Abraham as Echad: Addressing a Muslim Objection

 A particular Muslim polemicist raised the following objection in response to the Christian understanding that the Hebrew word echad, which Deuteronomy 6:4 uses to describe the oneness of God, actually points to God being a complex or compound unity, as opposed to existing as a singular or absolute one:

“Both yachid and echad can both be used in the absolute sense and in the compound sense. Just like the word ONE in English. When the Hebrew says Abraham was one (echad) person does this mean Abraham is complex?”

Here are the texts which this particular Muhammadan had in mind:

“Hearken to me, you who pursue deliverance, you who seek the Lord; look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were digged. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one (echad) I called him, and I blessed him and made him many.” Isaiah 51:1-2 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

“Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one (echad), and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.” Ezekiel 33:23-24

It is apparent that neither the Muslim, nor the Jewish polemicists from whom this objection was taken, have bothered to carefully read these texts that describe Abraham as echad, since these passages actually end up supporting the Trinitarian claim. Note carefully what the following reference actually says:

“Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and MULTIPLIED HIM.” Isaiah 51:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Here we see that Abraham, though he was one, ended up becoming many. Now the reader may be wondering how could a man become a multitude if he is simply one.

The answer is found in the following texts:

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of THEE A GREAT NATION, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto THY SEED will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.” Genesis 12:1-7

“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to THEE will I give it, and to THY SEED for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it UNTO THEE. Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.” Genesis 13:14-18

“And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give THEE this land to inherit it.  And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know THAT I SHALL INHERIT IT… And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto THY SEED have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” Genesis 15:7-8, 13-21

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and THEE, AND WILL MULTIPLY THEE EXCEEDINGLY. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations OF THEE, and kings shall COME OUT OF THEE. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God… And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people SHALL BE OF HER.” Genesis 17:1-8, 15-16

In all of these passages, God promised to make Abraham a great nation by causing him to multiply exceedingly. God also swore to give Abraham the land, which he settled in as a stranger, as his inheritance forever. He further promised that not only would nations and kings come forth from him, but that he would also make Sarah his wife a mother of nations, from which kings would spring forth. And yet we know that neither Abraham nor Sarah ever inherited the land, but their descendants did so hundreds of years later, which is why God told Abraham that it would be his seed which would be given Canaan as their promised possession forever.

The same promise was given to Jacob:

“And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to THEE will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and THOU SHALT SPREAD ABROAD to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:10-17

Here God tells Jacob that he himself would spread across the east, west, north and south since all of that area would be given to him as his inheritance. This obviously refers to Jacob’s descendants whom God would later cause to spread forth throughout the entire land of Canaan in order to possess it.

What these examples show is that Abraham (and everyone else for that matter) stands in the place of all his offspring that would spring forth from him. Therefore, God could tell Abraham that he himself would inherit the land, or inform Jacob that God would personally spread him abroad throughout the entire region, because God was referring to their descendants that would come forth from their loins. As such, Abraham who, although one, represents a multitude of people that would spring forth from his body.

In other words, Abraham is one in a compound sense, not in a unitary, isolated sense, since he stands in the place of his offspring as their representative. This is why Abraham’s actions could be ascribed to his descendants or the promises, which his offspring were to later receive, could be attributed to him, since the one from whom the many came stands in their behalf as their federal head. This point is brought ought by the inspired author to the Hebrews:

“One might say that Levi also, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met Abraham.” Hebrews 7:9-10

Seeing that Abraham stood in the place of his descendants, his act of paying tithes to Melchizedek could be attributed to the Levites as well, since Abraham is their federal head who represented them in all he said and did.

This also explains why even the Muslim scripture itself calls Abraham an UMMA, meaning nation:

Lo! Abraham was A NATION (ommatan) obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the idolaters; S. 16:120 Pickthall

The Quran is merely echoing the Biblical teaching that a person doesn’t merely represent himself, but also his descendants that would spring forth from him. Note, for instance, what the following text says:

On that account: We ordained FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – IT WOULD BE AS IF HE SLEW THE WHOLE PEOPLE: and if any one saved a life, IT WOULD BE AS IF HE SAVED THE LIFE OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. S. 5:32 Y. Ali

Here we see the Islamic scripture recognizing that a person stands in the place of all of his offspring, which is why it is so heinous and evil to unjustly kill a human being since this doesn’t merely end the life of one human soul, but a whole multitude of lives that would have sprung forth from that single individual.

At this point the Quran is parroting the following rabbinic tradition:

We find it said in the case of Cain who murdered his brother, “The voice of thy brother’s bloods crieth” (Gen. 4:10). It is not said here blood in the singular, but bloods in the plural, that is, his own blood AND THE BLOOD OF HIS SEED. Man was created single in order to show that to him who kills a single individual IT SHALL BE RECKONED THAT HE HAS SLAIN THE WHOLE RACE, but to him who preserves the life of a single individual IT IS COUNTED THAT HE HATH PRESERVED THE WHOLE RACE. Mishnah Sanhedrin, 4:5

Thus, according to Jewish tradition, which is itself derived from the teaching of the Holy Bible, and which even the Quran accepts as correct, neither Abraham nor any other person is considered to be absolutely singular since a person doesn’t just represent himself, but also stands in place of those who will descend from him.

How ironic that the very individual whom the Muslims pointed to, e.g., Abraham, in an attempt to refute the Christian position, actually ends up confirming the Trinitarian claim that echad can and does in fact refer to a complex or compound unity!

So much for the Muslim objection.

Related Articles

The Trinity: OT Evidence for a Multi-Personal God http://www.answeringislam.net/God/echad.html

Rabbinic Judaism and the Plurality of God https://badmanna.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/rabbinic-judaism-and-the-plurality-of-god-a-post-by-sam-shamoun/

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/abraham-as-echad-addressing-a-muslim-objection/ 

IHS

Can Christians love the Father as much as they love the Son?

 The following is an objection that Muslim polemicists such as Shabir Ally raise in their attempt of undermining the logical coherence of the Trinity. Ally and his fellow Muhammadans ask, since Christians claim that the Son is the one that died for them, not the Father, how does one avoid loving the Son more than the Father? Could one love the Father as much as s/he loves the Son?

There are two primary responses. First, since the Father is God, the Father is deserving of the unconditional love due to God:

“Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment.’” Mark 12:29-30

“Jesus answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.’” John 8:54

“To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:2

Second, this falsely assumes that since the Father did not die he therefore did not express the same depth of love as the Son did. This is both an unbiblical argument as well as something we all know to be contrary to reality.

For instance, a father’s willingness to sacrifice his beloved son in order to save others would be seen as an amazing display of self-sacrificial love. Two illustrations help demonstrate this point more clearly.

My following example takes for granted that God exists, and that Christianity is true. A pastor decides to take his son and his son’s friend boating. All of a sudden, the boat capsizes and neither of the boys know how to swim and therefore start drowning. The pastor is caught in a dilemma since he is unable to save both boys. He can only save one at the expense of the other.

The pastor realizes that there are also eternal consequences involved in his decision. He knows that his son has received the Lord Jesus into his life, whereas the other boy has not. Hence, to save his son means that the other boy will not only die, but also face the possibility of experiencing everlasting separation from Christ. Yet saving the boy means that his son must die.

What does the pastor do? He chooses to save the boy, and allow his own son to die since he is convinced that his son will go to heaven and dwell in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever.

Now tell us. Was this not a selfless act of love? Are we to assume that the father didn’t love the boy as much as his son since the son died and not the father?

The father will continue to remember and suffer the pain of having lost his son for the rest of his earthly life, even though he has faith that he will see his son again in glory. Hence, if anything it is the father that actually suffers greater pain since, unlike the son who is now glorified in Christ’s presence and no longer suffers pain, the father will continue to agonize and grieve till he dies.

Even though this example is not identical to what God the Father and the Son did on behalf of sinners, it serves to illustrate the point.

The other example is found in the Holy Bible and the Quran. It is the example of Abraham’s willingness to kill his one and only beloved son for God. Are we to assume that Abraham didn’t love God as much as his son Isaac since Abraham wasn’t the one who was going to be sacrificed? Or are we to assume that both Abraham and Isaac equally displayed unconditional love for God in their willingness to sacrifice that which was dearest to them; the one his beloved son, and the other his own life?

Both the Holy Bible and the Quran answer this question for us:

“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.’ So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ Then he said, ‘Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’ So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ So he said, ‘Here I am.’ And He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; FOR NOW I KNOW THAT YOU FEAR GOD, SINCE YOU HAVE NOT WITHHELD YOUR SON, YOUR ONLY SON, FROM ME’… Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son – blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.’” Genesis 22:1-12,15-18

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his one and only son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” Hebrews 11:17-19

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.” James 2:21-23

“So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son. Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: ‘O my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!’ (The son) said: ‘O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!’ So when they had both submitted (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him ‘O Abraham!… Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!’ – thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was a clear trial – And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:” S. 37:101-107

In a similar manner, God’s willingness to give up his only beloved and eternal Son on behalf of unworthy sinners is just as much an act of self-sacrificial love as Christ’s willingness to die, since God willfully gave up that which is dearest to his heart:

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My BELOVED Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17

“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah – because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My BELOVED Son. Hear Him!’” Mark 9:2-7

“No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is in the BOSOM of the Father, he has made him known.” John 1:18

“For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.” John 5:20

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

“to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:6

Now compare this with the following:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18

{SIDENOTE: This passage and the others that follow all demonstrate that the Son’s death was a voluntary act, and wasn’t forced upon him. The Son freely chose to die for those whom he loves.}

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:31-34

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ” Galatians 1:3-4

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, and that He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. In this way men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord cares for the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:25-33

“This is how God showed his love among us: I sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11

“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6

The foregoing perfectly illustrates that the Son’s sacrificial death was just as much a display of the Father’s infinite love for his creation as it was of the Son’s love for all the creatures that he himself created.

Yet this now poses a dilemma for Muhammadans like Ally. Since the Quran affirms Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, this means that Abraham showed more love for God than God ever did for Abraham. The reason why this is so is because Muslims deny that God has a Son whom he sent to die for sinners. Hence, as long as they deny this biblical and historical truth, Muslims are left with the picture of a finite creature demonstrating unconditional and sacrificial love while the Creator failed to do likewise.

So much for the blasphemous attempt by Muslim polemicists to pit the Father against the Son in the hearts and minds of all true believers who love and adore the one true eternal Triune God.

Further Reading

Why did the Son Die? (https://answeringislam.net/Shamoun/q_son_died.htm).

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/26/can-christians-love-the-father-as-much-as-they-love-the-son/ 

IHS

Islam – The Religion of Depression and Misery

Did you know that the Quran teaches that Allah has deliberately created many human beings and genies for the express purpose of condemning them to hell?

Whomsoever God guides, he is rightly guided; and whom He leads astray — they are the losers. We have created for Gehenna many jinn and men: they have hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but perceive not with them; they have ears, but they hear not with them. They are like cattle; nay, rather they are further astray. Those — they are the heedless. S. 7:178-179 Arberry

Had thy Lord willed, He would have made mankind one nation; but they continue in their differences excepting those on whom thy Lord has mercy. To that end He created them, and perfectly is fulfilled the word of thy Lord: ‘I shall assuredly fill Gehenna with jinn and men all together.’ S. 11:118-119 Arberry

If We had so willed, We could have given every soul its guidance; but now My Word is realized — “Assuredly I shall fill Gehenna with jinn and men all together.” S. 32:13 Arberry

Did you also know that the Islamic faith is perhaps the only religion which promises that every single person must enter into hell, while failing to give the individual believer the absolute assurance that s/he will be taken out from there?

The human being says, “Shall I be brought to life again after I will die?” Does he not remember that We created him when he did not exist? By your Lord, We will bring them back to life with satan and gather them around hell in large groups. Then We will separate from every group those who were strongly rebellious against the Beneficent God. We know best who deserves greater suffering in hell fire. It is the inevitable decree of your Lord that every one of you will be taken to hell. We will save the pious ones from the hell fire and leave the unjust people therein in crowded groups. S. 19:66-72 Muhammad Sarwar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st23.htm

Note how the following versions translate the specific verse in question:

and there is not one of you but shall pass through it: a decree from your Lord which must be fulfilled. Wahiduddin Khan https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st38.htm

There is none of you, but ones who go down to it. This had been a thing decreed, that decreed by thy Lord. S. 19:71 Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st46.htm

And all of you will go through it. This is a decree from your Lord that must be fulfilled. Safi Kaskas https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st64.htm

And decidedly not one of you (there is), except that he will go (herded) down to it; that, for your Lord, has been a thing decreed, a must. Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st21.htm

And not from you [(who are mentioned in Verses 19/65-70) would remain outside] but must be one who entered it (i.e., Hell). (This) is unto your Nourisher-Sustainer, a decree, decreed. Dr. Kamal Omar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st48.htm

There is not one of you but will go down to it. This has been an unavoidable decree of your Lord. Tala A. Itani https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st56.htm

And every single one of you will encounter it. This for your Lord is a certainty that will come to pass. The Monotheist Group (2013 Edition) https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st58.htm

Every one of you will tour the Hell (to feel how awful of a place it is.) Bijan Moeinian https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st11.htm

There is not one of you who shall not go down to it: such is a thing decreed, determined by your Lord. Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st16.htm

And there is none among you who He will not pass through (experience) Hell! This is, by your Rabb, a definite decree. Ahmed Hulusi https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/19/st63.htm

Not one of you there is, but he shall go down to it; that for thy Lord is a thing decreed, determined. Arberry

There is not one of you who will not go down to it,- that is settled and decided by thy Lord. Palmer

There shall be none of you but shall descend into the same hell: This is an established decree upon thy Lord. Sale

No one is there of you who shall not go down unto it – This is a settled decree with thy Lord – Rodwell

There is not one among you who shall not pass through it: such is the absolute decree of your Lord. N. J. Dawood (2014)

And here is how some of Islam’s greatest commentators explained this passage:

There is not one of you but shall come to it that is but shall enter Hell. That is an inevitability already decreed by your Lord something which He made inevitable and which He decreed; He will not waive it. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=19&tAyahNo=71&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold and underline emphasis ours)

(There is not one of you but shall approach it) there is not a single one of you, to the exclusion of prophets and messengers, save that he will enter it, i.e. hell. (That is a fixed ordinance of your Lord) it is a decree that must necessarily take place. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=19&tAyahNo=71&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold and underline emphasis ours)

There is a major problem with the above commentary. The only persons exempted from going to hell are the Lord Jesus and his blessed mother, since the Muslim scripture plainly states that Allah took Jesus to be with him where he is, and placed his glorious mother on a high and secure place:

When God said, ‘Jesus, I will take thee to Me and will raise thee to Me and I will purify thee of those who believe not. I will set thy followers above the unbelievers till the Resurrection Day. Then unto Me shall you return, and I will decide between you, as to what you were at variance on. S. 3:55 Arberry

God raised him up to Him; God is All-mighty, All-wise. S. 4:158 Arberry

And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign; and We gave them both shelter on high, a place of security and springs. S. 23:50 Hamid S. Aziz https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/23/st15.htm

The fact is that everyone else must enter into hell, including the prophets and messengers, according to the Quran!

The next traditions show that even Muhammad’s close companions knew that they too would have to go to hell, which caused them great fear and anxiety since they weren’t certain whether they would ever come out from there:

According to Ibn Humayd – Salamah – Muhammad b. Ishaq – Muhammad b. Ja‘far b. al-Zubayr – ‘Urwah b. al-Zubayr, who said: The Messenger of God sent his expedition to Mu’tah in Jumada I of the year 8. He put Zayd b. Harithah in command of the men and said, “If Zayd b. Harithah is killed, Ja‘far b. Abi Talib shall be in command of the men; if Ja‘far is killed, ‘Abdallah b. Rawahah shall be in command… When ‘Abdallah b. Rawahah said goodbye with the other commanders of the Messenger of God who were doing so, HE WEPT. They said to him, “What is making you weep, Ibn Rawahah?” He said, “By God, I have no love of this world or excessive love for you, but I heard the Messenger of God recite a verse from the Book of God that mentioned the Fire [of Hell] – ‘Not one of you there is, but he shall go down to it; that for thy Lord is a thing decreed, determined’ – AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW I CAN COME OUT AFTER GOING DOWN.” The Muslims said, “May God accompany you, defend you, and bring you back to us in good health.” … (The History of Al-Tabari: The Victory of Islam, translated by Michael Fishbein [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany 1997], Volume VIII (8), pp. 152-153; bold and capital emphasis ours)

And:

Also narrated by Abdel Razak, narrated by Ibn Ayena, narrated by Ismail Ibn Abu Khalid, narrated by Qais Ibn Abu Hazem who said that Abdallah Ibn Rawaha placed his head on his wife’s lap AND BEGAN TO WEEP, so his wife began to weep also. So he asked her, “Why are you weeping?” She responded, “I saw you weeping and so I started to weep.” He said, “I remembered the saying of Allah – who is glorified and exalted – ‘Not one of you but will pass through it’ (Q. 19:71), AND I DON’T KNOW IF I WILL BE SAVED FROM IT OR NOT.” In another narration it adds the phrase, ‘he said this while he was ill.’

Also narrated by Ibn Jarir, narrated by Abu Kurayb, narrated by Ibn Yaman, narrated by Malik Ibn Maghul, narrated by Ibn Ishaq who said, “Whenever Abu Maysarah would lie down on his bed he would say, ‘I WISH MY MOTHER HAD NEVER BORE ME.’ AND THEN HE WOULD BEGIN TO WEEP. When asked why he was weeping he would respond, ‘WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD ENTER HELL, BUT WE WEREN’T TOLD THAT WE WOULD EXIT FROM IT.’”

Also narrated by Abdallah Ibn Al-Mubarak, narrated by Al-Hassan Al-Basri who said, “A man said to his brother, ‘Have you been told that you shall enter hell?’ The brother answered ‘YES.’ He then asked, ‘Have you also been told that you shall exit from it?’ The brother responded ‘NO.’ So he asked, ‘Then why the laughter?’ The brother responded, ‘I have not seen a person laugh until he joined Allah.’” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir http://quran.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=221&BookID=11&Page=310)

What a depressing religion to believe in! To think that a religion would actually promise its adherents that they all must go to hell, without giving them the assurance that they will ever come out since no one can ever know for certain whether Allah will consider them to be godly enough to be taken out of the fires of hell!

This means that Muslims can never have true peace within their hearts, since they will always live with the fear of knowing that they must go to hell after they die. How, then, can any person ever be happy or joyful believing that hell is the next place they go to once they die?

Contrast this with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, who assures believers that they will never die and experience God’s wrath, since he promises to give his followers his everlasting peace, and assures them that he will never leave nor abandon them:

“‘I will not leave you fatherless. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more. But you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.’… Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and WE will come to him, and make OUR home with him… Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:18-19, 23, 27

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from wrath through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. Furthermore, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:1, 8-11

“For they themselves declare how we were received by you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

“For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

“At my first defense no one stood with me, but everyone forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:16-18

“Let your lives be without love of money, and be content with the things you have. For He has said: ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5-6

Now this is truly a message of hope, with all those believing it having nothing to fear anymore, not even death, since they know that their Lord and Savior has conquered the grave and therefore lives forever. And because he is alive forevermore, all those who trust in him shall never die but will also live forever and ever in his glorious presence:

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God… He who believes in the Son has eternal life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:14-18, 36

“Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

“‘All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me, and he who comes to Me I will never cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who has sent Me, that of all whom He has given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’ The Jews then murmured about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus therefore answered them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.’” John 6:37-44

“Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon. But I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. I do not seek glory for Myself. There is One who seeks it and judges. Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, and You say, “If a man keeps My word, he shall never taste death.” Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets are dead! Who do You make Yourself out to be?’” John 8:49-53

“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’” John 11:23-27

“‘Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also. You know where I am going, and you know the way.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:1-6

“I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfect in unity, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory which You have given Me. For You loved Me before the creation of the world.” John 17:23-24

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the one born of the Father… for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?… If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God which He has given concerning His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he does not believe the testimony that God gave about His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life, and whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:1, 4-5, 9-13

All scriptural citations taken from the Modern English Version (MEV) of the Holy Bible.

Further Reading

The Quran on Muslims entering Hell https://answeringislam.net/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell.htm

Quran Contradiction: Will All Muslims Go to Hell? https://www.answeringislam.net/Quran/Contra/muslims_in_hell2.htm

Will All Muslims Go to Hell According to the Quran? https://www.answeringislam.net/authors/shamoun/rebuttals/zawadi/muslims_in_hell.html

Will All Muslims Go to Hell? https://www.answeringislam.net/Responses/Osama/karim_in_hell.htm

Will Muslims Enter Hell? An Analysis of the Conflicting Hadith Reports https://www.answeringislam.net/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell_ahadith.htm

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/islam-the-religion-of-sadness-and-misery/

IHS