Thursday, April 17, 2025
From Adam to Everyone: The Eternal Path of Salvation for All
By Naseer Ahmed, New Age Islam
16 April 2025
(The Scope of Salvific Inclusivism in the Qur’an)
Abstract
This article explores the Qur’an’s inclusive vision of salvation, arguing that Allah’s guidance has always transcended religious, ethnic, and historical boundaries. From the first human being, Adam, to the last of humanity, the Qur’an consistently presents Islam—not as a sectarian identity but as the universal principle of submission to God. This salvific inclusivism is rooted in divine justice, the continuity of prophetic guidance, and the moral responsibility of every individual (Nafs). Drawing from key verses and the Quranic narrative arc, the piece dismantles the notion of exclusivist salvation and reclaims the Qur’an’s timeless message of hope, accountability, and access to divine mercy for all sincere seekers—regardless of the label they bear.
Introduction: Islam as the Eternal Religion of Allah
The Quran presents Islam not as a historically bounded religion but as the timeless and universal submission to the One God, Allah. As stated in Surah Al-Imran:
"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him…" (3:85)
Yet, this Islam is not restricted to what later became known as the religion brought by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ alone. Rather, it refers to the one moral way of life—Allah’s Deen—revealed progressively to different communities through different messengers in various forms. Thus, Allah’s religion is one, but its expressions are many, shaped by context and history.
Also read: The Meaning of Islam and Muslim
1. Inclusivism Through Recognized Religions
"Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians, —any who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness—on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (5:69)
This verse clearly extends the promise of salvation to members of various faith communities, provided they meet the essential moral and spiritual criteria: belief in Allah, the Last Day, and righteous conduct.
Allah’s religion is not sectarian. It is unifying. It includes within its fold all those who follow divine guidance in good faith, even if the theological constructs they inherited may contain errors. Allah, in His justice, does not punish for what people do not know or for what they sincerely misunderstood.
2. The Relativity of Shirk as Kufr
A key insight of the Quranic worldview is the relativity of culpability. Consider these verses:
- 4:48 & 4:116 say that Shirk will not be forgiven. But these verses are addressed to People of the Book and Muslims, respectively—those who should know better.
- However, for polytheists and others, the relevant verse is 7:33, which lists shirk among a set of prohibitions:
"Say: My Lord has forbidden only indecencies, … and that you associate with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority…" (7:33)
Shirk here is one of several moral violations—not uniquely unforgivable. The absence of a universal declaration that shirk will never be forgiven shows that culpability depends on knowledge, intention, and conscience. Allah judges people by what they knew, what they believed in good faith, and what they did with sincerity.
3. Jesus’s Intercession and the Beauty of Divine Wisdom
The Quran presents a deeply profound scene of Jesus (Isa) interceding for his people on the Day of Judgment for their “Kafara” of saying "Allah is Christ the son of Mary” and for saying “Allah is one of three in a Trinity”:
"If You punish them, they are Your servants; if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise." (5:118)
Jesus does not appeal to Allah’s mercy—because that is already a given. Instead, he appeals to Allah’s power and wisdom, asking forgiveness for those who erred out of ignorance. The next verse (5:119) does not dismiss his plea. Instead, it confirms that some will be saved, based on their sincerity and truthfulness.
This passage beautifully illustrates that salvation is not precluded by theological error when there is truthfulness, good intention, and lack of deliberate rejection.
For a detailed discussion on this subject, read:Is the Quran a Book of Contradictions?
4. Faith, Submission, and Deeds: The Real Criteria
"Nay, whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good—on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (2:112)
"The desert Arabs say, ‘We believe.’ Say: You have no faith; only say, ‘We have submitted’; for Faith has not yet entered your hearts..." (49:14)
Belief, in the sense of formal theological assent, is not the ultimate criterion. Submission to Allah’s moral code—in sincerity and good conduct—is what truly counts. Even those who have not been formally introduced to Islam, but who act morally and spiritually, are not beyond the scope of salvation.
This opens the door for spiritual agnostics and even atheists—if they live by the moral code that has permeated all society and are true to themselves and pursue a purpose greater than themselves. They may be unaware of religious revelation but still aligned with divine values. And Allah’s religion has permeated society so deeply that moral conscience now operates across all worldviews.
In this way, even those who do not consciously know Allah, but live morally with sincerity, are held accountable by their own conscience—a gift from Allah—and not automatically excluded from His mercy.
5. Religion’s Greatest Achievement: Internalized Morality
The true success of divine religion lies in how deeply morality has become second nature to human beings—so much so that it transcends religious boundaries. Atheists, agnostics, believers in various traditions—all are governed by a sense of right and wrong. That moral compass, when not stifled by arrogance, ego, or ignorance, becomes the criterion for accountability and hope for salvation.
For more on this subject, read: The “Natural Law of Morality” Has Come From Religion
Conclusion: The Mercy and Justice of Allah in Harmony
Islam is logical, balanced, and compassionate. It warns with justice but leaves the door open to forgiveness. It encourages people of other faiths to move toward common terms (3:64) and never closes the door to salvation based on formal belief alone.
There are degrees of responsibility, and salvation is not binary. What matters is one’s conscience, intentions, moral conduct, and truthfulness. The Quran’s message is clear: Allah’s mercy encompasses all things, but accountability is just. No soul is burdened beyond its capacity, and none is denied salvation if it has lived in sincere pursuit of truth and righteousness.
(The full chat can be accessed at: https://chatgpt.com/share/67fe28b7-3f60-8006-bac9-e2f1b9b3942c. Readers are encouraged to explore the chat and go through the evidence and conclusions drawn. They may share their findings with a link to their chat. For direct interactions, email me at Naseer.hmed@yahoo.in . This is a living project, and the chat will be updated with anything that merits refinement.)
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A frequent contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Naseer Ahmed is an Engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur and is an independent IT consultant after having served in both the Public and Private sector in responsible positions for over three decades. He has spent years studying Quran in-depth and made seminal contributions to its interpretation.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/adam-eternal-path-salvation-salvific-inclusivism/d/135184
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