Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his Companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
Describing Judaism and Christianity as revealed religions requires some clarification, because the ruling depends on what is meant: Are we speaking about the original revelations that Allah sent to Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, or about the beliefs and religious systems followed by Jews and Christians today?
If what is meant is what Allah revealed to Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, of revelation and religious law, then there is no doubt that the origin of these messages was revelation from Allah.
The original Torah was revealed by Allah to Moses, peace be upon him. Allah says:
“Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light.”
[Al-Ma’idah 5:44]
Likewise, the original Gospel was revealed by Allah to Jesus, peace be upon him. Allah says:
“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light.”
[Al-Ma’idah 5:46]
Therefore, these messages may be described as heavenly or revealed in their origin, because they were revelation sent by Allah to His messengers.
Indeed, the essential message of all prophets was one: worship Allah alone and associate nothing with Him, even though some practical laws and rulings differed from one nation to another.
Here, a distinction must be made between the original divine message and what happened to earlier religions afterward.
From the Islamic perspective, alteration and change occurred in previous scriptures and beliefs, and the earlier religious laws were superseded after the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by the law he brought.
Therefore, saying that Judaism and Christianity are heavenly in origin does not mean that Islam approves of all beliefs held by their followers today.
For example, the Qur’an rejects attributing a son to Allah and rejects the Trinity. Allah says:
“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three.’ And there is no deity except one God.”
[Al-Ma’idah 5:73]
Islam also teaches that Jesus, peace be upon him, is a noble messenger of Allah, not God and not the son of God.
The Qur’an confirms the original revelation that Allah sent to earlier prophets, while at the same time it came as a guardian and criterion over the previous scriptures.
Allah says:
“And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it.”
[Al-Ma’idah 5:48]
A Muslim therefore believes in the Torah that Allah revealed to Moses, the Gospel that He revealed to Jesus, and all other scriptures that Allah sent to His messengers.
However, this belief does not mean that everything found today in books attributed to earlier revelations is necessarily the exact text Allah originally revealed.
According to Islamic belief, the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is universal, and his law supersedes the previous religious laws. Therefore, after his mission, it is not sufficient to adhere to an earlier law while rejecting his message.
Allah says:
“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
[Aal ‘Imran 3:85]
Allah also says:
“Today I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and approved Islam for you as your religion.”
[Al-Ma’idah 5:3]
Jesus, peace be upon him, himself foretold—according to the Qur’an—the coming of a messenger after him. Allah says:
“And when Jesus, son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good news of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.’”
[As-Saff 61:6]
Just as the followers of earlier prophets were required to follow the messenger sent to them, Islam teaches that after the mission of the final Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, following him became obligatory.
It is permissible to use this expression if what is meant is the original messages revealed by Allah, and a number of scholars have used the term in this sense.
However, one should understand that describing them as heavenly does not mean that everything attributed to contemporary Judaism and Christianity was revealed by Allah, nor does it mean that the earlier religious laws remain independently valid and accepted after the mission of Muhammad ﷺ.
Therefore, if using the expression “heavenly religions” may lead someone to believe that Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in their current forms are equally true and all equally accepted by Allah, then the intended meaning should be clarified to avoid confusion.
A number of scholars have explained this distinction: they are heavenly with respect to their origins, but after the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the previous laws were superseded by Islam.
Quite the opposite. Belief in Moses, Jesus, and all of Allah’s messengers is part of Islamic faith.
Allah says:
“Say, ‘We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them.’”
[Al-Baqarah 2:136]
Islam does not present itself as a denial of earlier prophets. Rather, it affirms that the source of their messages was one and that Muhammad ﷺ is the final prophet in this chain of prophets and messengers.
Judaism and Christianity may be described as heavenly or revealed religions with respect to their original form. Allah revealed the Torah to Moses and the Gospel to Jesus, peace be upon them, and their messages were true guidance in their respective times.
However, this does not mean that every belief and text found among Jews and Christians today is revelation from Allah. Islam teaches that alteration occurred, and it also teaches that earlier religious laws were superseded after the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Therefore, according to Islamic belief, the religion that must be followed after the mission of the final Prophet is Islam as brought by Muhammad ﷺ, while believing in all prophets and in the original scriptures revealed by Allah.
And Allah knows best.