Abu Talib wrote:onepence~2 wrote:We are not aware that God has ever altered His religion
the "Eternal Truth" can never be altered
nor can guidance ever cease
By altered I mean more along the lines of upgraded. As too in Islam, the Truth can never be altered.
Let us clarify, religion has two parts:
Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) – God is one, religion is one, mankind is one, don’t kill, don’t steal etc.
Social (applied techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure) – regulations regarding on how to implement those spiritual/moral teachings.
Speaking about the spiritual part it truly never changes. In that sense the truth is revealed. Every new revelation reveals the same truth.
Revelation of ..... = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of Abraham = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of Moses = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of Jesus = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of Muhammad = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of The Bab = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of Baha’u’llah = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
Revelation of ..... = Spiritual/moral (Eternal Truth) + techniques/methods/system/practice/procedure
We find confirmation on the spiritual/moral part in Qur’an:
3 He hath
revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with
truth, confirming that which
was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.
(The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 3 - The Family Of Imran)
213 Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and
revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a straight path.
(The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 2 - The Cow)
Speaking on Jesus Christ -
50 And (I come)
confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
This verse helps us to distinguish:
67 Abraham was not a Jew, nor yet a Christian; but he was an upright man who had surrendered (to Allah), and he was not of the idolaters.
(The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 3 - The Family Of Imran)
Abraham was the upright man therefore follower of the truth which was revealed long before the Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
84 Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that
which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord.
We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.
(The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 3 - The Family Of Imran)
The social part – was different every time, because of different place, different nation, different time and obviously different state/condition/ability of mankind.