He, exalted be He, also said about Bilqīs, who believed in Solomon:

“Lord, I have surely wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of all realms.” [al-Naml 44]

He said about the prophets of the Children of Israel:

“We sent down the Torah, in which there is guidance and light; the prophets who had submitted judged by it for the Jews.” [al-Māʾidah 44]

He, exalted be He, said about the disciples:

“And [remember] when I inspired the disciples: ‘Believe in Me and in My Messenger.’ They said, ‘We believe, so bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [al-Māʾidah 111]

And He, exalted be He, said:

“Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down and we have followed the Messenger; so write us among the witnesses.” [Āl ʿImrān 53]

These prophets and all their followers—Allah, exalted be He, affirms that they were Muslims. This clarifies that His words,

“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him” [Āl ʿImrān 85]

and His words,

“Indeed, the religion in Allah’s sight is Islam” [Āl ʿImrān 19]

are not restricted to those to whom Muhammad was sent, but rather