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Ahmad Nooruddeen Jahangeer Khan,
London, UK
Three theoretical physicists shared a Nobel Prize in 1979. Whilst they were incredibly successful in their contributions to the electroweak unification theory, as a team, their worldview on religion was anything but unified.
One of them, Sheldon Glashow, described himself as a ‘practising atheist’, whilst another, Steven Weinberg, famously said:
‘With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil – that takes religion.’
But interestingly, the third, Dr Abdus Salam, pointed out in an interview with New Scientist:
‘Every human being needs religion…this deeper religious feeling is one of the primary urges of mankind.’
Dr Abdus Salam actually saw religion as not only compatible with scientific pursuit, but essential for understanding mankind’s purpose. In this way, he was able to use his faith as the drive and catalyst to achieve the very same accolades as his peers. Yet the debate about whether science and religion can co-exist has raged on for centuries, with many, such as Weinberg, finding this stance to be strange, claiming that religion is the antithesis and a hurdle to progress, and that without it, mankind would be better off.
Perhaps it is true that one does not need to be religious to attain renown in this world. While an atheist can certainly possess morals such as kindness, sympathy, and forgiveness, there will always be something that religion can offer that atheism cannot – something that is fundamentally incompatible with its philosophy, something that can shape the very lives we live. What if there is another life after we die? Will our actions in this world determine our fate? And if so, what will happen to us?
Today, the world is rapidly moving towards a ‘live now, pay later’ lifestyle, but what if we actually have to pay in ways we cannot imagine? This is where religion provides answers, while atheism falls short.
Let us then take a look at the different concepts of punishment in the hereafter that world religions present and if there is a way to avoid them.
The Concept of Punishment in the Hereafter in Major Religions
Judaism
In the Tanakh, there are several references to a sort of underworld called ‘Sheol’ or ‘Hades’. Some are of the opinion that this ‘dark and deep pit’ is where the wicked go and are cut off from God. Others, however, claim that there is no real concept of judgment or reward attached to this abode, and it is a place where every soul goes after death. In any case, in Job 7:9-10 we read:
‘As the cloud fades and vanishes, so those who go down to Sheol do not come up; they return no more to their houses, nor do their places know them any more.’
Having reached Sheol, if a soul is judged to have lived a life of sin, it will then pass onto ‘Gehinnom’ or ‘Gehenna’, which is viewed as a purgatory-like state where souls go to be purified from their sins. Some Jewish people describe this as a ‘spiritual washing machine’. As for how long a person remains there, the Talmud explains that the duration of this punishment is twelve months, thus showing that hell is only a temporary abode. Hence, if a person has failed to repent in this life, salvation can certainly be attained only after they have been completely purified.
Christianity
There are many references to hell in the Bible, which describe the manner in which the inmates will be treated, but also the duration for which they will remain there. The concept of hell stems from the concept of ‘original sin’, i.e., the sin of Adam and Eve, which was passed down to all. Christians believe that the only way to be saved from sin is to repent, believe Jesus as their only saviour, and follow his teachings. This is clear in John 3:36:
‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.’
Unlike the Jewish concept, hell here is forever, and once you enter it, there is no turning back, as is evident in Matthew 25:46:
‘And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’
Seeing as Jesus is believed to have only come once to atone for the sins of mankind, it is generally believed that once a person enters hell, they will not have the chance anymore to repent. Salvation therefore lies in repentance in this life and the belief in Jesus as the saviour for all mankind.
Hinduism
According to Hindu scriptures, the soul is eternal and goes through a cycle or birth, death and rebirth, until they attain Moksha (liberation). Depending on one’s deeds, there are two other realms which a soul can go to after they die, neither of which is permanent. One realm is called ‘Savrga’, likened to heaven, where souls of the righteous go to experience bliss. They then return to the world as a high form of life, such as humans. The other realm is called ‘Naraka’, where souls face punishment as a result of their sins. One of the Sanskrit texts called the Garuda Purana (very graphically) describes various tortures meted out to sinners there, each punishment corresponding to a specific wrongdoing. And then, following this description, it mentions:
‘Having experienced in due order the torments below, he comes here again, purified.’ [1]
Emphasis is given on personal responsibility and the pursuit of dharma, or righteous conduct. Unlike the eternal hell of Christianity, Naraka is a temporary phase. There is more emphasis on the good deeds one carries out to determine when they are released from this hell. Once their karmic debt is repaid, they then return to the world as a lower form of life, such as an animal or plant. And the cycle goes on until they are one with God.
Islam
Islam claims that only God is Eternal, and it emphasises that there is no return to this world once a person dies. Allah Almighty tests a person in this life to see if they choose to live a life of righteousness or a life of sin. He grants His favour to all of His creation in this world, but He grants from His special grace and blessings to those who choose to follow His commandments, accepts their prayers and gives them glad tidings for the next life.
Where Islam excels from all other religions in this regard is that it has beautifully described how both heaven and hell begin in this very life – something which no other religion has set forth. Allah Almighty states, ‘But for him who fears to stand before his Lord there are two Gardens.’ [2] This means that when a person gives up their selfish desires for the sake of God and leads a life of virtue, they achieve peace of mind, bliss and freedom from the anxieties that come with the pursuit of worldly gains. This taste of joy and comfort is then amplified greatly in the next life when they enter the gardens of paradise, as they become God’s and God becomes theirs. Hence, the reality of paradise is that it is a reflection of one’s faith and actions in this life.
On the other hand, when people move away from God Almighty and follow their selfish desires, they begin to burn from the fire of worldly pursuits and all the woes and anxieties that come with them. This is the hell they bring about for themselves in this life, and they blind themselves from finding God Almighty and the true pleasure that lies in following His path. Just as one’s pleasure in paradise is amplified greatly, the soul that enters the hellfire will experience the spiritual ailments they felt in this life to a much greater degree. Hence, Islam lays great emphasis on faith and good deeds, both of which go hand in hand. But ultimately, it is the grace of God which grants one entry into paradise.
This deep connection between this life and the hereafter highlights another distinguishing factor of the Islamic teachings: it describes both Jannah (heaven) and Jahannam (hell) as places for continuous advancement to higher stages. Just as we progress in this life, whereby we create a heaven or hell by way of our actions, that progression will continue in the next life.
To illustrate this, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) has mentioned that there are eight gates of heaven. Regarding the different stages of heaven, he stated, ‘In Paradise, there are one hundred levels; what is between every two levels is like what is between the heavens and the earth.’[3] What do these gates and levels refer to? The gates of heaven actually correspond to different good deeds, such as offering prayer, giving charity, fasting, etc. The more one acts upon these deeds, the more likely they are to pass through one of these doors to paradise. The hundred levels of paradise demonstrate that the more one excels in their faith and good deeds, the higher the rank they will attain. This progression will continue, enabling one to ascend from one level to another.
Similar is the case with hell, where there are seven gates, each corresponding to seven different vices. (Yes, there is one more for heaven for good reason, which I will get to shortly.) The notion of progression in this abode is similar to that of Judaism where one is cleansed and purified for their sins. The Holy Qur’an actually states that for those whose scales will be light on the Day of Judgement, i.e., who had committed more evil deeds than they did good, ‘Hell will be his nursing mother.’ [4] An interesting choice of words. The First Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Maulwi Hakim Nooruddin (ra) has explained this in the following manner:
‘To refer to hell [hawiyah] as a mother [umm] points to the fact that one is attached to the mother until one is fully developed and trained. After having received the training, one is separated from the mother. This word [umm] indicates that the inmates of hell will be delivered from it after having lived in it for a long period of time.’[5]
The reality is that one will eventually leave hell and join paradise, but only after having been fully rid of their spiritual ailment. This is where the extra gate of heaven also comes in because if there was an even amount of gates, it would not account for God Almighty’s mercy. Allah Almighty states, ‘Verily, my mercy prevails over My wrath.’[6] This shows that even if the wicked are sent to hell for what may feel like an eternity, the mercy of God Almighty will one day come into play and that extra divine door of mercy will be their path to the gardens of paradise. This is also supported by the fact that the Holy Prophet (sa) said that a time will come when hell will be emptied of all sinners.[7]
Interestingly, the holy month of Ramadan adds another piece to this equation. The Holy Prophet (sa) has said in relation to this:
‘When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened, and the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are chained.’[8]
In other words, during this month of increased blessings, one has the opportunity to gain greater reward, experience greater acceptance of their prayers, and be saved from the inclination to commit sin.
Furthermore, the final ten days of Ramadan can bring about one’s salvation from hell. To help us focus our attention on this, the Holy Prophet (sa) taught a special prayer to recite during these days, ‘O Allah, save me from the fire of hell.’ Hence, one is encouraged to follow the practice of the Holy Prophet (sa) during these days by fortifying their prayers, elevating their standard of worship and increasing their seeking of forgiveness. This is how one can be saved from the hellfire.
During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims also perform a spiritual retreat called I’tikaf. Details of this are mentioned in the next article titled The Power of Prayer Research Project: A Study of Prayer.
Furthermore, a special night called Lailat al-Qadr is found only in the last ten days of Ramadan, in which one can attain countless blessings. To read about this, find the article titled Layla-tul-Qadr – ‘Night of Decree’ on The Review of Religions website.[9]
Can We Still Avoid Hell Without Religion?
Having analysed what world religions say about hell and if there is a chance to be safe from it, we find that there are most certainly differing views, but they all agree that our best chance is to be moral human beings. However, without religion, morality becomes subjective. With religion, one can understand what actually constitutes a moral act. The Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) has explained that an action in itself is a natural impulse. But when displayed at the appropriate time and place, it becomes moral. Giving the example of punishing a wrongdoer, the Promised Messiah (as) explains:
‘The Qur’an does not teach non-resistance to evil on all occasions, or that mischief makers and wrongdoers should never be punished. Its teaching is that one must consider whether the occasion calls for forgiveness or punishment, and to adopt the course which would be best in the interests both of the offender and the public. Sometimes an offender turns away from wrongdoing in consequence of being forgiven, and sometimes forgiveness incites him to further wrongdoing. Therefore, God Almighty directs that we should not develop the habit of forgiving blindly on all occasions, but should consider carefully whether forgiveness or punishment would be most appropriate, and, therefore, a virtue, in each particular case, and should adopt that course.’[10]
One can argue that they know where and when to display morals, but the question remains as to where humanity has learnt this from. Many ask the question that if morality comes from religion, then why are so many religious people acting in an immoral manner? His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), the current Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, has spoken about where humanity learnt morals from, and what happens when you truly follow religion. He says:
‘Every prophet taught morals, which demonstrates that the basis for morals stems from religion. And so, in this regard, we can say that those who learned good morals did so through religion. It is a completely different matter when they say that they do not believe in God or in religion. The fact of the matter is that there are people who develop morals without believing in any religion, but Allah the Almighty states that if you believe in religion, fulfil His rights and possess good morals, then He will reward you manifold. This is why Allah the Almighty has mentioned in the Holy Qur’an that those who believe in religion and offer salat [prayer], but if they do not fulfil the rights of the poor, do not speak the truth, if they are involved in quarrels, if they usurp the rights of others, then God will not accept their worship and they will be sent to hell. Thus, Allah the Almighty has made this clear Himself that it is not only sufficient to believe in religion, but good morals are also paramount…However, one who believes in religion and adopts good morals – we believe that the real life is the life of the hereafter – will be rewarded by Allah the Almighty manifold in the hereafter, and this reward will not be afforded to those who do not believe in religion.’[11]
In short, in light of the Islamic teachings, one can be a moral person to avoid hell and enter paradise, but we would be doing a great disservice to ourselves if we forsake the very tools which guide us to the destination and enable us to gain a much greater reward.
Going through life without true religion is equivalent to attempting to traverse a perilous ocean in order to reach a remote island of eternal peace. A believer is like a person with a well-equipped lifeboat, a compass to guide him, an experienced navigator, and the provisions which help him to steer clear of dangers and stay on course. Without a religion, one has to attempt the journey while devoid of a lifeboat. While they might reach the island with immense struggle, the risk is increased exponentially.
Steven Weinberg got it almost spot on.
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to attain salvation – that takes religion.
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About the Author: Ahmad Nooruddeen Jahangeer Khan is an Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and serves on the editorial board of The Review of Religions.
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ENDNOTES
1. Garuda Purana, 3:49-71.
2. The Holy Qur’an, 55:47.
3. Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2531.
4. The Holy Qur’an, 101:10.
5. Hazrat Maulwi Hakim Nooruddin (ra), Haqa’iq-ul-Furqan, Vol. IV, p. 446.
6. Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7422.
7. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Our Teaching (Farnham, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2018), 41.
8. Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1899.
9. Adam Walker, “Layla-tul-Qadr – ‘Night of Decree’”, The Review of Religions, September 1, 2009. https://www.reviewofreligions.org/244/layla-tul-qadr-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98night-of-decree%e2%80%99/
10. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2010), 60.
11. This Week With Huzoor – 3rd January 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXJWo-ryZLw&t=76s&ab_channel=MTANews
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