And all the prophets followed the religion of Islam, as reported in the two Sahīh collections from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said:

“We prophets share one religion; the prophets are brothers with one father and different mothers.”

Allah Most High has stated in the Quran that Noah, Abraham, Israel, the followers of Moses and the Messiah, and others were Muslims, united in worshipping Allah alone, without partner, and worshipping Him as He, glorified and exalted is He, commanded. Thus, none besides Him is to be worshipped, nor is He to be worshipped through a religion He has not prescribed. When the Prophet was commanded in the early days of Islam to pray facing Jerusalem, that was part of the religion of Islam. Then, when that command was abrogated and he was commanded to face the Sacred House, this became part of the religion of Islam, while the abrogated practice was no longer part of it.

Allah Most High has said:

“To each of you We prescribed a law and a way.”

The Torah has its law, the Gospel its law, and the Quran its law. Whoever followed the law of the Torah or the Gospel while it remained unaltered and unabrogated was following the religion of Islam. Such were those who followed the law of the Torah without alteration before the Messiah, peace be upon him, was sent, and those who followed the law of the Gospel without alteration before Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sent.

As for anyone who follows a religion that alters what Allah has prescribed, or a religion that has been abrogated, he has departed from the religion of Islam. Such are the Jews who altered the Torah, rejected the Messiah, peace be upon him, and then rejected Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; and the Christians who altered the Gospel and rejected Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. These people, then, do not adhere to