# data[].attributes.headline
Why only Muslims will go to Paradise and the others will go to Hell

# data[].attributes.subject
Why only Muslims will go to Paradise and the others will go to Hell

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Only Muslims will go to Paradise and the Rest will go to Hell? - Dr Zakir Naik

# data[].attributes.headline
TED Talk - Lesley Hazleton's take on how to read the Koran and understanding "Paradise". 

# data[].attributes.subject
TED Talk - Lesley Hazleton's take on how to read the Koran and understanding "Paradise". 

# data[].attributes.body
Lesley Halzeton is a widely published journalist who has written extensively on Islam. 9 mins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lesley Hazleton sat down one day to read the Koran. And what she found -- as a non-Muslim, a self-identified "tourist" in the Islamic holy book -- wasn't what she expected. With serious scholarship and warm humor, Hazleton shares the grace, flexibility and mystery she found, in this myth-debunking talk.

# data[].attributes.headline
Here are 5 resources we'll work our way through

# data[].attributes.subject
Here are 5 resources we'll work our way through

# data[].attributes.body
You can check out ideas of Muslim paradise from the previous padlets we've studied, and/or go to any general resource (like Wikipedia). In this padlet I want to give you access to a few other "voices".

1. A very short summary from a Saudi Arabian Muslim website

2. A muslim teacher's explanation of Paradise in response to a question at a large Muslim conference (Malaysia - I think).

3. A western journalist - Lesley Hazleton has written several trustworthy accounts on Islam. This is a TED Talk.

4. An AI response - a Christian critique of Islam's paradise.

5. A blog post on a Christian University's website looking at Islam's paradise.

# data[].attributes.body
Click on the picture space above.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A glance at the nature of Paradise as described in the Quran and the saying of Prophet Muhammad.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Christian critique of Islam's paradise - from the Zwemer Centre for Muslim Studies

# data[].attributes.subject
A Christian critique of Islam's paradise - from the Zwemer Centre for Muslim Studies

# data[].attributes.body
The Zwemer Centre for Muslim Studies is at Columbia International University. Note that the author (Mark Anderson) locates Muslim understandings of the rewards of paradise within its original historical context.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Muslim view of heaven comes from the Qur'an's focus on luxury, leisure, and sensual pleasures. But the vision is distinctly religious and allows for no perversion whatsoever-at least, not as defined by the Qur'an.

Many non-Muslims picture the qur'anic heaven as an eternal orgy in which the faithful freely engage in all kinds of sexual perversion with full immunity. This libertine version has a long history in the West,[i] and American Christians won't easily be disabused of it. Not with writers like Sam Shamoun recasting the qur'anic heaven in the most despicable terms possible, as "Allah's brothel."[ii] British conservatives won't likely let go of it either, not with Boris Johnson-then MP, now British prime minister-retelling the same tired orgy story in his 2004 novel Seventy-Two Virgins - A Comedy of Errors.

While the Qur'an does emphasize heaven's sensual pleasures, those are not the sum total of its pleasures. Because the Qur'an also points to heaven's spiritual and religious delights. It repeatedly assures believers that heaven will be a place where they will know neither sadness nor fear (Q 2:38, 62, 7:35, 46:13). God is presented as the believers' host in paradise, with the best of those admitted favored with a vision of him. In qur'anic terms, they're allowed to glimpse his face (Q 2:272, 13:22, 30:38-39, 56:11, 75:22-23, 83:24, 28). This joy is reserved for only some, however, and it suggests neither the intimacy of personal friendship with God nor of union with God.

Overall, the qur'anic vision of paradise doesn't emphasize God's presence to the same degree that it focuses on the believers' comfort, luxury and sensual pleasure.

For male believers, its sensual pleasure does include fantastic sex. But the heavenly vision is distinctly religious and allows for no sexual perversion whatsoever-at least, not as defined by the Qur'an.

Besides belief in God, Muhammad's pagan hearers mocked belief in physical resurrection, final judgment and the afterlife. They insisted that this life is all there is. The only immortality they sought was that of earning a level of fame that long outlived them. Hence, the pre-Islamic poets celebrated those Arab heroes who set the standard for over-the-top generosity, bravery in war, and wild revelry in wine, women and song. Muhammad soundly rejected such wild godlessness and immorality. He stressed the reality of God, physical resurrection and final judgment. The Qur'an condemned drunken excess and never once spoke positively of music. But we see traces of the pre-Islamic concept of immortality in heaven's lavish abundance, including the consorts male believers are given.

The Qur'an basically pictures heaven[iii] in terms of the life of seventh-century Arabia's wealthiest nobles, men who enjoyed lavish feasts in lush private gardens, in the region's richest oases.[iv] Being poor, most of Muhammad's early followers only dreamt of such a life. Hence, this vision of the super-rich lifestyle, taken to the nth degree, had strong appeal to them. The Qur'an describes believers feasting in heaven amidst the richest of fabrics and furnishings, and of rivers flowing with not just fresh water-extremely scarce in the region-but also with milk, honey and wine.

What about the virgins? Being firmly committed to the idea of physical resurrection, the Qur'an pictures believers enjoying consummate physical pleasure. Since we're sexual beings, God's provisions include everything believers need to be perfectly happy. For believing males, that includes not just luxurious feasting and rest.

The qur'anic reward also includes the very best sex possible. But due to its strict moral standards for public discourse, the Qur'an only implies the sex, leaving all the details of heaven's sexual delights to men's imaginations.

Modernists today extract the Qur'an's implied allusions to heaven's sex from their seventh-century Arab context to reinterpret them such that they don't include sex at all.[v] But for many reasons, the words would have had no other meaning in the context of seventh-century Arabia:

Any man in Muhammad's polygynous culture would have expected a life of total abundance to include all the polygynous sex he wanted.[vi]

The Qur'an gave Arab men no reason to think otherwise, given that it accepted polygynous marriage and that Muhammad himself modeled it.[vii]

While permitting polygynous sex, the Qur'an simultaneously fostered a culture that, like Britain's Victorian culture, considered open talk about sex immoral.

Hence, the Qur'an only implied the sex, since anything more would be considered inappropriate, lacking the dignity and public decorum required of a religious scripture.

Since sex partners were often part of an Arab victor's spoils, it was reasonable that the Qur'an would promise sex partners, as part of the Muslim soldier's heavenly reward.[viii]

This interpretation is supported by all the early commentators, which interpreted the Qur'an's allusions to heavenly sex to be just that. The hadith were in full agreement too, eagerly elaborating on the details: none questioned that heavenly sex was promised. Even the later Sufis, who sought to spiritualize the Qur'an's references to heavenly sex, never disputed the fact that it was fantastic sexual unions they were spiritualizing.

The qur'anic paradise can thus be viewed as a religious recasting of the pre-Islamic concept of attaining immortality through superabundant indulgence in luxury and sensual pleasure.[ix]

When the Qur'an promised male believers-not just martyrs-virginally pure, doe-eyed, full-breasted partners (Q 55:22-23, 78:31-34), it was offering them the very best of polygynous sex.[x] It gives no numbers, but it does describe the women and their surroundings. Q 55:72-76, for example, promises men "women ( hur) reserved for them in cool pavilions... whom neither men nor demons ( jinn) have touched... reclining on green cushions and lovely carpets."[xi] Hence, the commentator al-Suyuti (d. 1505) expounded that male believers would have virtually non-stop sex in heaven, along with the sexual stamina to engage in it. While that may represent a humorous exaggeration, Suyuti was at least right to understand that, in heaven, the Qur'an promises abundant sexual pleasure with multiple female partners.

To monogamists and most feminists today, that suggests debauchery. But not to polygynists in Muhammad's society, who allowed men, but not women, to have multiple concurrent sex partners.

The Qur'an modified Arabia's sexual norms significantly, by forbidding sex outside of its three legal expressions: heterosexual marriage, concubinage and slavery. It also limited the number of wives a man could simultaneously have to just four. But it never repudiated Arabia's polygyny-that men, but not women, could enjoy multiple sexual partners concurrently. Nor did it limit the number of concubines or slave girls a man could have sex with.

Hence, Suyuti's interpretation doesn't license debauchery, qur'anically defined. Viewed as glorified concubines, heaven's multiple virgin sex partners in no way violate the Qur'an's patriarchal moral standards. Far from being a brothel or sexual free-for-all, this heaven is a place where all its male residents-not just the wealthy-will enjoy superabundant moral sex with all the women God gives them, in an ideal atmosphere of moral purity, qur'anically understood.[xii]

What about the reward of female believers in paradise? Judging by the fact that it says little about the topic, the Qur'an seems to have little interest in it:

It makes a few general statements to assure women that, being equally responsible to obey God, they'll be rewarded along with their men (e.g. Q 4:124, 33:35).

But it otherwise pictures them only in relation to male believers, who will have their wives and children with them. (Q 36:56).

It never promises female believers sexual pleasure equivalent to that of their men, nor would any woman in Muhammad's audience ever have expected such equality.

Indeed, the idea that women would have multiple heavenly male partners would have been as offensive to Muslims in Muhammad's day, as today.

The Qur'an says nothing about how their husbands' abundant sexual activity will affect their wives.

Maybe we can assume that female believers will be free from insecurity and jealousy in heaven and, so, will delight in their husbands' abundant sex. But how women will feel about such polygyny seems not to be a qur'anic concern at all.

The view of heaven presented above is that of traditional Islam, both Sunni and Shia. It's not merely that of "fundamentalist Islam," a rather slippery term. Rather, it's held by the vast majority of Muslims worldwide.

As mentioned above, Sufis typically spiritualize-almost Christianize-heaven's sex.[xiii] Modernists also present a different view of heaven, one that fits with their commitment to monogamy and gender equality.

This discussion raises many questions, all of which must be explored in future articles:

How do modernists interpret the Qur'an on heaven?

What does the Qur'an say of hell?

What must a person do in order to avoid hell's fires and go to heaven?

How does the qur'anic vision of heaven and hell compare with that of the Bible?

This article originally appeared on Mark Anderson's blog Understanding Islam.

[i] Thanks to our penchant for vilifying Islam, the English word "whore" comes from the qur'anic word for heaven's virgin companions ( hur).

[ii] Sam's article "Have You Been Invited to Allah's Brothel?" is found on the Answering-Islam blog (accessed April 17, 2019). Media reports since 9/11 of jihadis promising their fighters 72 virgins each if they're martyred-i.e., killed while fighting for Islam-have also fed this libertine misconception.

[iii] The most frequent qur'anic designations for the eternal home of the blessed are the Garden ( al-janna) and paradise ( firdaws). With al-janna, the Qur'an has the primordial garden in mind here. That is, God's chosen people will be restored to the Garden of Eden, which appears to be extraterrestrial. Interpreting these terms in the light of the hadith, most Muslims view them as referring to distinct heavenly locations. I take the terms to be equivalent, however, since I don't see the Qur'an differentiating between them. Etymologically, firdaws may well have come into the Qur'an via Aramaic or Greek. Because pardaysa-meaning "royal park"-and parádeisos were used respectively in the ancient Aramaic and Greek translations of Genesis 2:8, for the Garden of Eden.

[iv] Q 3:15, 20:76, 44:52, 54:54.

[v] Yusuf Ali takes a modernist approach, asserting that "sex has no place in heaven"; The Holy Qur'an: Translation and Commentary, (n.p.: The Muslim Student's Association, 1977) 1467, Appendix xii.

[vi] Polygynous sex completes the heavenly reflection of Arabia's wealthiest men, who were privileged to have abundant sex with their many wives, concubines and slaves.

[vii] The Qur'an allows men to have up to four wives (Q 4:3) simultaneously, although Muhammad had more than four.

[viii] It's unthinkable that Muhammad's soldiers would have taken these descriptions allegorically without the Qur'an (or Muhammad) explicitly telling them to do so. And nothing in the early commentaries or the hadith point in that direction.

[ix] Toshihiko Izutsu, Ethico-religious Concepts in the Qur'an (Montreal: McGill University Press, 1966) 45-54.

[x] The hadith, or traditions, reflecting the later Muslim community's thinking, went on to fantasize the number of virgins assigned to each man-usually put at 72-and to detail their ideal physical attributes.

[xi] See also Q 56:22-24, 35-38; 44:54, 52:20, 55:56. Jinn were believed to have the same sexual drives as humans. So in its typically modest speech, the Qur'an is saying that these girls have had sex with neither men or jinn. For desert dwellers, the coolness of the pavilions alluded to the men's ability to perform sexually under ideal conditions.

[xii] The Qur'an viewed concubinage as entirely moral and commendable and established a man's sexual rights over his female slaves (Q 33:50-52, 70:29-30). Likewise, no one in ancient Israel faulted the biblical Solomon for having many wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:1-3).

[xiii] That is, they make it refer to the spiritual union of God with his people, somewhat like that found in the Bible.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Muslim view of heaven often focuses on luxury, leisure, and sensual pleasures. But the vision of the Quran is distinctly religious...

# data[].attributes.headline
A brief Christian critique of Islam's take on Paradise

# data[].attributes.subject
A brief Christian critique of Islam's take on Paradise

# data[].attributes.body
1. Nature of God: Christianity teaches the doctrine of the Trinity, which asserts that God exists as three persons in one essence: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Some Christians may critique Islam's portrayal of paradise for its exclusive focus on Allah without recognition of the triune nature of God.

2. Salvation through Christ: Christianity emphasizes the belief that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of humanity. Some Christians might critique Islam's paradise for not recognizing Jesus Christ as the exclusive means of salvation. Mere "submission" to Allah seems inadequate from a Christian's point of view.

3. Different Views on Sin and Redemption: Christianity teaches that all humans are born with a sinful nature and need redemption through Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. Some Christians might critique Islam's paradise for its emphasis on obedience to Islamic law (Sharia) and good deeds as the primary means of attaining salvation, rather than relying solely on God's grace through faith in Christ.

4. Eternal Destiny: Some Christians may question the lack of assurance of salvation in Islam, as Islamic teachings suggest that one's eternal destiny depends on Allah's judgment based on one's deeds and faith. Christians, on the other hand, believe in the assurance of salvation for those who have accepted Christ as their Savior.

5. Concept of Paradise: Christian theology of heaven often includes the idea of being in intimate communion with God and experiencing His love and presence in a deeply personal way. Some Christians might critique Islam's paradise for its emphasis on physical pleasures, such as rivers of milk and honey, luxurious gardens, and eternal youth, which they may perceive as lacking the spiritual depth and intimacy with God found in Christian teachings about heaven.

It's important to note that these critiques represent theological differences and interpretations, and they don't necessarily reflect the views of all Christians. Interfaith dialogue and understanding can help bridge these differences and foster mutual respect and appreciation for each other's beliefs.

# data[].attributes.body
Read through this so as to get an idea of what's involved and the process. The flow chart at the end is especially helpful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Planning is a major part of our conscious or subconscious preparation for any trip. It doesn't matter whether this trip is our daily commute to work or school (in this case most likely we will be on "auto pilot" mode and won't think much about the map), or it may be a road trip to visit our grandparents' house in another city or state. Even though planning is something highly disliked, and we naturally prefer to allow randomness to take us wherever the flow dictates, there is some element of curiosity in us that invites us to check the major milestones in any journey we take. But are we planning for the journey we are already on? The journey to the afterlife, the Hereafter?
For Muslims, we understand that the worldly life ( dunya, i.e. lowly, inferior present life) is nothing but a short stop, a resting area for our souls to "fill up" some fuel in their long journey towards our destination - the Hereafter.

One day, the Messenger of Allah woke up after sleeping on a straw mat with a lot of red marks left on his body. A companion, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud , was touched by the simple and humble life that Prophet Muhammad led, and immediately said, "O Messenger of Allah ! We could've easily prepared a soft bed for you." He replied, "Why would I pay attention to the glitter of this world? I am none but a traveler who found a tree and took a small rest under its shade, then went away and left it." [ Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

So we all agree that we are on a journey, but do we know exactly the details of the different stations and stops of this trip? I am definite that you know some of them, but having a complete picture of the itinerary to the afterlife from the Islamic perspective will help you plan well for this trip, give you the motivation to become more productive, and build your understanding of Akhirah-Oriented Productivity.

(This map is extracted and translated from a small booklet prepared by Dr. Jassem Al Mutawwa. Please note that the exact order of these blocks is not definite, but it is done with the best of the author's analysis and compilation of different authentic narrations. In addition, I don't plan to discuss each of those segments in detail; if you would like insight into each of the stages, join me at Productive Muslim academy 's upcoming course "Productivity with an Akhirah Mindset: Beginning with the Very End in Mind".)

You = Your Soul

I want you to consider the "you are here" icon on the map before we jump into the individual stops of the journey, and answer a fundamental question: "Who am I? Really, who am I?!" Not your name, your degrees, your profession, your family name, your citizenship or nationality - think further than this.

According to Islamic principles, you are a soul, a nafs, or a ruh. Without getting into any philosophical arguments, Islam tells us that you are a soul that is "renting" a body for a temporary usage in the dunya stage. Your soul will stay till the end of time, but you will return your body once your contract in this world expires. This paradigm is at the core of Akhirah-Mindset-Productivity and will really help us understand and direct the usage of our energy, our focus, and our time.

The world of particles (Al-Tharr)

Unfortunately, this step is absent from the common Muslim approach to the afterlife, and many consider the first step in this journey to be the dunya or the grave. In my humble opinion, including this step is a major ingredient in our understanding of akhirah and productivity as it

enforces the notion of the soul being our true reality, even when no "body" was attached.

shapes our perception of time, and tells us that the journey has already started; it is not something happening at an unknown time in the future.

But what is the world of Al-Tharr really? It is the stage when all the souls were gathered in front of Allah , and the fitrah (pre-disposition and inclination towards the faith) was "installed" into each human soul; it is when the operating system of imaan was "booted" into the very being of our existence. Allah refers to this stage in the Qur'an:

And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware." [ Qur'an: Chapter 7, Verse 172]

In addition, our spiritual focus, our default "factory setting" in life is well defined in the world of Al-Tharr: it is that of faith, love, and devotion to God. We should not belittle ourselves, have an excessive amount of guilt, and assume that we are evil beings who will never change and will never improve. We are not born into "original sin" as some religions preach, and we are not filthy and driven by desires as other philosophies teach. At the core of "us" is a beautiful, honored, and pure soul that recognizes God as the ultimate authority, but may get affected by the friends, family, and the environment.

The world of the womb

So our parents meet, and the intimacy between them results in a sperm that is injected into the womb of our mothers. In many places of the Qur'an, Allah reminds people of their humble beginnings:

"Did We not create you from a liquid disdained (semen, etc.)? And We placed it in a firm lodging" [ Qur'an: Chapter 77, Verse 20-21]

Later on, particularly after 120 days of conception, the marriage between the body and the soul occurs, and a more developed version of "us" is being prepared for the dunya stage, the Messenger of Allah said,

"The creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's womb for forty days in the form of a drop. Then he becomes a clot of blood for a like period. Then a morsel of flesh for a like period. Afterwards an angel is sent to him, who blows the breath of life and writes down four realities of his upcoming life: his means of livelihood ( rizq), his life span, his actions and deeds, and whether he will end up in eternal happiness in paradise or everlasting misery in hell fire." [ Sunan Ibn Majah]

How does this affect productivity?

A key element for social productivity is to be humble in front of Allah and towards other human beings. Our simple beginnings from a sperm should keep us in our place and destroy our ego and pride.

Our rizq (sustenance), in addition to the major life-changing events in our lives, are already written. We should place our trust in Allah (tawakkul), focus the effort on what's within our control, and avoid wasting spiritual energy by being concerned about things that are pre-ordained for us. Allah specifically teaches us in the Qur'an that this axiom of faith aims at clearing our minds from negative feelings:

"In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful," [ Quran: Chapter 57, Verse 23]

Our "birthday" is basically a transition between the stage of the womb to the dunya. In contrast, when we die we are basically transitioning to the afterlife. The analogy between these two moments is a strong reminder for believers to direct their time, focus and energy so that they leave this world while earning the pleasure of Allah . Zain Al-Abedeen the famous scholar and poet once said:

Son of Adam, on the day you were born, you were crying,
But those around you were full of joy and happiness.
So work hard for a day, when people around you are in weeping,
That you will be the one excited with cheerfulness.

Look out for the next installment to discuss more stages to the afterlife, and how we can link them to productivity.
What are the ways you are planning for the Hereafter? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Planning is a major part of preparation for any trip. But do we know the stages of our life and are we planning for the journey to the afterlife?

# data[].attributes.headline
Here are some of the basics, including key vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.subject
Here are some of the basics, including key vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.body
In Islam, life after death is a central belief and follows a linear process: one life, one death, one judgment, and an eternal afterlife in either heaven (paradise) or hell

Key WordMeaning

You do not need to know all the Arabic words here. However, have a go at remembering the ones that are highlighted.

Akhirah

The afterlife; the life that begins after death and lasts forever.

Ruh

The soul or spirit given by Allah.

Barzakh

The intermediate state between death and the Day of Judgment.

Qabr

The grave, where a person awaits resurrection.

Yawm al-Qiyamah

The Day of Resurrection or Day of Judgment.

Judgment

Allah's assessment of each person's faith and deeds.

Mizan

The scales on which a person's good and bad deeds are weighed.

Jannah

Paradise or Heaven; the reward for the righteous.

Jahannam

Hell; the punishment for those who reject Allah or commit serious wrongdoing without repentance.

Allah

The one God who judges humanity and determines each person's final destiny.

Deeds (A'mal)

The actions a person performs during life, which are taken into account at judgment.