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pay the penance. So, tell me, is it better to be pardoned after paying
such a penance or is it better to gain salvation without suffering any
punishment, by choosing a life of good virtues and regular repentance?”
This time Arifa answered, and in turn asked a question from Saleh,
“It is obvious what is the better way, but what was really meant by the
reference to the last Prophet’s intercession”?
“If the Prophet’s intercession had meant that people could get
pardoned even if they had no good deeds to their credit, then the
Qur’an would not have even mentioned anything about righteous
deeds. Instead, all that would have been necessary would have been a
simple statement by the Prophet in the Qur’an, advising people to
believe in him in exchange for unquestionable intercession in the
Hereafter”, Saleh answered the question.
“This was in fact the faith of the Christians, and see how they have
paid for it today”, Naimah commented.
Saleh agreed with her, “We know that no such thing had been
mentioned in Qur’an. On the contrary, all the emphasis was upon
having true faith and doing righteous deeds to go to Paradise. As for the
Hadith, whatever was mentioned in them about intercession would
have been crystal clear and consistent, had people tried to understand
them in the light of the Qur’an; the latter of course, was the ultimate
source of guidance in such matters”.
“And what is the truth”? Jamshaid asked.
“The truth is that today, all the sinners have received due
punishment for their sins. Thereafter, the last Prophet’s prayer resulted
in the possibility for the salvation for the people. The first time it
happened was when he prayed to the Almighty to initiate the
accountability of the humanity. As a result, people were relieved from
the agonising stay in the Plane of Judgement. The second instance when
intercession took place was when he, along with the rest of the
prophets, gave testimony about the teachings that they had passed on
to their people. This testimony resulted in salvation for those whose
actions, on the whole, were in accordance with these teachings.”
“People like me!” Leila commented.
“Yes, people like you benefitted from that intercession. The third
time the Prophet
PBUH
“I have a question”, Anwar asked Saleh. “If everyone is being
pardoned only after receiving full punishment, then it is being done as
per the norms of justice. What is the role of our Lord’s mercy and
kindness in it”?
will intercede will be when the accountability of
certain people will be adjourned. Their accountability will be delayed
until the very end, and they will continue to suffer the consequences of
their sins in the Plane of Judgement. He will pray for them repeatedly,
however, he will only be allowed to say anything in their favour when
the Almighty decides that the time for their accountability is
appropriate, in accordance with his infinite knowledge and wisdom.
Thus, following the request of the Prophet, their accountability will start
that may lead to their salvation. All this will happen at the very end
when these people will already have been heavily punished for their
misdeeds, thereby becoming eligible for forgiveness, on account of their
good deeds and belief in one God.”
“This is a very good question,” Saleh replied. “If the Almighty were
to deal with these sinners only on the basis of his justice, then their
appropriate punishment would be to go to Hell. The punishments in
Hell are hundreds of thousands of times worse than the hardships of
the Plane of Judgement. According to the rules of justice, all such
people should have been sent to Hell. It is the manifestation of God’s
mercy that he will accept these tribulations as a substitute for the
punishment in Hell. Hence, his attributes of compassion and justice
have become manifest simultaneously.”
As Saleh finished, Jamshaid exclaimed, “So, this is the fact of the
matter! I had remained under this misconception that intercession
meant that no matter how many sins we committed, the Prophet
PBUH
“This line of thinking is against the very concept of God’s justice. It
was a misconception that arose because people did not read the Qur’an
with due regard to its meanings.
and other pious people would save us in the Hereafter”.
Salvation can only be a consequence of good deeds and true faith.
As for forgiveness, it is only granted because of God’s beneficence.
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