Title: Is only Islam Acceptable in the Sight of God? Question: One of the objections raised by Ibn Warraq ( http://www.secularhumanism.org/wtc.htm ) is that in Aal-Imraan 3: 85, the Qur'an says that only Islam is acceptable in the sight of God, He shall not accept any other religion from man, on the Day of Judgment. Please explain the referred verse of the Qur'an. Nexus Answer: Before taking a look at the referred verse of the Qur'an, it is important that one should first understand that according to the Qur'an, the sole purpose of God's revelations - since the beginning till the end - was to guide man to the path of success in the life hereafter. It is obvious that if God was not prone to evolution and development - these qualities are obviously contrary to God's absolute knowledge and all-encompassing wisdom - then the guidance entailed in the various revelations of God could not have been different, except where such a difference was meant to test man's submission to God. Thus, the Qur'an tells us that as required by God's absolute knowledge and wisdom, there was never any alteration in the basic doctrines and the moral values in His various revelations to man. The primary and the common message of each of the prophets and the various revelations of God, was to worship God alone and to submit to His directives with all of one's heart, mind and soul. Thus, the Qur'an says: And in each of these groups We sent a messenger calling: "Worship God and refrain from [following] the great transgressor. Accepting this primary doctrine - i.e. worshiping one God only and submitting to His directives - according to the Qur'an is the gist of the teachings of each of the prophets of God and this, in fact, is what 'Al-Islam' (lit: "submission") really is. This was the teaching entailed in each one of God's revelations; this was the message delivered by each one of God's messengers and prophets [1] ; this was the only religion ever warranted by God; and this, therefore, is the only religion - i.e. worshiping one God only and refraining from transgressing His directives - acceptable to God. The Qur'an says: Do they desire for themselves a religion other than the one given by God [i.e. 'the religion of submission']? While all that is in the heavens and the earth have, willing or unwilling, submitted to His Will, and to Him shall they all be brought back. Say [O believers,]: "We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in what was given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord: we make no distinction between one and another among them, and to God do we submit." If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (i.e. 'submission to God'), it shall never be accepted from him; and in the Hereafter, he shall surely be among the losers. Reiterating the same point, the Qur'an says: Religion, in God's reckoning is only 'Al-Islam' (i.e. submission to His will and directives). [This alone was the religion revealed by God] and it was only after knowledge had come to them that those who were given the Book differed with each other, in their mutual enmity. [They must not forget] that whoever rejects God's signs [, he shall meet a painful end]. For indeed God is swift in reckoning. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad October 3, 2001 [1] This is the reason why God's prophets have been called 'Muslims' (i.e. 'those who submit to God's will and directives') in the Qur'an.