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Other Religions
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Islam
is the religion of all the true prophets of the One Almighty God
(Allah). Muslims believe that all the prophets were sent to their
respective peoples from God (Allah). They all had the same mission
and message - guiding people to the right path.
There are three revealed, monotheistic religions:
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These all trace their origins back to Abraham,
peace be upon him.
The prophets of these religions were directly descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but Muhammad, peace be upon him, was from Ibrahim through his other son, Ismael. It was Prophet Abraham who had established the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and with his son Ismael built the Ka'bah, which Muslims all over the world face when they pray. Christians and Jews hold a special place in Islam. They are called the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel were also divinely revealed and they shared in the prophetic tradition. Islamic states have nearly always shown their religious minorities tolerance and respect and those communities flourished under Islamic rule. God says: "...[Those who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews, the Sabaeans, and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and act righteously - no fear shall come upon them..." [5:69] Setting
up the Islamic state in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) In
setting up the Islamic state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive
of the Arabian Jews and Christians. Their persons, properties,
churches and synagogues were protected, freedom of worship was
guaranteed, and they controlled their own community affairs with
their own civil and religious laws and courts. For most of the
first century of the Islamic state, in fact, the majority of the
citizens were Christians, enjoying peace and liberty such as they
had not had even under Christian Rome or Byzantium. When Islam reached
Persia the concept of People of the Book was extended to the Zoroastrians
as well. Later, when the Muslims conquered parts of India and
encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who appeared to worship idols,
the question was referred to the ulema (council of scholars),
who judged that even they could have the same protected status
as the Jews and Christians, so long as they did not fight Islam
and they paid the Jizyah tax.
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