According to Quran, hell is not eternal

[ProofofGod]

We always hear about the eternity of hell in Christianity and even Islam.
As a Muslim, I do believe that hell is a reality and truly horrible, but I would like to point out that according to the Honourable Quran, it is not eternal:

[7:40] Surely, those who reject our revelations and are too arrogant to uphold them, the gates of the sky will never open for them, nor will they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the needle's eye. We thus requite the guilty.

Quite simply, Quran tells us that at one point in the course of the universe, hell will cease to exist, and everyone will be in paradise. The camel passing through the needle's eye is an image, and if God says the camel will pass through the neddle's eye, for certain it will happen. God never utters any nonsense.
My point is that God is all about Mercy, even for people who do not deserve it. He is the most Gracious, Most Merciful.
islamrevolution.org - There is no other god beside God

God bless you all.

 

[iloveislam]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“If anyone interprets the Book of Allah in the light of his opinion even if he is right, he is still wrong”. [Sunan Abu Dawud – Book 25, Number 3644]

 

[YmirGF]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“If anyone interprets the Book of Allah in the light of his opinion even if he is right, he is still wrong”. [Sunan Abu Dawud – Book 25, Number 3644]

This statement begs the question, "If the statement is true then how can "scholars" arrive at any of their opinions?"

 

[ProofofGod]

Peace,

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“If anyone interprets the Book of Allah in the light of his opinion even if he is right, he is still wrong”. [Sunan Abu Dawud – Book 25, Number 3644]

I am Muslim and I don't believe in hadiths. I follow Quran alone. God never utters any nonsense. If He says "camel will pass through the needle's eye", you have to believe on faith that the camel will pass through the needle's eye. It is not even an opinion or interpretation, it is a Quranic fact.

 

[iloveislam]

This statement begs the question, "If the statement is true then how can "scholars" arrive at any of their opinions?"

For a person to explain the Qur'an then he must be a qualified scholar with the permission to perform tafsir (i.e. exegesis)

This permission can be taken and certified by other scholars who took it from other scholars and so on and so forth until the chain reaches the companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were thought by Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself.

Thus qualified scholars are exempt from this rule.

This indeed is one of the wisdoms of Islam. When ignorant people explain the Qur'an (as is done today) in light of their own opinion, then Muslims go in all sorts of direction.

 

[ProofofGod]

Peace,

For a person to explain the Qur'an then he must be a qualified scholar with the permission to perform tafsir (i.e. exegesis)
This permission can be taken and certified by other scholars who took it from other scholars and so on and so forth until the chain reaches the companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The Companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were thought by Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself.
Thus qualified scholars are exempt from this rule.
This indeed is one of the wisdoms of Islam. When ignorant people explain the Qur'an (as is done today) in light of their own opinion, then Muslims go in all sorts of direction.

Traditionnal Muslims invented many rules (hadiths and sunna) that have nothing to do with Islam and Quran. The Muslim scholars you are talking about cannot historically agree on such critical issue as female genital mutilation for instance: All sunni schools think such a horrible practice is "recommended", sometimes even mandatory. Quran obviously will never support such horror. Islam needs a revolution. It needs to get rid of "scholars" who stick to middle ages rules and laws that have nothing to do with Quran.

 

[YmirGF]

This indeed is one of the wisdoms of Islam. When ignorant people explain the Qur'an (as is done today) in light of their own opinion, then Muslims go in all sorts of direction.

Thank you, my friend, as that was pretty well my understanding too, but I thought it might be fun to ask to make your point even more obvious.

 

[Iman]

Greetings to all,

I am a Muslim, too and I have read about considerable Muslim scholars such as Ibn Qayem who suggested that hell may not be etrnal. Another widely popular contemporary Muslim scholar (Al Qubaisi) who lives in the UAE also mentioned the possibility based on some of the Hadiths of Muhammad (PBUH). The hadith in question says that one day after Judgment, God will extinguish the fires of hell and that it will beg Him to light it up again. But this remains a controversial opinion that goes to prove that even a long established religion such as Islam allows for multiple interpretations of such basic religious notions such as Heaven and Hell.

 

[Iman]

Peace,



Traditionnal Muslims invented many rules (hadiths and sunna) that have nothing to do with Islam and Quran. The Muslim scholars you are talking about cannot historically agree on such critical issue as female genital mutilation for instance: All sunni schools think such a horrible practice is "recommended", sometimes even mandatory. Quran obviously will never support such horror. Islam needs a revolution. It needs to get rid of "scholars" who stick to middle ages rules and laws that have nothing to do with Quran.

I beg to differ in this respect. Hadith and Sunna are ways by which to understand some of the more ambiguous and general statements in the Quran. There is a difference between being rigid in understanding the Sunna, or even the Quran with little thought of what may lie beneath the surface. I am an advocate of the mainstream school of using common sense, textual and contextual analysis to arrive at meanings embedded in the Quranic text. These are not artificial restrictions but carefully developed methodologies that ensure the evolution of Islamic thought without compromising its integrity and faithfulness to its own sacred roots.
With regard to the female circumcision, the Sunna or Hadith say very little about it except that it used to be practiced in parts of Arabia. As for the mainstream ruling, there is nothing compulsory about it, and the proof is that it is not practiced in the part of the Muslim world that follows the most strictly literal interpretations of Muslim texts, namely Saudi Arabia.

 

[ProofofGod]

Peace,

I beg to differ in this respect. Hadith and Sunna are ways by which to understand some of the more ambiguous and general statements in the Quran. There is a difference between being rigid in understanding the Sunna, or even the Quran with little thought of what may lie beneath the surface. I am an advocate of the mainstream school of using common sense, textual and contextual analysis to arrive at meanings embedded in the Quranic text. These are not artificial restrictions but carefully developed methodologies that ensure the evolution of Islamic thought without compromising its integrity and faithfulness to its own sacred roots.
With regard to the female circumcision, the Sunna or Hadith say very little about it except that it used to be practiced in parts of Arabia. As for the mainstream ruling, there is nothing compulsory about it, and the proof is that it is not practiced in the part of the Muslim world that follows the most strictly literal interpretations of Muslim texts, namely Saudi Arabia.

Quran mentions Hadiths by name and says the following:

[45:6]"These are God's revelations (Quran) that we recite to you truthfully. In which HADITH other than God and His revelations do they believe?"
Hadiths and sunna mention lapidation, killing the apostate, killing someone who refuses to perform the Salaat (5 daily prayers).
None of that is ever mentioned in Quran.

 

[.lava]

forever for human is not eternity that God is. only God is eternal. but people would live in hell and heaven forever. both would end someday but that does not mean hell will end and everyone would be in heaven. people who earns hell would remain there forever because they earned it.


.

 

[Iman]

Peace,



Quran mentions Hadiths by name and says the following:

[45:6]"These are God's revelations (Quran) that we recite to you truthfully. In which HADITH other than God and His revelations do they believe?"
Hadiths and sunna mention lapidation, killing the apostate, killing someone who refuses to perform the Salaat (5 daily prayers).
None of that is ever mentioned in Quran.

It is also mentioned in the Quran that we need to follow whatever God's prophet asks of us and refrain from whatever God's prophet orders us to avoid. If you look a little more closely as the relationship between the Quran and the Sunna, you will find complete harmony. As for the issues you mention as well as many others that are sometimes raised in this context, both the Quran and the Sunna supported by many mainstream Muslim scholars will tell you that Muslims are to punish only those who fight and betray the Muslims among the apostates. Faith in itself is a free choice and that cannot be compromised whereas hostility that drives to action against Islam and Mulims is the crime that warrants punishment. This is supported by both the Quran , the Sunna and many of the scholars. It is the equivalent of grand treason in nation states rather than a restriction of free religious choice. As for the prayers, few Muslim scholars take that to be a decisive command, but rather an exaggerated warning to emphasize the central role of prayers in the life of a Muslim. No Muslim country adopts this hard line of thinking, which some extract from old books and old controversies and cite as problems with Islam.

 

[ProofofGod]

Peace,

It is also mentioned in the Quran that we need to follow whatever God's prophet asks of us and refrain from whatever God's prophet orders us to avoid. If you look a little more closely as the relationship between the Quran and the Sunna, you will find complete harmony. As for the issues you mention as well as many others that are sometimes raised in this context, both the Quran and the Sunna supported by many mainstream Muslim scholars will tell you that Muslims are to punish only those who fight and betray the Muslims among the apostates. Faith in itself is a free choice and that cannot be compromised whereas hostility that drives to action against Islam and Mulims is the crime that warrants punishment. This is supported by both the Quran , the Sunna and many of the scholars. It is the equivalent of grand treason in nation states rather than a restriction of free religious choice. As for the prayers, few Muslim scholars take that to be a decisive command, but rather an exaggerated warning to emphasize the central role of prayers in the life of a Muslim. No Muslim country adopts this hard line of thinking, which some extract from old books and old controversies and cite as problems with Islam.

There will never be any unity in Islam as long as people will follow hadiths: Fundamentalists will always oppose people who try to make Hadiths and sunna "light" and try to ignore things like lipidate the adultery. The only way to resolve the issue is to go back to the pure teachings of Quran, which never contradict themselves, unlike Hadiths where there are loads of contradictions, therefore makes unity impossible.

 

[YmirGF]

87. That day shall they (openly) show (their) submission to Allah; and all their inventions shall leave them in the lurch.

88. Those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, for them will We add Penalty to Penalty; for that they used to spread mischief.

89. One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a guide a Mercy, and glad tidings to Muslims.

 

[JustWondering]

ProofofGod,
Do you have any more passages from the Quran to support your position? In my opinion the passage you quoted gives more support to an eternal Hell.

 

[Iman]

ProofofGod,
Do you have any more passages from the Quran to support your position? In my opinion the passage you quoted gives more support to an eternal Hell.

The Muslim scholars who support the view that Hell is not eternal cite a pattern in the Quran that qualifies eternity in Hell' as long as heaven and earth stand', and limiting eternity with God's wish for it to continue to exist. In addition to this line of interpretation, there are a few sayings by the prophet of Islam that suggest an end to hellfire at some point. Mainstream Muslims also believe that those who have any faith in God within them shall not dwell eternally in Hell, but will be taken out to Paradise at some point. However, scholars disagree as to what the nature of this required faith that will eventually save people from eternity in Hell. Most say that it is monotheistic faith.
Generally, however, downplaying the intensity and eternity of Paradise or Hell goes against the larger purpose of religion which is supposed to invoke several reactions in people throughout their social and cognitive evolution including hope, fear, love, longing, and sympathy.

 

[Muffled]

The camel through the eye of the needle statement was used by Jesus to indicate something that occurs with great difficulty.

English uses the word eternal to mean two different things 1. Everlasting 2. Not temporal

All spiritual states are not temporal so they are eternal. That doesn't mean that they are immutable or everlasting.

Although Hadith's have to be taken with a grain of salt I can see the truth of the one about opinion despite its ambiguity. An opinion can be right but personal opinion should not take precedence over God's word. IMO those who claim to be right because they have studied or have authority are just as wrong for having an opinion and their studiousness and authority does not guarantee that their opinion is right.

 

[ProofofGod]

Hi everyone,

ProofofGod,
Do you have any more passages from the Quran to support your position? In my opinion the passage you quoted gives more support to an eternal Hell.

Mercy is a message that is all over Quran. In my opinion, the "Bismillah": "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful" is directly in phase with verse 7:40 where it is said people will eventually pass through the needle's eye and go to paradise. God is all about Mercy, unlike us. This is why it so hard for most people to fathom God's infinite mercy and understand that even the most horrible people will eventually (after a lot of the suffering they will have earned for themselves) be forgiven.

 

[my opinion]

This is the whole problem with some religions. Why doesn't 'god' just say what he means instead of the camel passes through the needle's eye. It's all of these ambiguous statements that have even people of the same faith arguing it's meaning.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I think this calls for geneticists to start work on creating extremely small camels.