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Islam is the Path to Paradise
Author : Dr Noah Ali Salman
Date Added : 05-05-2015

Islam is the Path to Paradise

 

All divine religions agree on belief in Allah, the unity of human origin, and the divine judgment on the Day of Resurrection based on one’s actions in this world. They also agree that Allah has sent prophets to guide people towards the righteous path, as He loves goodness for His servants and guides them to the correct path.

Alongside these shared beliefs, there are numerous other commonalities among religions. Belief in Allah implies that this universe has a Creator who designed and perfected it, the existence of things that were once non-existent necessitates a creator, the intricate order in the universe, both great and small, demands an organizer, and the non-material emotional experiences must originate from another realm, as all prophets and messengers have informed us.

As for the unity of human origin, all religions believe that humans are all descendants of Adam and Eve, making them all siblings. Therefore, there should be love, advice, and cooperation among them to achieve happiness in this world and the hereafter.

If death is an undeniable reality, then we must be called to account for our actions in this world. Since Allah is just, and we see some innocent people suffer in this life, there must be another life where everyone receives their due.

These facts and truths distinguish humans from other creatures. While animals eat, drink, and reproduce without a higher purpose, believers consider the afterlife and strive for happiness in the hereafter. The prophets sent by allah have guided them to this truth.

The three most prominent Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism follows the teachings of Moses, peace be upon him, who received the Torah. Christianity follows the teachings of Jesus, peace be upon him, who received the Gospel. Islam was revealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him, through the Quran.

The difference between Islam and these religions lies in the fact that followers of Judaism do not believe in Christianity or Islam, and followers of Judaism and Christianity do not believe in Islam. However, Muslims believe in Moses as a prophet and in the Torah as his scripture, and they believe in Jesus as a prophet and in the Gospel as his scripture. This is why we see some non-Muslims insulting Muhammad, peace be upon him, while no Muslim insults Moses, Jesus, or Abraham, peace be upon them. This problem needs a solution, and the least we can do is to reciprocate, meaning that other religions should respect Islam as Muslims respect Moses and Jesus and believe in the general principles of the scriptures revealed to them. However, if we want to go further, we must resort to logic, which necessitates belief in all messengers, as they are all messengers of Allah. If there are differences in their teachings, we should follow the final message, and the final message from Allah is Islam, brought by Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Whoever sets aside fanaticism will inevitably reach this conclusion. Islam encompasses beliefs, behavior, and spiritual training. In terms of beliefs, we believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and in destiny, both good and bad.

A person's faith is not sincere unless the effects of this belief are apparent. They must testify that there is no god worthy of worship  but Allah and that Muhammad is his Messenger, respect all prophets, perform prayers, fast during Ramadan, pay Zakat, perform Hajj if able, and be truthful and trustworthy in their dealings with people, following all Islamic teachings: This is Islam.

Adherence to these principles and teachings should be to please Allah the Almighty. This is achieved by doing good deeds while being mindful of Allah's observation. Whoever does this will undoubtedly perform their work with excellence, and this is what we call "ihsan".

Those who work while feeling that Allah is watching them will undoubtedly perform good deeds. This is an important aspect of Islam, which is why we hear Friday sermons conclude with the phrase, "Indeed, Allah commands justice and good deeds."

These are the principles brought by our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: belief in Allah, equality among humans, belief in all prophets and previous scriptures, and kindness to all creatures. These are the principles that Muslims have always advocated.

Imagine that those who did not believe in these principles, such as idolaters, prevented our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and Muslims from spreading these principles because they threatened their interests. They benefited materially from claiming gods other than Allah, from class distinctions, and from claiming dominion over people.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, exerted great effort to convince those around him of these principles or at least allow him to teach these principles to other people. However, they prevented him and tortured him and his followers. This forced the Prophet, peace be upon him, to fight them in self-defense, in defense of his religion, and in defense of his followers. This was the beginning of the concept of jihad in the lives of Muslims, and it was also a means used by all previous prophets to protect their religions and followers. This means has remained until today as a last resort to confront those who want to attack us or prevent us from fulfilling our mission.

What we have said in a few words tells the summary of a long history lived by the prophets, messengers, and righteous people. They were keen to bring happiness to people in this world and the hereafter, but ignorant people prevented them from fulfilling their mission.

We read in the Quran that Pharaoh used to slaughter the male children of the Israelites and keep the females to serve in his household, but the Merciful God, Allah, did not allow that and saved the Israelites through Moses, peace be upon him, and performed miracles that achieved that feat. However, unfortunately, the Israelites began to treat everyone they dealt with cruelly, so Jesus, peace be upon him, came to them commanding them to be gentle and tolerant, but they rejected his call and tried to kill him, so Allah saved him. In addition, later, the followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, had to fight to protect themselves.

Muhammad, peace be upon him, came with the Islamic religion, which combines all the best aspects of previous religions in a documented book that Allah has preserved from alteration. Once again, it was unfortunate that some people did not accept the message of Allah brought by Muhammad, peace be upon him.

As Muslims, we love the prophets and the righteous among their followers, and we learn from their stories. We all know the story of Jesus, peace be upon him, when he passed by with his disciples and found a treasure and beside it three dead men. He told his disciples that these people had found a treasure, so he sent one of them to bring them food. The man put poison in the food so that the treasure would be his alone, and they conspired in his absence to kill him so that the treasure would be theirs. When he returned, they killed him and ate from the food, and so all three died. This is how the world is; whoever wants to take it without right will lose it involuntarily, through death or otherwise, and will be held accountable for what they have done.

We remember the story of the righteous man from the Children of Israel to whom a criminal came to repent. He told him, "Go away so that I am not contaminated by your sins." However, Allah revealed to a prophet at that time, saying, "Tell the worshipper, 'Start again, for his deeds have been in vain due to arrogance.' And tell the criminal, 'Start again, for your repentance has been accepted, and I have forgiven you for the past.'"

We remember that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was traveling with his companions when he noticed a bird fluttering above his head. He knew that one of his companions had taken the bird's chicks, so he said, "Who has made this bird sorrowful by taking its chicks? Return her chicks to her."

We also remember that the Prophet's young son died, and the sun was eclipsed, so people said, "The sun was eclipsed because the Prophet's son has died." The Prophet, peace be upon him, addressed the people and said, "The sun is not eclipsed due to the death of anyone." Thus, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was precise and truthful in conveying his message, seeking nothing from it, even the praise of people.

Thus, we should follow the example of the prophets and the righteous so that we may be saved in the hereafter as they were saved, and so that Allah may love us as He loved them, and people may love us as they loved them.

Finally, there is only one path to Paradise: belief in all prophets and messengers, from Adam, peace be upon him, to Muhammad, peace be upon him.

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Summarized Fatawaa

In the Sharia-compliant viewing  at a prospective bride (*al-naẓrah al-sharʿiyyah*), is it permissible for the man to see the woman without a veil (*ḥijāb*)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for the suitor to see the woman he is seeking to marry within the limits the Sharīʿah permits, namely looking at the face and the hands (palms and backs), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Look at her, for it is more likely to bring about harmony between you.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
The suitor may also ask one of the women to look at the woman he is seeking to marry. In that case, she is permitted to see of her what she is normally permitted to see, which is not limited to the face and hands, and she then describes these matters to the suitor. It is narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Umm Sulaym to look at a girl, and said: “Smell her breath, and look at her heels.” Narrated by Aḥmad in his Musnad.
It is stated in Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.7/p.192): “For one who cannot easily look, or does not wish to look himself, it is sunnah to send someone who is permitted to look at her, to observe her and describe her to him, even regarding what he himself is not permitted to look at. He thereby gains through the sending what he would not gain through looking. Because of the added need for this, it is excepted from the prohibition of a woman describing another woman to a man.”
The permissibility of looking is conditional upon his resolve to marry her once he is able to, his predominant assumption that his proposal will be accepted, and his assumption that the woman is free of marriage and of a waiting period (ʿiddah). Otherwise, looking is forbidden.
Accordingly, it is not permissible for the suitor to look at anything other than the face and hands. He may ask one of his maḥram women, such as his mother or sister, to see the woman unveiled, and the Sharia-compliant viewing (of a prospective bride) must take place in the presence of one of the woman’s maḥrams. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on purchasing a home through conventional commercial banks for those living in the West?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The ruling of Islamic Law on purchasing a home through usurious/interest-bearing loans was previously detailed in Fatwa No. (760). Its summary affirms the prohibition of purchasing homes through interest-bearing loans, based on the general foundational principle of the strict prohibition of Riba (usury). This is the position we hold in devotion to Allah Almighty, and it is the religious edict we convey to the people.
 
As for considering the specific circumstances of a particular country or individual, the questioner must personally consult scholars whom they trust within their country of residence. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on praying seated due to severe obesity, given that I experience hardship in performing the prayer — especially when rising from the ground after sujūd to perform the next rak‘ah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Standing, when one is able to do so, is a pillar of the prayer. However, whoever would experience severe, intolerable hardship, or fears harm to himself or to a limb due to obesity, or finds that standing causes him to lose his khushū‘ (humble focus and concentration) in prayer, then there is no objection to his praying seated on a chair or on the ground, performing rukū‘ (bowing) and sujūd (prostration) through gesture — provided that the gesture for sujūd is made lower than that for rukū‘. Whoever is able, at any point, to properly perform any one of these pillars, is obligated to perform it in full; for omitting it is a concession that applies only in cases of genuine inability. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When I command you to do something, do of it whatever you are able." (Related by al-Bukhārī). As the scholars of fiqh have established: what remains possible is not waived on account of what is difficult.
The criterion for determining genuine inability, as chosen by Imam al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī (raḥimahullāh), is that the worshipper experiences hardship that causes him to lose his khushū‘.
As for voluntary (nafl) prayer, there is no objection to performing it while seated, even if one is able to stand. However, rukū‘ and sujūd must still be performed [in their proper physical form] by anyone who is able to do so. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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