The covid pandemic affected every aspect of our lives, including religion. The authors Swami Agnivesh and Valson Thampu made an excellent point in an article published in The Indian Express dated June 30, 2020:
‘It looks as though the COVID pandemic has come to emancipate us from this subhuman religiosity. (…). The virus has undermined every aspect of priest-driven religiosity. (…). 'Post'-COVID, religion must be God-centered and priest-free, unburdened with places of worship. Worship, free from rituals, dogmas, deception and priestly hypocrisy, must nourish life.’
The religions promulgated by the priestly class as just a set of strict rituals and incantations have proven to be null and void. It was pure narrow-mindedness to differentiate between people as ‘us’ and ‘them’. Every religious community claims to be the chosen people of God. This pandemic proved that all are equal before God. The covid pandemic brought to the fore the essential aspect of religion. Religion should be based on reason, spirituality, universal brotherhood, and the welfare of humankind.
The pandemic must make us realize that our life, this earth, and everything in the universe is a gift from God. He can take it away whenever He wants. It must make us realise how the spectacular achievements in the field of science and technology widen the canvas of God-realization. It must teach us the necessity of peace and brotherhood. It must make us grateful for the amazing planet Earth with its life-support system, and learn lessons from nature to lead us on the journey of the realization of God, our Supreme Benefactor.
Further, it should make us realise that for humankind to survive and thrive on this planet, the most important need is ‘peace’. We need peace between human beings and peace between humans and nature. We need to treat with utmost care every object of the universe. Every aspect of nature plays an integral part in keeping this planet human-friendly. In our zeal for luxurious life and entertainment, we should not forget that our habits are harming the ecosystem. It is time to live responsibly.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2021
The word kafir has never been used in the Quran to mean either a non-Muslim or an infidel. In fact, this term was applied solely to contemporaries of the Prophet. Kafir (pl. kuffar) was used to refer to those people who had completely understood the true message of Islam and refused to believe in it due to stubbornness. The Prophet peacefully conveyed to them the divine message over a long period of time, but they refused to follow the truth of his words. God, therefore, declared those people, the contemporaries of the Prophet as kuffar that is, the deniers. The use of the word kafir for anyone other than the contemporaries of the Prophet is not permissible.
The most important point to be grasped on this subject is that the word kafir denotes an individual rather than a certain race or community. It is in no way a group appellation. However, the generally held view is that one who is not a Muslim is kafir. This is an entirely baseless supposition. The word kafir is not synonymous with non-Muslim or a non-Muslim community.
Being a kafir is a matter of the heart, which God alone knows and therefore no person has any right to accuse a fellow human of being kafir. Kafir was a term of reference, restricted in place and time, and which is no longer relevant today. Now all are equally human beings and they have to be dealt with as human beings.
There is a relevant story in the life of the Prophet of Islam that aptly illustrates this principle. The Prophet of Islam migrated from Makkah to Madinah in 622 AD at which time there were some Jewish tribes living in Madinah. One day it happened that the Prophet of Islam, seated at that time, saw a funeral procession passing through a street in Madinah. On seeing the funeral, he stood up in deference.
One of his Companions said, ‘O Prophet! That was the funeral of a Jew, not a Muslim.’ The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1312, 1313)
The Prophet could discover a commonality between himself and a Jew because both were human beings and creations of God.
Present-day Muslims often callously use the term kafir. They must bear in mind the following hadith of the Prophet of Islam where he condemned the mindless usage of this term and said:
“If one accuses another of being a kafir and the accused is not one, then the word will return to the accuser.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6045)
Muslims must therefore absolutely refrain from alleging anyone as being a kafir or a denier.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
Islamic law does not recognize violent protest; the word itself does not exist. In terms of democracy, the protesters may have been right; but not in terms of Islam. I do think Salman Rushdie abused his right to expression in the book, but Islam recognizes the right to disseminate your ideas; if one expresses one’s ideas in a completely peaceful manner.
Islam does not require that the author should take into consideration the sentiments of his audience, but Salman Rushdie has misquoted history, which he has no right to do. Muslims needed to protest peacefully, and counter argument with argument.
Source: Spirit of Islam March 2013
The Quran said, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.” (41:34) In light of this verse, Muslims must try to give a positive response to anyone who is against Islam in efforts to change his enmity into friendship. So, the protests against Salman Rushdie were completely wrong from the Islamic perspective. Salman Rushdie has every right to come to this country. I heard his interview after the video conference was cancelled and agree with him when he said that all other freedoms rest on the freedom of expression. If you abolish the freedom of expression, all other freedoms will cease to exist.
According to Islam, you have to counter a book with a book; statement with statement. Countering a statement with violence is not right. It is un-Islamic. Protest and argument are two different kinds of reactions.
The Prophet himself faced many negative things and abuses, but he never protested. The prophet’s life is a model for Muslims, thus violent protest in this manner is against the spirit of Islam.
Source: Spirit of Islam March 2013
The Quran tells us that the Prophet’s contemporaries, misusing their freedom, spoke abusive words against him. Some of them called the Prophet a ‘man possessed’ (15:6), a ‘liar’ (23:24), and ‘a forgerer’ (25:4). The Quran has referred to these incidents but it does not give the command to kill those who abuse the Prophet. On the contrary, the Quran tells us that the Prophet and his companions either ignored their abuses or they countered them with argument, and nothing more.
In the era when the Prophet of Islam began to spread the divine truth, the Makkans worshipped idols. Therefore, the majority of the people reacted strongly, heaping abuses on him. For instance, one poet wrote a poem condemning him, one line of which was: “You are a condemned person, we reject you.”
This poet once came to see the Prophet and uttered these words, but the Prophet was not enraged. He did not ask his companions to beat him or kill him. On the contrary, his reaction was, as recorded by his earliest biographer, Ibn Ishaaq, totally different. Ibn Ishaaq writes: ‘The Quraysh had named him "condemned" (Muzammam) and they abused him by this name. The Prophet would say to counter it: “Aren’t you surprised how God has saved me from the abuses of the Quraysh? For they abuse ‘Muzammam,’ while I am Muhammad.”’
The environment of freedom of expression is extremely important for Islam. Open, and frank discussion takes place in such an environment. One needs to meet intellectual challenges and reflect deeply. Only then will the minds of people open up. The environment of freedom of expression prevents intellectual stagnation and produces creative thinking. The importance of freedom of expression is so great that no curb should be placed on it. If someone misuses his freedom, he should be countered with argument. Protest or legal punishment is no solution.
Source: The True Face of Islam
Islam lays great emphasis on freedom of expression. Blasphemy in Islam is a subject of intellectual discussion rather than a subject of physical punishment.
Before the advent of Islam, holding beliefs different from that of the establishment was considered a punishable act. People used to be punished on matters of belief just as they would be if they committed a social crime. This old practice of religious persecution was abolished by Islam. In Islam, the culture of dissent and freedom of expression is given utmost importance. The concept of blasphemy, therefore, is completely alien to the original teachings of Islam.
Some Muslims advocate the theory that freedom of expression is good, but that no one has the right to hurt the religious sentiments of others. This theory is quite illogical. Freedom is not a self-acquired right. It is God, who, because of His scheme of putting man to the test, has given him total freedom. Then the modern secular concept of freedom is that everyone is free, provided he does not inflict physical harm on others. In such a situation, the above kind of demand by Muslims is tantamount to abolishing two things: first, it abolished the divine scheme of granting freedom to everyone, and second, it abolishes the modern secular norm. Muslims’ demand that others should not have the freedom to hurt their religious sentiment is thus invalid, as it can never be achieved.
Source: Spirit of Islam October 2018
Blasphemy finds no mention in the dictionary of Islam. It is only an innovated term. The Arabic equivalent of blasphemy is shatm. According to a saying of the Prophet of Islam, any innovation in the religion of Islam is liable to be rejected. The authentic sources of Islam are only two: the Quran and the Hadith. No Mufti or legislature has the right to add any law to the Islamic Shariah (Jurisprudence).
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in 610 CE in Makkah and he died in 632 CE in Madinah. During these twenty-two years, there were some people both in Makkah and Madinah who used abusive language against the Prophet of Islam. But the Prophet never said they should be killed. He opted only for two kinds of response: either he avoided the issue or he asked some of his Companions to meet them and remove their misunderstanding.
The Quran does not ask others to refrain from using abusive language against Islam; it enjoins Muslims not to use abusive language against other religions.
Looking at the early history of Islam, one can say that present-day Muslims must adopt this prophetic model. Muslims must either ignore such events or they must respond to them in a peaceful manner, that is, statement for a statement, a book for a book. There is no other option for Muslims.
According to the Creation Plan of God, everyone is free. Freedom is everyone’s birthright, so no one can abolish anyone’s freedom. People are free to use their freedom as they please, if you disagree with the point of view of your fellow beings, you can express your views in a rational manner; you must try to address their minds. Guns and bombs are no options for Muslims.
Killing in the name of blasphemy is the Islamisation of something that has nothing to do with Islam. It is strange that no Muslim of repute speaks against this un-Islamic act. Almost all Muslims are silent on this issue. This silence is highly objectionable as there is a Hadith, that if one sees an evil and fails to speak out against it, such a person is as a dumb Satan.
If one takes the act of blasphemy as a difference of opinion, then it will be to one’s advantage. Difference of opinion invites discussion, which gives a good opportunity to remove misconceptions. Moreover, according to the Quran, differences create an opportunity to turn an enemy into a friend.
Islam emphasizes a rational approach. The Quran does not ask others to refrain from using abusive language against Islam; it enjoins Muslims not to use abusive language against other religions. Islam tries to root out the cause of blasphemy rather than command people to kill those who commit blasphemy. Save others from your evil, to be saved from the evil of others.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2017
At no point in the Quran is it stated that anyone who uses abusive language about the Prophet should be stopped from doing so and that in case he continues to do so he should be awarded severe punishment. On the contrary, the Quran commands the believer not to use abusive language directed against opponents: “But do not revile those [beings] whom they invoke instead of God, lest they, in their hostility, revile God and out of ignorance.” (6:108)
This verse of the Quran makes it plain that it is not the task of the believers to establish "media watch" offices and hunt for anyone involved in acts of defamation of the Prophet, and then plan for their killing, whatever the cost. On the contrary, the Quran enjoins believers to sedulously refrain from indulging in such acts as may provoke people to retaliate by abusing Islam and the Prophet. This injunction of the Quran makes it clear that this responsibility devolves upon the believers, rather than holding others responsible and demanding that they be punished.
Looked at from this angle, the stance of present-day Muslims goes totally against the teachings of the Quran.
Source: Times of India, 2nd October 2012, p. 22
Islam greatly believes in freedom of expression. As such blasphemy in Islam is a subject of intellectual discussion rather than a subject of physical punishment.
The concept of blasphemy is completely alien to the original teachings of Islam. Before the advent of Islam, difference of belief was also a punishable act. They used to punish on matters of belief just as on matters of social crime. This old practice is called religious persecution in history. Islam abolished this practice. The Prophet of Islam declared that personal belief is a subject of discussion and exchange rather than of legal punishment.
If you go through the Quran and Hadith, the only two authentic sources of Islam, you will find that there is not a single Quranic verse or Hadith that gives this kind of injunction which says: Kill the person who commits blasphemy against the Prophet.
The Quran tells us that since ancient times God has sent prophets in succession to every town and every community. It says, moreover, that the contemporaries of all of these prophets adopted a negative attitude toward them. There are more than two hundred verses in the Quran that reveal that the contemporaries of the prophets repeatedly perpetrated the same act which is now called ‘blasphemy or abuse of the Prophet’ or ‘using abusive language about the Prophet’. Prophets throughout the ages have been mocked and abused by their contemporaries (36: 30); some of the epithets cited in the Quran being “a liar” (40: 24), “possessed” (15: 6), “a fabricator” (16: 101), “a foolish man” (7: 66). The Quran mentions these words of abuse used by prophets’ contemporaries but nowhere does the Quran prescribe the punishment of lashes, or death or any other physical punishment.
The Prophet of Islam declared that personal belief is a subject of discussion and exchange rather than of legal punishment.
This clearly shows that ‘abuse of the Prophet’ is not a subject of punishment, but rather a subject of peaceful discussion. That is, one who is guilty of abusing the Prophet should not have corporal punishment meted out to him: “He should rather be given sound arguments in order that his mind may be addressed. In other words, peaceful persuasion should be used to reform the person concerned rather than trying to punish him.”
Those who adopt a negative stance towards the Prophet will be judged by God, who knows the innermost recesses of their hearts. The responsibility of the believers is to observe the policy of avoidance, and with a well-wishing attitude, convey the message of God to them in such a manner that their minds might be properly addressed.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2017
The greatest strength of peace is that it allows nature to work. If you want to achieve your goal through war, then you yourself shall have to fight. Peace on the other hand works on its own. If you stop war, peace will prevail. In this case, we only need to give nature a chance. In such a situation, nature starts to have an instant effect. The only condition is that when nature is at work, one must not interfere. Peace works only in an environment of non-interference. When there is interference, this process of nature comes to a halt. Just as after the seed is sown, the tree starts to grow on its own, this is also the greatest strength of peace. Those who understand this inherent power of peace are never confronted by failure.
Through violence, you can cut down a tree, but violence cannot help you to grow a tree. This is true likewise of human life. In the human world, war only leads to destruction. Peace, however, has a positive role. No constructive work can be done if there is violence, whereas peace facilitates constructive work on its own. Peace paves the way for nation-building along healthy lines.
War starts with anger and ends in anger. War does not have any healthy or constructive aspect, neither at the beginning nor at the end. But peace, from A to Z, is a healthy state of affairs. Peace, in every way, leads to a positive result, for it is in keeping with the law of nature. That is why, when a person adopts the peaceful method, the entire world of nature comes to his support. That is why, in terms of result, the Hudaybiyyah Peace Treaty is called a clear victory in the Quran. On the other hand, if a person adopts the violent method, the entire world of nature stands out in opposition to him. In this way, we can understand the strength of peace.
Source: The Age of Peace
The greatest benefit of these modern developments is that for the first time in human history, the age of peace has been ushered in. In earlier periods of human history, bloody battles had to be fought if any end was to be achieved. Everything was decided upon on the battlefield and because of this, a great number of human beings left this world without having performed their due role. In the wake of modern developments, for the first time in human history, it has become possible to achieve any target, great or small, through completely peaceful means.
Through long planning, the Creator brought about a revolution in human history, which brought the age of war to an end. In this way, it had become possible by using peaceful means to attain all ends in a way that was far better than the violent one which achieved nothing of any value.
This is the greatest achievement of the modern age. Those who adopt the method of war and violence in today's age only demonstrate that they are totally unaware of the modern developments of history. This crass ignorance is reflected in their reckless use of arms. By stooping to violence, they have committed the most heinous crime in history.
In such a situation, those who in the twenty-first century have abandoned the peaceful method and opted for the strategy of guns and bombs, are only proving that all they can carve out for themselves and others is a history of death and destruction, and in the Hereafter this verse of the Quran will apply to them: 'Those of you who act thus shall be rewarded with disgrace in this world and with a severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection.' (2:85)
Source: The Age of Peace
After the grave disasters of the 1st and 2nd World Wars, global conditions have completely changed. If earlier the age of war prevailed, now it is the age of peace. The question arises as to how peace may be attained. According to the law of nature, peace can be attained only on a unilateral basis, and not on a bilateral basis. This means that first of all, we have to abandon all kinds of confrontational methods such as political activism, protest-based activism, and human rights activism. This kind of unilateralism will establish normalcy, normalcy will then lead to peace and peace will open the door to all kinds of opportunities. Then, by wise planning, we can achieve all those goods that we want in terms of social justice and human rights.
Source: The Age of Peace
God Almighty created man and settled him on the planet Earth. He gave man total freedom, which he was required to use in a self-disciplined manner. But he failed to do so. Greed for political power, economic self-interest, and religious intolerance became the order of the day. The situation continued for several thousands of years. This was the basic reason for the prevalence of war culture in previous centuries.
This state of affairs was against the creation plan of God. According to the creation plan, it was required that every man and woman should have a free environment in which to develop his or her personality. But over time this scheme was vitiated. Then, God endeavoured to manage history while maintaining human freedom. This required very intricate planning. It, therefore, took a long time for the goal to be reached. The present age is the culmination of this divine planning.
The limited options available in earlier times gave way to the gaining of monopolies over all things: political power, economic opportunities, and religion. Everything was monopolized by one group or another. In such a situation, the Creator wanted to de-monopolize all the resources of life so that every man and woman might have freedom of choice. Therefore, God initiated a process of management of history. Our modern civilization is the culmination of this long process of divine management.
The age of democracy brought the de-monopolization of political power. Modern industrialization was the outcome of de-monopolization in terms of economic opportunities. The modern age of intellectual freedom made possible the de-monopolization of religious dogmatism. The emergence of modern science led to the de-monopolization of ideological regimentation.
It is this phenomenon that the British writer J.F. West has rightly called a great intellectual revolution. The de-centralization of all kinds of monopolies was bound to lead to a culture of peace. After de-monopolization, everything has come within everyone’s reach, so that there is no question of having to indulge in violence to gain one’s ends.
In previous ages, the choices were apparently very limited. It was this state of affairs that produced the culture of monopoly. Human beings were then divided into two groups: the haves and the have-nots. This division of people was bound to create a clash of interests between different groups. This was the main reason why people of the previous ages were frequently engaged in war and violence.
Modern civilization has virtually de-centralized all the opportunities of life. It has become possible for everyone to be free to achieve what he or she wants to achieve in the field of his or her choice. Opportunities are now available for everyone. That is why the modern age can be called the age of opportunities.
Source: The Age of Peace
The present age is a unique period of human history. Ancient man would have been unable to even comprehend such a phase of mankind. Many revolutions in human civilization have bestowed man with numerous blessings. Religious persecution has been abolished and replaced by religious freedom, traditional and superstitious beliefs have given way to a rational and scientific era and the age of antagonism and hostility has been put an end to and replaced by an age of inter-dependence. In other words, an era of problems has been eradicated and in its place, we have only opportunities and more opportunities everywhere.
How do we avail of the many opportunities the age has to offer? It is through wise planning. Wise planning involves recognising these myriad opportunities in various fields—business, social work, education, and inviting people to God—and using the freedom we have been blessed with, to avail of these opportunities. There is but one restriction—one may not harm or trouble anyone else. As long as one does not harm others, there will be no obstacle to avail the many opportunities that abound today.
Let me cite a story to illustrate this point. When America won independence from Britain, an American man, overjoyed at the news, stepped out into the streets to celebrate. In his joy, he waved his hands about, and by mistake, struck a passer-by on the nose. The angry passer-by asked him why he had hit him. The man said “We’ve won freedom, and I’m now free! I was exercising my freedom!” The second man replied, “Yes, you are free, but your freedom ends where my nose begins!”
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2018
As far as the modern age is concerned, war has become entirely irrelevant. This age is one of an explosion of opportunities—opportunities have increased to such a great extent today that everything one wants can be achieved by treading the path of peace. It would be true to say that, under the present circumstances, war and violence are no longer an option. What one failed to achieve in the past through confrontation can be successfully achieved in the present day and age solely by making use of peaceful means.
Following the peaceful method, today is like letting a tree grow, while choosing the violent method is like cutting it down. Our task, then, is to grow a tree and not to cut it down – an indisputable axiom that is applicable not just to gardening but also in a highly significant way to human society.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
There are two different concepts of spirituality: God-oriented spirituality, which is based on the concept of God Almighty, and man-oriented spirituality, which is based on man’s soul itself being the treasure-house of spirituality. God-oriented spirituality stems from God-realization while self-oriented spirituality results from self-realization. The concept of self-realization is based on the assumption that the treasure of spirituality exists within man himself. And through meditation man can peep into his inner self and discover spirituality. However, this concept of man-oriented spirituality is not corroborated by Islam. According to Islam, man has no such spiritual treasure house existing independently. For man is a taker-creature. He receives everything from his Creator.
The concept of spirituality in Islam is based on the principle of God-realization. God is the treasure house of all virtues. And when man’s contact with God is established, in the world of his feelings, at the psychological level, an unseen, inner revolution is brought about which is called spirituality. In this matter, the relationship between God and man can be likened to an electric bulb and the powerhouse. When the wire from the bulb is connected to the powerhouse, electric current flows and the place is lit up. In this way, light is the result of the wire’s connection to the powerhouse of God.
As the Quran tells us, “Prostrate yourself and draw near.” (96: 19). For God is always close to us—closer than the jugular vein (50: 16). By total surrender to God, the soul can attain nearness to God. Similarly, according to this Hadith, ‘Worship God as if you are seeing Him’ (Sahih al-Bukhari), when man engages himself in true devotion, he is linked with God at a sensory or psychological level. He comes close to God. Through an invisible cord, he comes in contact with God; God’s light passes through him. His entire existence comes to be pervaded by this indescribable feeling, which is called spiritual experience. This has been termed as Rabbaniat in the Quran (Be people of the Lord.) (3: 79). Rabbani means, one whose thinking and actions are God-oriented, who has placed God at the centre of his attention. When an individual attains spirituality, his state becomes like a lamp lit all of a sudden. He undergoes spiritual experiences. His heart becomes an ocean of spiritual waves. He appears to live in this world, but he has found another far superior world for himself.
Source: Spirit of Islam October 2018
Islamic spirituality means the elevation of the human condition to a plane on which the mind is focused on the higher, non-material realities of a godly existence. The term for this is Ar-Rabbaniyah, derived from the following verse of the Quran:
“O people, be devoted servants of God.” (The Quran, 3:79)
The opposite of spirituality is materialism, a course followed all too often in this world. One who focuses on mere appearances is material-minded and the one who rises above it is spiritual or god-oriented. One who centres his attention on mere appearances is regarded as being materialistic. Conversely, one who rises above material things or appearances, who finds his focus of interest in nonmaterial things, is regarded as being spiritual or godly.
A materially-minded person sees only the creation, while a spiritually inclined person sees the splendour of the Creator through creation. The greatest source of pleasure is in the remembrance of God. It is this reality which finds expression in the following verse of the Quran:
“It is only in the remembrance of God that hearts are comforted.” (The Quran, 13: 28)
Comfort means not just the temporary solace to be found in everyday convenience, but the real comfort with its implications of peace of mind that can stem only from God Almighty. Divine revelation gives us the authentic framework through which we can explain life. Herein lies the only method of de-stressing that can give us a stress-free mind.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2013
The true purpose of Islam is to bring what the Quran calls ‘devoted servants of God’ (Rabbaniyun) (3:79) into existence. Rabbani means one whose thinking, and whose actions are God-oriented, who has placed God at the centre of his attention. When an individual attains spirituality, his state becomes like a lamp lit all of a sudden. He undergoes spiritual experiences. His heart becomes an ocean of spiritual waves. He appears to live in this world, but he has found another far superior world for himself.
Islam seeks to imbue every single individual with love and fear of the Lord. The type of person that Islam seeks to form is one who fears God above all else, whose focus of attention is the next eternal world; one who subordinates all his actions and dealings to the will of God; who does not follow the dictates of the devil and his own desires but submits to one God alone.
Islamic faith is essentially a discovery—the discovery of God. Islam is for one to see beyond the superficial forms of things to the reality that lies beneath; it is for one to set one’s gaze beyond creation and fix it on the Creator. This is to see something that others have not seen, to discover something that others have yet to discover. When true Islam enters a person’s soul it is the most shattering of experiences. It brings one face-to-face with a reality that changes the very nature of one’s life. It is rebirth, the making of a new man.
Islam addresses itself to the individual, not to society as a whole, for only an individual can experience the psychological upheavals that Islam brings about. To seek to Islamize society, without individuals having undergone the inward transformation essential to Islam, does not serve to strengthen and consolidate God’s religion; it can only undermine it.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018
According to Islam, God created man as an eternal being, but divided his lifespan into two: the worldly life and the post-death life. While the pre-death period is temporary, the post-death one is eternal. To illustrate this, let us compare human life with an iceberg. The iceberg is a huge mass of ice floating in the ocean, but only about 10 per cent of it is above the surface of water, and the rest of it is under water.
God has created a world called Paradise — an ideal world, a perfect world. According to the Quran, it is a place where man will find fulfilment of all his desires:
Therein, you shall have all that your soul desires. (Quran 41:31)
[Paradise] is a place where people shall not fear, nor shall they grieve. (Quran 2:112)
Our life on earth is just a preparation for the eternal afterlife. In this world, there are different kinds of situations and challenges. Man is here to face those challenges and prepare himself to be a deserving candidate for Paradise. In this sense, our life on earth is a world of opportunities. Those who avail of these opportunities and prepare themselves accordingly, will be chosen and will be settled in Paradise after death.
In this life, there are all kinds of problematic and unwanted situations. But they have a purpose. They constitute a training ground that gives us a chance to cope with adversity, thus preparing us for eternal entry into Paradise. The Quran introduces Paradise thus:
God calls man to the home of peace. (Quran 10:25)
According to Islam, the present world is a place of work, while the world Hereafter is a place of reward. When one dies, life does not come to an end. One simply enters the second phase of life, that is, the world Hereafter. It is only in the present world that one can prove that one is deserving of Paradise in the world Hereafter. This opportunity ends at the time of death; after death, there is no opportunity to prepare oneself. Success and failure are both determined by one’s deeds in this world, in the pre-death period.
The basic theme of the Quran is to make the reader aware of the creation plan of God, according to which the present world has been created for a limited period of time. When this time is over and this world shall be brought to an end, the Day of Judgement shall take place. According to Islamic belief, it would be a Day of Justice where the deeds of every individual – good or bad – shall be laid bare and according to the deeds in the pre-death period, their final destination shall be decreed.
Entry into Paradise is not based on any kind of recommendation, and it is not anyone’s birthright. It depends totally on one’s deeds and how one uses one’s God-given freedom. The Quran is very clear on this point:
Man shall have only that for which he strives. (Quran 53:39)
If a person has true faith in God, then such a faith makes him modest. His speech and his conduct reflect his living faith in God. He thinks of God constantly watching over him. Some commentators on the Quran have defined a true believer as one who believes in the unseen in the manner in which he believes what is seen. A believer lives in this world in the same state that will overcome people when they will directly see God on the Day of Judgement. A believer surrenders to God in the present world itself.
Source: Seeker’s Guide
This is not a contradiction. As far as your being is concerned, you must live as an idealist. But when you are amidst others, then you should be pragmatic and accommodating. If someone is pragmatic for self-interest, that is evil. But when we realise that we cannot abolish God-given freedom and adjust with that, it is a form of worship. The only point of caution is that it should not be done for one’s vested interests but for disseminating the Word of God.
Source: Seeker’s Guide
