Salvation

When we look at the Qur'an from the aspect of salvation for non-Muslims, we see that it is impossible to find salvation in another religion while consciously and knowingly rejecting Islam.

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There are three types of verses in the Holy Qur'an in this regard:

First those passages of the Holy Qur'an, which prove that today solely the Islam is the one true religion, which is accepted by Allah as such:

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَمِ دِينًۭا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَسِرِينَ

„And whoso seeks a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the losers.” (Surah Al 'Imran 3:86)

إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْإِسْلَمُ

“Surely, the true religion with Allah is Islam.” (Surah Al 'Imran 3:20)

ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَمَ دِينًۭا

This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion. (Sura al-Ma'idah 5:4)

In these verses the term “al-Islam” is used with Alif and Lam, so it cannot just mean submission, because the surrounding verses criticize aspects of the faith of the Jews and the Christians and then  these verses command them to accept “al-Islam” replacing their actual religions. With this in mind, consider:

فَإِنْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ مَآ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ فَقَدِ ٱهْتَدَوا۟ ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِى شِقَاقٍۢ

“And if they believe as you have believed, then are they surely guided; but if they turn back, then they are only creating a schism.” (Sura al-Baqarah 2:138)

The verses of the second category are those that equate the rejection of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) with the rejection of Allah:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَقَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَبٍۢ وَحِكْمَةٍۢ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۭ مُّصَدِّقٌۭ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِۦ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُۥ ۚ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَٱشْهَدُوا۟ وَأَنَا۠ مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّهِدِينَ

“And remember the time when Allah took a covenant from the people through the Prophets, saying: ‘Whatever I give you of the Book and Wisdom and then there comes to you a Messenger, fulfilling that which is with you, you shall believe in him and help him.’ And He said: ‘Do you agree, and do you accept the responsibility which I lay upon you in this matter?’ They said, ‘We agree;’ He said, ‘Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.’” (Sura Al 'Imran 3:82)

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍۢ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍۢ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا ‏أُو۟لَٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَفِرُونَ حَقًّۭا ۚ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا

“Surely, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and desire to make a distinction between Allah and His Messengers, and say, ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in others,’ and desire to take a way in between, these indeed are veritable disbelievers, and We have prepared for the disbelievers an humiliating punishment.” (Sura an-Nisa' 4:151-152)

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ

“He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over every other religion, even though the idolaters may dislike it.” (Sura at-Taubah 9:33)

رَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

“My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it for those who act righteously, and pay the Zakat and those who believe in Our Signs — ‘Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate one, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them. He enjoins on them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful for them the good things and forbids them the bad, and removes from them their burden and the shackles that were upon them. So those who shall believe in him, and honour and support him, and help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him — these shall prosper.’” (Sura al-A'raf 7:157-158)

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا

“And as to him who opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him, and follows a way other than that of the believers, We shall let him pursue the way he is pursuing and shall cast him into Hell; and an evil destination it is.” (Sura an-Nisa' 4:116)

The third category includes those verses which state that the rejection of the Holy Qur'an is tantamount to a denial of Allah:

وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍۢ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍۢ مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ وَٱدْعُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَدِقِينَ فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَفِرِينَ

“And if you are in doubt as to what We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a Chapter like it, and call upon your helpers beside Allah, if you are truthful. But if you do it not — and never shall you do it — then guard against the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.” (Sura al-Baqarah 2:24-25)

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There is also a logical argument there: the claim that more than one religion is simultaneously valid is illogical because each religion has tenets that would be deemed blasphemous by the other. Put simply, they cannot all be right at once.

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The Qur'anic verses mentioned below indicate that being a Christian or a Jew is not what guarantees salvation, what matters is one’s adherence to Abrahamic monotheism:

وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَهِۦمَ حَنِيفًۭا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

“And they say, ‘Be ye Jews or Christians that you may be rightly guided.’ Say: ‘Nay, follow ye the religion of Abraham who was ever inclined to God; he was not of those who set up gods with God.’” (Sura al-Baqarah 2:136)

وَقَالُوا۟ لَن يَدْخُلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَرَىٰ ۗ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ ۗ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَدِقِينَ بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌۭ فَلَهُۥٓ أَجْرُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“And they say, ‘None shall ever enter Heaven unless he be a Jew or a Christian.’ These are their vain desires. Say, ‘Produce your proof, if you are truthful.’ Nay, whoever submits himself completely to Allah, and is the doer of good, shall have his reward with his Lord. No fear shall come upon such, neither shall they grieve.” (Sura al-Baqarah 2:112-113)

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Now let us come to one of the key passage that the pluralist camp often invokes:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَرَىٰ وَٱلصَّبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَلِحًۭا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.” (Sura al-Baqarah 2:63)

The Promised Messiah (as) says about this verse:

واضح ہو کہ قرآن شریف میں ان آیات کے ذکر کرنے سے یہ مطلب نہیں ہے کہ بغیر اس کے جو رسول پر ایمان لایا جائے نجات ہو سکتی ہے بلکہ مطلب یہ ہے کہ بغیر اس کے کہ خدائے واحد لاشرؔ یک اور یوم آخرت پر ایمان لایا جاوے نجات نہیں ہو سکتی۔* اور اللہ پر پور اایمان تبھی ہو سکتا ہے کہ اُسکے رسولوں پر ایمان لاوے۔

“These verses of the Holy Qur'an do not mean that salvation can be achieved without believing in the Holy Prophet (saw). They lay down that salvation cannot be achieved without believing in God—Who has no associate—and in the Last Day; and that belief in God cannot be perfect without belief in Prophets.” (Haqiqatu l-Wahy, Ruhani Khaza'in, vol. 22, p. 173)

Hadrat Khalifatu l-Masih II. (ra) says in his Tafsir-e Kabir under this verse:

اس آیت کے معنے کرنے میں بعض لوگوں کو یہ دھوکا لگا ہے کہ چونکہ اس جگہ صرف ایمان باللہ اور ایمان بیوم آخر کے ساتھ خوف و حزن سے نجات کو وابستہ کیا ہے۔ پس معلوم ہوتا کے کہ قرآن کریم اس قوم کو جو اللہ اور یوم آخر پر ایمان لانے والی ہو۔ نجات یافتہ قرار دیتا ہے مگر یہ درست نہیں۔ ایمان باللہ و یوم آخر میں اسلام کے سب اصول شامل ہیں۔ […] اللہ تعالی پر ایمان کے اندر ہی رسولوں پر ایمان لانا بھی شامل ہے اور رسولوں پر ایمان لانے میں اگر وہ کوئی کتاب لایا ہو تو اس پر ایمان لانا بھی داخل ہے۔

“Some people have fallen victim to a misunderstanding in understanding this verse, that is that because here the talk is merely of the belief in Allah and the belief in the Last Day, and since the release of fear and sadness was associated therewith, that would mean that those people who believe in God and the Last Day would be redeemed. However, this is not right. In believing in Allah and the Last Day all the basics of Islam are included. [...] In the belief in Allah, the belief in the prophets is included in the faith of the prophets the belief in the books which they have brought is also included.” (Tafsir-e Kabir, vol. 1, p. 489)

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I hope and pray that this compilation may answer your question. Allahumma Amin.