Concept of Ascension in Qur'an

 

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The concept of Meraj (also known as the Night Journey or Ascension) is an important event in Islamic tradition, which refers to the journey of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to the heavens and beyond. It is believed to have taken place in the year 621 CE, during the early years of Islam, when the Prophet was in Mecca.

The story of Meraj is narrated in the Quran and Hadith (the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad). According to the accounts, the journey began when the Prophet was asleep in the house of his cousin, Umme Hani. The Angel Gabriel (Jibreel) appeared to him in his dream and brought him a winged horse called Buraq. The Prophet mounted the Buraq, which had the speed of lightning, and traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem in the blink of an eye.

Upon reaching Jerusalem, the Prophet alighted from the Buraq and led the other prophets in prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. After that, he was taken on a spiritual journey through the seven heavens, where he met various prophets and angels and received revelations from Allah (God). Each heaven was more magnificent than the previous one, and the Prophet saw wonders that no human had ever seen before.

Finally, the Prophet reached the highest point of the heavens, where he met Allah himself and received the commandments of Islam, including the daily prayers (Salah) and the obligation of fasting (Sawm) during the month of Ramadan. He also saw Paradise and Hell and the souls of the deceased being rewarded or punished according to their deeds.

After the journey, the Prophet returned to Jerusalem and then to Mecca, where he narrated the events to the people. The concept of Meraj is significant in Islamic theology as it affirms the Prophet's prophethood, strengthens the believers' faith, and emphasizes the importance of prayer and spiritual purification. It also highlights the transcendental nature of Allah and the unseen world, which are beyond human comprehension.

Connection of Meraaj to Modern World

Meraaj is said to have been connected with modern concepts also. Although exact explanation of Prophet's Ascension to Jannah in scientific terms is not available, for the reason that science is not truly capable of explaining each and every happenings in and around the universe. Many scientific explanations are hypothetical and Scientists simply hold that the occurence may be due to this reason or that lacking in their abilities to provide any acceptable conclusions. However, science do affirm the possibilities of Time Travel and the journeys through worm whole. The time travel thery of science itself is an unexplainable phenomenon, for no scientific evidence has been gathered as yet. From religious viewpoints Meraaj or Ascension to Jannah could have been possible out of the Will of Almighty but sometimes scientists attach it or simply explain it as Time Travel to higher altitudes while in Islamic literature it is explicitly mentioned that Time had been stopped to pursue journey towards heavens. 

Worm whole theory is also not flawless rather said to have been based on useless assumptions.  Muhammad sahab never claimed to have been scientist or astronomer in its typical sense. He simply claimed himself to be messenger from God. He was even among non literate people. Although even today in Muslim World only prophecy is attached with him.Meeraj is in no way the result of scientific phenomenon rather it happened purely due to the Will of Almighty although having practical implications for modern world.

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Dreadful Consequences of the Communities, the Aad and the Thamud

 

According to Islamic theory, the sins of a community can have dreadful consequences that affect not only the individuals who committed the sins but also the entire community as a whole. Two communities mentioned in Islamic history that suffered the consequences of their sins are the community of Aad and the community of Thamud.

The community of Aad is believed to have been a powerful and prosperous civilization that inhabited the land of Al-Ahqaf, which is located in present-day Yemen. They were blessed with many blessings from Allah, such as fertile lands, abundant water, and massive structures that they built for themselves.

However, the Aad people turned away from Allah and started to engage in sinful behavior. They indulged in idol worship, oppression, and arrogance towards their fellow human beings. Despite being warned by the Prophet Hud to turn back towards Allah, they refused to listen and continued their sinful ways.

As a consequence of their sins, Allah sent a powerful windstorm that lasted for seven nights and eight days, which destroyed everything in its path, including the Aad people and their massive structures. The community of Aad was wiped out, and their once-thriving civilization was reduced to ruins.

Similarly, the community of Thamud, who lived in the land of Al-Hijr in present-day Saudi Arabia, also turned away from Allah and indulged in sinful behavior such as idol worship, greed, and injustice towards their fellow human beings. They were warned by the Prophet Saleh to turn back towards Allah and leave their sinful ways.

However, they also refused to listen and continued their sinful ways. As a consequence of their sins, Allah sent a severe earthquake that destroyed their civilization, and they were left in ruins.

The dreadful consequences of the sins of these two communities serve as a warning to all Muslims to turn towards Allah and avoid sinful behavior. The Quranic stories of Aad and Thamud remind us of the importance of following Allah's commands and avoiding sinful behavior to avoid similar consequences in our lives and communities.

Athiest, Polytheistic and Hypocrites

 

Three concepts named atheist, polytheistic and hypocrites  are prominently described in Islamic scriptures.  In Islam, atheism and polytheism are classified as unforgivable great sins.  Under Islam, belief in other life beyond this life has also been expressed and this present life on earth has been termed as temporary and life beyond earth as permanent life.  According to Islamic belief, every human being in the world will have to live a permanent life after a temporary life.  The nature of the permanent life of a human being will be determined on the basis of the deeds done in the present life.  That is, if good deeds are done in the present life, then in the world of permanent life beyond the earth world, with all kinds of material comforts, one will get supreme bliss and if misdeeds are done, then there will be immense suffering and chastisement.

Under the religion of Islam, the good deeds of atheists, polytheists and hypocrites will not be counted for a permanent life beyond this life, but if the atheists, polytheists or hypocrites have done any good deeds, then its fruit will be given to them in this world.  Nowadays, atheists, polytheists and hypocrites can often be seen making a lot of progress.  Their progress is due to the good deeds done by them in the present life, but such persons do not have any share in the permanent world beyond this life, but in the permanent world, they will have to bear immense sufferings and chastisement forever and ever.  Similarly, many theists and monotheists can be seen in the present world suffering immense sufferings and chastisement, seeing which many polytheistic Hindus say that all these people are enjoying the fruits of the sins committed in their previous lives, whereas in reality it is  It happens that theists and monotheists who are being chastised are being tried by God.  This chastisement of them is only for a short time because of the effort.  If the believers and monotheists exercise restraint during chastisement and do not do anything short of praising God, then they get a lot of merit from it, which becomes the reason for their ultimate bliss in the permanent world.

Under the Islamic view, an atheist is one who denies the existence of God, a polytheist is one who believes in the existence of God but does not believe in the unlimited power of God and believes in gods and gurus equal to or more than God, or  He considers the creations or things created by God as equal to God, a hypocrite is one who believes in polytheism but pretends to be a monotheist to mislead the monotheists.  According to the Islamic point of view, atheists, polytheists and hypocrites will be subjected to persecution forever.  But there are also many levels of chastisement.  The treacherous will deserve the highest level of chastisement.  They will be kept in a very narrow place in Hades, tied with chains and shackles.  If they ask for water, they will be welcomed with boiling hot water.  And if you ask for food out of hunger, you will be fed the fruit of a thorny tree called Zakhum which will get stuck in their throat and this will cause severe pain to the hypocrites.

नास्तिक, बहुदेववादी व कपटाचारी नामक तीन अवधारणाओं का इस्लामी धर्मग्रंथों में प्रमुखता से वर्णन किया गया है। इस्लाम धर्म में नास्तिकता, व बहुदेववाद को अक्षम्य महापाप की श्रेणी में रखा गया है। इस्लाम धर्म के अंतर्गत इस जीवन के परे दूसरे जीवन में भी विश्वास व्यक्त किया गया है तथा पृथ्वी पर के इस वर्तमान जीवन को अस्थाई व पृथ्वी से परे जीवन को स्थायी जीवन की संज्ञा दी गयी है। इस्लामी मान्यता के अनुसार संसार के प्रत्येक मानव को अस्थाई जीवन के पश्चात स्थायी जीवन जीना होगा। मानव के स्थायी जीवन का स्वरूप वर्तमान जीवन में किए गए कर्मों के आधार पर निर्धारित होगा। अर्थात यदि वर्तमान जीवन में यदि सद्कर्म किए जाएंगे तो पृथ्वीलोक से परे स्थायी जीवन वाले लोक में प्रत्येक प्रकार की भौतिक  सुख सुविधाओं के साथ परम् आनंद की प्राप्ति होगी और यदि दुष्कर्म किए होंगे तो अपार कष्ट व ताड़ना की प्राप्ति होगी।

इस्लाम धर्म के अंतर्गत नास्तिकों , बहुदेववादियों व कपटाचारियों के सत्कर्मों की गणना इस जीवन से परे स्थायी जीवन हेतु नहीं की जाएगी बल्कि यदि नास्तिको, बहुदेववादियों या कपटाचारियों ने यदि कोई सद्कर्म किया भी है तो उसका फल उन्हें इसी संसार में प्रदान कर दिया जाएगा। आजकल प्रायः नास्तिको, बहुदेववादियों तथा कपटाचारियों को बहुत तरक्क़ी करते हुए देखा जा सकता है। उनकी यह तरक़्की उनके द्वारा वर्तमान जीवन में किए गए सत्कर्मों के कारण होती है पर एसे व्यक्तियों का इस जीवन से परे स्थायी लोक में कोई हिस्सा नहीं होता बल्कि स्थायी लोक में तो उन्हें हमेशा हमेशा के लिए अपार कष्टों व ताड़ना ही सहनी पड़ेगी। इसी प्रकार बहुत से आस्तिकों व एकेश्वरवादियों को वर्तमान संसार में अपार कष्टों व ताड़ना को सहते हुए देखा जा सकता है, जिसे देखकर बहुत से बहुदेववादी  हिन्दू कहते हैं कि यह सब लोग अपने पूर्व जन्मों में किए गए पापों का फल भोग रहे हैं जबकि वास्तविकता यह होती है कि ताड़ना झेल रहे आस्तिकों व एकेश्वरवादियों को ईश्वर द्वारा आज़माया जा रहा होता है। उनकी यह ताड़ना आज़माए जाने के कारण थोड़े समय के लिए ही होती है। यदि ताड़ना के दौरान आस्तिक व एकेश्वरवादी संयम बरतते हैं व ईश्वर की स्तुति में कोई कमी नहीं करते तो उन्हें इसका बहुत अधिक पुण्य प्राप्त होता है जो स्थायी लोक में उनके परम् आनंद का कारण बनता है।

इस्लामी दृष्टिकोण के अंतर्गत नास्तिक वह है जो ईश्वर के अस्तित्व को ही नकार दे, बहुदेववादी वह है जो ईश्वर के अस्तित्व में तो विश्वास करे परन्तु ईश्वर की असीमित शक्ति में विश्वास न करे व ईश्वर के समकक्ष या अधिक देवी देवताओं व गुरुओं में विश्वास करे या वह ईश्वर द्वारा कृत कृतियों या वस्तुओं को ईश्वर के समकक्ष माने, कपटाचारी वह है जो विश्वास तो बहुदेववाद में करे पर एकेश्वरवादियों को गुमराह करने हेतु एकेश्वरवादी होने का ढोंग करे। इस्लामी दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार नास्तिक, बहुदेववादी एवं कपटाचारी हमेशा के लिए यातना सहते रहेंगे। पर ताड़ना के भी अनेक स्तर होते हैं। सबसे अधिक स्तर की ताड़ना के हक़दार होंगे कपटाचारी। उन्हें बहुत ही संकरे स्थान पर पाताललोक में ज़ंजीरों व बेड़ियों से जकड़ कर रखा जाएगा। पानी मांगेंगे तो खौलते हुए गर्म पानी से उनकी मेहमानी की जाएगी। और यदि भूख से तड़प कर खाना मांगेंगे तो ज़खूम नामक कांटेदार वृक्ष का फल खिलाया जाएगा जो उनके गले में अटक जाएगा और इससे कपटाचारियों  को सख्त पीढ़ा की अनुभूति होगी।