Are Christians our Brothers?

The misguided believe that because Christiansbelieve in God, that they
are believers and hence the brothers of Muslims. Yes, they are
believers... in something... but not in Islamic Monotheism. When the
Qur'an refersto the believers, it means believers in tawheed (Islamic
monotheism), specifically the belief in "La ilaha ilAllah, Muhammad
ar-Rasool-Allah" .
To be a muslim, one must testify "La ilaha ilAllah, Muhammad
ar-Rasool-Allah" . While Christians claim to believe in one God alone,
at the same time, they also worship Jesus as God's god-like child.
Doing so nullifies an individual's confessionof "La ilaha ilAllah,
Muhammad ar-Rasool-Allah" . The act of worship in both its major and
minor forms, should be reserved for Allah, swt,alone.
If a Muslim abandons his salah , he nullifies his Islam and becomes a
kaffir (disbeliever). Surely the non-Muslims, who obviously don't even
make salah, are already kuffaar (disbelievers, plural of kaffir ).
Please note that abandonment is not necessarily the same as neglecting
a single salah. For example, if a husband walks outside his house, he
has not necessarily abandoned his family; he may have just been going
to the store and has intentions of returning . A Muslim who neglects
to do salah is in kufr (the state of disbelief) until returning to
salah, andneglecting it to the point of abandonment makes him a
kaffir. Allahu Alim as to whenthe sin changes from that of neglect to
complete abandonment. Keep in mind: you do not want to die in a state
of kufr,so fear Allah, swt, and be faithful in your salah.
Hadith - Related by Ahmad, Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, anNasa'i andIbn Majah
Buraidah reported that the Prophet said, "The pact between us and them
is prayer. Whoever abandons it is adisbeliever."
The Noble Qur'an 5:17
Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allâh isthe Messiah, son of
Maryam (Mary). Say (O Muhammad ):"Who then has the least power against
Allâh, if Hewere to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), his
mother, and all those who are on the earth together?" And to Allâh
belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is
between them. He creates what He wills. And Allâh is Able to do all
things.
The Noble Qur'an 5:73
Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allâh is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilâh (god) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilâh(God -Allâh). And if they cease
not from what theysay, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them.
They remain as people of the Book since a Book was revealed to their
respective Prophets. Whoever says he is a believer in their Books,
even in their altered forms, is from the People of the Book. Any
Christian or Jew who dissociates himself from his respective Book and
denies it, cannot be considered as being from the People of the Book.
On the other hand, Allah, the All-Wise and All-Just, legislated
certain guidelines that define certain relationships between the
Muslims and the People of the Book. Amongst such relations, is
marriage to the 'afeefah (chaste) women of them, eating their lawfully
slaughtered meat, etc. Such distinctions do not make them true
believers in Allah.
Shaykh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymeeyah commented on the following aayaat
(verse, proof from the Qur'an):
The Noble Qur'an 98:1
Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians) and among Al-Mushrikûn, were not going to leave (their
disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence.
The Noble Qur'an 3:20
So if they dispute with you (Muhammad ) say: "I have submitted myself
to Allâh (in Islâm), and (so have) those who follow me." And say to
those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) andto those
who are illiterates (Arab pagans):"Do you (also) submit yourselves (to
Allâh in Islâm)?" If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they
turn away, your duty is only to convey theMessage; and Allâh is
All-Seer of (His) slaves.
He said, "And other aayaat like those above address those who exist
[i.e.from the Jews, Christians, and mushrikeen ]. The Scripture that
is referred to is the Book in their hands in whichalterations and
abrogations were carried out, and does not refer to those who held to
the Scriptures before they were altered and abrogated,because they
were not kuffaar then. Also, they were not [the ones being addressed]
by the Qur'aan as "you People of the Book," because they died before
the Qur'aan wasrevealed. So, all those who believe in the existing
Books [alteredand abrogated], are from the "People of the Book," and
they are kuffaar because they hold to altered and abrogated Books, and
they are, like all other kuffaar , in Hell forever, although Allah,
the Exalted, commanded that they pay jizyah * and made it permissible
to eat their food and marry their women." [Quoted in Majmoo'
Al-Fataawaa, vol. 35, pp. 227-228.]
*Jizyah is a head-tax imposed by Islam on the People of the Book and
other people who have arevealed book when theylive under Muslim rule,
wherein they and their properties and wealth are protected.