Oh, we are finally done with this chapter. Okay. Last two sections.
Inhabitants of Paradise Joined with Family
surah Ar-Ra'd 13:23-24 - "Gardens of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring: and angels shall enter unto them from every gate (with the salutation): "Peace unto you for that ye persevered in patience! Now how excellent is the final home!""
surah Ghafir 40:8 - ""And grant, our Lord! that they enter the Gardens of Eternity, which Thou hast promised to them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity! For Thou art (He), the Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom."
surah at-Tur 52:21 - "And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith,- to them shall We join their families: Nor shall We deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their works: (Yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds."
I don't really think this part needs commentary. People who go to heaven are reunited with their loved ones who also made it into heaven. Isn't that one of the hopes of all believers?
The Majority in Hell
The only backup for this idea that the majority of people in hell are women comes from the ahadith. I'm not a fan of the hadith. They're too all over the place and so many of them contradict the Qur'an. So I'm just going to give the short version of the answer that I have been given as to the meaning of the hadith that say women are the majority in hell. I have been told that it is not because they are women that they go to hell. Men and women have equal opportunity to go to heaven. When Mohammed was speaking in these cases, assuming that he really said them at all, he was speaking to a group of women specifically. Women who were harridans, shrews, ungrateful in their lives. Mohammed was basically warning them to mend their ways before it was too late. *shrug*
sahih Bukhari 1:2:29 - "Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said: "I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful." It was asked, "Do they disbelieve in Allah?" (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, "They are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favors and the good (charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will say, 'I have never received any good from you.""
sahih Bukhari 4:54:464 - "Narrated 'Imran bin Husain: The Prophet said, "I looked at Paradise and found poor people forming the majority of its inhabitants; and I looked at Hell and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women.""
sahih Bukhari 7:62:124 - "Narrated Usama: The Prophet said, "I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the majority of the people who entered it were the poor, while the wealthy were stopped at the gate (for the accounts). But the companions of the Fire were ordered to be taken to the Fire. Then I stood at the gate of the Fire and saw that the majority of those who entered it were women.""
Have you ever read that there are levels of heaven? Like according to your deeds, you can be closer or further away from the prophets, etc? I sometimes wondered how that worked when say you have a family member who is in level 1 or 2 and you are in level 7. Are you reunited or kept apart? I guess it's all speculation since *no one* has been there to come back and tell us, but those are things I remember wondering at some point in my life. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that in a Mormon context. I don't recall it about Islam. And it seems very silly, really.
ReplyDeleteYes, maybe Mormons is what I'm thinking of, but for some reason I thought Islam was also that way. I may be wrong though.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking last night that I think it was a year ago this month that I started reading the Quran and posting all those notes on it.
These posts of yours are like refresher courses. :)
It could be true of Islam. I honestly just don't remember.
ReplyDeleteHow fast time flies. Hey, did you see that durriyah released the comments on her posts? I'm interested in your opinion of what I wrote. I did comment on the second post, but just last night so that isn't up yet.
Yes, I saw she released the comments and I have yours saved to savor! (read: I haven't taken the time to read them yet.)I always enjoy your perspective and I truly mean it when I say you teach me things. So I'm really happy you decided to participate. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope she has time to read/reply later, but it seems she is trying to buy a house. Hey,I applaud her for what she's done so far in reading through Genesis. At least she's reading the other book..or giving it a try. :)
Yeah. Plus having two little kids, she's a busy woman! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm confused though. She's a convert, right? But she doesn't seem to know anything about the Bible, or Christianity. Her level of familiarity with the stories and the concepts seems to be less than what I left Sunday school with at 14.
Yeah, she mentions attending Sunday School, but maybe she went for only a very short time at a young age? I really don't know much about her background aside from the bit I've read on her blog or she's shared on mine.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit surprised, too, that so much of Genesis seemed new to her. Genesis has a TON of the "favorite" SS lessons, doesn't it?
Maybe she left really early, or maybe it wasn't a very good Sunday School.
ReplyDeleteI know they clean some of the stories up for the kids, which I disagree with, but still, the premise of the stories should be familiar to her I would think.