Rules For The Test of Life

God has created us, set rules for us to follow on this earth in order to be rewarded or punished. He then sent His guidance to us through His messengers due to His infinite mercy to warn us from the punishment awaiting for us all on the day of judgment. However, God doesn't interfere in the common human matters since the test of this limited wordly life is conducted using the apparatus of free will. We, however, will see the consequences of all our deeds on the day of judgment and the outcome of that will determine our eternal destination.

The fighting and chaos is created among humans by the satanic forces which inspire them to kill and suppress innocent people for their worldly domination. The success for all individuals lies in being righteous among all this anarchy and chaos and make constant efforts in fulfulling their divinely assigned objectives of life which is to establish the kingdom of heaven on this earth as the representative of God and be kind, generous, courteous, merciful and loving to all His creation so that we they be saved later in their REAL eternal life of the hereafter. Quran states:

By time, Indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (Quran 103:1-3)

The paradise is simply the reward of individuals for being successful in this effort and hell fire is the punishment for not recognizing the divinely revealed truth due to their arrogance.

May Allah(SWT) guide us all and save us from the torments of hell fire. Ameen!

No Compulsion

Islam believes in the right of every person to be able to choose their religion based on their own understanding & free will. Quran professes that a person shouldn't be forced in choosing a religion since forceful conversion is not what is divinely required.

So if they dispute with thee, say: "I have submitted My whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me." And say to the People of the Book and to those who are unlearned: "Do ye (also) submit yourselves?" If they do, they are in right guidance, but if they turn back, Thy duty is to convey the Message; and in Allah's sight are (all) His servants. (Chapter 3 Al-E-Imran:20)

If Allah wanted, no one in the entire universe would have had the courage to go against His desire but the test of this world was designed with a set of pre-defined rule to judge every individual by giving them the apparatus of free will for their actions. Based on that principal, prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) propagated the religion of Islam to the followers of all faiths but no one was forced or compelled to change their religion.

Let there be no compulsion in religion: (Chapter 2 Al-Baqra:256)

Muslims are instructed to make efforts towards establishing the kingdom of heaven on this earth just like Jews and Christians before them were instructed. That effort, however, should primarily be made in a Muslim dominated society. There is no forceful conversion allowed in Islam and the history of Muslim Spain and former Indian subcontinent tells the entire story where muslims, who ruled for centuries, are still is minority. Islam is the religion of peace standing against all aggression on this earth and is ready to offer its assistance to all humanity regardless of the faith, color, cast & nation of the suppressed.

Free Will in Islam

The free will is a tool given to humanity to adopt their respective ways that appeal to them. The divine guidance and signs every where around us help us in chosing wisely. The wordly punishments for the aggressors are present in order to establish an environment which would guarranty the security and well being of individuals irrespective of their race, color & religion. The punishment in this world is divinely prescribed in order to get a person off the hook in the hereafter for a given crime provided the person at the same time also asks forgiveness from God for that sin. Muslims in the time of prophet presented themselves for such punishments so that they won't have any burden of their major sins on the day of judgement.

The oppression is considered worse than killing in Quran and hence those who oppress weak and helpless are to be fought against and be brought to justice. The free will to humanity is given as a criteria for the salvation in the hereafter by having the ability to chose willingly the right path to the Creator. Islam believes that every individual has the right to choose his own path and live in peace and prosperity. Muslims don't kill people who simply turn away from Islam but rather only those who also turn out to be the enemy spies and threaten the Islamic state. Prophet is reported to have left alone a person who turned apostate since he was not a threat to the Islamic state. Some floating hadeeths that people refer to about killing a person for turning apostate are considered week by majority among muslims. Quran clearly states this principal in its various verses and since Quran is the final and uncorrupted authority for us muslims, there is no way a person could be punished for such an act.

Let there be no compulsion in religion: (Chapter 2 Al-Baqra:256)

But if they turn away, thy duty is only to preach the clear Message. (Chapter 16 An-Nahl:82)