Table of Contents
One Religion Throughout History
From the first human to the last generation, Allah has only ever revealed one true religion, which is complete submission to Him alone. In Arabic this submission is called “Islam.” While the details of law and practice differed between nations, the core message of every prophet was the same: worship Allah alone and avoid false gods.
Allah says that He prescribed for this community the same religion that He gave to the earlier prophets.
“He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Nūḥ, and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, and ʿĪsā, saying, ‘Establish the religion and do not be divided therein.’”
(Qur’an 42:13)
This shows that the religion of all prophets is one at its root. The name “Islam” became clearly and permanently used for the final form of that same religion with the message of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The essential religion of all prophets is one: submission to Allah alone in belief, worship, love, and obedience. Differences were in some rules, not in the core of faith.
The Call of All Prophets: Worship Allah Alone
Every prophet called his people to single out Allah as the only true Lord and God. This core message can be seen in the repeated formula in the Qur’an: “Worship Allah; you have no god other than Him.”
Allah tells us about Nūḥ عليه السلام:
“And We certainly sent Nūḥ to his people, and he said, ‘O my people, worship Allah, you have no deity other than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day.’”
(Qur’an 7:59)
About Hūd عليه السلام:
“And to ʿĀd [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah, you have no deity other than Him. Will you not then fear Him?’”
(Qur’an 7:65)
About Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام:
“And to Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah, you have no deity other than Him. There has certainly come to you a clear proof from your Lord.’”
(Qur’an 7:73)
About Shuʿayb عليه السلام:
“And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah, you have no deity other than Him.’”
(Qur’an 7:85)
In all these verses the wording is almost the same. This repetition teaches that the mission of the prophets was unified: to bring people from worship of creation to worship of the Creator.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described his mission and the mission of the prophets before him in one short statement.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The prophets are paternal brothers, their mothers are different but their religion is one.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
“Different mothers” means that details of law and times and communities were different. “Their religion is one” means that their faith and their call to Tawḥīd were the same.
Islam in the Time of Earlier Prophets
Every prophet and his true followers were “Muslim” in the sense that they submitted to Allah alone and followed His revelation for their time. The Qur’an explicitly calls earlier prophets and their followers “Muslim.”
About Nūḥ عليه السلام:
“[Nūḥ said]: ‘But if you turn away, then I have not asked you for any reward. My reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 10:72)
About Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl عليهما السلام when they built the Kaʿbah:
“Our Lord, and make us Muslims to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation to You, and show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.”
(Qur’an 2:128)
Here Ibrāhīm, the “father” of many prophets, asks Allah to make him and his offspring Muslims, that is, complete submitters to Allah.
About Yaʿqūb عليه السلام and his sons:
“Or were you witnesses when death approached Yaʿqūb, when he said to his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We will worship your God and the God of your fathers Ibrāhīm, Ismāʿīl and Isḥāq, one God, and to Him we are Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 2:133)
About the disciples of ʿĪsā عليه السلام:
“And when I inspired the disciples, ‘Believe in Me and in My Messenger.’ They said, ‘We believe, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 5:111)
Allah also describes Ibrāhīm عليه السلام clearly:
“Ibrāhīm was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a ḥanīf, a Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists.”
(Qur’an 3:67)
These verses do not mean that the earlier followers used the Arabic word “Islam” as a formal name in their languages. They mean that their true religion in front of Allah was exactly what Islam is: surrender to Him with Tawḥīd and obedience.
Any person who truly followed his prophet at that time, and worshipped Allah alone according to that revealed guidance, is considered a Muslim before Allah, even if people later gave them different labels.
The Unity of Message Among the Major Prophets
The Qur’an highlights several prophets to show this unity of message clearly. Each of them taught Tawḥīd, accountability, and the need for obedience to divine revelation.
About Mūsā عليه السلام, Allah says:
“And Mūsā said, ‘O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you are Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 10:84)
The people of Mūsā were called to be Muslims in the sense of trusting Allah and obeying His commands, not merely claiming belief.
About ʿĪsā عليه السلام:
“And when ʿĪsā sensed disbelief from them, he said, ‘Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?’ The disciples said, ‘We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 3:52)
Allah also tells us:
“And [mention] when Allah will say, ‘O ʿĪsā, son of Maryam, did you say to the people, “Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah”?’ He will say, ‘Exalted are You. It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it... I did not say to them except what You commanded me, that: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.”’”
(Qur’an 5:116–117)
This passage shows that ʿĪsā’s message was pure Tawḥīd, just like the message of Muhammad ﷺ. All prophets called to one Lord, one worship, and one path of submission.
The Prophet ﷺ described himself in relation to the earlier prophets with a simple image.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “My example and the example of the prophets before me is like a man who built a house and completed it except for one brick in a corner. People would go around it and be amazed at it and say, ‘If only this brick were put in its place.’ I am that brick and I am the seal of the prophets.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
The house is one. The bricks are from the same structure. Islam is one building that was completed and sealed with the final prophet.
Islam as the Name of the Final Complete Religion
Although all prophets brought the same essential religion, Allah chose the name “Islam” for the final, universal message with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This name is mentioned clearly in the Qur’an.
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”
(Qur’an 5:3)
This verse came near the end of the Prophet’s life during the Farewell Ḥajj. It marks the completion of the same religion that began with Adam, Nūḥ, and Ibrāhīm, now finalized and preserved for all humanity.
Allah also says:
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
(Qur’an 3:19)
And:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
(Qur’an 3:85)
These verses do not mean that other prophets came with different acceptable religions. Rather, they mean that Islam, the one religion of submission, is the only way that brings Allah’s acceptance, and that after the coming of Muhammad ﷺ, true submission requires following him.
After the sending of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, true submission to Allah must include belief in him and in the Qur’an. The same one religion continues, now in its final and complete form, called Islam.
One Brotherhood of Prophets and Followers
Because the religion is one, the prophets are described as a single community of guidance. They are united in their purpose, their Lord, and their core teachings.
Allah says:
“Indeed, this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.”
(Qur’an 21:92)
Although this verse addresses the followers, it comes in a passage that mentions several prophets together. It reminds us that the true followers of all prophets belong to one spiritual community, united by Tawḥīd and obedience to Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ explained this unity by describing his relationship with ʿĪsā عليه السلام:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “I am the closest of all people to ʿĪsā, son of Maryam, in this world and the next. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different but their religion is one, and there was no prophet between me and him.”
(Muslim)
This hadith shows that the prophets are like members of one family. Their laws may differ, like children from different mothers, but their faith and mission are one.
For a Muslim, this means loving and believing in all prophets without making distinctions that deny any of them. Allah commands:
“Say, ‘We have believed in Allah and in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Ibrāhīm, Ismāʿīl, Isḥāq, Yaʿqūb and the Descendants, and what was given to Mūsā and ʿĪsā and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims submitting to Him.’”
(Qur’an 2:136)
To “make no distinction” in this verse means not to reject some prophets and accept others. All sincere followers of truth must affirm every prophet that Allah sent.
The Final Messenger and the Same Ancient Religion
Although this chapter is not to explain the details of the Prophet Muhammad’s life, it is important here to see his place among the prophets. He did not claim to bring a new god, a new type of worship, or a new path separate from earlier prophets. He was sent to restore and complete the same ancient path of Ibrāhīm and the prophets before him.
Allah tells him:
“Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], ‘Follow the religion of Ibrāhīm, ḥanīf, and he was not of those who associated others with Allah.’”
(Qur’an 16:123)
And:
“Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, an upright religion, the way of Ibrāhīm, inclining to truth; and he was not among the polytheists.’”
(Qur’an 6:161)
Here Allah commands Muhammad ﷺ to follow the pure monotheistic way of Ibrāhīm. This shows that his message did not break from the past but restored the original pure form of it, free of later distortions.
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
“The prophets are like brothers from one father; their mothers are different, but their religion is one. I am the most entitled to ʿĪsā son of Maryam, for there was no prophet between me and him.”
(Muslim)
In this final link of the chain, the same one religion is now universal and complete, and its name is clearly fixed as Islam.
The Practical Meaning for a Beginner
Understanding that Islam is the religion of all prophets reshapes how a person sees faith and history. It means that following Islam is not choosing a new or foreign religion, but returning to the original way that Allah gave to humanity.
When a person enters Islam today, he or she is joining the same path as:
Nūḥ, who called his people for centuries to worship Allah alone.
Ibrāhīm, who left idols, family, and homeland for the sake of his Lord.
Mūsā, who challenged the arrogance of Pharaoh with Allah’s help.
ʿĪsā, who called people to purity of heart and worship of one God.
And finally Muhammad ﷺ, who completed the message and conveyed the Qur’an.
Allah summarizes this continuity beautifully:
“And We did not send before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’”
(Qur’an 21:25)
Every messenger received the same core revelation: “There is no deity except Allah, so worship Him alone.” This is the heart of Islam in every age.
For the beginner, this means that to learn Islam is to reconnect with the oldest and only true religion that Allah has ever accepted from His servants, the religion lived and taught by all His prophets from the beginning of creation.