Islamic Hell

Most recently, the honorable readers have enjoyed reading most glittering, most glamorous, most luxurious and most amazingly lustful Islamic heaven which I had posted (for both Muslims and non-Muslim folks) at the various internet forums. My article on Islamic heaven was prepared very meticulously with all the available heavenly goodies (glad tidings) to be enjoyed by those pious mumeen musalmans in their afterlife. Here comes the ‘Islamic Hell’ with all the appropriate cautions from our most Merciful, most Compassionate, most Beneficent and most Powerful Pagan Allah (SWT). Please read them with extreme cautions and try to understand them very carefully, least you do not want to lose the most glittering Islamic heaven (Merciful Allah has prepared for you) and fall into the trap of ‘Islamic hell’ only to suffer unlimited pain and agony in your entire afterlife.

Holy Quran is replete with verses having profoundly dreadful hellish-prescriptions formulated by the Merciful Allah to punish all the non-Muslims infidels including Jews and Christians. In this essay, I have presented some selected Quranic verses from the translation of Maolana Abdullah Yusuf Ali. Readers will find many identical hellish prescriptions of torture but they are in different chapters and verses altogether, hence should not be confused as the repetition of the same verse again and again. Below are some Quranic gems for hell punishment of kaffirs:

 

The sinners will be in the Punishment of Hell, to dwell therein (for aye): Nowise will the (Punishment) be lightened for them, and in despair will they be there overwhelmed. Nowise shall We be unjust to them: but it is they who have been unjust themselves. They will cry: "O Malik! (chief gate-keeper of hell), would that thy Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Nay, but ye shall abide!" (Quran-43: 74-77)

The sinners will be known by their marks; and they will be seized by their forelocks and their feet. This is the Hell which the Sinners deny! In its midst and in the midst of boiling hot water will they wander round!  Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny? (Quran-55:41-44)

Verily the Day of sorting out is the time appointed for all of them. The Day when no protector can avail his client in aught, and no help can they receive, except such as receive Allah's Mercy; for He is Exalted in Might, Most Merciful. Verily the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the Sinful, Like molten brass; it will boil in their insides. (A voice will cry: "Seize ye him and drag him into the midst of the Blazing Fire! "Then pour over his head the Penalty of Boiling Water, "Taste thou (this) Truly illustrious and honorable man! "Truly this is what ye used to doubt!" (Quran-44:40)

Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!  (It will be said:) "Depart ye to that which ye used to reject as false!  "Depart ye to a Shadow (of smoke ascending) in three columns,  "(Which yields) no shade of coolness, and is of no use against the fierce Blaze.  "Indeed it throws about sparks (huge) as Forts, "As if there were (a string of) yellow camels (marching swiftly)." Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!  That will be a Day when they shall not be able to speak. Nor will it be open to them to put forth pleas. Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth! (Quran-77: 28-37)  

 "Then will ye truly, O ye that go wrong, and treat (Truth) as Falsehood! "Ye will surely taste of the Tree of Zaqqum. "Then will ye fill your insides therewith, : "And drink Boiling Water on top of it: "Indeed ye shall drink like diseased camels raging with thirst!" Such will be their entertainment on the Day of Requital! (Quran-56: 51-56)

(The stern command will say): "Seize ye him, and bind ye him, "And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire. "Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits! "This was he that would not believe in Allah Most High. "And would not encourage the feeding of the indigent! "So no friend hath he here this Day. "Nor hath he any food except the pus from the washing of wounds, "Which none do eat but those in sin." (Quran-69: 30-37)

Some of them believed, and some of them averted their faces from him. And enough is Hell for a burning fire.  And of them were (some) who believed therein and of them were (some) who turned away from it. Hell is sufficient for (their) burning. Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire: as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty; for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (Quran-4: 55-56)

We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).  For the Rejecters we have prepared chains, yokes, and a blazing Fire. (Quran-76:3-4)

And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life (rich folks), who (yet) deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while. With Us are Fetters (to bind them), and a blazing Fire (to burn them), And a Food that chokes, and a Penalty Grievous. (Quran-73: 11-13)

Behold, verily in these things there are signs for those who understand! If thou dost marvel (at their want of faith), strange is their saying: "When we are (actually) dust, shall we indeed then be in a creation renewed?" They are those who deny their Lord! They are those round whose necks will be yokes (of servitude): they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for aye)! (Quran-13:5)

Laughing, rejoicing. And other faces that Day will be dust-stained, Blackness will cover them: Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the wicked. (Quran-80: 39-42)

Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in Hell-Fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures. (Quran-98: 6)

These two antagonists dispute with each other about their Lord; But those who deny (their Lord), for them will be cut out a garment of Fire over their heads will be poured out boiling water. With it will be scalded what is within their bodies, as well as (their) skins. In addition there will be maces (Clubs/whips) of iron (to punish) them. Every time they wish to get away therefrom, from anguish, they will be forced back therein, and (it will be said), "Taste ye the Penalty of Burning!"  (Quran-22: 19-22)

The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless ye do this, (protect each other), there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief. (Quran-8:73)-

By the Mount (of Revelation); By a Decree inscribed In a Scroll unfolded; By the much-frequented Fane; By the Canopy Raised High;  And by the Ocean filled with Swell; Verily, the Doom of thy Lord will indeed come to pass; There is none can avert it;- On the Day when the firmament will be in dreadful commotion. And the mountains will fly hither and thither.  Then woe that Day to those that treat (Truth) as Falsehood;- That play (and paddle) in shallow trifles.  That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell, irresistibly. "This:, it will be said, "Is the Fire,- which ye were wont to deny!  "Is this then a fake, or is it ye that do not see? "Burn ye therein: the same is it to you whether ye bear it with patience, or not: Ye but receive the recompense of your (own) deeds." (Quran-52:1-16)

(Quran-13:12-13): It is He Who doth show you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope. It is He Who doth raise up the clouds, heavy with (fertilising) rain! Nay, thunder repeateth His praises, and so do the angels, with awe. He flingeth the loud-voiced thunder-bolts, and therewith He striketh whomsoever He will, yet these (are the men) who (dare to) dispute about Allah, with the strength of His power (supreme)! 

(Quran-70: 14-17): And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him, By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell! Plucking out (his being) right to the skull! Inviting (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from thee). 

(Quran-5:10)- Those who reject faith and deny our signs will be companions of Hell-fire.

(Quran-70: 38-40): Does every man of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss? By no means! For We have created them out of the (base matter) they know! Now I do call to witness the Lord of all points in the East and the West that We can certainly.  

(Quran-9: 84)- Nor do thou ever pray for any of them that dies, nor stand at his grave; for they rejected Allah and His Messenger, and died in a state of perverse rebellion. Let neither their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee: Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.

(Quran-4: 13-14):  Those are limits set by Allah; those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein (for ever) and that will be the supreme achievement.  But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have  humiliating punishment. 

 (Quran-5: 36-37)- As to those who reject Faith,- if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment, it would never be accepted of them, theirs would be a grievous penalty. Their wish will be to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; their penalty will be one that endures. 

(Quran-7: 36-38)- But those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for ever).  Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Signs? For such, their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of decrees): until, when our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls, they say: "Where are the things that ye used to invoke besides Allah?" They will reply, "They have left us in the lurch," And they will bear witness against themselves, that they had rejected Allah. He will say: "Enter ye in the company of the peoples who passed away before you - men and jinns,  into the Fire." Every time a new people enters, it curses its sister-people (that went before), until they follow each other, all into the Fire. Saith the last about the first: "Our Lord! it is these that misled us; so give them a double penalty in the Fire." He will say: "Doubled for all", but this ye do not understand. 

(Quran-8: 13-14)-  This because they contended against Allah and His Messenger. If any contend against Allah and His Messenger, Allah is strict in punishment.  Thus (will it be said): "Taste ye then of the (punishment), for those who resist Allah, is the penalty of the Fire."

(Quaran-9: 63)- Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the Fire of Hell, wherein they shall dwell? That is the supreme disgrace.  

(Quran-10: 7-8)-  Those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present, and those who heed not Our Signs, their abode is the Fire, because of the (evil) they earned.

(Quran-11: 15-17)-  Those who desire the life of the present and its glitter, to them we shall pay (the price of) their deeds therein, without diminution. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but the Fire: vain are the designs they frame therein, and of no effect and the deeds that they do!  Can they be (like) those who accept a Clear (Sign) from their Lord, and whom a witness from Himself doth teach, as did the Book of Moses before it, a guide and a mercy? They believe therein; but those of the Sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. Be not then in doubt thereon; for it is the truth from thy Lord; yet many among men do not believe!

(Quran-18:29)- Say, "The truth is from your Lord", Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it); for the wrong-doers We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in; if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on! 

(Quran-40:70-74)- Those who reject the Book and the (revelations) with which We sent our messengers; but soon shall they know, When the yokes (shall be) round their necks, and the chains; they shall be dragged along; In the boiling fetid fluid; then in the Fire shall they be burned; Then shall it be said to them: "Where are the (deities) to which ye gave part-worship; "In derogation of Allah?" They will reply: "They have left us in the lurch. Nay, we invoked not, of old, anything (that had real existence)." Thus does Allah leave the Unbelievers to stray? 

(Quran-19:86-87)-  “And We shall drive the sinners to Hell, like thirsty cattle driven down to water, and  None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious.” 

(Quran-9: 49)- Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? And indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides). 

(Quran-3: 56)-"As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help." 

(Quran-3: 176)— Let not those grieve thee who rush headlong into Unbelief. Not the least harm will they do to Allah. Allah's plan is that He will give them no portion in the Hereafter, but a severe punishment. 

(Quran-67: 5-7)- And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. For those who reject their Lord (and Cherisher) is the Penalty of Hell: and evil is (such), Destination. When they are cast therein, they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath even as it blazes forth,

(Quran-50:24-26)-  (The sentence will be:) "Throw, throw into Hell every contumacious Rejecter (of Allah)! "Who forbade what was good, transgressed all bounds, cast doubts and suspicions; "Who set up another god beside Allah: Throw him into a severe penalty." 

(Quran-21:97-100)-  Then will the true promise draw nigh (of fulfillment); then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror: "Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, we truly did wrong!" Verily ye, (unbelievers), and the (false) gods that ye worship besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! To it will ye (surely) come! If these had been gods, they would not have got there! But each one will abide therein. There, sobbing will be their lot, nor will they there hear (aught else). 

(Quran-4:55-56): Some of them believed, and some of them averted their faces from him. And enough is Hell for a burning fire. Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire, as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. 

(Quran- 59: 16-17)- (Their allies deceived them), like the Evil One, when he says to man, "Deny Allah": but when (man) denies Allah, (the Evil One) says, "I am free of thee: I do fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!" The end of both will be that they will go into the Fire, dwelling therein for ever. Such is the reward of the wrong-doers. 

(Quran-67:8-11)-  Almost bursting with fury, every time a Group is cast therein, its Keepers will ask, "Did no Warner come to you?" They will say: "Yes indeed; a Warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said, 'Allah never sent down any (Message): ye are nothing but an egregious delusion!'" They will further say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!" They will then confess their sins: but far will be (Forgiveness) from the Companions of the Blazing Fire! 

(Quran-46:20)- On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said): “You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed with a torment of humiliation, because you were arrogant in the land without a right, and because you used to rebel and disobey (Allâh).” 

(Quran-3: 131)-Fear the Fire, which is prepared for those who reject Faith: 

(Quran-4:14)—But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment. 

(Quran-5: 37)— Their wish will be to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom: their penalty will be one that endures. 

(Quran-7:4-6)- How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)? Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or while they slept for their afternoon rest. When (thus) Our punishment took them, no cry did they utter but this: "Indeed we did wrong." 

(Quran-7: 36)-But those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance,- they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for ever). 

(Quran-8:12-14)- Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you; give firmness to the Believers. I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers; smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."  This because they contended against Allah and His Messenger. If any contend against Allah and His Messenger, Allah is strict in punishment. Thus (will it be said): "Taste ye then of the (punishment): for those who resist Allah, is the penalty of the Fire." 

(Quran-9: 63)— Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the Fire of Hell? Wherein they shall dwell. That is the supreme disgrace. 

(Quran-9:68)— Allah hath promised the Hypocrites men and women, and the rejecters, of Faith, the fire of Hell: Therein shall they dwell: Sufficient is it for them; for them is the curse of Allah, and an enduring punishment.

(Quran-10:8)— Their abode is the Fire, because of the (evil) they earned. 

(Quran-11: 17)— Can they be (like) those who accept a Clear (Sign) from their Lord, and whom a witness from Himself doth teach, as did the Book of Moses before it, a guide and a mercy? They believe therein; but those of the Sects that reject it,- the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. Be not then in doubt thereon; for it is the truth from thy Lord; yet many among men do not believe! 

(Quran-13:5)— If thou dost marvel (at their want of faith), strange is their saying: "When we are (actually) dust, shall we indeed then be in a creation renewed?" They are those who deny their Lord! They are those round whose necks will be yokes (of servitude): they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for aye)!

(Quran-2: 89)— And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what is with them, although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith, when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognized, they refuse to believe in it but the curse of Allah is on those without Faith. 

(Quran-2:98)—Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, to Gabriel and Michael, Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith. 

(Quran-80: 39-42)-  Laughing, rejoicing.  And other faces that Day will be dust-stained,  Blackness will cover them. Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the doers of iniquity.

The Fourth Major Sin

Allah most High says:
Then there succeeded them a generation which neglected prayers and followed lusts. They will meet with destruction (Ghayy), excepting the one who repents and believes and acts righteously. (Quran 19:59-60)
Ibn abbas (RAA) explained that <> here does not mean that they completely abandoned prayers, but that they delayed them to the end of their prescribed times. Sa'id bin Musayyab, a great Imam following the generation of the Companions, elaborated on this, saying: "A person neglects if he delays the noon prayer up to the afternoon prayer time, afternoon prayer up to almost sunset prayer time, sunset prayer up to evening prayer time, and evening prayer up to morning prayer time, while delaying morning prayer until just before sunrise. If anyone dies without repentance while continuing in this manner, Allah has promised Ghayy for him, and that is a valley in Hell which is very deep and has foul food."
Allah Most High says:
Woe to the worshippers who are unmindful of their prayer. (Quran 107:4-5)
Saad bin Abi Waqqas said: "I asked Allah's Messenger (SAW) about the meaning of 'unmindful,' and he replied: 'It is delaying it (the prayer) up to the end of its prescribed time.'" (Bazar)
While Allah calls such people <, they are lazy and perform the prayer very late. He has promised them <> (Wayl), which signifies a great punishment.
Some say, "Wayl is a valley in Hell, exceedingly hot, and that is the place for those who delay or miss the prayer, excepting the ones who repent and correct their habits."
Allah Most High says:
O you who bleieve, let neither your wealth nor your children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. And those who do so, they will be the losers (Quran 63:9)
The commentators say: "The 'remembrance of Allah' in this verse means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in buying and selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with his children, that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be among the losers."
The Prophet (SAW) said in this regard: "The first thing which will be judged among a person's deeds on the Day of Resurrection is the prayer. If that is in good order, he will pass the test and prosper, and if that is defective, he will fail the test and be a loser." (Tirmidhi)
Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allah Most High says:
(The people in Hell will be asked): "What caused you to enter Hell-fire?" They will say: "We were not among those who prayed, nor did we feed the needy. We used to engage in vain discourse with the vain-talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Judgement, until there came to us that which is certain (ie. Allah's judgement)." Then no intercession by any intercessors will benefit them. (Quran 74:42-48)
The Prophet (SAW) said: "The convenant between us and them (that is, believers) is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become an infidel." (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood, Nisai, Tirmidhi). He also said: "What lies between a man and infidelity is the abanonment of prayer." (Muslim)
Allah's Messenger (SAW) is reported to have said: "If anyone abandons the afternoon prayer, his deeds are of no avail." (Bukhari). And he said: "If anyone abandons prayer deliberately he has no claim upon Allah" (Sunan).
Abdullah bin amr bin al-As (RAA) said that the Prophet (SAW) mentioned prayer one day saying, "If anyone keeps to it, it will be light, evidence, and salvation for him on the day of Resurrection; but if anyone does not keep to it, it will not be for him light, evidence, or salvation; and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be associated with Qaran, Pharoah, Haman, and Ubayy bin Khalaf (a great enemy of Islam from among the Quraish)." (Ahmad, Darimi and Baihaqi)
Some scholars have explained that the person who abandons prayer will be raised with such a foursome because his neglect of prayer may be due to his involvement with his property, his country, his administrative work, or his trade, Therefore, if he was involved with his property, he will be resurrected with Qarun; if with his country, then with Pharoah; if with his administrative work, then with Haman; and if with his trade, then with Ubayy bin Khalaf, the trader among the unbelievers of Mecca.
Mu'adh bin Jabal (RAA) reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying: "If anyone abandons prayer intentionally he has no claim to Allah Most High." (Ahmad)
Umar ibn al-Khattab (RAA) reported that a man asked the Prophet (SAW): "Messenger of Allah, what action is dearest to Allah Most High?" The Prophet (SAW) replied: "Prayer at its proper time. The one who does not pray has no religion. Prayer is the main pillar of the religon (of Islam)." (Baihaqi)
After Umar had been stabbed, it was said to him, "As-salat, ya amir ul-mumineen!" (The prayer, Leader of the Believers!) He said, "Yes, truly! If anyone misses the prayer, he has no share in Islam," and thereupon he prayed while his wounds were bleeding.
Abdullah bin Shaqiq (RAA) said that the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) did not consider the abandonment of any good deeds to be unbelief excepting the abandonment of prayer.
When Ali (RAA) was asked about a woman who did not pray, he replied: "The one who does not pray is an unbeliever." Ibn Masood said that the one who does not pray has no religion, and Ibn Abbas said: "The one who leaves off a single prayer deliberately will find, when he meets Allah Most High, that He is angry with him."
Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "When a person meets Allah after neglecting his prayer, he will meet him as if he had not worshipped him at all, nor done any good deeds." And Ibn Hazm said: "There is no greater sin after polytheism than missing a prayer [That is to say, if one deliberately delays a prayer until its time has passed, although he was able to pray it on time, without any valid reason which permits delaying it before its time.] and killing a believer without just cause."
Ibrahim Nakahi said: "The one who has left off the prayer has become a disbeliever." Awn bin Abdullah said: "When a person is buried, the first question which will be asked him will be concerning the prayer. If that is accepted from him, his other deeds will be looked at, but if that is not accepted form him, no other deeds will be looked at."
Abdullah bin al-As reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying: "A person who conbines two prayers without excuse, enters a gate among the major sins."
We seek Allah's guidance and help, for indeed. He is the Generous, the Magnanimous, and the Most Merciful of all merciful ones!

Invoking Allah’s Decree When We Fall into Sin

We often hear it: A person falls into temptation and commits a major sin. Instead of regretting it and repenting, that person shrugs it off, arguing: “I fell weak, but Allah decreed for me to be weak, so it is not entirely my fault…”

Now, there can be no doubt that believing in Divine Decree is one of the principles of Islam and a pillar of faith.

Whatever Allah determines to take place, good or bad, will take place. Whatever He determines that it will not take place, then indeed it will not take place.

However, that does not mean that the person who perpetrates an evil act and sins can use Allah’s decree as an excuse for his ignoble actions.

Allah rebukes the polytheists when they used His decree as excuse for their false worship. Allah says: “Those who are polytheists will say: If Allah had pleased we would not have associated (aught with Him) nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden (to ourselves) anything. Those who came before them likewise rejected, until they tasted Our punishment. Say: Have you any knowledge with you so you should bring it forth to us? You only follow a conjecture and you only tell lies.” [Sûrah al-An`âm: 148].

Had they been excused for their unbelief on account of Allah’s decree, then would not have tasted Allah’s punishment.

It is wrong for a person to cite Allah’s decree as an excuse for the sins and evil deeds he commits and thereby attribute those deeds to Allah.

Whoever attributes that to Allah, blaming Allah for his misdeeds and excusing himself of responsibility, then he has fabricated a lie against Allah.

Allah says: “Surely those who forge a lie against Allah shall not prosper.” [Sûrah al-Nahl: 116]

Different meanings of attributing one’s deeds to Allah’s decree

For greater understanding, we should know that there are two ways that Allah’s decree can be invoked with respect to a person’s actions.

The first of these is the wrong way. It is to excuse oneself of the responsibility for one’s sins by referring those sins to Allah’s predetermination – or even worse: to give oneself an excuse to persist in such sinful behavior. This is impermissible. It is similar to the act of the polytheists, some sinful people, and the extreme Sufis.

Allah says: “And they who give associates (to Allah) say: If Allah had pleased, we would not have served anything besides Allah, (neither) we nor our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything without (order from) Him. Thus did those before them; is then aught incumbent upon the messengers except a plain delivery (of the message)?” [Sûrah al-Nahl: 35]

When `Umar was caliph, a man was brought to `him for stealing. When `Umar sentenced that man to have his hand cut off, he said: “O Commander of the faithful! I have only stolen, because it had been Allah’s decree.”

`Umar replied: “And we are only cutting your hand off by Allah’s decree.”

When `Umar decided not to enter a city that was affected by plague, Abû `Ubaydah asked him: “Do you flee from Allah’s decree?”

`Umar replied: “We flee from Allah’s decree to Allah’s decree.

There is a second way of invoking Allah’s decree upon our actions which is permissible. It has two contexts. Allah’s decree might be invoked to reconcile oneself to misfortune. Alternatively, it might be invoked by the sinner after his sincere repentance for having committed a sinful act. This is how Adam invoked Allah’s decree to defend himself against Moses (peace be upon them both).

Prophet (peace be upon him) relates their argument as follows:

There was argument between Adam and Moses. Moses said to Adam: “You are our father. You did us harm by causing us to be cast out of Paradise.”

Adam replied: “You are Moses. Allah selected you to speak to directly and wrote for you (the Book) by His hand. Do you then blame me for an act which Allah had ordained for me forty years before He created me?”

In this way, Adam got the better of Moses in the argument. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (6614) and Sahîh Muslim (2652)]

There are two ways of understanding this hadîth:

1. Adam protested by invoking Allah’s decree with respect to the calamity of his being cast out of Paradise, and not with respect to the sin that he ate from the tree.

2. He may have invoked Allah’s decree after having repented for the sin to save himself from blame and not so he may continue in his sins.

In summary, we would say that invoking Allah’s decree is permissible with reference to the misfortune of the deeds and not to exonerate oneself from the sinfulness of those deeds. There is a difference between the one who invokes Allah’s decree in reference to something that had already passed, while he regrets it and promises himself not to do it again, and the one who protests by Allah’s decree in order to justify his sins and persist in committing them. The former is acceptable while the latter is not.

We Love Allah, Place Our Hopes in Him & Fear Him

When we call people to righteousness, we should focus on Allah’s mercy and we should try to inspire in their hearts a great love for Allah that will make them hate to displease their Lord. At the same time, we should instill in them a hope for Allah’s reward in the Hereafter, as well as the understanding that all success in this world also comes from Allah alone. We should also teach people to fear Allah’s punishment.

The message of the Qur’an emphasizes all three of these characteristics and makes it clear that they are the praiseworthy attributes of those who believe, namely: to love Allah, fear Him, and place our hopes in Him.

The concept advanced by some Muslim mystics that we should only love Allah, and to be “pure” in our love we should do so without feeling any fear or hope, is misguided. Allah has ordered His servants to do the same as he ordered His prophets, that is: to obey Him and worship Him. Allah guided his Prophets to every possible form of righteousness. Likewise, He forbade them from all manner of sin. Thereafter, He promised the Prophets and all the believers a great rewards in this life and in the Hereafter.

Allah says: “If any one desires a reward in this life, in Allah’s (gift) is the reward (both) of this life and of the Hereafter” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 134].

Likewise, Allah has warned whoever disbelieves in Him and disobeys Him of punishment in this life and in the Hereafter.

Allah has guided His servants not only to love Him, but also to fear Him and place their hopes in Him. He praises the believers who that.

Allah says: “These were ever quick in doing good works: they used to call on Us in yearning and awe and humble themselves before Us.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 90]

He says: “Those whom they call upon do seek (for themselves) means of access to their Lord, as to who are nearest. They hope for His mercy and fear His wrath: for the wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of” [Sûrah al-Isrâ’: 57].

The true believers in Allah worship Him because they love Him, glorify Him, fear Him, and place their hopes in Him. This is the correct application of belief in Allah’s names and superior attributes. Allah is merciful but at the same time He is strict in punishment.

Allah says: “Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful; And that My chastisement will be indeed the most grievous chastisement” [Sûrah al-Ra`d: 49-50].

Allah’s names and attributes imply that we should have all of these feelings: love, reverence, fear, and hope in Him.

The claim of some overzealous mystics that they worship Allah because they love Him without feeling any fear of Hell or any desire for Paradise is a serious form of misguidance. They have become convinced of this errant way and made to think it is the best one. In fact, their claim belies the Prophets and the obligation the people have to follow the Prophets’ example.

This claim also belittles the greatness of Allah’s rewards and the severity of His punishments. This attitude is opposed to what Allah wants from His servants.

Allah has told us about Paradise and Hell so that the believers will yearn for Paradise and endeavor to be saved from Hell.

Fear and hope are two pillars of belief, and Allah has praised His servants who put both of these pillars into practice.

Whoever worships Allah without any consideration of fear and hope will be missing this obligation. He will also be missing out on Allah’s reward and the praise that Allah has bestowed on those who carry out this obligation.

Those mystics are also contradicting human nature by their claim. Allah has created in people the desire to like what suits them and dislike what hurts them.

Allah told us that His servants solicit Him to avert from them the wrath of Hell and to provide for them what He promised them.

Allah says: 'Those who say, 'Our Lord, avert from us the wrath of Hell, for its wrath is indeed an affliction grievous'." [Sûrah al-Furqân: 65] He also says: “And there are men who say: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire.”[Sûrah al-Baqarah: 201]

Among the supplications that the Qur’an relates to us from the people of piety and understanding is to say: “Our Lord, grant us what You did promise unto us through Your Messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment; for You never break Your promise” [Sûrah Al-`Imrân: 194]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us, upon reading the tashahhûd in our daily prayers, to seek refuge with Allah from four things: the torment of Fire, the torment in the grave, the trials of this life, and the Anti-Christ.

Those who worship Allah for other reasons, not out of fear or hope, will be abandoning such supplications. In this case, they are losing two virtues. One is that they are deprived of this righteous supplication and, second, the response from Allah for those who offer it.

This call of the mystics is an unnatural innovation in our religion. We should dismiss such ideas and the assumptions that produce them. We will never succeed except by following the way of the Prophets and the Pious Predecessors.

Allah orders us to ask Him in every prayer to guide us: “Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom thou has bestowed thy grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray.” [Sûrah al-Fâtihah: 6-7]