Will Only Muslims go to Heaven?

This is a very common question cropping in most of Muslim minds and in the minds of Non Muslims as well. Once during discussion with my wife, this cropped up in our minds also that will only Muslims go to Heaven?
As part of our religious teaching from very early days, we have lived with the notion that being a Muslim we are the sole future resident of heaven or I would say, the purpose of existence of heaven at all is just to provide an everlasting shelter to all Muslims in the world sooner or later.
Being a Sufi Muslim in my faith, approach, practice and advocacy, the existing clear cut answer to this question has always pondered me because it does not sound just that any xyz can enjoy the greatest possible reward to mankind only because he/she xyz is born in a Muslim family.
No faith can survive unless it is dynamic. And the simplest parameter to judge the dynamism of any faith is to see how efficiently it allows you to welcome the changes with arms open and never lets your values go. I consider Islam as a very dynamic faith and so here is my understanding of Islam and its purpose.
It may have been possible that during the infancy of Islam, to born as Muslim was a great achievement, nevertheless the same rule can not hold true today at all . We will see the reasons for this purport below.
All sorts of criticism helping us in finding out the answer to this question are more than appreciated. Nevertheless, howsoever reads this paper, must not fall in the doubt about my faith, love and respect for prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Also, I do not want to declare who will not go to heaven but want to explore who all can go.
In early days of Islam, every Muslim had to pay the cost of being Muslim in one or other ways, even to those who where Muslim only by name or under some kind greed or for any other reasons. But in today’s scenario, your faith is no longer your accomplishment; it is a free gift to us. And Allah can not give us any reward to any human on the basis of gifts which he has bestowed. If He is Allah, then he can not have manly dictatorial attitude of sycophancy. He is bounded of not doing injustice with anybody.
Every age has its own demands, challenges, and milestones. Adam (PBUH) was a Muslim, but Haj was not obligatory to him. Abraham (PBUH) was a Muslim but he did not come with a book. Likewise there were different requirements during Jesus (PBUH) and further different during Mohammad (PBUH). So conclusively for the Muslims during early days of Islam must have been given advantages of entering into Heaven, if they are born Muslim and so all Quranic texts and Hadiths references, must remain true in the very sense they appear, but now since our faith is not an achievement, we need to understand that wherever Allah refers to Muslim in Quran, or Muhammad (PBUH) in any kind of Hadiths it means three things.
1. Those two billion people Muslim population who are Muslims by their birth, name and faith.
2. Men and women, child and old, healthy and sick, all those who submit their will to one ever existing power of the universe.

3. All those who appreciate practice and propagate peace on the earth.
Thousand and five hundred years ago, all three categories were mostly overlapped therefore no doubt to brood about their doorway into Heaven. In today’s scenario ironically all these three categories, they do overlap to certain percentages, but a big percentage of each category does not overlap with any of the other two. And therefore we don’t have any right to discard any of these groups from entering into Heaven. Now depending upon how truly and deeply one is dipped into his category of being Muslim he will go to Heaven. But all of them are Muslims beyond doubt. Those who doubt this they should question why the name of this religion is given as Islam and nothing else. It could have been any name related to Muhammad (PBUH), as it was a known figure from the time of Adam. Why the most basic name of this religion is never referred as like “ Deen –e Ilah” or any kind of its synonym? And I personally challenge any linguistic similarity between the word Islam and Allah. On the contrary this word Islam has more social value than theological.
Let us ask this question from ourselves, and see what answer we find. If two children get candies in a lottery out of three and then can we judge that those two are better than the third child? I would say our sympathy will go with the third child.And that is what exactly the Sufi spirit of Islam teaches.
Ok. Now let us ask from ourselves one more question, if we leave Muslim populations in Kashmir/Gujarat/Palestine etc. apart. Have we paid a single penny for being born in a Muslim family? When NO, then how can we expect be rewarded for any cost we have not paid?
Now let us see what Islam means. Islam does not mean to worship Muhammad (PBUH). Islam obligates to obey Muhammad (PBUH). Now the only minimum and sufficient requirement to testify that one is believing and obeying Muhammad (PBUH) is to worship one invisible and Omnipotent God. Nothing can surpass this requirement and every other requirement comes after this. I strongly believe that no Muslim can disagree this.
Now let us examine what Quran says in this regard. I have placed Quranic support to my answer at later part after the logical investigation of this vital question as this is the final verdict.My entire writing is a junk if we have single line in Quran against it or my entire writing is testimonial of exuberance, if I can get support of single line from Quran. Well but, I would like to tell you that I am just a primary school student in this field, and would like take the very simple meaning of these verses from Quran.
1. Allah says:"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve." (2:62)
Here Allah says, those who believe in the words of God, and those who are Jews, Christian, Sabians (Followers of Zubur) , who ever believes in Allah, and believes in last day and does good work they have rewards. Now do we need any other decree to accept the fact Allah’s reward is never limited to only 2 billion Muslims of this world? Can Allah defy his promises? HE is Allah, HE can give more but not less for sure.Let us see another manifestation of the same idea.
2. Almighty Says:"O people, We have created you from a male and female and made you into races and tribes so that you may know each other. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of God are those who are the most pious among you. And Allah knows every thing and is aware of every thing." (49:13)

Here also Allah has never conditioned Muslimness for nobility. It is the piousness and which Allah only knows covering entire mankind beyond the boundaries of people with/out books even.
3. Let us see one more verse from Quran (Al – Maidah) in this regard."If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord, they would surely have been nourished from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them there are people who are moderate, but many of them are of evil conduct. (5:66)"
This verse of Quran is even announcing the fact that during the time this verse was revealed to prophet Muhhammad (PBUH), there were few people who were not of evil conduct. This is what Quran is declaring without any ambiguity to any mundane human.
4. Here is few more example of Allah’s will."God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleased; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. ( 4:48)"
Can anybody answer me if a person is innocent and always worshipped only one Almighty in his/her heart, but he never knew about prophet Muhammad (PBUH). What is the most likely situation for him, will he be forgiven by Allah or not?
5. One last support from Quran in this regard:" Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it". (99:7-8)"
As a matter of fact no body knows which sins will be forgiven and which won't. Every person Allah Almighty created will be judged uniquely. His life record will be played before him, and all of the good and bad deeds he committed will be pointed out for him. Allah Almighty will then decide on sentencing the person to Hell or Heaven: Then how can we live with presumption that only Muslim (Type1) will be forgiven and will be entered into Heaven.Above five verses are those which can be understood without any further deep study related to origin/time/ purpose of the verse when they were revealed to prophet Muhammad (PBUH).Although there is no need to provide any reference from Hadiths when we already have ample references from Quran to understand and conclude that Heaven is not reserved only for Muslims (Type1). Still let us take one well accepted hadiths from Sahi BukhariNarrated
Utban bin Malik Al – Ansari: who was one of the men of the tribe of Bani Salim: Allah’s Apostle came to me and said, “if anybody comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said: La ilaha illal-lah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will make the Hell-Fire forbidden for him.” Page# 76: To make the Heart Tender ( Ar-Riqaq).Hadith No. 431
Now, what does this hadith means? First Allah declared now His messenger is again validating the exactly same thing and if we still live in the dream that we are the landlords of Heaven then are we not directly denying what Allah wants and what His all apostles including prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has advised and practiced?
Well now its time to address one more question which is very natural to reap in our minds. If Non Muslims ( Type1) can enter into Heaven then why do Muslims are taking pain and offer five times Namaz, Keep fasts for one moths, give zakat and then abstain from alcohol, and there are lot of other restrictions which they impose upon themselves?
Well to address this question,Firstly let us try to understand one very common saying like “my problems are the biggest problems”. Likewise we have to accept the reality that it may not be true that what we do being a normal Muslim is always the toughest process we follow. There are people from other communities who understands somewhere deep in their heart the realty of One God and then they practice something much harder than us (Type1). What we follow is no doubt the best one and we have to understand that in its inheritance it is the easiest one.Secondly, since by its nature Islam is a social religion with a very balanced way of life without any extremes, it expects its followers to abide by certain rules and discipline, which have more social and collective worldly but real benefits than any supernatural mileages. After all for supernatural mileages it is always more of your intentions than the action.
Ok, let us now just see one last aspect of answering this question “If only Muslims will go to Heaven?” and then I will sum up my writing.Most of the Type1 Muslims live in the world where they are not the only people living all around, now if you live with this notion that only you will go to heaven , you are going to transfer same ideology to your kids and your students and all younger generations. You are propagating something for which you yourself is not very clear, if not very sure that you will not be the only resident of heaven.
What is happening? At internal front you and your son will start developing antipathy for other humans around you and at external front this will be automatically getting reflected from your approach and attitude, which is actually happening everywhere because we are going away and far away from the real teaching of Islam which is the Sufi teaching. Now please don’t ask me to elaborate the far longing consequences of this feeling.
It is abundant every where in this world despite following facts.
1. Muslims as a community are more united and brotherly connected than any other community in the world.
2. Muslims as a community do maximum charity in terms of Zakat than any other community in the world.
3. Muslims as a community have the maximum number of non alcoholic in the world.
4. Muslims as a community have least adultery and dowry cases.

Yet we are the most hated community in the world today!!!!!

My tryst with Siva's fort

All big decisions are made at once .Visiting Lohgarh fort was one such resolution, ‘locked in’ at 3:00 am among we four Infy employees (1.Saurabh, 2.Chatenya, 3.Anshul, 4.Sharey).The only clue we had on our way to an unseen destination was to get the local train form Khadki railway station by 4:30 am.‘Where there is will, there is way’. And so we landed at Khadki Railway station by 4:05 am and inquired about the place and train. Person at ticket window suggested for getting down at a small station called ‘Malvali’. We had no reason to disobey him. It was 5:45 am; we reached ‘Malvali’ and saw a board with ‘Lohegarh at 09 Kms’. We were stunned, how to cover this 09 Kms, and soon realized that there is only our foot we can use to fathom. It was a team spirit, weather and timing supporting us and so we extended our mission. Our mission to interact with Shivaji’s courage and his fellow men’s commitment to save their land from outsiders - Mughals.We trekked for at least 3hrs to reach the fort i.e. Lohegarh fort. On the way there were umpteen hotels offering their excellent hospitability with water, pohas, cold drinks, etc. and innocent smiles with a wish to see you again. The path was arduous but full of lush greeneries cocktailed in mango trees, cactus plants, Margosa and other innumerable variety of fauna. As we kept on going up, we could see back what is covered and what yet to. We could see express way and railway track like a set of toys placed on nature’s bosom. It was all so aesthetic and pure that we could never miss a chance to capture them in our camera. It was all adding a push to move a head but provoking a sense of hypsiphobia too. At every moment of our journey to most daring and tiring event of our life our team of four appeared to be divided in three mental stages. One of us appeared to be totally exhausted and pulling back and the next two in a confused state of mind, lacking in willpower but filled with enthusiasm to fetch the peak of mountain under our feet. And the last one enthralling and motivating us by singing the songs like “Who the is Alice” or by reciting Hindi poetries like ‘Woh pradip jo dikh raha hai jhilmil door nahi, thak kar kar baith gaye kya bhai, manzil door nahi’. There was round robin flow of these emotions among the team. Totally engulfed with all kinds of feelings, after a strenuous journey of over 3:30 hrs we reached the fort. It was an absolutely alien feeling we emoted when found our selves at the entrance of Lohgarh fort. Joy and excitement was all around us. Despite our journey was itself an homage to the legend of Indian history but we paid a tribute to Shivaji by discussing him for few minutes which filled in patriotic feelings and euphoric notions. Till date actual reminiscent of the history jelled in rusted Iron Gate exists. We can see windows and small holes on the wall which were so strategically built that they capture maximum possible view of the land in front. There are ‘Pravesh Dwar’, ‘Hanuman Dwar’, and ‘Maha Dwar’ made for different purposes. The most outstanding part of the fort is that the entire fort is built on an inclined plane of Lohegarh Mountain, where top of the fort is at the peak of the mountain. Another most scarce thing is a ‘Dargah’- A Muslim shrine at the heart of shivaji’s heart land. India is a land of cultural and religious harmony at every inch. Let us leave this subject here only but irrefutably this has added one more reason to my heart and soul to admire the legend.It was relentlessly charismatic view when we perched a top. We could see Lonavala, Khandala, ambey valley and much more unexplainable on one canvas .There was scintillating lake beneath and white clouds over us. There was a dargah, a hanuman temple and we in between. Awesome, unimaginable and auspicious. There was an unpredictable synergy of nature’s beauty and man’s determination. We were thirsty and empty stomach but delighted of what we have achieved. After staying for about 1 hr, and roaming around, we started our journey back. Now sun was hot and we were tired enough but because we were contented so we could finish our journey in ¾ th of uphill time. Not ready to let pass any thing, we cuddled with Bhaja caves. To reach this place we had to travel 2 Kms extra amidst the high temperature and we did. Caves appeared to be a depiction of some Buddhist work and it was superb. All carved with different kinds of sculptures, probably displaying the life of Buddhist monks. However we could not find any guide there.We were tired to our maximum extent but equally elated. We were feeling proud of ourselves and satisfactory of our willpower. We reached the same Malvali railway station back by 1:00pm. And our train back to Pune was at 2:10 pm so we had nice sleep for an hour and then at 2:10 pm we boarded into the slightly crowded train and finally returned back to bless Pune by 3:30 pm

My Visit to a Mandir!!!

Normally I avoid or to be more honest I ignore giving words to my every day experiences, may be because this IT industry has sucked us to such an extent that when we are not on work the only thing we tend to do is to relax and meditate and that to just to compliment each other . But at times like any human beings I too just go helpless to write down anything about some of my experiences. I actually do not know what I am writing but I am writing because my hands are following the commands of my heart and that too, to word out my experience to an orphanage!!! I have met the kids around me who fortunately or unfortunately HE knows better, do not have their parents. Some might have lost their father or mother or both in accidents, some due to diseases and some in communal riots or followed terrorist attacks. But I feel they are still fortunate enough at least to know who their parents were. Tomorrow when their kids ask them they can answer.But what about those toddlers who do not know who they belong too. What made their parents, their mother and father to throw these innocent lives out of their life. It was my very first experience to visit any orphanage. With some of my colleagues (I should rather say my friends, my own dear friends.) When we planned to do some charity work, obviously I should give credit of this notion to my company, which is worldwide known for its mentor and morals, Infosys. We tried to make some of collections among our project mates, and when we got some substantial amount with their above expectation participation, we finally prepared to realize our plan. Being a weekend it was not possible for most of us to get out of our houses and put some of our endeavors to the cause for which we do not see any materialistic gain in our account. I have seen people mingling their days and nights in stock trading and chain marketing because there they see benefits in fraction of minutes no matter how. But here, probably we five were trusting on Somebody invisible; for he promises to give hundred times of what we spend on His way .And this is the best preferred His way sans any exception. And so the initiative actually initiated and led by one of our friend Krishna(very much fulfilling the demand of his name), we rest four people Dattaprasad, Biswajit, Tusar and me were all set to meet at the gate of the orphanage ‘Preetmandir-A Balwant Kartar Foundation in Klyani Nagar- Pune’ It was 4:30pm, when we five gathered at the decided place, after buying some and as much as we could do, with our limited (Irony!!!) resources, we moved inside the orphanage. It is a registered charity organization so we could see lot of donations and contributions there but still we felt that all were insufficient. There was some kind of stinking environment inside the orphanage but it was better and much better than the places where the kids of below poverty lines live in India. I liked the way they checked our identities and verified the edibles that we brought for the kids. After getting through all the technical formalities, we were exposed to those kids who actually wanted nothing from us but just expected our love, our lap and our words with affection.We were in the orphanage’s park. We could see dozens of kids playing and running around the park. When we actually entered in the park at first, they were scared of the strangers entering in their area but as soon as we gave them sweets and chocolates, they felt relaxed and accepted us in their domain of joy and care freeness. It was actually filling my eyes with tears when I could see very categorically that the kids were not actually running after sweets or toys or chocolates but their eyes were silently requesting to embrace them, to hold their hands, to hug them and to play with them. They were not looking for fruits and crayons, we were carrying but they were looking for love, for attention. They wanted to make us realize their importance, their skills and their feelings.Their response to our love that we were trying to exhibit there was much more pure and true than ours.At the beginning of this tryst I was feeling uncomfortable to embrace them with my fullest, but soon I questioned me do they not belong to the same God as me.The answer was sufficient to change me from my innermost. When people can spend thousand of money and shower their love to animals, if I fail to love these real true, innocent children, who are deprived of their natural rights of being loved by destiny itself; I can not claim to be sensitive human to my inner most. It’s a week passed yet I can remember most of the kids name with their faces, not because I have good memory but shear because the way they cuddled me left profound impact upon my life.I have always trusted upon God like a damn illiterate superstitious person, but I can never figure out the secret behind His method of transferring punishments from parents to kids. For the mistakes (Or may not be too.), parents of these kids might have done but either it is He who punishes these kids or it is society which enjoys by punishing these innocent children. I remember Payal, Puja, Radha, Ankit, asking me speechlessly, will they ever get the flavor of mother’s warmth or father’s support. And I had no answer. From park we went to a classroom where there were kids with their teacher. Who was teaching them some thing, in her effort to make these parentless kids proud or petty citizens of this mighty country. And then we saw an infants section, where perhaps kids were yet to learn how to stand and walk but they have lost dad’s finger and mom’s hand for sure which my mom says I used to hold when I was trying to stand and walk, but I say I need and hold them even now.We spent around 2 hours with those kids, but they made us to flashback whole 20years that we have passed till now with our cognizance. My mom running after me with mug of milk, my dad analyzing my report cards after each test I gave during my school days, my mom and dad buying new uniforms and new dresses time to time and the kind of effort they used to spend on my future planning. What is the sin of these kids that they are deprived of all these. It is always easy to advise to anybody. But I strongly feel, If I could have stopped using deodorant and perfumes, I would have just saved 100 bugs from each of my dresses that I have bought till day or I would have watched movies just after 1week of its release, I feel I could have saved hell lot of money to help these heavenly kids who have to depend upon donations for every meal the take in. It is a questionable reality that when a country has 30 million working people, why can not they pledge to provide a better future for 12.44 millions orphans in India.The more questionable catastrophe is that the number of official adoptions in India is just 5000 as per the yesteryears’ data. I don’t know where the world is going. But I strongly feel, it is multifold better not to give birth rather than to give such a miserable future to those who are born. We are spending innumerous amount of money to stop child abortions. It is good and very applauding but what about those who are born??? Why do we want to give birth to the kids whose future moves around begging, pedophile, drug addiction, criminal activities, human trafficking, child labour etc. the list is perhaps never ending.Just have a look of the report published by government of India focusing upon child abuse in different forms in India.1. Where every fifth child of the world belongs to India, every third malnourished child also belongs to India.2. Every second child is underweight and every three out of four children are anaemic3. Every second new born has reduced learning capacity due to iodine deficiency4. Decline in female/male ratio is maximum in 0-6 years: 927 females per 1000 males5. Birth registration is just 62% (RGI-2004)6. Retention rate at Primary level is 71.01% and Girls’ enrolment in schools at primary level is 47.79% (Elementary Education in India Progress towards UEE NUEPA Flash Statistics DISE 2005-2006)7.1104 lakh child labour in the country (SRO 2000)8..IMR is as high as 58 per 1000 and MMR is equally high at 301 per 100,000 live births (SRS- 2005)See, this is the status of average kids of this country, so what future can we think of our country and our coming generations. At one hand we have people, those business tycoons having literally infinite amount of money and on the other hand the normal kids of the same country are having above statistics. Our population which used to be a global problem one upon a time has now been transformed into the biggest existing market. All those who were dropping their sincere tears a decade back for our population blasts and our pathetic conditions and now dried of their tears because it is this population who is their vast customer spectrum now. But the open secret is that today also, the problem of poor man remains equally poor rather it is actually creating more complicated predicaments like SEZs, Dams, AIDS,. All these issues are affecting those poor innocent people and their next generations very straightly. If we are not going to handle channel these people and provide a better future to their kids, it is but obvious that they are going to follow the path that is not socially acceptable.It is again ridiculous and I would say it is an outcome of present social setup that most of the scholarships, child rehabilitation programs and so called social initiative are mainly benefiting to those who are already benefited and those who are not they are the one still not. They are diseased, deprived and dying out of their ignorance. At times they become pray on the hands of missionary and anti missionaries. But at the end of the day they are left with nothing.

Thou Art So Lovely

I am not very frequent Blogger but off course at times I definitely write down, or more honestly, I entice myself to word my experience and ideations. It was one such experience that I had last weekend when I visited Shivapore- Pune.It is a place, famously known for the shrine of saint Qamar Ali Shah.. I too was hearing about it for last couple of years, but could not make it happen to slog myself for its visit .Well , life is full of experiences at every next moment. The only question is if we can learn out of it or not. Most of the things we tend not to do just with the assumption that we will not be able to do or the other aspect can be our inability to quantify the gain out of our investment( what ever kind it may). My plan to visit Shivapore was one such accomplishment which was hard to plan but believe me very easy and valuable to execute.You know we human race of the day in general believe in God but remember Him only when it is something unfavorable or critical in our lives. When time comes to plan for our whole future we never look for His wishes or his guidance. We read in His literatures (Whatever it may) that he is the best planner, but do we actually trust in him in very next step of our life. We take credit for what good comes to us and blame somebody, at times Him too for what harsh we encounter. Ok, my writing is bending towards some preaching document so let me pull it out but as a matter of fact , in every writing of mine I tend to epitomize my experience as a bestow to my life from my Lord. He keeps proving me that he is my God, though it is never required for him. But it lets me feel he is next to me. Visiting the Shivapore shrine was one such accomplishment of my life where I can say it is not for gain I went there but I went to lose. To lose what?? To lose dismay, disagreement and discontent of my life. And that is what I could do. There can be two approaches towards life. One in struggling on the way to achieve and keep achieving great targets and rewards. Second in striving to sideline negative notions, nonsense intentions and pneumatic downfalls. The second approach may not result in defining success but off course do result in define peace and harmony.With a vague information that this place is around 30 Km for Pune towards Bangalore, I just premeditated to go and personify my trust in God and Sufism. It was an awesome place to reach. Pune normally has very pleasant weather, and I could realize that it was further amusing on the day when I moved out to Qamar Ali Shah’s dargah. Amid huge greenery on then ways I was enjoying my ride. It was me only amalgamating with nature on the way… Awesome beauty of trees and plans, one national highway carved across as if made for each other. From the point I left township of Pune, I was enthralled by the surroundings. I kept of congratulating those great men who’s day and night toils would have paved the way for us. It was a way spreading across grass lands and then over the river and then into the mountain. This distance of 40 Km gave me an experience of all possible roadways adventure. Well I had to rally round to find and confirm my path but then it was an admirable job. I was alone and I had to ask from lot of people about my ways. I do not know Marathi so at times I was bit scared of asking about the ways, but it is great Maratha culture that not at single point I felt any kind of unexpected or improper gesture despite knowing the reality that I belong to Hindi belt of India.. I am yet to realize why some people want to suppress and defeat others rather than to win them beyond lingual and provincial precincts.It was my first experience to drive my bike inside a tunnel and that too happened to be of around one and half KM long. I did neither have the idea of length of the tunnel and for a minute, it appeared as if the tunnel is a black body absorbing the whole light of my bike. But then soon I came out of this fear and managed to move a head. After crossing the tunnel, I had to go approximately 6 KM more and there was an indication on the way to take turn for my destination i.e. the shrine of the great Sufi saint Qamar Ali Shah. They had Rs3 as some kind of entrance fee there. Well I could not realize sufficiently that where that money was actually going but anyways I gave it. Well like any other Muslim dominated areas, this was also not very cleaned or developed. Who is responsible is for these is a separate issue or more appropriately whose share is how much into this or like any other such areas in the country is a long smoldering and debatable subject. Let us leave that apart, but the point is that despite being an area full of underdog citizens of the country, it was full of humans all around. And it was hard to count or even to estimate the communal composition at that place. After traveling around for few minutes I could find out the exact grave of the legendary saint. Well some religions do have specific criteria for considering somebody as saint but beyond the religious definitions, there is something called as public’s manifestation for anything. And this was the declared and accepted sainthood for this great soul in the heaven. Well I went into the lap of his grave and felt as me being cared and me being looked and me being compassionated. Well it was not like to me that saint was giving any godly effect, because the moment I could think of it even in slightest possible manner I would be committing the most possible heinous sin of my faith and fraternity. But then what was that?? That I felt there. Off course it was the same Lord appreciating me for the work that I have done. Or for the pain I took and strived to reach there. Well the other way round is that myself was complimenting me for I have done something not as part of my religious or social gain but shear for spiritual appetite. And off course the result was spontaneous. I felt me being pious and protracted. Well to further satisfy my soul I remembered my God, thanked Him for rendering me this aspiration and actuality both. After being there for around an hour, moving around and feeling myself fortunate enough among the people around me there. Because there were people with ailment or sickness for which either the modern day science has no answer or very heavy answer (Irony!!!). And there it was free of cost. The only requirement there was to be humane from heart.If we exclude the encyclopedical definition for God, every individual has its own perception about He the almighty. Now under the case of Islam, Sufism has its own subset definition about God, which exhibits the faith and love based God rather than mechanical and constitutional kind of God. Where the stress remains with the basic fact that do not believe in God out of fear or greed but feel him as a compassionate and caring power who love you and you too love him.Sufistic insight does not prioritize any human over the other under any possible definition and this authority is left with Him only. So Sufi loves every human with same zeal and warmth. And that is the living reason why these saints all across the globe or I would say even beyond the globe too these beautiful people are regarded and respected with same echelon no matter where they are.With the deepest regard and most possible faith in the greatness of this saint, I started to return back. There was something added to my existence. I was more energetic and elated now. Probable because I was having a pride of achievement, a kind of satisfaction from my innersleves.. Well this way after traveling through the same old but highly refreshing and tranquilizing roads I came back to my flat. A flat which appears to be bored out of looking at just one face for last more than an year.

Will Only Muslims go to Heaven?

This is a very common question cropping in most of Muslim minds and in the minds of Non Muslims as well. Once during discussion with my wife, this cropped up in our minds also that will only Muslims go to Heaven?

As part of our religious teaching from very early days, we have lived with the notion that being a Muslim we are the sole future resident of heaven or I would say, the purpose of existence of heaven at all is just to provide an everlasting shelter to all Muslims in the world sooner or later.

Being a Sufi Muslim in my faith, approach, practice and advocacy, the existing clear cut answer to this question has always pondered me because it does not sound just that any xyz can enjoy the greatest possible reward to mankind only because he/she xyz is born in a Muslim family.

No faith can survive unless it is dynamic. And the simplest parameter to judge the dynamism of any faith is to see how efficiently it allows you to welcome the changes with arms open and never lets your values go. I consider Islam as a very dynamic faith and so here is my understanding of Islam and its purpose.

It may have been possible that during the infancy of Islam, to born as Muslim was a great achievement, nevertheless the same rule can not hold true today at all . We will see the reasons for this purport below.

All sorts of criticism helping us in finding out the answer to this question are more than appreciated. Nevertheless, howsoever reads this paper, must not fall in the doubt about my faith, love and respect for prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Also, I do not want to declare who will not go to heaven but want to explore who all can go.

In early days of Islam, every Muslim had to pay the cost of being Muslim in one or other ways, even to those who where Muslim only by name or under some kind greed or for any other reasons. But in today’s scenario, your faith is no longer your accomplishment; it is a free gift to us. And Allah can not give us any reward to any human on the basis of gifts which he has bestowed. If He is Allah, then he can not have manly dictatorial attitude of sycophancy. He is bounded of not doing injustice with anybody.

Every age has its own demands, challenges, and milestones. Adam (PBUH) was a Muslim, but Haj was not obligatory to him. Abraham (PBUH) was a Muslim but he did not come with a book. Likewise there were different requirements during Jesus (PBUH) and further different during Mohammad (PBUH). So conclusively for the Muslims during early days of Islam must have been given advantages of entering into Heaven, if they are born Muslim and so all Quranic texts and Hadiths references, must remain true in the very sense they appear, but now since our faith is not an achievement, we need to understand that wherever Allah refers to Muslim in Quran, or Muhammad (PBUH) in any kind of Hadiths it means three things.

1. Those two billion people Muslim population who are Muslims by their birth, name and faith.

2. Men and women, child and old, healthy and sick, all those who submit their will to one ever existing power of the universe.

3. All those who appreciate practice and propagate peace on the earth.

Thousand and five hundred years ago, all three categories were mostly overlapped therefore no doubt to brood about their doorway into Heaven. In today’s scenario ironically all these three categories, they do overlap to certain percentages, but a big percentage of each category does not overlap with any of the other two. And therefore we don’t have any right to discard any of these groups from entering into Heaven. Now depending upon how truly and deeply one is dipped into his category of being Muslim he will go to Heaven. But all of them are Muslims beyond doubt. Those who doubt this they should question why the name of this religion is given as Islam and nothing else. It could have been any name related to Muhammad (PBUH), as it was a known figure from the time of Adam. Why the most basic name of this religion is never referred as like “ Deen –e Ilah” or any kind of its synonym? And I personally challenge any linguistic similarity between the word Islam and Allah. On the contrary this word Islam has more social value than theological.

Let us ask this question from ourselves, and see what answer we find. If two children get candies in a lottery out of three and then can we judge that those two are better than the third child? I would say our sympathy will go with the third child.And that is what exactly the Sufi spirit of Islam teaches.

Ok. Now let us ask from ourselves one more question, if we leave Muslim populations in Kashmir/Gujarat/Palestine etc. apart. Have we paid a single penny for being born in a Muslim family? When NO, then how can we expect be rewarded for any cost we have not paid?

Now let us see what Islam means. Islam does not mean to worship Muhammad (PBUH). Islam obligates to obey Muhammad (PBUH). Now the only minimum and sufficient requirement to testify that one is believing and obeying Muhammad (PBUH) is to worship one invisible and Omnipotent God. Nothing can surpass this requirement and every other requirement comes after this. I strongly believe that no Muslim can disagree this.

Now let us examine what Quran says in this regard. I have placed Quranic support to my answer at later part after the logical investigation of this vital question as this is the final verdict.My entire writing is a junk if we have single line in Quran against it or my entire writing is testimonial of exuberance, if I can get support of single line from Quran. Well but, I would like to tell you that I am just a primary school student in this field, and would like take the very simple meaning of these verses from Quran.

1. Allah says:"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.," (2:62)

Here Allah says, those who believe in the words of God, and those who are Jews, Christian, Sabians (Followers of Zubur) , who ever believes in Allah, and believes in last day and does good work they have rewards. Now do we need any other decree to accept the fact Allah’s reward is never limited to only 2 billion Muslims of this world? Can Allah defy his promises? HE is Allah, HE can give more but not less for sure.

Let us see another manifestation of the same idea.

2. Almighty Says:"O people, We have created you from a male and female and made you into races and tribes so that you may know each other. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of God are those who are the most pious among you. And Allah knows every thing and is aware of every thing." (49:13)Here also Allah has never conditioned Muslimness for nobility. It is the piousness and which Allah only knows covering entire mankind beyond the boundaries of people with/out books even.

3. Let us see one more verse from Quran (Al – Maidah) in this regard."If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord, they would surely have been nourished from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them there are people who are moderate, but many of them are of evil conduct. (5:66)"

This verse of Quran is even announcing the fact that during the time this verse was revealed to prophet Muhhammad (PBUH), there were few people who were not of evil conduct. This is what Quran is declaring without any ambiguity to any mundane human.

4. Here is few more example of Allah’s will."God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleased; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. ( 4:48)"

Can anybody answer me if a person is innocent and always worshipped only one Almighty in his/her heart, but he never knew about prophet Muhammad (PBUH). What is the most likely situation for him, will he be forgiven by Allah or not?

5. One last support from Quran in this regard:"Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it". (99:7-8)"

As a matter of fact no body knows which sins will be forgiven and which won't. Every person Allah Almighty created will be judged uniquely. His life record will be played before him, and all of the good and bad deeds he committed will be pointed out for him. Allah Almighty will then decide on sentencing the person to Hell or Heaven: Then how can we live with presumption that only Muslim (Type1) will be forgiven and will be entered into Heaven.Above five verses are those which can be understood without any further deep study related to origin/time/ purpose of the verse when they were revealed to prophet Muhammad (PBUH).Although there is no need to provide any reference from Hadiths when we already have ample references from Quran to understand and conclude that Heaven is not reserved only for Muslims (Type1). Still let us take one well accepted hadiths from Sahi BukhariNarrated

Utban bin Malik Al – Ansari: who was one of the men of the tribe of Bani Salim: Allah’s Apostle came to me and said, “if anybody comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said: La ilaha illal-lah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will make the Hell-Fire forbidden for him.”Page# 76: To make the Heart Tender ( Ar-Riqaq).Hadith No. 431

Now, what does this hadith means? First Allah declared now His messenger is again validating the exactly same thing and if we still live in the dream that we are the landlords of Heaven then are we not directly denying what Allah wants and what His all apostles including prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has advised and practiced?

Well now its time to address one more question which is very natural to reap in our minds. If Non Muslims ( Type1) can enter into Heaven then why do Muslims are taking pain and offer five times Namaz, Keep fasts for one moths, give zakat and then abstain from alcohol, and there are lot of other restrictions which they impose upon themselves?

Well to address this question,Firstly let us try to understand one very common saying like “my problems are the biggest problems”. Likewise we have to accept the reality that it may not be true that what we do being a normal Muslim is always the toughest process we follow. There are people from other communities who understands somewhere deep in their heart the realty of One God and then they practice something much harder than us (Type1). What we follow is no doubt the best one and we have to understand that in its inheritance it is the easiest one.Secondly, since by its nature Islam is a social religion with a very balanced way of life without any extremes, it expects its followers to abide by certain rules and discipline, which have more social and collective worldly but real benefits than any supernatural mileages. After all for supernatural mileages it is always more of your intentions than the action.

Ok, let us now just see one last aspect of answering this question “If only Muslims will go to Heaven?” and then I will sum up my writing.Most of the Type1 Muslims live in the world where they are not the only people living all around, now if you live with this notion that only you will go to heaven , you are going to transfer same ideology to your kids and your students and all younger generations. You are propagating something for which you yourself is not very clear, if not very sure that you will not be the only resident of heaven.

What is happening? At internal front you and your son will start developing antipathy for other humans around you and at external front this will be automatically getting reflected from your approach and attitude, which is actually happening everywhere because we are going away and far away from the real teaching of Islam which is the Sufi teaching. Now please don’t ask me to elaborate the far longing consequences of this feeling.

It is abundant every where in this world despite following facts.

1. Muslims as a community are more united and brotherly connected than any other community in the world.

2. Muslims as a community do maximum charity in terms of Zakat than any other community in the world.

3. Muslims as a community have the maximum number of non alcoholic in the world.

4. Muslims as a community have least adultery and dowry cases.

Yet we are the most hated community in the world today!!!!!