Islam and Ahle Kitab (Believers of the Book: Jews and Christians)












Islam and Ahle Kitab (Believers of the Book:  Jews and Christians)


Humans are divided into two categories: Muslims and Non-Muslims

(A)  MUSLIMS: They are those who believe that there is No God but Allah and Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him) is the Last and Final Messenger of Allah.

(B) NON-MUSLIMS (KAFIRS): Those who deny that Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him) is the Last and Final Messenger of Allah (and it does not matters wheather they believe or claims to believe in Tawhid) are termed as NON-MUSLIMS (KAFIRS). They are further divided into two categories: Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book) and Gayr Ahle-Kitab (Non-Believers of the Book).
(1) Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book): They are those who believes in the past Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) of Allah, past Revealed books of Allah but denies Qur’an and denies Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him) [the Last and Final Messenger of Allah]. Because of this denial, they are termed as KAFIRS (NON-MUSLIMS) “BUT” Becausethey believes in the past Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) of Allah, past Revealed books of Allah, they are termed as Ahle-Kitab or Believers of the Book or simply Believers. Kindly note that, they are NOT termed as “MOMIN”, they are termed as “BELIEVERS” or “BELIEVERS OF THE BOOK” Which simply means “AHLE-KITAB”.
Only “Jews (Yahudi)” and “Christians (Nasrani)” are termed as Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book).
Thus, Jews and Christians are termed as “KAFIRS (NON-MUSLIMS)” because they denies Qur’an and denies Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him) [the Last and Final Messenger of Allah]. But at the same time, Jews and Christians are termed as as “BELIEVERS” or “BELIEVERS OF THE BOOK” Which simply means “AHLE-KITAB” because they believes in the past Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) of Allah, past Revealed books of Allah.

OBJECTION: Now some may object that the present Jews and Christians are not Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book) because they have distorted the concept of Tawhid as well as their revealed books (Torah and Injeel) are available in distorted form.
REPLY: Yes they have distorted concept of Tawhid but they “CLAIM” to believe in ONE GOD. And their distortation in the concept of Tawhid is not todays work, their distortation lies even before the Mawlid (Birth) of Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him) and even Qur’an mentions about their distortations like Concept of trinity etc. But even because of their distortation in Tawhid, they claim to believe in Tawhid (in one God). Islam accepts their this CLAIM and that’s why at various places they are termed as Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book) in Qur’an, Hadiths and in books written by the pious Scholars of Islam throughout the History.
Same is true about the book: Torah and Injeel. These two books were already distorted before the Mawlid (Birth) of Prophet Muhammad (Salat and Salam Upon Him).
Thus, even the present day Jews and Christians are termed as Ahle-Kitab or Believers of the Book or simply Believers.
Moreover, in order to distinguish the Ahle-Kitab from Gayr Ahle-Kitab, there are two big examples: Muslims can marry with the women of Ahle-Kitab and Muslims can eat from the “Zibah” done by Ahle-Kitab.

(2) Gayr Ahle-Kitab (Non-Believers of the Book) (Kuffars and Mushriks): They are those who don’t believes in the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) and revealed books of Allah. They worships others besides Allah. They are Hindus, fire worshippers, star worshippers, stone worshippers, idol worshippers, Atheists etc
Muslims cant marry their women and cant eat from their Zibah done by them. But if a Gayr Ahle-Kitab converts to Ahle-Kitab, then now legally that person is Ahle-Kitab and thus now Muslims can marry their women and can eat from their Zibah done by them.


CONCLUSIONS:
# Gayr Ahle-Kitab(Non-Believers) are Kafirs (Non-Muslims).
# Ahle-Kitab (Believers) are Kafirs and Believers of the Book.
# Present day Jews and Christians are also Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book).
# Ahle-Kitab are not “Momin”, they are termed as Believers because they believes in the books revealed by Allah to them.
# Nowhere Shaykh ul Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, termed Ahle-Kitab as Momins. Shaykh ul Islam termed them as “Believers of the book” or simply “Believers” and by terming them as Believers, He don’t  means that that they are not Kafirs (Non-Muslims), instead of it He means that they are Ahle-Kitab (Believers of the Book) amongst the Kafirs.
# These two words “MOMIN” and “BELIEVERS” are not one and the same. They are two different words belonging to two different languages (Arabic and English) having different meanings.
# If someone is unable to understand all this and have some misconception because have misinformation that was passed to him then I request you please do not starts speaking against that person, instead of it tries to help him by providing him the appropriate info. Remember that the Ikhtilaaf due to misinformation between Imam Bukhari (rah) and His Teacher (rah) was at such a high level that even Imam Bukhari(rah) cannot visit to his Teacher (rah) city.
NOTE: For more info and for the detailed proofs of the above statements, kindly read the 480 pages book of Shaykh ul Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri by name: “Islam and Ahle-Kitab” which was published in the year 2014 (July).


By Muhammad Rehan Siddiqui
http://www.mrehan786.blogspot.com