Two brothers from
The authors of “Islam:
Short Answers To Key Current Questions” in answering the questions “Are all
non-Muslims kafirs who are going to hell?” and “Can non-Muslims be friends with
Muslims?” have used the verse, “Those who believe (in the Qur’an) and those who
follow the Jewish (Scriptures) and the Christians and the Sabians and who
believe in God and the last Day and work righteousness shall have their rewards
with their Lord; on them there shall be no fear nor shall they grieve {Ma’idah
5:72 and Al-Baqarah 2:62) to assert “Muslims and non-Muslims alike may go to
heaven to the extent that they believe in God and His judgment and practice
good work.” They also wrote, “Since,
only God can know what is in a person’s heart, whenever one calls another
person a kafir to imply that this person is going to hell, one is usurping the
role of God.”
The brothers further
wrote, “This has raised a concern to many of the people in the community in the
Answer:
Dear Brothers Assalamo
Alaikum:
May Allah bless you
with his Mercy, and accept your efforts in his cause, Amen!
First of all, let me
correct the first reference given by the authors in their booklet. The first
reference of the ayat is not 5: 72, but it is 5:69.
There are certain
people who try to interpret verses of the Qur’an, not only according to their
own wishes, but independently of its other verses as well. This is a mistake,
generally committed either knowingly or unknowingly, by some people. A Qur’anic
verse should always be interpreted in the light of the context in which it is
set and also other explanatory verses in different places of the Qur’an as
well.
The translation of the
verse in the booklet is presumably taken from “The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an”
by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. Let us first see what explanations are given by A. Yusuf
Ali of the verses quoted by the authors of the booklet:
Verse 2:62: The point of the verse is that Islam does not
teach an exclusive doctrine, and is not meant exclusively for one people. The
Jews claimed this for themselves, and the Christians in their origin were a
sect of the Jews. Even the modern organized Christian churches, though they
have been consciously or unconsciously influenced by the Time Spirit, including
the historical fact of Islam, yet cling to the idea of Vicarious Atonement,
which means that all who do not believe in it or who lived previously to the
death of Christ are at a disadvantage spiritually before the Throne of Allah.
The attitude of Islam is entirely different. Islam existed before the preaching
of Muhammad on this earth. The Qur’an expressly calls Abraham a Muslim (3:67).
Its teaching has been and will be the teaching of Religion for all time and for
all peoples.
Verse 5:69: Here as in (2:62), the Qur’an underscores the importance of true and
genuine faith, which is to be judged by a sincere belief in Allah and man’s
accountability to him backed by righteous conduct rather than by mere forms or
labels. In both places it repudiates the false claims of the People of Book
that they had a special relationship with Allah for they were the children of
Abraham; that they were a chosen people with special privileges, and no matter
what they did, their high status would remain unaffected. Here this false
notion is refuted and the people of the book are being reminded that it is
through sincere belief and righteous conduct rather than pretentious claims
that man can win his Lord’s pleasure and achieve ultimate success. End of quote.
Now let us see, who
are the believers in Allah and the Day of Judgment, and who are the kafirs
(rejecters)? Also what treatment will the kafirs get from Allah? We will here
give a couple of examples only to maintain brevity, otherwise many more
examples can be quoted from the Qur’an.
Allah says, “Say: Obey
Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn back, Allah does not love
rejecters (kaferin)(3:32). It means those who do not obey the Prophet (s) are
kafir. Let us take another example.
Allah says: “Those who
deny Allah and his Messengers, and wish to separate Allah from his Messengers,
saying, ‘We believe in some but reject others’ and wish to take a course midway,
they are in truth rejecters (kaferoon); and we have prepared for rejecters (kaferin)
a humiliating punishment” (4:150-151).
Here Allah says that
one has to believe in all his Messengers without exceptions. Do the Jews
believe in Jesus and Muhammad? Do the Christians believe in Muhammad? Do the
Sabians believe in any messenger at all? Thus all such people who do believe in
Allah but do not believe in all his messengers are rejecters (kafirs). And
Allah says that he has prepared humiliating punishment for all of such people. Thus
those, who say rejecters (kafirs) will go to hell, are not usurping the right
of Allah, but merely warning such people of what Allah himself has said. Allah
knows the best.
In order to counter
such false interpretation, you can circulate this letter among the believers.
Also please advise them to consult, whenever such things come up, well known
scholars of Islam to clarify the issues.
May Allah lead us to
the right path, and save us from such misleading interpretations, Amen! Please
do remember me in your prayers.
Dr. Syed Hasanuddin
Ahmad