One Religion but Many Deviators

All the divine scriptures are sent down from God, but there is only 

one religion accepted by God. Here is what God has to say about

religion:

{Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and (so do) the 

angels and the people of knowledge - being the One who maintains 

justice. There is no deity except Him, the All-Mighty, All-Wise. 

Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. And those who 

were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had 

come to them - out of envy against each other. And whoever 

disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in (taking) 

account. So if they argue with you, say (O Mohammad), "I have 

submitted myself to Allah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow 

me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and (to) the 

unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit (in Islam), they are rightly guided to the right path; but if they turn 

away - then you are only to convey the message. And Allah is 

watchful over (all of His) servants.} (3:18-20)

{And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion - never will it 

be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the 

losers.} (3:85)

{You (Muslims) are the best ummah (nation) produced (as an 

example) for mankind. You bid what is right and forbid what is wrong 

and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had 

believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are 

believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.} (3:110)

{They say, "Be Jews or Christians (so) you will be guided." Say, 

"Rather, (we follow) the religion of Abraham, inclining toward 

truth, and he was not of the polytheists." Say, (O Muslims), "We 

have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has 

been revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and his descendants,

and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and what was given to the 

prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of 

them, and we are Muslims (in submission) to Him."} (2:135-136) 

As the verses clearly state, in God’s sight there is only one accepted 

religion called Islam. In the Quran, God always refers to the people 

that follow Scrolls of Ibrahim, Torah, and the Gospel as “People of the 

Scripture”. It was humans themselves that came up with the names

“Christianity” and “Judaism”, not God. Prophet Ibrahim was not a Jew 

nor a Christian, but an upright Muslim (3:67). The word “Christians” 

means those who follow Jesus Christ as the Messiah, and “Jews” 

means the descendants of Judah son of prophet Jacob. These two 

names were invented by humans. If people were to invent a name for 

the followers of prophet Mohammad, they would have done the same, 

called it maybe “Mohammadism”, “Mohammadinity”, Ahmadiyya 

(some came up with this name), or some creative name in Arabic. They 

wouldn’t have thought of “Islam”. That is because God is the one that 

named the religion “Islam”. The word means a community of people 

that are united in submission to the will of the one God. Prophet 

Ibrahim was the first to call himself a “Muslim”, the person that 

submitsto the authority and will of the one God. This means, the word 

“Muslim” is an identity that defines a relationship, not between a

human being and his followers or descendants, but rather between 

the one God and his servants. Anyone that submits to the will of 

God, without associating any partners to him, and correctly follows his commandments and all of his divine words, is a Muslim 

and belongs to Islam. 

{O you who have believed, fear Allah, as He should be feared, and do 

not die except as Muslims (in submission to Him).} (3:102)

 Prophet Ibrahim planted two Islamic trees (communities) in two 

holy lands, one in modern-day Palestine, and one in modern-day Saudi 

Arabia. The goal of each tree is to produce as many Muslims as 

possible. Knowing that the Israelites are eventually going to deviate 

from the straight path and fail in preserving Allah’s doctrine, The 

Preserver had Ibrahim grow a tree in a different land and among 

different people, who are more qualified to preserve Allah’s doctrine

and inform the generations to come about his final message (2:143). 

{And Ibrahim instructed his sons (to do the same) and (so did) Jacob, 

(saying), "O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, 

so do not die except while you are Muslims (in submission)." Is it 

that you (Mohammad) were present when death approached Jacob, 

when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, 

"We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and 

Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And to Him we are Muslims (in 

submission)”} (2:132-133)