he, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“Islam is built upon five: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakāh, fasting Ramadan, and performing pilgrimage to the House.”
Thus, when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stood at ʿArafah, Allah Most High revealed:
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.”
People have disputed whether the earlier followers of Moses and Jesus were Muslims. “This is a dispute over terminology.” Islam in the specific sense—the religion with which Allah sent Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, encompassing the law of the Quran—is followed only by the community of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Today, when used without qualification, “Islam” refers to this. Islam in the general sense, however, encompasses every law with which Allah sent a prophet, and thus includes the submission of every community that followed one of the prophets.
The foundation of Islam in every sense is the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. All the messengers were sent with this, as Allah Most High said:
“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun tāghūt.’”
Allah Most High also said:
“We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no god but Me, so worship Me.’”
He said of His intimate friend, Abraham:
“And when Abraham said to his father and his people, ‘I am free of all that you worship, except the One who created me; He will surely guide me.’ And he made this an enduring declaration among his descendants, so that they might return.”
Allah Most High also related his words:
“Have you considered what you have been worshipping—you and your forefathers? They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.”
Allah Most High said:
“You have a good example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We are free of you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and there has arisen between us and you