Because there was this argument, Bako, between this Muslim and the Christian. They were arguing about which of them would go to paradise or something like that. Are you pardon? To paradise. Yes. Paradise or something like that. Yes. The Muslim believes that the Christian will not go to paradise because he never accepted Muhammad, Prophet Muhammad. Yes. Then the Christians will believe that the Muslim will not go to paradise because he never accepted Jesus Christ.
A son of God, a little son of God. Yes. Yes, that’s right. Now the question is, who goes to paradise? Very interesting, yes. I mean, that’s the question, who goes to paradise? In fact, this is an objection which the Holy Quran raises against the parochial attitude of Christians towards Jews and Jews towards Christians. The Holy Quran tells us that the Jews said, the Christians have no foundation whatsoever. So, they will never be forgiven by God. And the Christians on the other hand say, the Jews have absolutely no foundation, so they will never be liberated by God and they will never go to heaven.
And the Holy Quran took exception to this attitude. How could the Holy Quran, having done that, take exactly the same attitude towards others? Quite on the contrary, it is the only religion, and when I say the only, I mean the only religion in the world, which declares categorically that Allah’s light, Allah’s guidance is not the monopoly of a particular people or a particular area or the Mediterranean belt alone. The Holy Quran declares that Allah has shown his light and sent his messengers and reformers to all parts of the world, in all ages, among all the people, black and white and yellow, no distinction. So, having made such magnanimous declaration, covering the entire world, bringing it under the spell of Allah’s mercy, how could the Holy Quran take that parochial attitude that none but a Muslim would ever be forgiven?
On the contrary, it goes further to explain that, now I quote the Holy Quran. This is a verse taken from Surah Baqarah. It says, those who have believed, verily those who have believed, that is, those who have believed in the Holy Prophet of Islam, and also the Jews, and also the Christians, and also people belonging to other religions outside the Mediterranean belt, because Sabi was the word used for non-Arabian religions, non-Mediterranean religions. Whoever belonged to that religion, he was named Sabi by the Arabs. So, this word covers all the religions outside Arabia, or outside Mediterranean.
Now, the Holy Quran, having reached this, the Holy Quran says, Of those who truly believe, there again the word amanu is repeated, meaning, of these which we have counted, those who truly believe in God and the Day of Judgment, and act righteously, their reward would be upon God, upon their Lord. No fear shall come upon them, nor shall they have cause to grieve. This is the declaration of the Holy Quran.
If, according to the Holy Quran, all of them are bound for hell, except Muslims, how could the Holy Quran declare that their reward is with Allah, and no grief shall come upon them? No fear shall come upon them. In view of this categorical statement, it is impossible to attribute such a narrow teaching to Islam. Yet, as you have rightly said, the majority of the Muslims of today take this attitude. Why? They are not also without foundation altogether. They have another verse in mind which they have misunderstood, and which they have not been able to compromise with this verse which I have just quoted.
So, unfortunately, among the Muslims we find two opposing groups. Some follow this verse and say, even the non-Muslims would be forgiven if they are righteous, and some follow the other verse, Inna ad-deena indallahi al-Islam fa man yabtagha ghayra al-Islami deenan falan yuqbala minhu Verily, the religion in the sight of God is Islam. Whoever is inclined to accept any religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him by God. What a categorical declaration that all other religions would be rejected.
So how can you bring these two verses to compromise situation? And what do you draw from all these apparently paradoxical statements? Once we understand this, then the whole issue is solved on the basis of the authority of the Holy Quran. In fact, the Holy Quran, having declared that God has revealed light to all the world, also gives them guarantee that if within the four walls of their teachings, they truly believe and they are sincere and they act righteously, then their reward would be with Allah.
So it is the individuals discussed belonging to various paths or religions of the world. But when religions are compared with religions, then Islam is the latest manifestation and the most complete manifestation. Somebody who has to compare and choose his religion, that shows that he has already been acquainted with Islam. Yet he prefers another religion to Islam and rejects Islam.
He would not be able to benefit from that general declaration, which applies to the people who have not rejected Islam, who are born in a different religion, have followed the tenets of that religion sincerely and who are honest to themselves and to God. They will be forgiven. They will go to heaven. But those given the opportunity of comparing Islam with other religions, reject the most perfect revelation and the latest revelation and accept a less perfect or interpolated religion. To the preference of giving precedence over Islam, of course such people would not be held as righteous in the sight of Allah.
And this very act of rejection of Islam shows that they are not rightly minded, they are not righteous. Because if the claim of Islam is correct, and that is an if of course involved, but we have to consider this question with some logic. So I am saying if the claim of Islam is right, that this is the latest manifestation and this is the universal revelation. So as compared to this revelation, if a Christian without any bias begins to compare Islam with Christianity, he should begin to see that both stand in the same line of development.
Only one is an older religion, less perfect and more related to its time, and one is more perfect and more universal. And also in one case, the original book, that is the Testament, has been interpolated and we find many paradoxes and many differences related by various scholars. The apostles do not agree with each other on many things. And in one case, that is the case of the Holy Quran, it is a perfectly preserved book. Not a word, not a jot has changed. And that we believe not only on the claim of Muslims, but on the authority of hostile critics of Islam.
So this comparison is very clear. Also, he should begin to see that the fundamental claims of Islam stand much more to reason than the present day version of Christianity, which would have him believe that except for one Middle Eastern region, Allah never showed any light to anywhere. So on just common sense basis, anyone who begins to compare Christianity of the present day, not the Christianity of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, because I believe that was different.
And Holy Quran also tells us that was much closer to the Quran than to any other religion. But I’m talking of the present day version of Christianity. So he should be able to see if he’s righteous in the sight of Allah. And then having made this comparison, if he rejects Islam and chooses another path, then Allah would say rightly that your faith is then rejected by God. If you reject his freshest message, his complete message, Allah has a right to reject your faith. That is what it means. Inna al-dina inda Allahi al-Islam, wa man yabtaghi ghair al-Islami dinan, fal na yuqbala minhum.
But for those, for people in Nigeria and other parts of the world who have not occasion, who have not capability, who have not the potential to make religious comparisons. But for honest people, who are true people, who have no paradoxes within, no inconsistencies, they sincerely follow Christianity, whatever God has given them by way of wisdom, they have understood something and they follow that sincerely and act righteously. Positively the Holy Quran guarantees them reward by Allah and no fear shall come upon them.
