Short answer: Islam teaches that it is the same message every prophet brought, from Adam and Nuh to Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad ﷺ, and that it is the truth from Allah. It also commands "there shall be no compulsion in religion". Muslims must be just and kind to people of other faiths who do not fight them, must not insult what they worship, and may live, work and be neighbours with them. Jews and Christians have a special status as People of the Book, with their own rules on food and marriage.
One message from every prophet
The Quran presents Islam not as a new religion but as the original faith of submission to the One God, taught by every prophet:
۞ شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِۦ نُوحًۭا وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِۦٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰٓ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ ٱللَّهُ يَجْتَبِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ
Shara'a lakum minad deeni maa wassaa bihee Noohanw wallazeee awhainaaa ilaika wa maa wassainaa biheee Ibraaheema wa Moosa wa 'Eesaaa an aqeemud adeena wa laa tatafarraqoo feeh; kabura 'alal mushrikeena maa tad'oohum ilaih; Allaahu yajtabee ilaihi many yashaaa'u wa yahdeee ilaihi mai yuneeb
"He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allah is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]."
Quran 42:13 · translation by Sahih International
A Muslim must believe in all the prophets: "We make no distinction between any of them" (2:136). Meet them on our prophets of Islam pages.
Is Islam the only true religion?
Yes, in the Islamic view. The Quran says:
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمِ دِينًۭا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Wa mai yabtaghi ghairal Islaami deenan falany yuqbala minhu wa huwa fil Aakhirati minal khaasireen
"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."
Quran 3:85 · translation by Sahih International
Muslims invite others to it with wisdom and good words (16:125). Beside this belief sit two others. The judgement of every person belongs to Allah, who is perfectly just: "never would We punish until We sent a messenger" (17:15). And believing Islam is true is never a licence to force anyone into it.
No compulsion in religion
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Laaa ikraaha fid deeni qat tabiyanar rushdu minal ghayy; famai yakfur bit Taaghooti wa yu'mim billaahi faqadis tamsaka bil'urwatil wusqaa lan fisaama lahaa; wallaahu Samee'un 'Aleem
"There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing."
Quran 2:256 · translation by Sahih International
Faith that is forced is not faith. Surah Al-Kafirun ends with this line:
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ
Lakum deenukum wa liya deen.
"For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."
Quran 109:6 · translation by Sahih International
How Muslims must treat people of other faiths
لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ
Laa yanhaakumul laahu 'anil lazeena lam yuqaatilookum fid deeni wa lam yukhrijookum min diyaarikum an tabarroohum wa tuqsitooo ilaihim; innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen
"Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly."
Quran 60:8 · translation by Sahih International
- Do not insult what they worship. "Do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge" (6:108).
- Argue only in the best way. "Do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best" (29:46).
- Keep your covenant. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever kills a person with whom there is a treaty will not smell the fragrance of Paradise."1
- Honour their humanity. When a Jewish funeral passed, the Prophet ﷺ stood up. Told it was the funeral of a Jew, he said: "Is it not a soul?"2
- Visit and care. He visited a Jewish boy who served him when the boy fell ill.3 His Companion Abdullah ibn Amr made sure his Jewish neighbour received a share of meat.4
- Keep family ties. When Asma's mother, who was not Muslim, came to visit, the Prophet ﷺ told Asma to keep good ties with her.5
The People of the Book
The Quran calls Jews and Christians Ahl al-Kitab, the People of the Book, because they received scriptures through Musa and Isa. It invites them to common ground:
قُلْ يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍۢ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Qul yaa Ahlal Kitaabi ta'aalaw ilaa Kalimatin sawaaa'im bainanaa wa bainakum allaa na'buda illal laaha wa laa nushrika bihee shai'anw wa laa yattakhiza ba'dunaa ba'dan arbaabam min doonil laah; fa in tawallaw faqoolush hadoo bi annaa muslimoon
"Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].""
Quran 3:64 · translation by Sahih International
| Matter | The rule |
|---|---|
| Their food | Lawful for Muslims, including meat they slaughter properly (5:5). Pork, alcohol and meat not slaughtered are still not lawful. |
| Marriage | A Muslim man may marry a chaste Jewish or Christian woman (5:5). A Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, by the agreement of the scholars. |
| Their places of worship | Protected under Islamic law; Muslims may not attack them. |
| Their scriptures | Muslims believe the Torah and the Injil were revealed, and that the Quran confirms and stands over what came before (5:48). |
Marriage to a Christian or Jewish woman is valid, but disliked, and more strongly disliked in a non-Muslim country, because of the risk to the children's faith and upbringing. Non-Muslims may enter any masjid, even al-Masjid al-Haram, though not to perform Hajj, when there is a reason and they respect it.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i and Hanbali
- Marriage to a woman of the Book is valid and disliked. Non-Muslims may not enter the sacred precinct (Haram) of Makkah at all (9:28); other mosques with permission.
- Maliki
- Marriage to a woman of the Book is valid with dislike. Many Maliki scholars did not allow non-Muslims into mosques except for need.
For the shared beliefs and the differences with Christianity in detail, read Islam and Christianity.
Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and others
The Quran does not name these faiths, and in Hanafi law, as in the other schools, they are not People of the Book. That changes two things: the meat of their slaughter is not halal, and marriage with them is not allowed. Everything else on this page applies to them in full: justice, kindness, keeping promises, not insulting what they hold sacred, and being good neighbours. The Zoroastrians (Majus) were treated like the People of the Book only in some matters, not food or marriage.6
The Quran asks every community to compete in good:
لِكُلٍّۢ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةًۭ وَمِنْهَاجًۭا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ
Wa law shaaa'al laahu laja'alakum ummatanw waahidatanw wa laakil liyabluwakum fee maa aataakum fastabiqul khairaat; ilal laahi arji'ukum jamee'an fayunab bi'ukum bimaa kuntum feehi takhtalifoon
"To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good."
Quran 5:48, part of the ayah · translation by Sahih International
FAQ
Does Islam respect other religions?
Islam teaches that it is the truth, but it commands justice and kindness to people of every faith who do not fight Muslims (60:8), forbids insulting what they worship (6:108), and allows no compulsion in religion (2:256).
Can Muslims be friends with non-Muslims?
Yes. Kindness, friendship, business and good neighbourliness are allowed and rewarded. The Quran's warnings about taking non-Muslims as allies are explained by scholars as loyalty against the Muslims, not ordinary friendship.
Who are the People of the Book?
Jews and Christians, who received scriptures through Musa and Isa. Their food is lawful for Muslims, and a Muslim man may marry a chaste woman from among them (5:5).
Will non-Muslims go to hell?
Islam teaches that salvation is through faith in Allah and His messengers. It also teaches that Allah does not punish anyone before a messenger reaches them (17:15), and that the judgement of every individual belongs to Him alone.
Can a non-Muslim enter a mosque?
In the Hanafi school, yes, any masjid, for a reason and with respect. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools exclude the sacred precinct of Makkah.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3166, from Abdullah ibn Amr.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1312, from Sahl ibn Hunayf and Qays ibn Sa'd.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1356, from Anas.
- Sunan Abu Dawud 5152 and Jami at-Tirmidhi 1943, from Mujahid; graded sahih by al-Albani.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2620 and Sahih Muslim 1003, from Asma bint Abi Bakr.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3156 and 3157, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, as reported by Bajalah.
- On marriage and entering mosques: Hanafi, al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah, and Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; for the other schools, their standard manuals.
- Quran 42:13, 2:136, 3:85, 16:125, 17:15, 2:256, 109:6, 60:8, 6:108, 29:46, 3:64, 5:5, 5:48, 9:28 and 49:13, Arabic from the Uthmani text, translation by Sahih International.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.