How to Save Our Souls from Hellfire? Part- 6

The highway to heaven

Mere pronouncement of faith in Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la and in His religion doesn’t do any good for any individual, nor for any society. Faith needs to be fully transferred into action, otherwise it is meaningless. And the best form of transformation of faith is jihad. Jihad then brings huge revolution in believers’ life. Then he becomes a powerful instrument of change. Jihad then works as the express way to heaven. His mind and mentality, his culture and politics, his behaviour and attitude become fully incompatible with all evil ideas and all forms of devilish practices. He then works as the true viceroy of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. He indeed walks on earth as a man of heaven.

Jihad is not only a Divine sanction, rather the most important obligation in the Muslims’ life. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la appreciates it as the best deed; and the Muslims attained the highest position in the sight of Allah by engaging in that deed. The high recognition of his deeds comes in the following verse: “You are the best of peoples (on the Earth), raised for (the benefit of) mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah.”–(Sur Al-Imran, verse 110).

In Islam, Jihad has all time relevance and importance.  And while all the Muslim countries are occupied by the forces vehemently opposed to Sovereignty of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la and His sharia, jihad has special importance. Those who don’t engage in jihad, their faith, rituals and supplication don’t add any real worth to those practices. In Qur’an they are sternly rebuked and promised with severe punishment and replacement by other people. Such clear admonition comes in the following verse: “O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah (i.e. in jihad), you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little. If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent.”–(Sura Taubah, verse 38-39).

Wars are the most devastating phenomenon in human history. No other sector inflicted so such financial and human cost than wars. Since most of the wars are fought by the devils and to promote their evil agenda, it is the singular cause to take huge number of people to the hellfire. It still receives the highest political and budgetary priority for resource investment. Allah Subhana Ta’ala reveals: “Those who believe they fight in the cause of Allah, and who disbelieve they fight in the cause of Satan. So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed the plot of Satan has ever been weak.” -(Sura Nisa, verse 76). To save soul from the hellfire, it is crucially important that one must understand the different people with their explicit and implicit war agenda. Otherwise, he may die on the wrong side of the war and directly reach the hellfire. In both the World Wars, thousands of so-called Muslims fought in the imperialists’ war to protect and promote the imperialist hegemony globally. While Palestine and Iraq were occupied by the British in 1917, the large numbers of the soldiers were Muslims. Even now, hundreds of thousands so-called Muslims are fighting shoulders to shoulders with the kuffars in civil and military uniforms. So, it is major route, even in Muslim countries to take people down to the hellfire. What can be more important than closing this satanic route?

Heavy weapons, huge manpower and high trainings are not the prerequisites for jihad. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la wants to see peoples’ intention and readiness for sacrifice. Victory in jihad is not in anybody’s hand; decided only by Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. His help is the main deciding factor. The holy Qur’an reveals: “Wa ma nasru illa min indillah, innallaha azizun hakim” (and victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty and Wise).– (Sura Anfal, verse 10). Can any world power undo Allah  Sub’hana wa Ta’la’s power? The Muslims never won any war in their glorious past by higher number of manpower, nor by superior weapons. Those who keep Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la out of their power equation, they fear people than Him. So, they fear joining jihad too. But Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la asks: “Go forth, whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew.”–(Sura Taubah, verse 41). Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala’s army of angels are ever ready to help the fighting believers.

The believers get the highest reward here and in the hereafter only when their faith transform them into  fighting force in the way of Allah Sub’ana wa Ta’la; and only this way they become the active game-changers and the civilizational force on the world stage. Otherwise mere faith of billions of Muslims plays very little creative or constructive role –as it is evidenced today.  So, Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la recommends: “So, let them fight in the way of Allah, who sell this worldly life for the sake of hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then he be slain or be victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward.”–(Sura Nisa, verse 74). Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la, loves these fighters very much; and if any one dies in His cause, He made it forbidden (haram) to call them dead. They are declared alive. It is revealed, “And, do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah that they are dead. Rather they are alive, but you do not perceive it”–(Sura Baqara, verse 154). They are so much welcome to the heaven that they need not wait for the judgement day; they are given instant entrance.

But there exist tendencies to negate or neglect the Divine obligation of jihad. People argue: if the Muslims were given rights to build mosques and madrasa; can offer salah, keep fasting, perform haj and read Qur’an -why there should need jihad? This is indeed discernible deviation from original Islamic roadmap. Mosques and madrasa can be built even in kuffar lands. In kuffar countries, Muslims get invited even for iftar party in President or Prime Ministers’ palaces, and offered prayer mats. Is this all that Islam wants? Where is the implement of sharia? Where is khelafa & shura? Where is the Muslim unity? Where are the human rights? Where is Islam as a deen (code of life) with overwhelming glory on the global stage? Absence of any one of these is in fact a profound cause of instant jihad. Currently, almost all of the Muslim countries are under the occupation of anti-Islamic forces who like a full kafir, do not want implementation of sharia and detest abolition of wall of divisions. Can a believer succumb to such an occupation? Even in the time of the prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam), there were people who claimed to be believer, but didn’t like jihad. Allah Su’hana exposes their hypocrisy saying: “But when the fighting was ordained for them, at once a section of them feared men as they fear Allah or even more. They said, “Our Lord! Why have You ordained upon us fighting? Would that You had granted us respite for a short period? Say: “Short is the enjoyment of this world. The hereafter is far better for him who fear Allah..”-( Sura Nisa, verse77)

The inevitable test

No promotion in life is pain-free, cost-free or effort-free. And the promotion from a trivial and troublesome worldly life to an infinite life amidst heavenly pleasure is extremely huge. Hence, the test for selecting the right candidates for such a promotion is immensely tough. It needs purging the worst out of the best. So Allah Su’hana Ta’la declares: “Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe” and that they will not be tested? Certainly We did test those before them, and so Allah will certainly know those who are the true from those who are liars” –(Sura Ankabut verse 2-3). So, in order to figure out the exact merits of the people, tests and trials have no substitute. Jihad in the way of Allah Su’hana Ta’la works as a powerful tool to select the self-sacrificing shaheed (martyrs) from others. So, it is revealed: “If a wound has afflicted you (in the battle of Ohud), a wound like that it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people (in battle of Badar) and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust.” –(Surah Al-Imran, verse 140).

The Qur’anic revelations to emphasize the importance of trials are many. Some of those verses are quoted here: “Do you think that you will enter Heaven while Allah has not yet known those of you fought hard (in His cause) and remained steadfast?” (Sura Imran, verse 142). “Or do you think that you will enter Heaven while yet the state of those who have passed away before you has not come upon you? They encountered sufferings and adversity, and were shaken so violently that even the prophet and those of faith with him cried, “When will come the help of Allah? Ah! Surely the help of Allah is near.” –(Sura Baqara verse 214). “What do you think that you will be abandoned while Allah has not yet known those of you who have fought hard and have not taken any one as friends or protectors except Allah and His apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do”. –(Sura Taubah, verse 16).  “Say, [O Muhammad],”If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” -(Sura Taubah, verse 24).

Allah Su’hana Ta’la asks, “And help one another in goodness and piety and do not help in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; and surly Allah is severe in punishing (evil). –( Sura Maida verse 2). The Muslims pay little heed to such guidance. Instead of helping one another in promoting piety, the Muslims now collaborate with the imperialists to promote occupation, corruption, exploitation and genocidal war in the Muslim countries -as witnessed in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and now in Syria. They allow the enemies to set up military, naval and air force bases in Muslim lands to kill Muslims. The Muslim cities are being bombed to rubbles and millions of men, women and children are killed with their active collaboration. How these collaborators of the enemies will go unpunished here and in the hereafter?

Unity: the utmost obligation

Disunity is forbidden (haram) in Islam. A believer can’t cause or celebrate any disunity of the Ummah: such an act opens the door of hellfire for him. The Qur’an reveals: “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it.” –(Sura Al-Imran, verse 103). The division of Muslim Ummah into more than 55 states; and the ever-readiness of the rulers and the armies to protect this division give clear evidence that how far the Muslims have gone away from the Qur’anic guidance.  If there exists no sincere intention and jihad to break these walls of division, what else can be the stronger evidence of hypocrisy?

In Qur’an, Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la repeatedly revealed His Own likings and preferences. In His sight the best people are the believers who form cemented wall like unity and fight in His cause; as revealed: “Surely Allah loves those who fight in His Cause as if they were a firm and compact wall.” – (Sura Saf, verse 3). The Muslims are the only army of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la on earth: they do jihad, and make huge sacrifices of life and wealth to reclaim the occupied lands from kuffars. Only this way they could establish Sovereignty of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la and His sharia on His land and add glory to Islam. The Muslims never got any victory, nor was sharia implemented anywhere on earth my mere religious rituals and supplication; they needed to engage in jihad as a united army. Can a divided army win any war? Can Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la allow such division in His own army of the believers? Disunity is enough to incapacitate an army: hence it is forbidden in Islam. Such division brings severe punishment -as promised in the following verse: “And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment.” –(Sura Al-Imran verse, 105).

Hence it doesn’t need to be idol worshiper or atheist to bring down Divine punishment. Disunity perfectly does the job! The current mayhem of catastrophic proportion in so many Muslim countries isn’t enough testimony to the Qur’anic revelation?  Indeed, long occupation of the Muslim lands, destruction of the Muslim cities, genocidal massacres, de-Islamisation of Muslim men and women and deepening of the fratricidal division come as the parts of the same package of Divine punishment. The people of Bani Israel were asked to do jihad against the occupying forces in Palestine; it was a golden opportunity to establish sharia under the leadership Prophet Musa (AS). They had huge manpower as were evicted from Egypt. But they refused to do so; rather told, “Go forth O Musa (AS) with your Allah to fight them, we shall stay waiting.”  For such refusal, the Jewish people went through punishment for thousands of years; and still the process continues. They couldn’t find any safe haven on earth. Now the Muslims have entered into the same phase for the same crime. No amount of prayer, fasting, haj or supplication is helping them to end the devastating occupation of the evil forces in Muslim lands. That never worked in the past either. There is no jihad-free option for peace on earth, and nor in hereafter.  Jihad with compact wall like unity of the believers is the only way to avert the incumbent Divine punishment. And it is the only way to save our souls from hellfire.

Dowa: a tool of salvation                                                                                            

Heat is inherent in any fire. It also sets fire in the neighbouring environment. The same is true with belief (i.e. iman) of a believer.  Iman never remains hidden inside: rather spreads to others through behaviour, speech, deeds, attitude and writings. If it fails to transcend to others: it indeed doesn’t exist. A believer by his or her inherent virtues is in fact, a lifelong preacher and promoter of his or her belief. Iman thus gets its natural expression.  So, a believer can’t stay solitary, he becomes a life-long missionary. Such missionary zeal of the companions of the prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) took them to the countries hundreds or thousands of mile away from their birth place to preach Islam. Rough terrains of deserts, hills, mountains, rivers and seas couldn’t stand as barrier to them. For survival, they engaged in different works, trades and professions, but those were never the purpose of their survival. They survived only to please Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. And to please Him, they engaged in works that were ordained by Him. Calling people to Islam is indeed such a Divine sanction on every believer.

Only a single revelation in a verse in Sura Baqara (verse 185) made fasting in Ramadan an obligation on all Muslims. But there exist so many verses that ask the believers to engage in calling people to Islam. But how many Muslims take that as an obligation? The early Muslims took that obligation seriously; as a result, about 1.5 billion people could claim to be Muslims. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala decreed: “Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’an) and fear preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.” –(Sur Nahl verse 125).  It is also commanded: “And invite people to (believe in) your Lord and be not of Al-Mushrikun ( those who associate partners will Allah). –(Sura Kasas, verse 87). Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) is the prophet for all mankind. But it was not possible for him to take the message all over the world. In his speech in hujjatul bida, the prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) delegated the duty to every Muslim who would receive his message. He recommended conveying even a single hadees (his narration) to others. As a result, with end of prophet hood, the mission of the messenger didn’t end. Rather got tremendously multiplied with the resurgence of the new Muslims. So, the Muslim Ummah became an army of missionaries. As a result, Islam spread with astonishing speed to large part of Asia, Africa and Europe.

Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala highly appreciates the missionary works of the believers; therefore reveals: “And who speaks better than he who calls to Allah and does righteous deeds, and says: I am surely of those who submit?”–(Sura Fussilat, verse 33).  Calling people to Islam may not always impress others; but it doesn’t go in vain, rather strengthen faith (iman) of the preacher. Faith thus gets re-enforced through missionary works; a preacher of Islam thus gets closer to Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala and save his souls from hellfire. So it is commanded: “And from among you there must be a party who invite people to good (Islam) and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and it is they who are the successful.” –(Sura Al-Imran, verse 104). Hence calling people to Islam is the integral part of the road map of success -both here and in the hereafter. But submission to such command is missing among the modern days’ Muslims. Therefore, not only they miss the opportunity to take the message to others (the non-Muslims), but also fail to strengthen their own iman. Mere salah, fasting or reading Qur’an can’t help gain such strength: it needs full engagement in the cause of truth. As a result, state of poor iman or absence of iman runs very high in the Muslim World.

Captivity of evil ideologies

The prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) of Islam said, “If anyone call others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those who follow him (in righteousness) without their reward being diminished in any respect on their account; and if anyone invite others to follow error, the sin, of which he is guilty, will be equivalent to those of the people who follow him (in sinfulness) without their sins being diminished in any respect on that account.”–(Sahih Al-Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurairah). But the so-called Muslims take the opposite route. Instead of calling people to Islam, they invest their potentials to call people to nationalism, tribalism, secularism, liberalism, fascism and other evil ideologies.

The followers of the evil ideologies now have fully occupied the whole Muslim World. Hence those who are supposed to take the message to others, themselves stand captive of these evil beliefs in their own lands. As a result, practice of original Islam with its sharia, jihad, khilafa, shura, pan-Islamic unity and many other basics –as was practised in the early days, is now made impossible. In the occupied Muslim lands, Islam exists only as a bunch of lifeless rituals –not as full deen (code of life). Islam’s own codes and the Qur’anic guidance have no entry to judiciary, politics, parliament or economics, business, cantonment and key areas of the Muslim countries. Islam thus stands stranger in its own lands. Incomplete submission of Iblis to Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala’s made him a complete Shaitan. But where is the full submission of those who claim to be Muslim today? Can anyone save his soul from hellfire by such incomplete submission?  With such captivity of evil ideas, can one get access to heaven?  30/07/2015

Notes:

“He who does not acquire knowledge with the sole intention of seeking the Pleasure of Allah but for worldly gain, will not smell the fragrance of Jannah on the Day of Resurrection.”  –Abu Dawood Book 13, Hadith 1391