--- title: "Is Islam a New Religion? | Islam Is Mercy" description: "Islam began in 7th-century Arabia — or did it? Why Muslims see Islam as the original faith of Abraham, Moses and Jesus, completed through Muhammad ﷺ." lang: en url: https://islamismercy.com/en/start/is-islam-a-new-religion/ --- 1. [Home](https://islamismercy.com/en/) 2. [Start Here](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/) 3. Is Islam a New Religion? # Is Islam a New Religion? Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 3 min readAwaiting scholar review ## The short answer Muslims do not see Islam as a new religion founded in the seventh century. They see it as the original faith of humanity — worshipping the one God in willing submission — taught by every prophet from Adam to Jesus, and renewed and completed through the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. ## On this page 1. Two meanings of “Islam” 2. Abraham, Jacob and the disciples 3. Same faith, different laws 4. The final brick 5. Why this matters 6. A conversation worth having History books usually say Islam began in Arabia in the early seventh century. That is true of the *Muslim community* led by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. But ask a Muslim when *Islam* began, and you may hear a surprising answer: with the very first human being. ## Two meanings of “Islam” The Arabic word *islam* means submitting oneself to God, willingly and wholeheartedly. A *muslim* is anyone who does so. In this broad sense, Islam is not the name of one community’s religion — it describes the right relationship between every human being and their Creator. See [What Does the Word “Islam” Mean?](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/meaning-of-islam/) Over time, “Islam” also became the name of the religion taught by Muhammad ﷺ, and “Muslims” the name of his followers. Muslims hold both meanings together: the faith Muhammad ﷺ brought *is* the original submission to God, in its final form. ## Abraham, Jacob and the disciples This is why the [Qur’an](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/quran/) uses the word *muslim* for people who lived long before Muhammad ﷺ. About Abraham (peace be upon him), whom Jews, Christians and Muslims all honour, it says: > مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّۭا وَلَٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًۭا مُّسْلِمًۭا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٦٧﴾ > Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim \[submitting to Allah\]. And he was not of the polytheists. [Qur'an, Aal-i-Imraan 3:67](https://quran.com/3?startingVerse=67&translations=20)Saheeh International The Qur’an pictures Abraham and his grandson Jacob passing on the same faith to their children: > وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَآ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَٰبَنِىَّ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿١٣٢﴾ > And Abraham instructed his sons \[to do the same\] and \[so did\] Jacob, \[saying\], "O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:132](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=132&translations=20)Saheeh International And it describes the disciples of Jesus (peace be upon him) answering God’s call in the same words: > وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى ٱلْحَوَارِيِّۦنَ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿١١١﴾ > And \[remember\] when I inspired to the disciples, "Believe in Me and in My messenger Jesus." They said, "We have believed, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims \[in submission to Allah\]." [Qur'an, Al-Maaida 5:111](https://quran.com/5?startingVerse=111&translations=20)Saheeh International For Muslims, then, the prophets of the Bible are not figures from “another religion”. They are their own prophets, and the faith they taught is the faith Muslims try to live. You can read more in [All Prophets Brought the Same Message](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/one-message-all-prophets/). ## Same faith, different laws If the message was always the same, why do religious practices differ? The Qur’an explains that the core belief — one God, worship of Him alone, accountability on the Last Day — never changed, but the detailed laws given to each community could differ to suit their time and circumstances (Qur’an 5:48). So the way Moses’ people kept the Sabbath, or the way earlier communities fasted and prayed, could differ from the way Muslims do today, while the belief behind it all remained one. Muslims believe that over the centuries some earlier teachings were forgotten or altered by people, and that each new prophet came to restore what had been lost. ## The final brick Muslims believe that Muhammad ﷺ was the last of these prophets, and that the message reached its complete and final form through him (Qur’an 5:3). He described his place in the long line of prophets with a beautiful image: > Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: 'Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets [Sahih al-Bukhari 3535](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/61#:~:text=with%20the%20other%20prophets%20before)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) Notice what this picture does *not* say. It does not say the earlier prophets built the wrong house, or that Muhammad ﷺ tore it down to start again. The house was built by all of them together; he completed it. See [Muhammad ﷺ, the Final Messenger](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/muhammad-final-messenger/). ## Why this matters Seeing Islam as the continuation of an ancient message changes how Muslims relate to others. It explains why Muslims love Jesus and Moses, why Mary is honoured with a whole chapter of the Qur’an named after her, and why Muslims start conversations with Jews and Christians from common ground (Qur’an 3:64). It also means that, for someone exploring Islam, becoming Muslim is often described not as converting to something foreign, but as returning — coming back to the simple, natural worship of the one God that every prophet taught. Many new Muslims say it felt like coming home. ## A conversation worth having Whether or not you share this view, it is a good place for respectful conversation. If you would like to continue, [The Prophets in Islam](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophets-in-islam/) introduces the prophets Muslims believe in, and [Prophet Abraham](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-abraham/) tells the story of the man three great faiths call their father in faith. ![Is Islam a New Religion?](https://islamismercy.com/_astro/prophets-in-islam-info.BLoISIFQ_IOeRf.jpg) ## Key takeaways - In the Qur'an, islam means submission to God — the faith of every prophet, not a brand-new creed. - The Qur'an calls Abraham, the family of Jacob and the disciples of Jesus muslims, in this original sense. - Laws and rituals varied between prophets, but the core belief never changed. - Muhammad ﷺ is described as the final brick that completes the house of prophethood. ## Share this article [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Is%20Islam%20a%20New%20Religion%3F%20https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fis-islam-a-new-religion%2F)[Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fis-islam-a-new-religion%2F&text=Is%20Islam%20a%20New%20Religion%3F)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20Islam%20a%20New%20Religion%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fis-islam-a-new-religion%2F)[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fis-islam-a-new-religion%2F) ## Sources - [Qur'an, Aal-i-Imraan 3:67](https://quran.com/3?startingVerse=67&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:132](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=132&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Maaida 5:111](https://quran.com/5?startingVerse=111&translations=20) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 3535](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/61#:~:text=with%20the%20other%20prophets%20before) ## Talk to a Muslim Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask a real person — no pressure, no judgement. [Ask your question](https://islamismercy.com/en/talk/) ## Keep reading [What Muslims Agree On ### All Prophets Brought the Same Message Islam teaches that Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ all called to the same core truth — worship the one God. Here is what that means. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/one-message-all-prophets/)[Stories of the Prophets ### Who Are the Prophets in Islam? Muslims believe in Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad ﷺ and many other prophets — all sent by the One God with the same core message. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophets-in-islam/)[Start Here ### What Does the Word "Islam" Mean? The word "Islam" means willing submission to God, and it shares an Arabic root with the word for peace. Here is what that means. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/meaning-of-islam/)[Stories of the Prophets ### Abraham (Ibrahim): Friend of God How the Qur'an tells the story of Abraham — his search for God, his stand against idols, the Kaaba he built with Ishmael, and his great test. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/prophets/prophet-abraham/)