Will Only Muslims Enter the Paradise?

A common belief that prevails amongst Muslims today is that they will be rewarded Paradise in the Hereafter on the grounds of their being Muslims. And if a group amongst them has to face Hellfire it will only be for a limited time, and soon thereafter they will be taken out and sent to the Heaven. These assertions by themselves may not be incorrect, but there are a few additional facts that have completely been missed by the present day Muslims.

The attitude of Bani Israel at the time of advent of Quran was somewhat similar. They also believed that in case they fell into the Fire, they will later be taken into Paradise.

وَقَالُواْ لَن تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلاَّ أَيَّاماً مَّعْدُودَةً قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ اللّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللّهُ عَهْدَهُ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

And they say: "The Fire shall not touch us but for a certain number of days:" Say (O Muhammad): "Have you taken a promise from Allah, for He will not go against His promise? Or do you say concerning Allah that which you do not know?" (Quran 2:80)

Quran did not wait long to correct this misconception. The verses that follow immediately deny this assertion and present an important rule that applies to all, including the Muslims:

بَلَى مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيـئَتُهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

Nay, but whosoever has done evil and his sin surrounds him; such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein. And those who believe and do good works: such are rightful owners of the Garden. They will abide therein.(Quran 2:81-82)

The verses have made it clear that the sinner – who 'does evil and his sin surrounds him' – will stay in the Hell forever.1 In addition the general comment, marked by the translated text 'whosoever', does not distinguish between a Muslim and a non-Muslim. At the same time those who are promised the Heaven are the ones who 'believe and do good works.' This criterion for being worthy of blessed life in the Hereafter has been repeated at several other places too. For instance,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Lo! Those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans – whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds – surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (Quran 2:62)

In the aforementioned verse the text clearly includes Muslims, yet they have been promised their reward on the condition of their performing good deeds. Obviously good deeds are only those that are done according to the commands of God.

Why then, may one believe that being a Muslim necessarily guarantees the Paradise? The answer lies in the definition of the word 'Muslim'. A person called as a 'Muslim' in this world does not necessarily have to be a Muslim in the eyes of the Almighty. However, it is he who is known as a Muslim to Allah who is really promised the Heaven. Quran alludes to this in the following words, again correcting the delusion of Jews and Christians.

بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Nay, but whosoever submits completely himself to Allah and does good, his reward is with his Lord; and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (Quran 2:112)

As apparent from this verse, to be a Muslim means to submit oneself completely to Allah's will and carve one's life according to the law sent down by Him. The word Muhsin means to be honest and determined in following the commandments of the Almighty.2 As a result, the definition of being a true Muslim in the sight of Allah is quite different from being known as such in this world. It is these true Muslims who have been promised a reward in the Hereafter, and not those who are called Muslims in this world.

Therefore, it is very much possible that someone who is not known to us as a Muslim may be standing amongst Muslims on the Day of Judgment based on their correct beliefs and their good deeds in this world. At the same time, it is also very much possible that someone from amongst Muslims may be amongst the rejecters of faith because of their not following Islam completely and not performing good deeds. Consequently, one cannot deny the possibility that someone called a Muslim in this world may turn out to be the one who is thrown into the Hellfire and made to stay in it forever, because for instance he 'did evil and his sin surrounded him.' (Quran 2:81)

1 There are a few other crimes mentioned in the Quran as well that may take one into Hellfire forever.
2 Amin Ahsan Islahi, "Tadabbur-i-Quran", Vol. 1, Faraan Foundation, 1999, p 301.