Messenger and the believers, and that he is from the
inhabitants of the Hellfire; just as Allaah stated:
i n f o@c a l g a r y i s l am. c om 85 www. c a l g a r y i s l am. c om
"Those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and the
pagans were not going to part [with their disbelief] until their
came to them the clear evidences." [Soorah al -Bayyinah 98:1]
Allaah the Mighty and Majestic also said:
"Indeed those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and
the pagans will be in the Hellfire forever; they are the worst of
creatures." [Soorah al-Bayyinah 98:6]
It is confirmed in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said:
"By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad! Any person
from this ummah -be he a Jew or a Christian - who hears of
me and dies not believing in what I was sent with, will be one
of the inhabitants of the Hellfire"'51
Due to this, whoever refuses to declare the Jews and Christians to be
unbelievers, is himself an unbeliever - in accordance with the principle of
the Sacred Law:
51. Reported by Muslim (no.240).
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"Whoever does not affirm the disbelief of a disbeliever, is himself a
disbeliever."
Sixthly: In light of these fundamental beliefs and sharee'ah realities, the call
to the unification of religions and seeking to amalgamate them is
considered to be a wretched and evil call. Its objective is to mix-up the truth
with falsehood, destroy Islaam, demolish its foundations and to lead the
Muslims to clear apostacy; which is attested to by the Allaah's saying:
"And they will never cease fighting against you until they turn
you back from your religion, if they are able." [Soorah al -Baqarah
2:217]
Allaah the Majestic said:
"They desire that you reject faith, as they have rejected faith, so
that you may become alike." [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:89]
Seventhly: The implications of this evil call are:-
Nullification of the differences between Islaam and disbelief, truth and
falsehood, good and evil.
Breaking the barriers of alienation such that nothing remains of
allegiance (walaac), disassociation (baraa1), jihaad, and fighting to make
Allaah's Word supreme upon His earth. Allaah the Majestic said:
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"Fight against those who do not believe in Allaah, nor the Last
day, nor forbid what Allaah and His Messenger have declared
unlawful, nor do they submit to the Religion of truth - from
those who were given the Scripture, until the y pay the
Submission-Tax (jizyah), feeling themselves subdued." [Soorah
at -Tawbah 9:29]
Allaah the Exalted [also] said:
"And fight against the pagans collectively, as they fight against
you collectively, and know that Allaah is with the pious."
[Soorah at-Tawbah 9:36]
Eighthly: This call to the Unification of Religions, had it emanated from a
Muslim, it would be viewed as clear-cut apostacy (riddah) from the
Religion of Islaam! This is because it conflicts with the fundamental
beliefs; is content with blasphemy against Allaah the Exalted; nullifies the
truth of the Qur'aan, in that it has abrogated all [previous] Scriptures; and
negates [the fact] that Islaam has abrogated [the validity of] all previous
religions and codes of law. Based upon this, its concept is rejected by the
Sacred Law and it is catagorically prohibited by the proofs from the
Qur'aan, the Sunnah and the scholarly consensus (ijmaa).
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Ninethly: Based upon the aforementioned:-
1 - It is not permissible for any Muslim who believes in Allaah as Lord;
Islaam as the [true] Religion; and Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam as the Prophet and Messenger, to call to this abominable ideology,
or to encourage others to join it, give it currency amongst the Muslims; let
alone to accept it and to attend its conferences and seminars and affiliate
with its assemblies.
2 - It is impermissible for any Muslim to print copies of the Torah or the
Bible; so how can it be permissible to print the the Noble Qur'aan along
with them in one book! Whoever does or advocates this has indeed strayed
far [from the right path]. Since doing this entails mixing the truth; which
is the Noble Qur'aan, along with the distortions and abrogated truths of the
Torah and the Bible.
3 - It is not permitted for any Muslim to respond to the call for building a
mosque, church and synagogue in one complex. For this entails accepting
[the validity] of a religion by which Allaah can be worshipped, other than
the Religion of Islaam. [It also entails] denying the supremacy of Islaam
over all other religions; an acknowledgement that there are three [valid]
religions for the people of this earth and that any one of them can be
adopted as a religion, because they are all on an equal footing; and that
Islaam has not superceded the previous religions. There is no doubt that
affirming, believing or being pleased with this is actually a rejection of
faith and misguidance, because it clearly violates the Noble Qur'aan, the
pure Sunnah and the consensus of the Muslim [scholars]. It would also
imply an affirmation that the [textual] corruptions committed by the Jews
and Christians are from Allaah - exalted is He above this.
Moreover, it is not allowed to call churches 'the houses of Allaah' or [to
believe] that its people worship Allaah in them with a correct and
acceptable worship, since they worship upon other than the guidance of
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"Whoever seeks for a religion other than Islaam, never will it be
accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be amongst the
loosers." [Soorah Aal-'Imraan 3:85]
Rather, they are places in which disbelief (kufr) occurs - and we seek refuge
in Allaah from disbelief and its people. Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah,
may Allaah the Exalted have mercy upon him, said in Majmoo' Fataawaa
(22/162):
"They [i.e. churches] are not houses of Allaah, rather the houses of
Allaah are the mosques (masaajid). On the contrary, they are
houses wherein disbelief in Allaah occurs; even though Allaah's
Name is mentioned in them. For houses are according to the status
of its people; and these people are disbelievers (kuffaar), so these
are houses wherein disbelievers worship."
Tenthly: From that which is obligatory to know is that calling the
disbelievers, in general - and the People of the Book, in particular - to
Islaam is incumbent upon the Muslims according to the explicit texts of the
Book and the Sunnah. However, this should be done with clear proofs, good
argumentation and by not forfeiting anything from the laws of Islaam. This
will lead to them being convinced about Islaam and accepting it, or it will
lead to establishing the proof against them. Allaah the Exalted said:
Islaam. Allaah the Exalted said:
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"Say: 0 People of the Book! Come to a word that is fair between
us and you; that we worship none but Allaah; that we associate
no partner along with him in worship; and that none of us shall
take lords besides Allaah. Then if they turn away, say: I bear
witness that we are Muslims." [Soorah Aal-'Imraan 3:64]
As for debating and meeting with them, or holding dialogues with them
such that they may bring about their desires, achieve their objectives,
vanquish Islaam and destroy faith, then this is falsehood and is rejected by
Allaah, His Messenger and the Muslims - and we seek Allaah's aid against
what they ascribe to Him. Allaah the Exalted said:
"Beware of them, lest they turn you away from a part of what
Allaah has revealed to you." [Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:49]
Thus the Committee, in resolving upon this and clarifying it to the people,
sincerely advise the Muslims in general, and the People of Knowledge in
particular, to fear and obey Allaah the Exalted; to be conciouss of Him; to
defend Islaam; safeguard the 'aqeedah of the Muslims from misguidance
and its callers, and from disbelief and its adherants; to warn people about
this invitation to misguidance and disbelief - the call to the Unification of
Religions - and against falling into its traps. We seek refuge in Allaah for
every Muslim, from becoming a cause for bringing such misguidance into
the lands of the Muslims and from spreading it amongst them.
We ask Allaah the Most Perfect, by His beautiful Names and lofty Attributes
that He protects us all from being afflicted with misguidance; that he
makes us rightly-guided and rightly-guiding; and makes us defenders of
Islaam upon guidance and light from our Lord, until we meet Him and He
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is pleased with us. With Allaah lies all success. May Allaah extol and send
the blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad; and upon his
Family, Companions and followers.
The Commitee for Scholarly Research and Verdicts; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz (president)
'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullaah aalush-Shaykh (vice president)
Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (member) Bakr ibn
'Abdullaah Aboo Zayd (member)
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