From an Islamic viewpoint, Islam is the first and original faith — revealed by Allah to Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) and passed down through a chain of prophets, such as Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), and Isa (Jesus), until it was completed with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its message has always been the same — to worship Allah alone (tawheed) and live by His guidance — from the very beginning of humanity.
In historical studies, the term “Islam” is usually used for the religion as finalised in the 7th century CE, during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Makkah and Madinah. From this dating perspective, Hinduism (Sanātana Dharma) is seen as older, with its earliest scriptures, the Rigveda, dated by scholars to around 1500–1200 BCE.
This article looks at both sides — the Islamic belief that Islam is the world’s first religion, and the historian’s timeline that places Hinduism earlier in recorded history — to explain why the answer depends on the perspective you take.
Historical Origins of Hinduism
From a historical perspective, Hinduism — also called Sanātana Dharma (“the eternal way”) — is one of the world’s oldest living religions. It does not have a single founder, but developed over thousands of years from Vedic traditions, Indus Valley cultural roots, and different philosophical schools within the Indian subcontinent (An Introduction to Hinduism).
Its oldest known scriptures are the Vedas, with the Rigveda being the most ancient. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit and dated by scholars to about 1500–1200 BCE, these hymns are grouped into mandalas (books) and suktas (verses) that praise deities like Agni (fire), Indra (rain and war), and Varuna (cosmic order). They form the religious and cosmological base of early Vedic religion.
Over the centuries, Hinduism absorbed Upanishadic teachings, Bhakti devotional movements, and countless local traditions, while keeping its core beliefs in dharma (righteous duty), karma (moral cause and effect), and moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth) (A Survey of Hinduism).
Historical Origins of Islam
From an Islamic perspective, Islam is the first and original faith — revealed by Allah to Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) at the very start of human history. Its central belief, tawheed (worshiping Allah alone) and living by His guidance, was renewed through prophets like Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), and Isa (Jesus), before being completed with the final messenger, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in the 7th century CE (Islam: The Straight Path, Qur’an prophet chronology).
Islam teaches that earlier revelations are part of the same divine religion:
- Tawrat (Torah) — given to Musa around the 13th–12th century BCE
- Zabur (Psalms) — given to Dawud around the 10th century BCE
- Injil (Gospel) — given to Isa in the early 1st century CE
While these books are respected, Muslims believe the Qur’an — revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ between 610–632 CE in Makkah and Madinah — is the final and fully preserved word of Allah (The Heart of Islam).
Historians often describe Islam as beginning in the 7th century CE with the mission of Muhammad ﷺ. But in Islamic belief, this is the completion of the same religion that started with Adam, linking every prophet and revelation into one unbroken message from the Creator (Muhammad and the Believers).
Historical Origins of Christianity
From a Christian perspective, the roots of Christianity go back to the life, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (ʿĪsa عليه السلام) in 1st century CE, during Roman rule over Palestine (The New Testament: A Historical Introduction). Christians see him as the Son of God and the promised Messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
The Christian Bible is made up of two main parts:
- Old Testament — largely shared with the Hebrew Bible, containing the Tawrat (Law), historical writings, Zabūr (Psalms), and prophetic books.
- New Testament — focusing on the life and message of Jesus, including the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles (letters), and the Book of Revelation.
In Islam, ʿĪsa (Jesus) عليه السلام is honored as one of the mightiest prophets and messengers of Allah, but not divine. The Injil (Gospel) was revealed to him as part of the same continuous faith that began with Prophet Adam (عليه السلام). Muslims believe the original Injil was later altered and no longer exists in its pure form.
Historians generally place the emergence of Christianity as a distinct community in the mid-1st century CE, after the death of Jesus, when his followers began spreading his message throughout the Roman Empire. From the Islamic view, this was not the start of a new religion, but rather a continuation of earlier monotheistic teachings — a chain that was completed with the Qur’an and the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the 7th century CE.
Key Differences in Age — Hinduism vs. Islam
Whether Hinduism or Islam is older depends on the perspective you take.
From a historical perspective, Hinduism (Sanātana Dharma) has the earliest known scriptures — the Rigveda, composed in Vedic Sanskrit and dated to about 1500–1200 BCE. By this dating, Hinduism comes before the 7th-century CE rise of Islam in Makkah and Madinah, when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received the Qur’an between 610–632 CE (Rigveda dating).
From an Islamic perspective, Islam is the first religion — revealed by Allah to Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) at the beginning of human history, renewed through Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), and Isa (Jesus), and completed with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In this belief, Islam existed long before the Vedic period and all other religions.
Historically dated texts place Hinduism earlier, but in Islamic belief, Islam is the world’s first and oldest faith — continuous from the creation of humanity.
Why People Often Confuse the Oldest Religion Question?
People often disagree on whether Hinduism or Islam is older because they use different ways to measure it.
From a historical perspective, researchers look at the earliest surviving texts and archaeological findings. By that standard, Hinduism (Sanātana Dharma) seems older because of the Rigveda, written in Vedic Sanskrit and dated to about 1500–1200 BCE, along with other ancient Sanskrit scriptures.
From an Islamic perspective, age is measured from the first time Allah’s guidance was revealed to humanity. Islam began with Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) and was renewed through Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), and Isa (Jesus) — all calling people to worship Allah alone (tawheed). Earlier revelations — the Tawrat (Torah), Zabur (Psalms), and Injil (Gospel) — are part of this same religion, completed with the Qur’an given to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ between 610–632 CE.
The main misunderstanding is thinking Islam began in the 7th century CE, when in belief it has existed since the creation of humanity.
FAQs — Origins of Islam and Early Humanity
In Islamic belief, the first human was Prophet Adam (عليه السلام), created directly by Allah from clay and given life. Adam was both the first prophet and the first human being, living in submission to Allah — the essence of Islam, regarded as the original religion of humanity. From a historical–scientific perspective, the concept of a “first human” is explored through human evolution and archaeology, which do not identify a specific individual. In Islamic theology, all prophets — starting with Adam — carried the same monotheistic message (tawheed), renewed through Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), and Isa (Jesus), and brought to completion with the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ between 610–632 CE.
Mohammed Basheer is the founder of Sukoonly.com, an Islamic blog focused on duas, prophetic healing, and Qur’anic wisdom. He writes with sincerity and spiritual depth for seekers around the world.