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Many Muslims believe that the doors of both redemption and forgiveness are open to one till the day one sees his or her own death or at the point one dies. From a Quran's perspective this position is unsupportable and is negated.

 

The doors of both redemption and forgiveness can be closed at any point in one’s life even though they continue to live on and in some cases, long lives.

 

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"And let not those who disbelieve think that Our granting them respite is better for their souls; We grant them respite only that they may add to their sins; and they shall have a disgraceful chastisement"

 

The Quran makes it absolutely clear that there are those whose hearts have been sealed, they hear not, nor do they understand. Furthermore their doors of forgiveness are closed. They are alive and walk about their lives as any other without knowledge of their predicament.

 

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"Such are they whose hearts and ears and eyes God has sealed. And such are the heedless"

 

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"As for the Disbelievers, Whether you warn them or you warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. God has sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom"

 

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"Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though you ask forgiveness for them seventy times God will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in God and His messenger, and God guides not wrongdoing folk"

AT WHAT POINT AND WHY IS ONE'S HEART SEALED?

Once the truth or clarity regarding the error of one's ways has reached a person with clear evidence, given ones intellect, individual circumstances, clarity of the message and all factors which account for each individual's uniqueness (And only God can judge) and they have denied it (when there is no reason left to deny it), only then is the heart sealed and God labels them as ‘Kaffir’. At this point, the doors of redemption and forgiveness are closed and in effect, one's case is abandoned.

 

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“These towns - We relate to you some of their stories, and certainly their messengers came to them with clear arguments, but they would not believe in what they rejected at first; thus does God set a seal over the hearts of the unbelievers”

 

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“Then after him We sent (many) messengers to their peoples: they brought them Clear Signs, but they would not believe what they had already rejected beforehand. Thus do We seal the hearts of the transgressors”

 

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"God has sealed their heart, ears and their hearing and over their eyes is a veil and an awesome suffering awaits"

 

Why? The previous verse gives context to this verse and explains it perfectly.

 

"Behold as for those that are bent on denying the truth - It is all one to them whether you warn them or warn them not, they will not believe" (2:6)

 

The point at which the clarity of truth is fully manifested is a very powerful juncture and indeed an extremely frightful one. If at this point, one was to reject such a truth, the consequences would be dire.

 

Prophet Abraham ^(pbuh) was able to deduce the existence of the one true God with no partners by just pondering over the celestial objects in the sky when he was relatively young. He was able to reject the idolatry of his forefathers and even fought against it.

 

Only God knows best when these circumstances are fulfilled and at what point 'full clarity' has been reached. No soul will be burdened over and beyond what they can bear.

 

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“On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth: they will never be wronged”

PHARAOH’S EXAMPLE

Pharaoh denied the truth even though the message was delivered via Prophet Moses ^(pbuh) with clear signs. Many signs were delivered, but Pharaoh arrogantly rejected them. In this way, Pharaoh too was hindered once the truth reached him clearly.

 

Pharaoh's doors were closed long before he saw his own death whilst being drowned. This point is seldom appreciated from a Quran's perspective. The following verse makes this point clear.

 

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"The ways and means of (reaching) the heavens, and that I (Pharaoh) may mount up to the God of Moses: But as far as I am concerned, I think (Moses) is a liar!" Thus was made alluring, in Pharaoh's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Pharaoh led to nothing but ruin (for him)"

 

It was only during drowning did he finally realise the truth of what befell him when his veil was lifted, but by then it was too late.

 

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"We took the Children of Israel across the sea: Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said: "I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam).""

FINAL THOUGHTS

Those who call themselves Muslims, whose practices deviate from the simple truths of the Quran, or they believe in idolatrous doctrines. To these people, truth may have already reached them clearly.  They may be part of the clergy or may be lay people. They may be young or they may be old. Despite the errors of their ways being made known to them with clarity, they may have still continued to ignore or reject them. For these, the doors of redemption or forgiveness may have become permanently closed and yet they wander blindly on.

In contrast, there may be many who follow other religions or thoughts to whom the clarity of the truth may not have reached them or its arguments convincingly. For these the doors may yet still be open.

In both situations, only God knows best, and only God has final judgment.

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“And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against God or rejects the Truth when it reaches him? Is there not a home in Hell for those who reject Faith? 

Joseph Islam

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