Christians, Jews and Muslims in Heaven (Qur'an 2:62)
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This article analyzes the claim, commonplace among the Ahmadiyya in particular,[1] that according to Islam, Christians and Jews who adhere to their faiths will enter Paradise alongside Muslims. The verse presented as evidence for the claim will be considered alongside other verses discussing the fate of the people of the book in the Qur'an.
Qur'an
Surah 2:62
This verse is often quoted in an effort to prove Islam is tolerant and inclusive of other faiths, as it seems to suggest that Christians, Jews, and Muslims will all be admitted to paradise.
Others
Surah 5:69
Another, less cited, but similar verse:
Analysis
Qur'an
Muhammad
The Qur'an makes it an article of faith to believe in Allah and all the messengers. This includes Prophet Muhammad. According to the Qur'an, when Moses came with the Taurat, it was necessary to follow him, when Jesus came with the Injil, it was necessary to leave the laws of Moses and follow him. Finally, when Muhammad came with the Qur'an, it became necessary to leave the teachings of Jesus and follow Islam.
Several verses explicitly define "believers" as those who accept the prophethood of Muhammad. "Disbelievers" who do not, are told they are in error and condemned to the "burning fire".
Islam
The Qur'an clearly states that any religion other than Islam will not be accepted by Allah in the Hereafter.
The pluralistic interpretation of 2:62 would seem to plainly contradict other verses in the Qur'an. Some have responded to this apparent contradiction by suggesting it to be an instance of Abrogation (or Naskh).
Commentaries
The following are what the Tafsir and Fiqh literature have to say on verse 2:62 and its meaning.
Tafsir Ibn Abbas
Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas, trans. Mokrane Guezzou, Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
(No doubt! Verily, the Awliya' of Allah, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve) (10:62). The angels will proclaim to the dying believers, as mentioned,
(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (alone)," and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!"). (41:30)Tafsir Ibn Kathir
(Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day) that Allah revealed the following Ayah afterwards, (And whoever seeks religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers) (3:85).
This statement by Ibn `Abbas indicates that Allah does not accept any deed or work from anyone, unless it conforms to the Law of Muhammad that is, after Allah sent Muhammad . Before that, every person who followed the guidance of his own Prophet was on the correct path, following the correct guidance and was saved.
When Allah sent Muhammad as the Last and Final Prophet and Messenger to all of the Children of Adam, mankind was required to believe in him, obey him and refrain from what he prohibited them; those who do this are true believers. The Ummah of Muhammad was called `Mu'minin' (believers), because of the depth of their faith and certainty, and because they believe in all of the previous Prophets and matters of the Unseen.Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Tafsir Al-Jalalayn
Tafsir al-Jalalayn, trans. Feras Hamza, Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought
Maariful Quran
One might also ask why the verse mentions the Muslims, for if it is an invitation to Islam, there is no need to extend the invitation to those who have already accepted Islam. But if we keep in mind the richly concentrated style of the Holy Qur'an,and try to look beyond the literal sense of the words into the implications and suggestions contained in the verse, we would find that the inclusion of the Muslim factor has added a new dimension to the meaning. It is es if a king should,in a similar situation,say that his laws are impartially applicable to all his subjects, and that whosoever obeys them shall receive his reward for obedience irrespective of whether he has earlier been a friend or a foe.
We had better dispel another misunderstanding which is likely to arise from the wordings of the present verse -- and, which is actually being promoted by certain 'modernizers'. The verse mentions only two articles of faith of the Islamic creed -- faith in Allah and faith in the Day of Judgment. This should not be taken to mean that in order to attain salvation it is enough to have faith only in Allah and in the Day of Judgment. Fcr, the Holy Qur'an repeatedly declares that he who does not believe in the prophets, in angels and in the Books of Allah is not a Muslim. Faith in Allah is the first article in the Islamic creed, while faith in the Day of Judgment is the last. By mentioning only these two, the verse intends to say in a succinct manner that it is necessary to have faith in all the articles of the creed, from the first to the last. Moreover, it is through the prophets and the Books of Allah alone that man can acquire any knowledge of the essence and the attributes of Allah and of what is to happen on the Day of Judgment, while the Books of Allah are revealed to the prophets through an angel. So, it is not possible to have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment until and unless one has faith in the angels, in the Books of Allah and in the prophets.Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi, trans. Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim
Response to "modernizers" in the footnotes to the commentary:
Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi, trans. Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim
Biyan-ul-Quran
Dr. Israr Ahmed, Biyan-ul-Quran
Dawat ul Quran
With Allah, the accepted religion is Islam (Al-e-Imran 19)
Any person who will seek any religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter (Al-e-Imran 85)Shams Pirzada, Dawat ul Quran, trans. Abdul Karim Shaikh
Reliance of the Traveller
The faith of the Jews was that of whoever adhered to the Torah and the sunna of Moses until the coming of Jesus. When Jesus came, whoever held fast to the Torah and the sunna of Moses without giving them up and following Jesus was lost.
The faith of the Christians was that whoever adhered to the Gospel and precepts of Jesus, their faith was valid and acceptable until the coming of Muhammad. Those of them who did not then follow Muhammad and give up the sunna of Jesus and the Gospel were lost.
The foregoing is not contradicted by the hadith relating that (2:62) was followed by Allah revealing (3:85), for the hadith merely confirms that no one's way or spiritual works are acceptable unless they conform to the Sacred Law of Muhammad, now that he has been sent with it. As for people prior to this, anyone who followed the messenger of his own time was guided, on the right path, and was saved.Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, Edited and Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller (pp. 848-849)
Hadiths
Belief in Allah alone
2:62 makes it necessary to believe in Allah. And according to the Qur'an, believing in Allah alone is mandatory. Thus, "associating partners" with Allah is a sin that will not be forgiven.
Belief in the Christian Trinity is considered to be "associating partners" with Allah (i.e. polytheism), and the Qur'an specifically condemns the practice as blasphemy that will lead "disbelievers" to hell.
Hadiths further explain what believing in Allah alone means, clarifying that it is "to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah" and that "Muhammad is His Apostle".
Christians and Jews thrown into hell
The following narrations are taken from Sahih Muslim (Chapter 8: "Throwing of non-believers in Hell-fire for believers as divine grace and mercy"). They tell us some Muslims will earn their place in Paradise and be spared Hell-Fire by Allah on the Day of Resurrection as Christians and Jews take their place in hell.
Non-Muslim women used for sex
The following is reported in Ibn Majah, Ibn `Adi in the Kamil, and al-Bayhaqi in al-Ba`th wal-Nushur. It explains that some Christian and Jewish women, among others, will make it into Paradise after-all. But only as sex slaves for Muslim men. Al-Suyuti marked its chain as “fair” (hasan) in al-Jami` al-Saghir (7989).[2]
Scholars
Jews and Christians that will enter paradise
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 2912
Attitude of Islam towards other religions
Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 21534
Are Christians disbelievers?
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Qibla, Question ID:592
Ruling regarding Jews and Christians
. . .
There is an explicit text that states that the People of the Book who do not believe in Muhammad, , or deny the Prophethood of any other Prophet, or those who associate deities with Allaah The Almighty, are disbelievers.
. . .
Everything that we have mentioned above is indisputable in Islam; and, anyone who denies or doubts any of it is deemed a disbeliever. Al-Qaadhi ‘Iyaadh reported the consensus of scholars on this matter.
Islamweb, Fatwa No. 2924, August 30, 2010
Conclusion
There are many verses in the Qur'an that label Christians and Jews as disbelievers, and numerous more that explicitly condemn them and other disbelievers to Hell. There is scholarly consensus on the fact that Christians and Jews are viewed by Islam as kafirs, because of "the clear nature of the texts about this".
If you read verse 2:62 in context, it is referring only to those Christians, Jews, and Sabiens who believed in the time of their own Prophet/Messenger.
Each Revelation abrogated the previous. Thus, after the advent of Prophet Muhammad and Islam, no individual can make it into Paradise unless they accept Allah as God, Muhammad as his last Prophet and the Qur'an as Allah's final book of guidance.
Therefore, the concept of Heavenly rewards in Islam are now exclusively offered to Muslims. Christians and Jews may believe in a single monotheistic god, but they do not believe in "His Messenger". Thus they are destined for the "burning fire".
Additionally, the non-Muslims who do make it into Paradise will only be used as sex-slaves by believing men, Muslims who themselves will be spared hell-fire by Allah on the Day of Resurrection only as a result of Christians and Jews taking their place in Hell.
See Also
- Heaven - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Heaven
- Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture
External Links
- Salvation for non-Muslims? Reconciling 2:62 and 3:85 - Answering Muslims
References
- ↑ For example, an article by an American Ahmadi named Dr. Faheem Younus, on his Huffington Post blog, titled "In Islam, Heaven Is Not Exclusive".
- ↑ Shaykh Gibril Haddad - How Many Wives Will The Believers Have In Paradise? - SunniPath.com, Question ID:4828