Refutation of a Christian claimed that Prophet Muhammad is now in hell

 

Salam,

 

The allegation he said the truth about Islam has been one of the world’s best-kept secrets. But things have changed. With the advent of the Internet, it is now impossible for Muslims to keep the dark teachings of Islam a secret. People are now becoming aware of the true nature of Islam and Muslims are unable to silence everyone. The entire structure of Islam is built upon the belief that Muhammad was mankind’s greatest prophet. As such, we would expect Allah to reward him with heavenly bliss immediately upon his death. Yet, Islam itself teaches that following his death, Allah’s greatest prophet descended into Hell. Consider now the evidences provided by Islam. The Qur'an teaches that all Muslims, including Muhammad, will go into Hell?

 

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 12, Number 770:

“He will order the angels to take out of Hell those who worshipped none but Him alone. The angels will take them out by recognizing them from the traces of prostrations, for Allah has forbidden the (Hell) fire to eat away those traces. So they will come out of the Fire, it will eat away from the whole of the human body except the marks of the prostrations. At that time they will come out of the Fire as mere skeletons. The Water of Life will be poured on them and as a result they will grow like the seeds growing on the bank of flowing water...”

 

Muslims may find the above narration incredible. Again, this shows the ignorance of Muslims regarding their religion. There is no ambiguity in this Hadith. It clearly states that Muhammad and his followers are in “Hell.” According to this Hadith, Muhammad is not in heaven but in “Hell,” awaiting for the arrival of the “Day of Judgment” to get into heaven. And he will be the first to cross the bridge with his followers to go to heaven. Please note, this bridge (As-Sirat) is “laid across Hell” and serves as an exit to heaven. Since the bridge is “laid across Hell,” Muhammad has to be in “Hell” for the Hadith to speak of him as being among the first to use it to come out from there.

 

This is a clear case of Christian ignorance of the religion of Islam and the message of the Quran. Heaven and hell is only set in motion after mankind has been judged for their deeds as stated:-

 

When the scrolls are laid open; when the world on High is unveiled; When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat; and when the Garden is brought near; (Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward. (Surah 81:10-14).

 

When a Christian uses a hadith to support his argument Muslims can be reassured himself that the person is bankrupt of idea as those kinds of narrations would normally contradict the message of the Quran. Here is the evidences when a man dies he is not thrown in hell yet that will happen after he in being judged on the Day of Judgment his soul is now actually with Allah and he is in a state like sleeping as this verses illustrate:-

 

It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that dies not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect. (Surah 39:42).

 

It is only on the Day of Judgment the dead will be awakened as if they had just slept over the night as this verses show:-

 

The trumpet shall be sounded, when behold! From their graves men will rush forth to their Lord! They will say: "Ah! Woe unto us! Who hath raised us up from our beds of repose?"... (A voice will say) "This is what ((Allah)) Most Gracious had promised. And true was the word of the apostles!" It will be no more than a single Blast, when lo! They will all be brought up before Us! Then, on that Day, not a soul will be wronged in the least, and ye shall but be repaid according of your past deeds. (Surah 36:51-54)

 

Or (take) the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet, all in ruins to its roofs. He said: "Oh! How shall Allah bring it (ever) to life, after (this) its death?" but Allah caused him to die for a hundred years then raised him up (again). He said: "How long didst thou tarry (thus)?" He said: (Perhaps) a day or part of a day." He said: "Nay, thou hast tarried thus a hundred years; (Surah 2:259)

 

Thus when one is awaken on the Day of Judgment one will feel as if one had only a night sleep even if he was dead a thousand years. So the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is sleeping while his soul is with Allah so is the situation with the other souls. No one is yet in hell!

 

And this Christian claimed the “Day of Resurrection” or “Qiyamah” refers to the time of the end. This means as he claimed, even as you are reading this article, Muhammad is in “Hell” awaiting to be rescued. This fact he claimed is further substantiated by the admission that even pious Muslims who pray regularly will be consumed by fire, leaving only the “marks of their prostration” untouched. According to the above Hadith, the bodies of those in “Hell” will be consumed by fire. “At that time – the Day of Resurrection – they will come out of the Fire as mere skeletons.” In corroboration with the above Hadith, the Qur'an says that all Muslims – every single one of them – will be taken to Hell. The verse states:-

 

Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished. But then We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to their knees. (Surah 19:71-72)

 

He explained the word “Then” (Thumma) used in this verse exemplify that there is a chronological order of events. First the entry into Hell, “Then” they being saved from it. Note the wordings of Surah 19:72: “We shall rescue those who kept from evil, and leave the evil-doers crouching there.” You only “rescue” someone who is in some kind of danger. However, this rescue operation will only take place on “Judgment Day.” Until then – for centuries – pious Muslims will be consumed by fire. Only the dark spots on the skin of their foreheads caused by years of prostration to Allah will escape the effects of the fire. This is Allah’s reward for their faithful prayers to him.

 

However the truth of the chronological order of events is nobody is in hell yet until they woke up to be tried on the Day of Judgment as the following verses verifies:-

 

Then it will be a single (compelling) cry; and behold, they will begin to see! They will say, "Ah! Woe to us! This is the Day of Judgment!"  (A voice will say,) "This is the Day of Sorting Out, whose truth ye (once) denied!" "Bring ye up", it shall be said, "The wrong-doers and their wives, and the things they worshipped- "Besides Allah, and lead them to the Way to the Fire! (Surah 37:19-23).

 

And the trial will be over the fire and those who fail will be dragged into the fire but those who believe and do righteous will be saved by Allah as reflected in these sequences:-

 

They ask, "When will be the Day of Judgment and Justice?" (It will be) a Day when they will be tried over the Fire! (Surah 51:12-13)

 

Only those who failed will meet the penalty:-

 

The Day they will be dragged through the Fire on their faces, (they will hear) "Taste ye the touch of Hell!" (54:48)

 

However Allah will save those who guarded themselves against evil which mean instead of being dragged to the fire they are taken to the gardens which was promised to them:-

  

 

Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished. But then We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to their knees. (Surah 19:71-72)

 

As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs, taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them, because, before then, they lived a good life. (Surah 51:15-16)

 

Those Christians who fabricated that Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) will be in hell will be disappointed as the Quran confirmed on his status as follows:-  

 

Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing: And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. (Surah 68:3-4)

 

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer), seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Taurat; and their similitude in the Gospel is: like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the Unbelievers with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds forgiveness, and a great Reward. (Surah 48:29)

 

On the other hand the Christians who put partner to Allah will never taste the pleasure of the garden  but land themselves here:-

 

They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel worship Allah my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word of blasphemy, verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.

(Surah 5:72-73)

 

Asar

 



Is Bakkata the same as Makkata?

Salam,

 

Most of the Muslim scholars claimed that the place Bakkata in the Quran at Surah 3:96-97 is referring to the presence Mekah or  Makkata  which is being quoted in the Quran at Surah 48:24 as stated below:-----

 

The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakkata: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: In it are Signs Manifest; (for example), the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures.” (3:96-97).

 

And it is He Who has restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkata, after that He gave you the victory over them. And Allah sees well all that ye do. (48:24)

 

However nowadays many skeptics cast their doubt on the above being so as there is no evidence in the Quran or any other sources of Muslims authentic hadiths showing a recording of a change of name from the original Bakkata to Makkata. Bakkata is Makkata to them is mere speculation to justify the place as the original place of pilgrimage to date back to the story of Abraham (Pbuh).

 

Actually if we study the Quran in earnest we will come to the conclusion that Makkata is Bakkata but Bakkata is not equal to Makkata. This is because Makkata or Mekah as a city is ever growing and expanding its size areas as new development set in motion to an expanding economy and infrastructure of a modern city.

 

On the contrary the area of Bakkata remained intact with it boundary well defined as a blessed precinct for pilgrimage to be traced back to the time of Abraham (Pbuh) until present time. The Blessed Precinct is clearly stated in the Quran as the area between two mosques and the description fit well to be in similarity to that of the Blessed area of Bakkata The Blessed Precinct as stated:-----

 

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless, in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). (Surah 17:1)

 

In the above verse many Muslim exegesis claimed that the Furthest Mosque refer to the site of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem on the hill of Moriah at or near which stands the Dome of the Rock. But this is just not possible as the mosque was never built during the time the Prophet (Pbuh) but was built and completed by the Amir “Abd al Malik in A.H. 68 which is about A.D. 691 in the Gregorian calendar. And the other technical error those who take the Furthest Mosque to be in Jerusalem is the distance between Makkata and Jerusalem a night journey cannot be done in those days.  Makkah is located around 1239 KM away from Jerusalem so if you travel at the constant speed of 50 KM per hour you can reach Jerusalem in 24.79 hours. Your Jerusalem travel time may vary due to your bus speed, train speed or depending upon the vehicle you use. Thus if one is to take a night journey in those time when the Quran was revealed as stated in Surah 17:1 to reach one another of the two mosques then the likelihood is that the Furthest Mosque was not in Jerusalem but located within the boundary of the Blessed Precinct in Makkata itself.

 

The evidences shown in the Quran the pilgrimage is done in Bakkata the Blessed Precinct (Surah 17:1) is an area flanked by two mosques the Sacred Mosque on one side and the other by the Furthest Mosque. The Sacred Mosque is where the Station of Abraham (Pbuh) is located as stated in 3:97 and substantiated by the verse which says “Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer;” (Surah 2:125). So this is the Sacred Mosque.

 

The other end of the Blessed Precinct of Surah 17:1 is mentioned the area of Arafat where the pilgrims were also to fulfill their rituals during pilgrimage season as the verse says “It is no crime in you if ye seek of the bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage). Then when ye pour down from (Mount) Arafat, celebrate the praises of Allah at the Sacred Monument, and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though, before this, ye went astray.” (Surah 2:198). The Sacred Monument at Arafat is where the pilgrims do their prayer and this is the Furthest Mosque mentioned in Surah 17:1. The distance between the Sacred Mosque at the Station of Abraham to the Furthest Mosque at the Sacred Monument in Arafat is 21 KM and it is about 30 minutes cruise by car but a ride on a camel will take about 4 hours thus the Prophet’s night journey was between these two places mentioned above.

 

 

There is however a claim that the servant of Allah mentioned in the Surah 17:1 does not refers to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) but it refers to Prophet Moses (Pbuh) as the immediate verse after it is tied with the conjunction “wa or and” which make it looks like The Quran is talking about Moses (Pbuh) rather than Muhammad (Pbuh). However the argument can be discarded as it was during the Prophet Muhammad’s time that there is command to face the Sacred Mosque as stated:- “Turn then Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction.” (Surah 2:144) Whereas Prophet Moses was commanded to face a different kind of Qiblah as stated:- We inspired Moses and his brother with this Message: "Provide dwellings for your people in Egypt, make your dwellings into Qiblah and establish regular prayers: and give glad tidings to those who believe!" (Surah 10:87)

 

 

It is therefore crystal clear the two mosques known as the Sacred Mosque and the Furthest Mosque are within the boundary of the Blessed Precinct in Bakkata and this boundary for pilgrimage has not changed since the time of Abraham (Pbuh) but Makkata as a city is ever progressing and expanding its boundary. Thus there is no necessity of a change of name from Bakkata to Makkata because Bakkata is an area in Makkata and is known as the Blessed Precinct.

 

Asar   

 

What and where is the location of the Sacred Mosque (Masjidil Haram)

 

A mosque is a place of worship for Allah alone and it is based on piety.

"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah; (72:18) and the preferable mosque is where one is supposed to worship Allah by remembering Him, praising, magnified and glorying Him with a firm commitment to obey all His command regarding the salat  or the prayer in the Quran.

 

To congregate in a mosque one must be aware of the following.

And there are those who put up a mosque by way of mischief and infidelity - to disunite the Believers - and in preparation for one who warred against Allah and His Messenger aforetime. They will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good; But Allah doth declare that they are certainly liars. Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of the standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure. (9:107-108)

 

Earlier place of worship by Abraham and Ishmael during their pilgrimage.

Abraham and Ismael were commanded to make the surroundings of God’s House a place of worship (musalla) by offering the salat or prayer as stated:-----

 

Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer (musalla); and We covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat and bow to prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). (2:125)

 

And in another verse Allah commanded those who believe to bow and prostrate and to circumambulate around His House:-

 

Behold! We gave the site, to Abraham, of the House, (saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, and stand up and bow to prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). (22:26)

 

Kaabah the Sacred House

And Allah made His House (2:125 My House) sacred and He called it The Sacred House and named it as the Kaabah where Muslims do their circumambulating, do salat and as a place of pilgrimage as stated:- Allah made the Kaabah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men (5:97).

 

The Kaabah as the Sacred House is the first House appointed for men

The Kaabah as the Sacred House being the first House is also known as the Ancient House where the circumambulating takes place for the pilgrimage season as stated:-

 

"Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them, perform their vows, and (again) circumambulate the Ancient House." (22:29) and the Ancient House being the Sacred House is located in Bakkata in an area in Makkah as confirmed by the Quran in the following verses:-

 

The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakkata: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: In it (Bakkata) are Signs Manifest; (for example), the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures. (3:96-97)

 

And this place of prayer or “musalla” (2:125) which is surrounding the Sacred House the Kaabah (5:97) was declared as the Sacred Mosque when Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) to turn his face towards it in the following verse of the Quran as stated:-

 

We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then Thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do. (2:144)

The location of the Sacred Mosque or earlier known as the “musalla” (2:125) during Prophet Abraham (Pbuh) time is supported by the following verse to show that it is an area located in presence day Makkah where Muslims make their pilgrimage:-

 

And it is He Who has restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after that He gave you the victory over them. And Allah sees well all that ye do. They are the ones who denied Revelation and hindered you from the Sacred Mosque and the sacrificial animals, detained from reaching their place of sacrifice. (48:24-25)

 

Since Makkah is a city and still growing the original area of Bakkata reminds unchanged

and this blessed area is where the Sacred Mosque is located the qiblah for Muslims to turn to as a common direction. In the Quran Makkah is known as the Mother of Cities and the Quraish Arab have a covenant to fulfill with Allah as stated in the following verses:-

 

And call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, and His covenant, which He ratified with you, when ye said: "We hear and we obey": And fear Allah, for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts. (5:7)

 

And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that thou mayest warn the mother of cities and all around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book), and they are constant in guarding their prayers. (6:92)

 

For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish, Their covenants (covering) journeys by winter and summer, Let them worship the Lord of this House, Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear (of danger). (Surah Quraish)

 

Asar