The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 134
PREFACE ESSENCE OF ISLAM 133 to particularize it, and the purpose is to point out that the zālim are of two kinds: (1) First, the righteous zālim for whom the promise of salvation is made and who are the beloveds of God Almighty, who have been included among ; the saved in the verse: [among them are the zālim]. (2) Second, the idolater, kāfir [disbeliever], and rebellious zālim who will be hurled into Hell. This verse states that even the righteous are not immune from the touch of this fire. This statement signifies that the righteous bravely cast themselves into this ‘fire' in various ways in this very world, which is the abode of trials. For the sake of God Almighty, they hurl them- selves into a raging fire. Various kinds of heavenly decrees and verdicts also fall upon them in the form of 'fire' and they are tormented, per- secuted, and such severe upheavals befall them that no one apart from them has the strength to bear these tremors. Authentic aḥādīth also state that the fever from which a believer suffers is a type of Hell-fire. ' A believer, therefore, receives their share of this fire in this very world in the shape of fever and other afflictions. of Another tradition says that, for a believer, Paradise assumes the form of Hell in this world;² i. e. the suffering undergone in the way God Almighty appears to them like the hardships of Hell. So, they enter that Hell with a willing heart and instantly find themselves in Paradise. Similarly, there are many other traditions purporting that a believer takes his share of the fire of Hell in this very world. And the kafir [disbeliever] is compelled and forced into Hell, whereas a believer enters the fire of their own will for the sake of God Almighty. ³ There is 1. Şahih al-Bukhārī, Kitābuṭ-Țibb, Bāb al-Ḥumā min Faiḥi Jahannam, Hadith 5725 [Publisher] 2. Al-Minhaj Sharḥ ṣaḥiḥ Muslim, Kitābuz-Zuhd war-Raqā'iq, p. 2035, Hadith 2956, published by Dār Ibn Ḥazm, Beirut, Lebanon [Publisher] 3. Al-Minhaj Sharḥ ṣaḥiḥ Muslim, Kitābuz-Zuhd war-Raqā'iq, p. 2035, Hadith 2956, published by Dār Ibn Ḥazm, Beirut, Lebanon [Publisher]