Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 63
? 50 56 be on him). If heaven in this world stood for mundane gifts, then without the least question, the labourer of today's Europe is in heaven and the great reformers and saints, God forbid, are out of it. Heaven, therefore, means in this context spiritual tranquillity and its award means the seeking of His nearness. The word of Allah: 45 whoso fears God is a favourite of Allah in) مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ this world and would be granted near association with Him in the next), clearly signifies that the capacity to attain nearness to God, the Almighty inheres in every man. If sin were hereditary in man, he could have no means of attaining access to God. (13) God similarly says: وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِهِ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً i. e. , whoso is blind in this world shall be blind in the next (Bani Israil 17:73). It cannot really mean that one who is physically blind in this world will be blind also in the hereafter. It is indeed a great tyranny to condemn to blindness in the next life one who is blind in this life. In fact, what the verse purports to impress is that it is with the spiritual eye that one sees God Almighty and blind are those who do not see Him. The verse: وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِهِ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا thus, carries two imports, one negative and the other positive. There are some who are blind and there are