Response to a comment on eligibility of Muslims and non-Muslims for Paradise

Question:
Excellent article. At the same time it contradicts the understanding I have always had (by no mean I am saying that my understanding was correct, but it was based on a common notion). That only Muslims are entitled to Heaven based on their deeds. And that one of the prerequisites for entering Heaven is to believe in oneness of Allah and to believe that Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last messenger of Allah. This meant that you had to be a Muslim. But by reading your article, it seems that even a non Muslim can enter Heaven if his deeds are good.

Response:
I have written what I have believe to be true on the basis of the teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah. There are two reasons why people believe that non-Muslims cannot enter the paradise: i) The clear mention in Qur'an that Kafir shall not enter the paradise. ii) The propensity amongst Muslims to attach to their religious views emotionally without any possibility of reviewing them.

I am absolutely confident on the basis of my understanding of Qur'an that not all non-Muslims are Kafir and that some Muslims shall be declared Kafir. A Kafir is a person who denies a religious truth from God knowingly and arrogantly. That's why he is a criminal in the eyes of God. Only God can tell whether a person belongs to that category. It is the incorrect understanding of the term Kafir and the popularity of that understanding that has caused this misunderstanding to happen.

What is the solution? Inform people about the correct understanding patiently, intelligently, on the basis of arguments. Let people know that Islam is based on Qur'anic teachings and not hearsay. Convince people that following the views of others blindly is not the right way in Islam. And making efforts to produce good, open-minded scholars to correct the situation in the long run.

[This is Dr. Khalid's response to a blog comment.]

Views: 2482