Hadith - Qudsi 38

When Allah (swt) created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise, saying: Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet said: So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet said: So he returned to Him and said: By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet said: So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it. He said: Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants, and he fount that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said: Return to it. And he returned to it and said: By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.

Sah

We seek refuge with Allah the almighty from Jahanam!!!!!

Lagosboy:

Sah

We seek refuge with Allah the almighty from Jahanam!!!!!

AMIN YA ALLAH

For the same reason Some muslims left Islam deeming it as difficult, they want a free salvation, no praying 5 times a day, no compulsure of going to church on sunday because the Bible never state to go to church on sunday, no compulsure on Zakat, free free free free salvation, I tell u wallahi the christian will be admitted into Hell forever and ever, Allah forgives all sins except associating partner with him, the Quran says the Christians are the highest degree of disbelivers worst than the jews because the jews only claim Ezra A.K.A Uzair as Allah's son but the Christians claim trinity. Anyway watch out for my new thread on CHRISTIAN GOING TO HELL FOREVER

Jatador:

Hmmm! Muslims will burn in hell forever too

Suratul Nisa'i:56. Surely! Those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste the punishment. Truly, Allah is Ever Most Powerful, All-Wise.

57. But those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding therein forever. Therein they shall have Azwajun Mutahharatun [purified mates or wives (having no menses, stools, urine, etc.)] and We shall admit them to shades wide and ever deepening (Paradise)

Abuzola:

For the same reason Some muslims left Islam deeming it as difficult, they want a free salvation, no praying 5 times a day, no compulsure of going to church on sunday because the Bible never state to go to church on sunday, no compulsure on Zakat, free free free free salvation, I tell u wallahi the christian will be admitted into Hell forever and ever, Allah forgives all sins except associating partner with him, the Quran says the Christians are the highest degree of disbelivers worst than the jews because the jews only claim Ezra A.K.A Uzair as Allah's son but the Christians claim trinity. Anyway watch out for my new thread on CHRISTIAN GOING TO HELL FOREVER[b]

Quote from: Jatador on Today at 01:24:53 PM
Hmmm! Muslims will burn in hell forever too



isn't it unethical and unislamic to be partial? abuzola procllaims christians are going to hell forever and his post isn't deleted. meanwhile jatador just repeats the same thing and its quickly erased. . .

who am i kidding. . . .what did i expect from muslims

Túdor:


Quote from: Jatador on Today at 01:24:53 PM
Hmmm! Muslims will burn in hell forever too



isn't it unethical and unislamic to be partial? abuzola procllaims christians are going to hell forever and his post isn't deleted. meanwhile jatador just repeats the same thing and its quickly erased. . .

who am i kidding. . . .what did i expect from muslims

that is simply called ONLINE TERRORISM . . . .what they cant do to u physically (terrorise), they do it by their ridiculous inactions.
from lagosboy to pilgrim to jarus . . . . all are a bunch of HYPOCRITES, who keep denying the EVIL deeds of islam.

are these deeds not revealed in their inactions as moderators?

What do i have to do for 72 virgins?

What do i have to do for 72 virgins?

this is just small part of the reward for the believers. You can imagine if people in this world can marry more than 100, how much more for people paradise to cope with.

Abuzola:

For the same reason Some muslims left Islam deeming it as difficult, they want a free salvation, no praying 5 times a day, no compulsure of going to church on sunday because the Bible never state to go to church on sunday, no compulsure on Zakat, free free free free salvation, I tell u wallahi the christian will be admitted into Hell forever and ever, Allah forgives all sins except associating partner with him, the Quran says the Christians are the highest degree of disbelivers worst than the jews because [size=18pt]the jews only claim Ezra A.K.A Uzair as Allah's son[/size] but the Christians claim trinity. Anyway watch out for my new thread on CHRISTIAN GOING TO HELL FOREVER

this is a disgrace.

1. the jews dont recognise allah.
2. The jews claim Ezra as God's son? When Christ came and called Himself just that, they crucified Him!

Don't talk shit, ok ? if u say God's son then it is clear that d father is GOD, jews believe in God like the christian

Abuzola:

Don't talk shit, ok ? if u say God's son then it is clear that d father is GOD, jews believe in God like the christian

Pls show me ONE PLACE that the Jews have ever called Ezra the son of God . . . pls just one instance will suffice.

It seems mohammad reveled in lying.

I'm really begining to think abuzola reads the bible backwards. . .Ezra, a muslim? Ewwww

ezra a jew, nodding his face toward an old temple relic or a christian? i dont think so, man. and if you are sure, please proof it. or disproof abuzola.

@Davidylan: I am always surprised when I read how you shackled up, your logic because of your hatred of Islam. You always come up exposed, without anyone having to open up any layer(s) of the Onion. It is always the same thing with you!

While you wanted the Muslims, Abuzola to unearth a single source of where Uzair (EZRA) was called "son of God," you completely forgot that your Bible itself, is a proof of what the Jews said!

Was Uzair/Ezra a person of Jewish blood? Answer is Yes.

In the pages of the Bible, is there a verse that mentioned the Jews as a body of people, accepting themselves as children of God? The answer is yes. What else do you need, except that you just have to reflect prior to this kind of challenge coming from you!

Today the Christians call themselves Children of God. They call themselves Children of Jesus, also. In 100 years from now, if a man said that $Osisi used to call Pilgrim.1 daughter of God and daughter of Jesus, and Davidylan and Noetic did not object, but Abuzola and Lagosboy did. If such a person who made this "accusation" was from a bloodline of a Nairalander who lived in Russia or England, etc. But his listener challenged him that it was a lie. Between the two who will be telling the truth, at that time?

This is the case of your probing. Now I found by asking; was there a jewish group that called Ezra son of God in a honoring gesture? I got this below which I did nt open. But I think the pundits can have a go at it:

[DOC] Part II: BreakthroughFile Format: Microsoft Word - View as HTML
Nov 28, 2006 , This term “son of God” is even used in the 1st century Dead Sea Scrolls , The Qur'an confirmed first century Jewish manuscripts in which some Jews , 9:30 “Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ , special place of honor) 3:45. God “blessed Him wherever he was” 19:31 ,
www.georgetowncollege.edu/regents/news/documents/siljnder_lecture_oxford_11_28_06.doc - Similar

Paradise?, where is located Paradise?, how far from here?. Paradise is just another Koranic fairy tales. The Koran is filled with fictitious places that Muslims cannot identify. You are so busy saying that I don’t know what I am talking about, you obviously never examined your Koran. The Koran is full of promises and fairy tale places that you don’t really know or can prove exists. The Koran makes promises of “. . . gardens beneath which rivers flow . . .” (2:25) or promises “garments of silk and reclining in the garden on raised thrones.” (76:12) There are promises of drinks called zanjabil-a and “braces of silver” (76:17). What Muslims dont realise is that all of these materials can be obtained right here on Earth.

olabowale:

@Davidylan: I am always surprised when I read how you shackled up, your logic because of your hatred of Islam. You always come up exposed, without anyone having to open up any layer(s) of the Onion. It is always the same thing with you!

While you wanted the Muslims, Abuzola to unearth a single source of where Uzair (EZRA) was called "son of God," you completely forgot that your Bible itself, is a proof of what the Jews said!

Was Uzair/Ezra a person of Jewish blood? Answer is Yes.

In the pages of the Bible, is there a verse that mentioned the Jews as a body of people, accepting themselves as children of God? The answer is yes. What else do you need, except that you just have to reflect prior to this kind of challenge coming from you!

Today the Christians call themselves Children of God. They call themselves Children of Jesus, also. In 100 years from now, if a man said that $Osisi used to call Pilgrim.1 daughter of God and daughter of Jesus, and Davidylan and Noetic did not object, but Abuzola and Lagosboy did. If such a person who made this "accusation" was from a bloodline of a Nairalander who lived in Russia or England, etc. But his listener challenged him that it was a lie. Between the two who will be telling the truth, at that time?

This is the case of your probing. Now I found by asking; was there a jewish group that called Ezra son of God in a honoring gesture? I got this below which I did nt open. But I think the pundits can have a go at it:

[DOC] Part II: BreakthroughFile Format: Microsoft Word - View as HTML
Nov 28, 2006 , This term “son of God” is even used in the 1st century Dead Sea Scrolls , The Qur'an confirmed first century Jewish manuscripts in which some Jews , 9:30 “Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ , special place of honor) 3:45. God “blessed Him wherever he was” 19:31 ,
www.georgetowncollege.edu/regents/news/documents/siljnder_lecture_oxford_11_28_06.doc - Similar

pathetic . . . and disgraceful. Was this the answer to this simple ques - [size=14pt]Pls show me ONE PLACE that the Jews have ever called Ezra the son of God . . . pls just one instance will suffice.?[/size]

And why has abuzola himself not answered? Or are you folks so blind you will believe whatever pile of dung the quran wrote for you?

bawomolo:

What do i have to do for 72 virgins?

According to islam you have to blow yourself up using an explosif belt and you will see 72 virgin in front of you.

@Davidylan: Please ol boy, open the window of the lab, to let in some fresh air. At the same time, the toxin plume should find other places to go.

Show me one instance where the Jews rejected being called sons of god and or god directly. Didnt Jesus use this as part of his primary statement, until you guys (christians) say he is the begotten son?

You must be kidding me. You darn maverick. The Bible is laughable at best. While the Jews called themselves sons and "ye are gods," they conveniently find way to fight your god, Jesus for being called begotten son!

Go sidon on the lab stool.

Have you yet attempted the experiment of the look of water surface at sunset when the light from the disappearing sun hits it? It is murky man. Murky man.

In a hadith Qudsi narrated by Anas bin malik r.a. we read :

“Wa Izzatti Wajalali Warahmati La Ada’u Finnar Ahadan Qala : “La Ila Ha Illa Allah”.” (Rawahu Tamam ‘an Anas bin Malik)

The hadith means that Allah says, “By My majesty and glory and mercy, I will not leave a person in hell who says,”La Ila Ha Illa Allah.”

In another hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri r.a. we read:

“Yaqulullah Ta’ala Yaum Al-Qiyamah Saya’lamu Ahl Al-Jam’i Al-Yaum man Ahl Al-Karm. Qeela man Ahl Al-Karam Ya Rasulullah? Qala Ahl Majalis Al-Dhikri Fil Masajid.”

The hadith means, “Allah Ta’ala says on judgment day, “Today, all who gather here will know who the people of righteousness are. Rasulullah was asked: who are they? He answered: They are those who attend gatherings of dhikr in mosuqes” (Rawahu Ahmad wa Abu Ya’la)

The first hadith informs us that Allah will not abandon anyone who testifies to His oneness and believes in it whole-heartedly(in light of all other narrations concerning Tawhid) in hell. The second narration informs us that those who attend gatherings of dhikr(remembrance[to Allah]) will be counted among the Ahlul Karam or people of righteousness. As we have seen in the verses quoted from the Qur’an those who do righteousness will be immensely rewarded.

The article continues:

The following passages of the Qur’an support the general Muslim belief that the martyrs go to paradise immediately:



And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah,
forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass.
And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together.
– Sura 3:157-158
Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead.
Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord;
– Sura 3:169
Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods;
for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise):
they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain:
a promise binding on Him in truth,
through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur’an:
and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah?
then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded:
that is the achievement supreme.
– Sura 9:111
MY RESPONSE:

The claim that is made regarding the verses quoted in the article is,”general Muslim belief that the martyrs go to paradise immediately”. Nowhere in the verses given do we find a suggestion that they will immediately be admitted into paradise. One would like to see where words like فورا occur anywhere in the verses cited that would carry the meaning of “immediately”. The fact is no such word is to be found in them. Let’s have a closer look at the first verse cited.

And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah,
forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass.
And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together.
– Sura 3:157-158

Notice that the first part says, “And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah”. Why does it mention “slain OR die” ? Why does it not just “if ye are slain in the way of Allah”? The original Arabic reads, ” وَلَئِنْ قُتِلْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ مُتُّمْ which is transliterated as “Wala’in Qutiltum Fi Sabilillah Aw Muttum”. Literally the verse would be rendered as, “Wala’in(and if) Qutiltum(you are killed) Fi(in) Sabilillah(the way of Allah) Aw(OR) muttum(you die)” = “And if you are killed in the way of Allah or you die”. This is what we will find in the translation of Mufti Taqi Uthmani:

“If you are killed in the way of Allah or die, the forgiveness from Allah and the mercy is far better than what they accumulate”

and the translation of Marmaduke Pickthall:

“And what though ye be slain in Allah’s way or die therein ? Surely pardon from Allah and mercy are better than all that they amass.”

and the translation of The Royal Al-Bayt Institute:

“And if you are slain in God’s way, or die, forgiveness from God and mercy are better than what they amass.”

The point of the above excercise is to show you beyond any shadow of a doubt that the verse is referring to two groups of people and that slain and die are not used synonymously for the same people. The ones who are addressed as slain or killed(Qutiltum) in the way of Allah are the shuhada’ or martyrs and the ones who are addressed as die(muttum) is in reference to those who die on the path/way of Allah namely, the mu’minun(believers) as Pickthall points out “die therein(in the way of Allah)”. Thus, the verse which the author used in regards to the salvation of the martyrs whom he claimed would go straight to jannah actually addresses those who die ordinarily on the path of Allah i.e. the believers and those who do righteous works as well! Indeed, by the Rahmah and Grace of Allah both groups shall enter the paradise.

The article continues:

On the other hand, we read also that,



There will be no one of you who will not enter it (Hell).
This was an inevitable decree of your Lord.
Afterwards he may save some of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire.
– Sura 19:71-72
Or as Arberry translates it more literally:



No one of you there is, but he shall go down to it; That for thy Lord is a thing decreed, determined. Then We shall deliver those that were god-fearing; and the evildoers We shall leave there, hobbling on their knees.
– Sura 19:71-72
This verse tells clearly that all Muslims [everybody] will go to Hell, (inevitable, decreed, determined) and only some of them will eventually be rescued from Hell, while others will be left there forever.

Obviously, it cannot be that all go through hell (Sura 19:71) and that martyrs go directly to paradise, being spared hell, and “they live (present tense), finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.”



MY RESPONSE:

Now, we have arrived to the verse proper i.e. Surah Maryam(19), verse 71 and also verse 72 which the author claims reads:

There will be no one of you who will not enter it (Hell).
This was an inevitable decree of your Lord.
Afterwards he may save some of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire.
– Sura 19:71-72

Before we delve into the verses I would like to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that most of the major translations of the Qur’an do not render it as “enter it (Hell).” In fact, most of the major translations translate the verse as passing over; coming to it; arriving at or coming into sight of. In fact out of the 16 translations that I have only four give the impression or idea of entering into hell by using words like “descending to” namely, Rodwell, George Sale, A.J. Arberr and Qaribullah. The first three are non-Muslim translations whereas Qaribullah is a Muslim. Secondly, the author has translated verse 72 as:

“Afterwards he may save some of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire. “

This rendering is totally false! Nowhere in the verse is there a mention of “may” or “some”. The author has blatantly mistranslated it to convey a bias meaning. It is a most disingenuous translation. A reliable rendering would have it as:

“But We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to their knees.”

Let us now begin an analysis of the verses. Generally, verse 71 is approached in two ways.

1. The verse speaks about passing over the bridge which everyone will have to do. Those who have taqwa will be saved whilst those who disbelieved will remain in hell.

2. The verse speaks about those who rebel against Allah and not the Muslims.

Elaboration:

1. Passing over it on a bridge.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains:

“The bridge over Hell is like the sharp edge of a sword. The first group to cross it will pass like a flash of lightning. The second group will pass like the wind. The third group will pass like the fastest horse. The fourth group will pass like the fastest cow. Then, the rest will pass while the angels will be saying, `O Allah save them, save them.’ ” This narration has supporting narrations similar to it from the Prophet in the Two Sahihs and other collections as well. These narrations have been related by Anas, Abu Sa`id, Abu Hurayrah, Jabir and other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. …

(There is not one of you but will pass over it “The passing of the Muslims (over the Hellfire) means their passing over a bridge that is over it. But the passing of the idolators over the Hellfire refers to their admission to the Fire.” As-Suddi reported from Murrah, from Ibn Mas`ud, that he said concerning Allah’s statement,

Then We shall save those who had Taqwa. ) When all of the creatures passed over the Hellfire, and those disbelievers and the disobedient people who are destined to fall into it because of their disobedience, Allah will save the believers and the righteous people from it because of their deeds. Therefore, their passing over the bridge and their speed will be based upon their deeds that they did in this life. Then, the believers who performed major sins will be allowed intercession. The angels, the Prophets and the believers will all intercede. Thus, a large number of the sinners will be allowed to come out of Hell. The fire will have devoured much of their bodies, except the places of prostration on their faces. Their removal from the Hellfire will be due to the faith in their hearts. The first to come out will be he who has the weight of a Dinar of faith in his heart. Then, whoever has the next least amount after him. Then, whoever is next to that after him, and so forth. This will continue until the one who has the tiniest hint of faith in his heart, equal to the weight of an atom. Then, Allah will take out of the Fire whoever said “La ilaha illallah,” even one day of his entire life, even if he never performed any good deed. After this, no one will remain in the Hellfire, except those it is obligatory upon to remain in the Hellfire forever. This has been reported in many authentic Hadiths from the Messenger of Allah . This is why Allah says, (Then We shall save those who had Taqwa. And We shall leave the wrongdoers in it, Jithyya.) ” Source

The basic idea is that both Muslims and disbelievers will have to walk over a kind of sirat or path over hell-fire. Those who are true to God and have no sins that must be accounted for and aren’t forgiven will pass through hell unscatched over the sirat. That is the first group of people. The second group of people are believers who will walk the sirat but will fall down into hell for their disobedience wherein their body and soul will be cleansed. They will remain there for an appointed time and will be released by the grace of Allah and admitted into paradise after having served time. The third group are the disbelievers who will walk the sirat and fall into hell and remain there forever. Thus, this is the first and accepted interpretation within Sunni Orthodox Islam.

At this point it must be clarified that entry into hell does not necessitate burning in hell. But condemned into hell certainly does. The established concept in Ahl Sunnah Wal Jama’ah as we have just seen is quite simple and makes a lot of sense. Let us now look at some of the major renderings of the verse:

“Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished.” (Yusuf Ali)

“There is not one of you but shall approach it. That is a fixed ordinance of thy Lord.” (Pickthall)

“There is none among you who does not have to arrive at it. This is undertaken by your Lord as an absolute decree, bound to be enforced.” (Mufti Taqi Uthmani)

“And every one of you will come within sight of it: this is, with thy Sustainer, a decree that must be fulfilled.” (Muhammad Asad)

The basic idea given by the above translations is that everyone will arrive, see and pass/walk over hell. Now let’s look at the verses that speak about descending unto/to.

“There is not one of you who shall not go down to it: such is a thing decreed, determined by your Lord.” (Qaribullah)

“No one is there of you who shall not go down unto it-this is a settled decree with thy Lord-” (Rodwell)

*Notice that none of them say going into or entering. Going down to and going into are two different things. For example, if I’m in a second floor of a building and want to go to a restaurant which is on the first floor I might say,”I’m going down to the restaurant” and if I do go down to the first floor and arrive at the restaurant and am standing in front of it BUT NOT in it I may describe my location as “I am at the restaurant”. That is indeed quite different from saying “I am in the restaurant”. Likewise, the translations do not say that all will go down into it, but rather go down to it. The only translation that I know of which says about being “in” is George Sale’s:

“There shall be none of you, but shall descend into the same hell: This is an established decree upon thy Lord.”

I would rather go with the other 15 translations along with Mufti Taqi Uthmani’s etc. than with this lone ranger. However, let us say for the sake of argument that my explanation about “going down to vs going down into” is stretching it too much and that Qaribullah, Rodwell and Arberry is also talking about going into hell like George Sale. Do we then not have a contradiction between the translations and the understandings adduced? Is everyone including the Muslims going into hell or not?

To answer this question I will first quote from Tafsir Ma’riful Qur’an by the father of Mufti Taqi Uthmani, Mufti Shafi’ Usmani rahimullah. We read in the tafsir the following explanation:

“And there is non among you who is not to arrive at it.”(19:71)

This means that everybody – be he a believer or an infidel – will go across hell. However, this does not mean that they will go to stay in it; they would go only across it. But even if the word means “entry”, then the pious believers on entry into Hell will feel no discomfort because its fires will cool down and will do no harm to them. Sayyidna Abu Sumayya r.a. has related that the Holy Prophet s.a.w. once said that:

“Everybody whether he is a pious man or a sinner will initially enter hell, but for the pious believers the fire will cool down just as the fire of Namrud cooled down as Sayyidna Ibrahim a.s. was cast into it. Thereafter, the believers will be taken into paradise.”

This view is confirmed by the next sentence ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ which means then We will save those who feared Allah – 19:72. A similar view has also been expressed by Sayyidna Ibn Abbas r.a., thus even if the word wurud occuring in the Qur’an is taken to mean dukhul(entry), then the word dukhul will be interpreted as synonymous with the word ‘ubur(going across). Thus, there is no contradiction in the meaning of the word.

(Ma’riful Qur’an, Volume 6, pg. 63)

In other words, even if one were to take wariduha to mean enter it does not contradict the established idea of walking the sirat over hell fire. It is quite easily reconciled. Let us consider this example. Ali enters the store and walks on a plank over it. He has entered the store and is inside it even though he’s walking over it on a plank. Let’s consider another example. Ali takes a flight from Barnaby, Canada and heads to Malaysia. Somehow, his flight has to fly over Seattle. Has he entered the USA? The answer is of course yes. But, would you automatically say he is going to stay there or that he is on America(walking on the earth e.g. roads)? NO!. Likewise, if the Qur’an says in a general manner enter into it(hell) does that automatically necessaitate walking in hell(through the fire) and staying there? No! As we have seen, to enter does not necessarily mean staying or walking on. To enter can also mean walking or flying over. It is to say that you are entering the domain and that’s it! The verse is general in sense, so to understand what wariduha actually means(and not just translates into) we have to find specific explanations in the Sunnah. We have seen that the sunnah explains that it means walking over it via the sirat. And the following verse makes it clear that those who have had taqwa will be saved and those who have done evil will remain(either indefinitely or temporarily depending on the individual’s belief as we have elucidated earlier).

2. The verse refers to those who rebel against Allah.

This is the position of some scholars as Muhammad Asad mentions in his commentary:

“* v.71 : Lit., “none of you but will reach it.” According to some of the classical authorities, the pronoun “you” relates to the sinners spoken of in the preceding passages, and particularly to those who refuse to believe in resurrection;” Source

The context begins from verse 66 to 72:

The context begins from verse 66 to 72:


[19:66]
Man says, “Is it that, once I die, I shall be brought forth alive?”

[19:67]
Does not the man remember that We created him before, when he was nothing?

[19:68]
So, by your Lord, We will definitely gather them together, and the devils as well; then We will definitely make them present around the Jahannam , fallen on their knees.

[19:69]
Then, out of every group, We will certainly draw out those who were more rebellious against the All-Merciful (Allah).

[19:70]
Then of course, We are most aware of those who are more deserving to enter it (the Jahannam ).

[19:71]
There is none among you who does not have to arrive at it. This is undertaken by your Lord as an absolute decree, bound to be enforced.

[19:72]
Then We will save those who feared Allah, and will leave the wrongdoers in it, fallen on their knees.

The context begins with Allah relating the speech of doubters and disbelievers who question Allah’s power to raise the dead back to life. In verse 68 we read that they will be gathered along with the evil ones. Then in verse 69, Allah says that He will drag out every sect of rebellions against Him. Verse 70 tells us how Allah certainly knows who is most worthy of being burned and then we reach the verse in question which says “Not one of you…”. Contextually, it does appear as if Allah is addressing the disbelievers and evil doers and not every Tom, Dick and Harry who are Muslim and otherwise.



The article continues:

This verse tells clearly that all Muslims [everybody] will go to Hell, (inevitable, decreed, determined) and only some of them will eventually be rescued from Hell, while others will be left there forever.

Obviously, it cannot be that all go through hell (Sura 19:71) and that martyrs go directly to paradise, being spared hell, and “they live (present tense), finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.”



MY RESPONSE:

We have elucidated at length what the verse means and it does not say at all what the author wishes to imply i.e. Muslims are going to be damned and only some will be saved. Let me remind the readers one more time about the intellectual dishonesty of the author for adding the words “only some”. With regards to martyrs, we have shown that the verses given do not speak about any kind of immediacy at all. Though paradise is ensured for those who are slain on the way of Allah they too much go on the sirat like all others. What they won’t experience is the punishment which the disobedient will experience as we have already mentioned. They will be among the first group who will cross over without any harm and enter jannah by Allah’s grace. The author raises a point concerning the verse he quotes in Surah Al-Imran verse 169 where it says that the slain Live(in the present tense) with their Lord. Does this not mean they are in paradise? The problem is, the author does not know much about Islam. The dead are indeed alive, but not in this realm. They are alive in the realm called “barzakh” or the realm in between this world and the hereafter. Even the Prophets are alive as we find in the famous hadith,”Al-Anbiya’ Ahaya Fi quburihim Yusallun” (The Prophets are alive in their graves worshipping). That does not mean if you dig their graves you’re going to find them bowing up and down in the ground(which is impossible). It is speaking about the metaphysical. The realm that we cannot percieve. For further explanation concerning the verse please refer to Mufti Shafi’ Usmani’s Ma’riful Qur’an on pages 246-247. It is sufficient to mention here that the life of those who have passed away is beyond our human comprehension:

“And do not say about those who are slain in the way of Allah, “They are dead.” Rather, they are living, thought you percieve not.” (2:154)

Conclusion

What is amazing about the whole affair is that even if one were to accept all the numerous translations out there such as arriving at, seeing, descending to, descending into, enter, passing over the verse still makes perfect sense and poses no problem at all for Islam and the Muslims provided one understands and thereafter accepts the explanations(Qur’an, Hadith, Tafsir and reason) that have been brought forth in the discussion. If the detractors of Islam demand us to translate it as “enter” and we conceded even then as I have shown no contradiction or problem arises. Entering does not excluse passing over as I have explained and does not automatically mean staying or walking on. Then if you pass over you must arrive at it and if you arrive at it you must certainly sight it. Hence, all the translations combined together make a lot of sense and even if we accepted any single one of them and ignore all others, it will still make sense as a general statement specified by the Ahadith or contextually and most importantly the following verse which makes it clear that Allah will save those who have taqwa.

Allah knows best!