According to the Qur'an, Jews, Christians and people of scriptures will also go to Paradise!
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A serious complaint about Islam is
that Islam teaches to hate Jews, Christians and other religions. All religions
except Islam, treat as false and teach all other religions treat as enemies. In
response to these accusations, many people again put forward a list of where
Muslims are oppressed. In this article I will try to find out what the Qur'an
has about other religions.
The subject may seem quite
unfamiliar to both Muslims and non-Muslims. Because in the name of religion,
division, division, and bloodshed, those whose pockets are heavy, are eager to
make us face each other by gathering various strange statements outside the
Qur'an.
The Qur'an contains a wide variety
of descriptions of people of different faiths, especially Jews, Christians, or
People of the Book, both positive and negative. Many other religions specialize
in different faiths, without mentioning names, such as; The infidels or those
who disbelieve, the polytheists and the hypocrites, or those who pretend to be
religious - have been told about them.
The consequences of the
unbelievers, polytheists and hypocrites are quite clear - even though we
religious people get involved in that kufr or hypocrisy either willy-nilly or
out of ignorance. So even if someone seems pious on the face of it, he may be an
infidel mushrik or hypocrite in the eyes of Allah. Again, even if someone seems
to be an infidel or a polytheist, only Allah knows best what is in his heart.
There are many factions among the
People of holding scriptures and Muslims. Only Allah knows best who among them
is steadfast in the simple truth and only Allah will make this decision. In
this article we will only try to get a general idea of what the
Qur'an has to say about people of different faiths.
The final verdict of who will go
to heaven and who will go to hell will be met only on the judgment day.
However, not only those of different religions, but translators or commentators
following their own madhhab or sub-madhhab translate the related verses
according to their own beliefs or views, a complication has been created in the
translation or commentary of these verses.
I will review the translations and
tafsees of various translators of the Qur'an in the light of what I have
understood, quoting English translations of various surahs, so that we can get
a rough idea. But there is no point in getting involved in our debate about
this. The final decision belongs to Allah alone.
Surah Hajj verse-17
“Verily, those who believe (in Allah and in
His Messenger Muhammad SAW), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the
Christians, and the Magians, and those who worship others besides Allah, truly,
Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily! Allah is
Witness over all things”-(22:17).
So Allah knows the inner and outer
news of everyone. On the Day of Judgement, He will distribute the fruits of
Karma to each. We can only talk about what we understand. The decision is only
God's.
Surah Baqarah verse-62
Presenting some international
standard translations of this verse:
From the traditional Bengali Quran:
“Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews
and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and do
righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be
no fear, nor shall they grieve”-(2:62).
slamic Foundation Bangladesh
Translation:
"Surely those who believe, those who become
Jews and the Christians and Sabians who believe in Allah and the Hereafter and
do good deeds, have their reward with their Lord. They have no fear and they
will not grieve”.
Translation by Dr. Abu Bakr
Mohammad Zakaria
"Surely those who believe, those who become
Jews and the Christians and the Sabians* - (among them) those who believe in
Allah and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - for them is their reward with
their Lord. And they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve”.
*(Sabi'i- worshipers of various
planets and stars, worshipers of angels).
According to Dr. Abu Bakr Muhammad
Zakaria and other more prominent views, 'Sabee' are worshipers of different
planetary constellations, worshipers of angels or those who do not have a
specific well-organized religion. Ancient or traditional or age-old tradition-based
religion. And 'Magians' are ancient Persian fire worshippers. 'I have discussed
about Hindus in another article'.
However, in the translation of the
verses, the bracketed part is the translator's own, not part of the verse. That
is, he understood or meant it.
By faith in Allah and the Last Day
we mean acceptance of Islam. If one accepts Islam, be it Jew, Christian or
Sabean, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Atheist, he has become a believer or a
Muslim. Then Allah would not mention different classes.
Yusuf Ali:
“Those who believe (in the Quran) and those who
follow the Jewish (scripture), and the Christians and the Sabians -any who
belive in Allah and the Last Day, and works righteousness shall have their
reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, not shall they grieve”.
Incidentally, "The Holy
Quran" translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali is the most popular in Europe and
America. Saudi Arabia's 'King Fahd Complex' designates this translation for
English speakers.
I want to mention one thing here,
"Those who follow the Jewish (scripture), and the Christians" -
Within the Torah-Injil but the Prophet (PBUH) and the Qur'an are predicted and
the true Jewish-Christians means those who believe in the Prophet(PBUH) and the
Qur'an as we believe in Hazrat Musa and Jishu (as) as prophets and Torah-Injil
as heavenly books.
ABUL ALA MAUDUDI
“Whether they are the ones who believe (in the
Arabian Prophet), or whether they are Jews, Christians or Sabians - all who
believe in Allah and the Last Day, and do righteous deeds - their reward is
surely secure with their Lord; they need have no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
Allah repeats this verse in verse
69 of Surah al-Maida, the last revelation of the Qur'an:
“Surely, those who believe (in the Oneness of
Allah, in His Messenger Muhammad SAW and all that was revealed to him from
Allah), those who are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians, - whosoever
believed in Allah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be
no fear, nor shall they grieve”-(5:69).
In these two verses, faith and
good deeds are preconditions. Those who do not know the extent of this faith
and good deeds read the Qur'an, but do not understand it. The basic guidance of
the Qur'an is not clear to them or they understand it according to their own
madhhab or understanding. Most of the rest of the people what the Moulana says,
they says Marhaba! "I will try to write a separate article on this subject
of faith and good deeds".
I think the statement of the
Qur'an is quite clear in these translations or analyses. But how is it possible
that all Jews and Christians will go to heaven en masse! Where the Salafis do
not want to let the Hanafis enter heaven.
Our very familiar verse:
“Islam is the only religion chosen by Allah”-(3:19).
“And approved Islam as a religion for you
(5:3).”
‘Quoting Surah Al-Imran verse 85,
many says, 'No other religion will be accepted by Allah accept Islam':
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it
will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one the losers”-(3:85).
But in the verse just before this,
that is, in verse 84 of Surah Al-Imran, Allah has given the definition of Islam
- who are Muslims:
“Say (O Muhammad SAW): We believe in Allah and in
what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham),
Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the twelve
sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)] and what was given to Musa (Moses), 'Iesa (Jesus) and
the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among
them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam)”-(3:84).
All Jews, Christians and Abrahamic
are called Muslims by the Qur'an. That is why Hazrat Ibtahim (as) is the father
of the Muslim nation.
Surah Al-Hajj verse-78
“It is the religion of your father Ibrahim
(Abraham) (Islamic Monotheism). It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims both
before and in this (the Quran), that the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) may be a
witness over you and you be witnesses over mankind”-(22:78)!
ইহুদি খৃষ্টানদের সম্পর্কে নেতিবাচক
বক্তব্যও আছে কোরআনে। তবে নেতিবাচক ইতিবাচক উভয় ক্ষেত্রেই একটা বিশেষ পরিস্থিতিতে
বিশেষ অংশকে ইঙ্গিত করা হয়েছে।
Surah Al-Imran verse 67:
“Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he
was a true Muslim Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism - to worship none but Allah Alone)
and he was not of Al-Mushrikun”-(3:67)-(See V. 2:105)
From the perspective of this
verse, it can be understood that a section of the Jewish Christians did not
accept Mohammad as the successor of Ibrahim (as). They were only claiming
themselves as heirs of Ibrahim (A.S.). They also used to commit shirk. Then
Allah said to them, "Ibrahim was a Muslim and he was not a
polytheist". Jews also pray for Hazrat Ibrahim (as) as we recite 'Darude
Ibrahim' in Salat.
Surah Baqarah verse-111
“And they say, None shall enter Paradise unless he
be a Jew or a Christian. These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad Peace be
upon him), Produce your proof if you are truthful”-(2:111).
It is clear from this verse that
there is a group among the Jewish Christians who have strong objections to
anyone else going to heaven. If necessary, they will go to hell, but they must
prevent anyone else from going to heaven. This verse states that, "This is
their false hope". That is, someone else will also go to heaven.
“you who believe! Take not the Jews and the
Christians as Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but
Auliya' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then
surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the
Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust)”-(5:51).
It may refer to a particular
section of the Jews or Christians in war or special circumstances. Because
there is a different statement in the one of the next verse of the same surah.
Surah Maida verse-82
“Verily, you will find the strongest among men in
enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikun (see
V. 2:105), and you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims)
those who say: We are Christians. That is because amongst them are priests and
monks, and they are not proud”-(5:82).
In the previous verse it is said
not to take Christians as friends. Again this verse speaks positively about
Christians and calls believers close allies or friends. These verses carry
political and diplomatic implications. That is, it refers to a particular group
of Jews and Christians at particular times.
Madinah had at various times
friendly alliances and strategic alliances with the Banu Nazir, Banu Qurayzah,
Banu Qainuka and other Jewish tribes. Strategic instructions came at various
times in this regard. So Jews that means can refer to a particular tribe or
group of Jews.
Madinah was a democratic Islamic
state - whose constitution or governance was based on the Qur'an, and the head
of state was the Prophet (PBUH). Peoples of other religions had freedom to
practice their religion. But if you disobey or deny the laws or regulations of
the state or conspire against the state, collude with the foreign enemy, it is
treason which is the highest punishable crime in today's modern state.
4 Marriages are valid in Islam and
Islamic rules regarding inheritance of property do not apply in European or
Western countries. If you want to live in those countries, you have to follow
the laws and constitutions of those countries. If he has contact with IS,
Al-Qaeda, his passport will be confiscated even if he is an American citizen.
n 1971, those who had relations
with Pakistanis were 'Rajakars'. Pakistanis are also Muslims. But we did not
fight with Muslims, we fought with Pakistanis. Muslims are allowed to kill or
fight as a matter of self-determination. Can't fight with Muslims if they are
attacked unjustly? War is permitted under special circumstances. By prescribing
the treatment of particular individuals or groups, it is not meant to be the
standard of universal behavior of any nation or group as a whole.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an in Surah
Mumtahina verse-8
”Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and
kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not
drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity”-(60:8).
Surely Allah loves those who
behave well. However, there is still an enmity-friendship relationship between
Jewish-Christian countries with Muslim countries on Iran, Iraq, Palestine, the
Middle East and other issues. The oppressed Muslims of Palestine have the right
to fight all out against the Israeli occupiers and not only as a Muslim but as
a human being we will have all our love for the Palestinians and hatred for the
Israeli occupiers. Similarly, Rohingya Muslims or Kashmiri or stateless Indian
or Uyghur Muslims burning with violence against the extremist Hindutva BJP
government will have our full support or sympathy. But for that reason I cannot
treat an innocent Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu or Chinese unjustly.
It is certainly wrong if Americans
hate all Muslims because of a terrorist who attacked the Twin-Towers. But
religion is used in international politics only as long as it is conducive to
national interests. Whenever religion comes into conflict with political or
national interests, religion is watered down in both Muslim and non-Muslim
countries. Saudi Arabia's main enemies are Iran, Yemen. America is the main
ally, and Israel is the secret ally.
India and Russia are our allies in
our liberation war. But the enemy is the Muslim state of Pakistan. Pakistan's
allies are China and America, but we are enemies
Even if the Jews-Christians send
everyone else to another Planet, we will not lack enemies. Then Shia-Sunni,
Wahhabi-Salafists will exchange missiles. The present states are not entirely
religious. Diversity, secularism and universal governance prevail in Western
countries as well. So it is wise not to judge national and international
politics on the basis of religion.
Read the Qur'an, read it with
understanding.
Ataur Rahman Khan
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