Exposing Islam

The Standard Islamic Perspective:

Why Islam Declares Other Faiths Null and Void

Introduction: The Exclusive Claim of Islam

Islam is unique among the world’s major religions in its explicit declaration that all other faiths are null and void. According to Islamic theology, Islam is not just one of many valid paths to God—it is the only true path. This exclusivity is rooted in the Quran, the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and centuries of Islamic scholarship. Islam asserts that it is the final, complete, and perfected religion, making all previous religious paths obsolete or corrupted.

1. The Quranic Foundation of Islam’s Exclusivity

Islam’s claim of absolute religious truth is directly rooted in the Quran, which asserts the following:

A. Islam as the Only Accepted Religion

“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam…”
— (Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:19)

This verse categorically declares that Islam is the only religion recognized by Allah. All other paths are invalid in His sight.

B. The Requirement of Submission

“And whoever desires other than Islam as religion — never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.”
— (Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:85)

This verse explicitly states that any religion other than Islam is rejected by Allah, and those who follow other paths will be considered losers in the Hereafter.

C. Islam as the Final Revelation

Islam is presented as the final and complete revelation, making all previous scriptures either obsolete or corrupted:

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.”
— (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:3)

This verse is interpreted to mean that the message of Islam is the final, perfected divine guidance for humanity.

2. The Prophetic Tradition (Hadith): Salvation Only Through Islam

The Hadith literature reinforces this exclusive claim:

A. Muhammad as the Universal Messenger

“By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad’s soul is, there is none from this nation (Jews and Christians) who hears about me and then dies without believing in what I was sent with, except that he will be among the inhabitants of the Hellfire.”
— (Sahih Muslim 153)

This Hadith explicitly declares that even Jews and Christians—who are considered “People of the Book” in Islam—are condemned to Hell if they reject Muhammad’s message.

B. The Shahada: Declaration of Faith

The foundational testimony of faith in Islam, the Shahada, clearly ties belief in Allah to belief in Muhammad:

“There is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

This declaration is required to become a Muslim, emphasizing the necessity of accepting Muhammad as the final prophet.

3. The Concept of Abrogation: Previous Religions Made Obsolete

Islamic theology maintains that all previous scriptures were divinely revealed but have since been corrupted and replaced by the Quran:

A. The Quran as the Final Authority

“And We have sent down to you [O Muhammad] the Book in truth, confirming what was before it and as a criterion over it.”
— (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:48)

This verse indicates that the Quran is the final and decisive revelation that overrides previous scriptures.

B. The Concept of Tahrif (Corruption of Previous Scriptures)

Islam teaches that the Jews and Christians distorted their scriptures, altering or hiding the true message of monotheism:

“So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ in order to exchange it for a small price.”
— (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:79)

This concept of Tahrif is used to explain why the Torah and the Gospel are seen as corrupted and unreliable.

4. The Legal and Social Implications of Islam’s Exclusivity

Islam’s declaration of other faiths as null and void has significant legal and social consequences within Islamic law (Sharia):

A. The Status of Non-Muslims (Dhimmi) in an Islamic State

Non-Muslims (Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians) who live under Islamic rule are given the status of Dhimmi (protected people) but must pay a special tax called Jizya (Surah At-Tawbah 9:29). This status is a form of second-class citizenship, where non-Muslims are protected but are also subject to restrictions:

They are not allowed to publicly display their religious symbols.
They must pay the Jizya as a sign of submission.
They are barred from certain positions of authority.

B. Apostasy Laws

Leaving Islam for another religion (apostasy) is considered a serious crime in Islamic law, punishable by death according to classical juristic interpretations:

“Whoever changes his religion, kill him.”
— (Sahih Bukhari 6922)

This severe penalty reflects the absolute nature of Islam’s exclusive claim to truth.

C. Prohibition of Proselytizing

Non-Muslims are generally prohibited from spreading their faith within an Islamic state. However, Muslims are encouraged to engage in Dawah (Islamic evangelism), spreading the message of Islam.

5. The Theological Basis: Islam as the Final Message

Islamic theology justifies the rejection of all other religions based on the belief that Islam is the final, perfected religion sent by Allah:

Muhammad is the Last Prophet: His message is final, and no new prophet will come after him (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40).
The Quran is the Final Revelation: It is perfect, preserved, and cannot be altered (Surah Al-Hijr 15:9).
Previous Scriptures Are Corrupted: The Torah and Gospel are considered unreliable due to human tampering (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:79).

6. Conclusion: Islam’s Absolute Claim to Religious Truth

From an Islamic perspective, Islam declares all other religions null and void because:

The Quran is the final, perfect, and preserved revelation.
Muhammad is the final prophet, and his message supersedes all previous revelations.
Previous scriptures have been corrupted and are no longer reliable.
Salvation is only possible through belief in Allah and Muhammad.
Non-Muslims are given a subordinate status under Islamic rule, reflecting their rejection of the final divine message.

Islam’s claim of exclusive truth is not merely a matter of religious belief—it has profound theological, legal, and social implications that have shaped Islamic history and continue to influence Muslim-majority societies today.