Mankind are divided as far as their faiths are concerned into two categories. The first category is the one that has a Book that was revealed to them like the Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
As for the Jews and Christians, the Books that were revealed to their Prophets have been lost as a result of their ignorance of what was in their Books; their taking of men as gods besides Allah and the long time that had passed between them and their acquaintance with these Books. So their priests wrote some books which they claimed to be from Allah while they were not from Allah but only wrong assumptions of liars and distortion of fanatics.
As for the Book of the Muslims (the Noble Quran), it is the last Divine Book to be revealed and the strongest and most firm. Allah Himself guaranteed its preservation and did not delegate that to mankind. He says: “Verily, We it is, who has sent down the Dhikr (Quran) and surely, We will guard it.” (Holy Quran 15:9)
The Quran is therefore preserved in the hearts of people and the Book, for it is the last Book that Allah has guaranteed for the guidance of mankind. He has made it proof against them till the last Hour and has decreed its perpetuity. He provides for it in every age those who will observe its limits and words, act by its law, and believe in it.
There is another section of religious adherents who have no revealed books from Allah, even though they possess an inherited book that is attributed to the founder of the religion like Hindus, Magians, Buddhists, Confucians, and Arabs before the advent of Muhammad.
There is not a nation that does not have some knowledge and carries out some activities by which their worldly interests are achieved. This is the general knowledge which Allah endowed every human being, even animals; for the animal is also guided as to how to attain what benefits it like food and drink and to avert what harms it; and Allah has created in it the love for the former and aversion for the latter.
God Almighty says: “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything) and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (preordainment for everything), and guided (showed mankind the right as well as the wrong paths and guided the animals to pasture),” (Holy Quran 87:1-3)
God Almighty also says, informing us of what Prophet Musa told Pharaoh: “Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.” (Holy Quran 20:50)
He also informs us about Prophet Ibrahim that he said to his Lord: “Who has created me, and it is He who guides me.” (Holy Quran 26:78)
It is known to every sane person- who has the least reflection and sense of thinking- that adherents of religions are better in useful sciences and righteous deeds than those with no religion. There is, therefore, no good thing found with non-Muslims among adherents of other religions except that the Muslims possess what is more perfect, so the adherents of religions possess what others do not possess. There are two types of sciences and deeds.
The first type is achieved through intelligence and reason like astronomy, medical sciences, and vocations. Though adherents of religions and atheists are equal in possession of these things; the adherents of religions are better in them.
As for those things that cannot be known through mere reason like theology and religious sciences, these are prerogatives of the followers of religions. There is this kind of knowledge that can be proved by logical evidence, so the Messengers guided men to how logical evidence proves that, which is both logical and legal.
The second type is what cannot be known except through the information given by the messengers. This kind of knowledge and deeds cannot be achieved through human reasoning alone, like knowledge about Allah, His Names and Attributes, the bliss that is in the Hereafter for whoever obeys Allah and the punishment for those who disobey Him, the explanations of His injunctions and the information about the past Prophets and their people and so on.
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