3:85 and the Concept of Kufr
Question:
Assalam alikum
I saw answers for 7:172 -173 and I know the answer to the word kafir who knowingly reject the truth and I agree with all the answers to these answers but I have a problem with 3:85 because this verse makes it sound like any non monotheism people like atheist and pagan even if they don't hear or know the truth or hear the wrong stuff of islam or monotheist will go to hell but i know that's not right so if you could help me out with this question that would be great.
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum
I am glad that you question your take of the verse because it does not rationally make sense to you. This is how we need to approach the Qur’an.
Consider two things:
1. The addressees of the verse are primarily the people of the book in Arabia (Medina in particular) at the time of the prophet (pbuh). Look at the earlier verses (70 onward) to understand this. The verse is saying to these people (who already knew God and prophets) that if they assume an attitude other than full submission to God (Islam), then they will be in trouble in the hereafter.
2. What does Islam actually means in this verse (3:85)? It means submission to God (look at the instances of using it in the same chapter). What is God? God is the ultimate truth. Now imagine a person at our time who with all honesty does not recognise this ultimate truth. What is happening? For him, this ultimate truth is replaced with another truth that may be false or may be incomplete. He however by mistake sees this as an ultimate truth. He therefore fully submits himself to his (wrong) perception of ultimate truth. As you see, he still has the attitude of islam (full submission) although it is misplaced. Based on what I understand from the Qur’an, hell is place for arrogant (16:29, 39:60, 72, 40:76). The scenario that I just illustrated here is not the scenario of an arrogant person. It is the scenario of a person who does the attitude of islam, although due to reasons other than arrogance, it is misplaced. The general principle in the Qur'an still holds and supersedes any other principle in this regard, that is, God does not expect more than what is within a person't capability (2:286) and that therefore a person's honesty (sidq) will benefit the person in the hereafter, even if that person has arrived on a wrong understanding (5:119). It is only a misguidance due to arrogance that can make the person qualified for the hell fire (16:29, 39:60, 72, 40:76).
In number 1 above I tried to answer your question based on a textual observation, while in number 2 I tried to answer it based on a conceptual observation. Both observations as you see are derived from the Qur’an.
--------
September 2016
Assalam alikum
I saw answers for 7:172 -173 and I know the answer to the word kafir who knowingly reject the truth and I agree with all the answers to these answers but I have a problem with 3:85 because this verse makes it sound like any non monotheism people like atheist and pagan even if they don't hear or know the truth or hear the wrong stuff of islam or monotheist will go to hell but i know that's not right so if you could help me out with this question that would be great.
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum
I am glad that you question your take of the verse because it does not rationally make sense to you. This is how we need to approach the Qur’an.
Consider two things:
1. The addressees of the verse are primarily the people of the book in Arabia (Medina in particular) at the time of the prophet (pbuh). Look at the earlier verses (70 onward) to understand this. The verse is saying to these people (who already knew God and prophets) that if they assume an attitude other than full submission to God (Islam), then they will be in trouble in the hereafter.
2. What does Islam actually means in this verse (3:85)? It means submission to God (look at the instances of using it in the same chapter). What is God? God is the ultimate truth. Now imagine a person at our time who with all honesty does not recognise this ultimate truth. What is happening? For him, this ultimate truth is replaced with another truth that may be false or may be incomplete. He however by mistake sees this as an ultimate truth. He therefore fully submits himself to his (wrong) perception of ultimate truth. As you see, he still has the attitude of islam (full submission) although it is misplaced. Based on what I understand from the Qur’an, hell is place for arrogant (16:29, 39:60, 72, 40:76). The scenario that I just illustrated here is not the scenario of an arrogant person. It is the scenario of a person who does the attitude of islam, although due to reasons other than arrogance, it is misplaced. The general principle in the Qur'an still holds and supersedes any other principle in this regard, that is, God does not expect more than what is within a person't capability (2:286) and that therefore a person's honesty (sidq) will benefit the person in the hereafter, even if that person has arrived on a wrong understanding (5:119). It is only a misguidance due to arrogance that can make the person qualified for the hell fire (16:29, 39:60, 72, 40:76).
In number 1 above I tried to answer your question based on a textual observation, while in number 2 I tried to answer it based on a conceptual observation. Both observations as you see are derived from the Qur’an.
--------
September 2016
