Lesson 16

Comparative Religion

• All divine messages were originally one message: “Allah is One without any associate”, One, not composed of two or three, who has not begotten and has not been begotten.

• The reason for deviation of faiths is the intervention of human beings like priests, clergy, statesmen and leaders who strive to change what Allah has revealed to His prophets.

• Polytheistic faiths have one or more of the following manifestations:

(1) Associating other than Allah in worship

(2) Attributing a son or wife to Allah

(3) Considering Allah as of two or three personal subjects with different names

(4)Hallowing and deifying human prophets

and other good men

(5) Worshipping idols, pictures, or material

icons

(6) Considering the clergy, leaders,

distinguished sects or groups as infallible or sacrosanct

(7)Modifying revealed texts by human hands,

or hallowing human texts

(8)Claiming the death of the worshipped god,

his resurrection from grave, and ascension to heavens as an expiation for

the human sins

Proofs on the lesson from Qur’an and Sunnah

   

Associating other than Allah in Worship

Allah says:

وهم ﴿ إال بالله أكثرهم ن يؤم وماشركون ﴾م

[ 106يوسف] :

This means: “And most of them believe not in Allah

except that they attribute partners unto Him [i.e. they are Mushrikun – polytheists].”(Surah Yusuf: 106)

Allah says:

ما ﴿ الله دون من وال ويعبدون هم يضر الند ع شفعاؤنا هؤالء ويقولون ينفعهم في يعلم ال بما الله أتنبئون قل الله

وال موات سبحانه الس األرض فىيشركون ا عم : ﴾وتعالى [18يونس]

This means: “And they worship besides Allah things that

hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say: "Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth?" Glorified and Exalted be He above all that which they associate as partners with Him!”

(Surah Yunus: 18)

And:

﴿ به ل ينز لم ما الله دون من ويعبدونوما لم ع به لهم ليس وما سلطانا

ير نص من ين ﴾للظالم : [71الحج]

This means: “And they worship besides Allah others for

which He has sent down no authority, and of which they have no knowledge and for the Zhalimun (wrong-doers, polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) there is no helper.”

(Surah Al-Hajj: 71)

Allah also says:

﴿ وال ينفعهم ال ما الله دون من ويعبدون يرا ظه ربه على ر الكاف وكان هم ﴾يضر

: [55الفرقان ]

This means: “And they (disbelievers, polytheists, etc.)

worship besides Allah, that which can neither profit them nor harm them, and the disbeliever is ever a helper (of the Satan) against his Lord.” (Surah Al-Furqan: 55)

Affiliating a Son or a Wife to Allah

Allah says:

وخلقهم ﴿ ن الج شركاء لله وجعلوا لم ع بغير وبنات بنين له وخرقوا

فون يص ا عم وتعالى ﴾سبحانه : [100األنعام]

This means: “Yet, they join the jinns as partners in

worship with Allah, though He has created them (the jinns), and they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him. Be He Glorified and Exalted above (all) that they attribute to Him.”

(Surah Al-An`am: 100)

Allah also says:

له ﴿   بل سبحانه ولدا الله اتخذ وقالواله كل واألرض موات الس في ما

﴾قانتون : [. 116البقرة]

This means: “And they (Jews, Christians and pagans)

say: Allah has begotten a son (children or offspring). Glory be to Him (Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surrender with obedience (in worship) to Him.”

(Surah Al-Baqarah: 116)

And:

﴿ وقالت الله ابن عزير اليهود وقالتقولهم ذلك الله ابن يح المس النصارىكفروا الذين قول ئون يضاه م ه بأفواه

يؤفكون أنى الله قاتلهم قبل ﴾من  : [ 30التوبة]

This means: “And the Jews say: 'Uzayr (Ezra) is the

son of Allah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of old. Allah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!”

(Surah At-Tawbah: 30)

And:

الغني ﴿ هو سبحانه ولدا الله اتخذ قالواإن األرض في وما موات الس في ما لهعلى أتقولون بهذا سلطان من ندكم ع

تعلمون ال ما ﴾الله : [ 68يونس]

This means: “They (Jews, Christians and pagans) say:

''Allah has begotten a son (children).'' Glory be to Him! He is Rich (Free of all wants). His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. No warrant you have for this. Do you say against Allah what you know not.”

(Surah Yunus:68)

And says:

﴿ * الله ولد ليقولون م فكه إ ن م نهم إ أاللكاذبون نهم ﴾وإ

: [152- 151الصافات    ]

This means: “Verily, it is of their falsehood that they

(Quraysh pagans) say: Allah has begotten off spring or children (i.e. angels are the daughters of Allah)?" And, verily, they are liars!”

(Surah As-Saffat: 151 – 152)

Considering Allah as One of Two or Three

 Allah says:

ثالث ﴿ الله إن قالوا الذين كفر لقدله إ ن م وما ثالثة

د واح له إ ﴾إال : [ 73المائدة ]

This means: “Surely, disbelievers are those who said:

"Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah (God -Allah).”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 73)

And:على\ ﴿ تقولوا وال دينكم في تغلوا ال الكتاب أهل يا

مريم ابن\ عيسى\ يح المس نما إ الحق إال اللهنه م وروح مريم إلى\ ألقاها وكلمته الله رسول

ورسله بالله نوا فآمله إ الله نما إ لكم خيرا انتهوا ثالثة تقولوا وال

موات الس في\ ما له ولد له يكون أن سبحانه د واح

وكيال بالله وكفى\ األرض في\ ﴾وما : [ 171النساء    ]

This means: “O people of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, ("Be!") which He bestowed on Maryam and a spirit (Ruh) created by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allah is (the only) One Ilah (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.” (Surah An-Nisa’: 171)

Allah also says:

نما [﴿  إ اثنين لهين إ ذوا تتخ ال الله وقال فارهبون ياي فإ د واح له إ ﴾هو

: [51النحل     ]

This means: “And Allah said (O mankind!): “Take not

ilahayn (two gods in worship, etc.). Verily, He (Allah) is (the) only One Ilah (God). Then, fear Me (Allah SWT) much and Me (Alone).”

(Surah An-Nahl: 51)

Deifying people

Allah says:

من ﴿ أربابا نهم ورهبا أحبارهم اتخذواروا أم وما مريم ابن يح والمس الله دون

هو إال له إ ال دا واح لها إ ليعبدوا إاليشركون ا عم ﴾سبحانه

: [ 31التوبة       ]

This means: “They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they were commanded [in the Tawrah (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) to worship none but One Ilah (God – Allah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).”

(Surah At-Tawbah: 31)

And says:

هو ﴿ الله إن قالوا الذين كفر لقدمريم ابن يح ﴾المس

: [ 17المائدة]

This means: “Surely, in disbelief are they who say that

Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary).”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 17)

And:

هو   ﴿ الله إن قالوا الذين كفر لقديا يح المس وقال مريم ابن يح المسوربكم ربي الله اعبدوا إسرائيل ﴾بني

: [ 72المائدة]

This means: “Surely, they have disbelieved who say:

"Allah is the Messiah ['Isa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah ['Isa (Jesus)] said: "O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord."”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 72)

Allah also says:

قلت ﴿ أأنت مريم ابن عيسى يا الله قال ذ وإ الله دون من لهين إ وأمي ذوني اتخ للناسليس ما أقول أن لي يكون ما سبحانك قالما تعلم علمته فقد قلته كنت إن بحق لي

نفسي  ك في نفس في ما أعلم وال الغيوب عالم أنت نك ﴾إ : [116المائدة    ]

“And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All Knower of all that is hidden and unseen.''”(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 116)

 Modifying the revealed texts

Allah says:

كان ﴿ وقد لكم نوا يؤم أن أفتطمعونثم الله كالم يسمعون نهم م فريقوهم عقلوه ما بعد ن م فونه يحر

: ﴾يعلمون [ 75البقرة ]

This means: “Do you (faithful believers) covet that they

will believe in your religion in spite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah (Torah)) then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?”

(Surah Al-Baqarah: 75)

And:

وإن ﴿ بالحق الكتاب ل نز الله بأن ذلكقاق ش لفي الكتاب في اختلفوا الذين

﴾بعيد : [ 176البقرة]

This means: “That is because Allah has sent down the

Book (the Qur'an) in truth. And verily, those who disputed as regards the Book are far away in opposition.”

(Surah Al-Baqarah: 176)

In another verse:

نتهم ﴿ ألس يلوون لفريقا نهم م وإنن م هو وما الكتاب ن م لتحسبوه بالكتابهو وما الله ند ع ن م هو ويقولون الكتابالكذب الله على ويقولون الله ند ع ن م

يعلمون ﴾وهم : عمران] [ 78آل

This means: “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 Allah," but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it.” (Surah Al-`Imran: 78)

 Also:

﴿ إال إسرائيل لبني ال ح كان الطعام كل قبل من ه نفس على إسرائيل م حر ما

بالتوراة فأتوا قل التوراة ل تنز أنين صادق كنتم إن ﴾فاتلوها

: عمران] [ 93آل

This means: “All food was lawful to the Children of

Israel, except what Israel made unlawful for himself before the Tawrah (Torah) was revealed. Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Bring here the Tawrah (Torah) and recite it, if you are truthful.”

(Surah Al-`Imran: 93)

And:

الكتاب ﴿ أوتوا الذين يثاق م الله أخذ ذ وإ للناس لتبيننه

م ظهوره وراء فنبذوه تكتمونه والما فبئس قليال ثمنا به واشتروا

﴾يشترون : عمران] [ 187آل

This means: “(And remember) when Allah took a covenant

from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it (the news of the coming of Prophet Muhammad SAW and the religious knowledge) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought.”

(Surah Al-`Imran: 187)

And:

﴿ ...للكذب اعون سم هادوا الذين ن وميأتوك لم آخرين لقوم اعون سم ...   عه مواض بعد ن م الكلم فون ﴾يحر

: [41المائدة]

This means: “And of the Jews are men who listen much

and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places.”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 41)

Alleged Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

Allah says:

مريم ﴿ ابن عيسى يح المس قتلنا نا إ م وقوله الله رسول

وإن لهم شبه ولكن صلبوه وما قتلوه وما به لهم ما نه م شك لفي يه ف اختلفوا الذين

بل * ينا ي\ق قتلوه وما ا\لظن اتباع إال لم ع ن م حكيما عزيزا الله وكان ليه إ الله فعه ﴾ر

[  158، 157النساء] :

This means: “And because of their saying (in boast), "We killed Messiah 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah," - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of 'Isa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary): But Allah raised him ['Isa (Jesus)] up unto Himself. And Allah is Ever All Powerful, All Wise.”

(Surah An-Nisa’: 157 - 158