Islam's Response to Contemporary World Problems (4)

In the previous instalment (number 3) we addressed the issue of whether the rank of a Prophet can be different if the authenticity is the same.

Continuing with the development of the theme, in this chapter we want to discuss whether salvation can be monopolised by any religion.  

Salvation cannot be monopolised by any religion.  

The question of salvation, however innocent it may seem in the big picture, is important in terms of its potential against peace in the inter-religious world.

It is quite different for a religion to declare that those who seek to be redeemed from Satan and attain Salvation must hasten to the safe Paradise of that religion, where they will find Salvation and eternal deliverance from sin; than for the same religion to then declare that those who have not sought refuge in its doctrine will be eternally condemned without remission: however much they may do to please God, however much they may love their Creator and His creation, however much they may try to lead a life of purity and piety, they will be condemned with absolute certainty to eternal Fire.

Whenever such a rigid, intolerant and strict viewpoint is expressed in provocative language, as is often uttered by religious fanatics, violent riots ensue.

People have different natures. Some are cultured, educated and refined and so react to offences committed against them. However, a large number of religiously inclined people, both educated and illiterate, tend to react violently when they feel that their religious sensibilities are offended.

Unfortunately, the latter seems to be the attitude of the clerics of almost all religions towards those who do not subscribe to their faith. Even Islam is presented by most of its medieval scholars as the only door to Salvation in the sense that all descendants of Adam who have lived outside the realm of Islam are denied Salvation. Christianity does not offer a different view, nor does any other religion - to my mind -.

But let me assure dear readers that the attribution of this intolerant and strict view to Islam is unjustified. The Holy Qur'an has a completely different account to offer in this regard.

According to the Holy Qur'an, Salvation cannot be monopolised by any world religion. Even if new truths are revealed and new ages of light are born, those who live a life of ignorance without being guilty of it, and those who try to lead a life of sincerity even though they have inherited false ideologies, these God will not deny Salvation to.

The following verses of the Holy Qur'an support this belief:

لِکُلِّ اُمَّۃٍ جَعَلۡنَا مَنۡسَکًا مَنۡسَکًا ہُمۡ نَاسِکُوۡہُ فَلَا یُنَازِعُنَّکَ فِی الۡاَمۡرِ وَادۡعُ اِلٰی رَبِّکَ ؕ اِنَّکَ لَعَلٰی لَعَلٰی ہُدًی مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ 

For every people We have appointed modes of worship which they observe; let them not, therefore, dispute with thee concerning the Islamic mode of worship; and call thy people to thy Lord, for, verily, thou art on the straight path (Q. 22: Al Hall: 68)

In another verse, the Holy Qur'an states in the same context:

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَالَّذِیۡنَ ہَادُوۡا وَالصّٰبِـُٔوۡنَ وَالنَّصٰرٰی مَنۡ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَالۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَعَمِلَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَلَا ہُمۡ یَحۡزَنُوۡنَ یَحۡزَنُوۡنَ

Verily, those who have believed in Mohammad, and the Jews, and the Sabeans, and the Christians: those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and do good deeds, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they be afflicted (Q.5: Al-Maidah: 70).

Let me remind you that, although the People of the Book is a term that applies to Jews and Christians, it potentially has a wider scope of application. In the context of the Qur'anic statement that "there is no people in the world to whom We have not sent a Messenger" and similar verses mentioned above, there is no doubt that it is not only the people of the Old Testament and the Gospel (the Torah and the Injeel) to whom the Book was given, but indeed, other Books were revealed for the benefit of mankind. Therefore, all religions that have claimed to be based on Divine revelation are to be included among the People of the Book.

Likewise, the Holy Qur'an employs the term Sabi which sheds additional light on the subject and clears the doubt. Sabi is a term used by the Arabs that applies to the followers of all non-Arab and non-Semitic religions that possess their own revealed Books. Thus, all followers of religions based on Divine revelation, provided they have not genuinely refused to recognise the light of a new religion and have sincerely and honestly adhered to the values of their ancestral religion, will have nothing to fear from God and will not be denied Salvation.

The Holy Qur'an, when speaking of any group from among the believers: Jews, Christians and Sabeans, promises:

فَلَہُمۡ اَجۡرُہُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَبِّہِمۡ ۪ۚۚ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَلَا وَلَا ہُمۡ یَحۡزَنُوۡنَ

They shall have their reward from their Lord, no fear shall overtake them, nor shall they grieve (Q.2: Al-Baqarah: 63).

وَلَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اَقَامُوا التَّوۡرٰٮۃَ وَالۡاِنۡجِیۡلَ وَالۡاِنۡجِیۡلَ وَمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡہِمۡ مِّنۡ رَّبِّہِمۡ لَاَکَلُوۡا مِنۡ فَوۡقِہِمۡ وَمِنۡ تَحۡتِ اَرۡجُلِہِمۡ ؕ مِنۡہُمۡ اُمَّۃٌ مُّقۡتَصِدَۃٌ ؕ وَکَثِیۡرٌ وَکَثِیۡرٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ سَآءَ مَا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ

And if they had kept the Torah and the Gospel and what has now been revealed to them by their Lord, they would indeed have eaten of the good things that exist above their heads or under their feet. There are among them moderate men; but a great number of them, evil indeed is what they do! (Q.5: Al Ma'idah: 67)

To prevent Muslims from indiscriminately censuring those who do not belong to Islam, the Holy Qur'an emphatically declares:

لَیۡسُوۡا سَوَآءً ؕ مِنۡ اَہۡلِ الۡکِتٰبِ اُمَّۃٌ قَآئِمَۃٌ یَّتۡلُوۡنَ اٰیٰتِ اٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ اٰنَآءَ الَّیۡلِ وَہُمۡ یَسۡجُدُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۴﴾ ﴿۱۱۴﴾ یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَالۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَیَاۡمُرُوۡنَ وَیَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَیَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَیُسَارِعُوۡنَ وَیُسَارِعُوۡنَ فِی الۡخَیۡرٰتِ ؕ وَاُولٰٓئِکَ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِیۡنَ ﴿۱۱۵﴾ وَمَا یَفۡعَلُوۡا ممِنۡ خَیۡرٍ فَلَنۡ یُّکۡفَرُوۡہُ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ عَلِیۡمٌۢ بِالۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ 

They are not all the same. Among the People of the Book there is a group who keep their covenant; they recite the word of Allah during the night hours and prostrate themselves before Him. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, they enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and vie with one another in good deeds. And these are among the righteous. And from their good deeds they will not be denied their due reward; and Allah knows well those who guard against evil (Q.3: Al-Imran: 114-116).

There is a great misunderstanding today, originating in the recent political disputes between Jews and Muslims, that according to Islam, all Jews will be condemned to hell. This is completely false in the light of what I have recited to you earlier from the Holy Qur'an and in the light of the following verse:

وَمِنۡ قَوۡمِ مُوۡسٰۤی اُمَّۃٌ اُمَّۃٌ یَّہۡدُوۡنَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَبِہٖ یَعۡدِلُوۡنَ

From the people of Moses there is a group that exhorts the people with truth and establishes justice (Q.7: Al-A'raf: 160)

(lpbd) - Peace and blessings of God be upon him.

(To be continued).