In your understanding, does the Qur'an support universalism, the belief that all humankind will evantually be saved, or is it more plausible to assume that only Muslims will be saved ?
- In favor of universalism
- A verse like this suggests that the Ahl al-kitab will also receive their reward. However, it is not explicitly stated what is meant by that. Note that the term used in this verse is not Ahl al-kitab, but the groups who shall receive the reward are named.
- This verse therefore excludes atheists, agnostics, mushrikeen, munafiqun, and pretty much rules out other religious groups which were not mentioned, even if we assumed that the verse is indeed talking about paradise, and not some sort of compensation as is seen in verse as is mentioned in for instance Az-Zalzalah 7-8. The verse in question is 2:62 and it reads as follows:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
(Those who heed warning,1 and those who hold to Judaism,2 and the Christians,3 and the Sabaeans4 — whoso believes in God and the Last Day and works righteousness — they have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.)
- Furthermore, God the Almighty is called Ghafoor Ar-Raheem.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful
- It seems reasonable to think that God, whose inherent nature and essence is mercy and forgiveness, will not subject people to eternal suffering simply because they do not believe in Him. Possible objection is that only those whom God chooses enter the framework of God's mercy according to Al-Baqarah, 105, whose part reads "But Allah selects for His mercy whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.". This argument however is philosophical in nature, thus not quranic. However, I do not think that the argument is unquranic either, because the Quran does in fact tell us to be from the people who think, by telling us to "reason"(ie. to use it) many times.
- Consider the verse six of Surah Bayyinah. It calls those among the People of the Book and the Idolaters the worst of the creatures. Furthermore, it provides us two important information: a) they will be in the fire of jahannam, and b) they will remain there forever. This verse is strong evidence in favor of the opinion that unbelievers will go to hell and that universalism is wrong, because for universalism to be true, it requires that hell or the place of punishment to eventually end. Here it is said to be eternal, which means that some people will not be saved in the end. Many such Quranic verses end with "halidine fiha" emphasizing the importance of "them abiding therein forever", which tells us about the eternal nature of the Jahannam.
- Bear in mind that the word coined here is Ahl al Kitab. These groups are in Muslim academic circles often called the people of the Book, as they were given scriptures prior to the Holy Quran. Bear this in mind because it seems that translator like Sam Gerrans translates the word as "Doctors of law", probably assuming that the people of the book does not refer to these groups as traditionally understood, but rather to the people who are -knowledgable- of the Quran or the previous scriptures. This is my assumption, but I do not know what his explaination for this translation is. Please do correct me on this if i misunderstood him. This is of huge importance because the verse mentions that it is those "people of the books" who will abide there forever, therefore, who they are in the first place is a very important question. The verse reads as follows:
Indeed, those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the Fire of Hell, to stay there forever. They are the worst of ˹all˺ beings.
- Another thing to consider is the chapter Al-Mu'minun. It seems to list good charachterists of certain groups of people in a first few verses, to arrive at 10th and 11th verse proclaiming:
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ
10 It is they who are the heirs,
ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
11 Those who inherit Paradise;1 therein will they abide eternally. - Before that, the verse mentions many such good charachterists, but I would like to note two very important and relevant verses from the beginning of this chapter. The first obviously being "Successful are the Believers". If we were to say that this "believers" group includes believers from the people of the book as well, we would need to then consider the following verse "those who in their duty are humble". Traditional Muslims would interpret the word used as a physical ritual of prayer, but Sam's and Quranic understanding overall would be that this is the duty, or a connection, a special bond between them and the God. Either way, it seems that, to be saved, one needs to also be in this "duty" humble. Secondly, accepting the prophetood of Muhammad, that which has been revealed to him, and existence of angels and Gods Writs seems to be required for one to be considered a "believer" according to 2:285. Even if we were to say that the Christians and Jews do believe in angels and Writs, it is a fact that they do NOT believe in Muhammad or some other God's messengers (for instance by attributing divinity to Jesus, this means that they do not consider him nor a messenger or a prophet)
- More evidence from the Quran is that the prophethood of Muhammad has to be accepted for the one to be saved. So, not just to be considered to be a believer, but also, to be accepted in general. Such verses include the following:
وَمَن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ فَإِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ سَعِيرًۭا١٣
And whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, then We surely have prepared for the disbelievers a blazing Fire (48:13) note: Sam translates سَعِيرًا as inferno too. ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ The Messenger believes in what is sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers; each believes in God and His angels, and His Writs and His messengers: “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say: “We hear and we obey; Thy forgiveness our Lord[...]. And to Thee is the journey’s end.”(2:285) |
| What do you, brothers and sisters, think, in what light shall we understand all these verses? Who truly gets to enter the Paradise? |
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