Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Revision 4.8 “Judgment and Grace in Islam”

Revision 4.8 “Judgment and Grace in Islam”

Last updated on: August 27, 2020 at 12:16 am by Dan Peterson

Revision 4.8 “Judgment and Grace in Islam” 2020-08-27T00:16:04-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A page from an 8th-9th century Qur’an of uncertain provenance
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

I continue chugging along with my manuscript on Islam for Latter-day Saints. Here, I’m discussing the Qur’an’s portrayal of the end of all things and the Last Judgment:

We are the witnesses of all your thoughts and all your prayers and all your actions. Not an atom’s weight in earth or heaven escapes your Lord, nor is there any object smaller or greater, but is recorded in a glorious book.[1]

The records of men’s deeds will be opened up.[2]

Upon that day men shall issue in scatterings to see their works, and whoso has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoso has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.[3]

“Woe on that day to the disbelievers!” the Qur’an declares. “When they are bidden to kneel down, they do not kneel.”[4] But at the last day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess its sins. “All who dwell in the heavens and on earth shall prostrate themselves before God, some willingly and some by force.”[5] “You shall see all the nations on their knees.”[6]

The souls of men and women will be judged on the basis of their works.[7] God will not wrong anybody; if wrong is done by anybody, it will be done by oneself. “He that commits sin, commits it against his own soul.”[8] Repentance is possible, but the Qur’an does not approve of death-bed repentance that has been delayed until sin is savored to its last drop.[9] If their works have been evil and they have not repented, the souls of human beings will receive a terrible punishment. “On that day you shall see the guilty bound with chains, their garments blackened with pitch, and their heads covered with flames.”[10] The sinner on that day would gladly sacrifice his children, his wife, his brother, his kinsmen who have given him shelter, even all the people of the earth—if only this might deliver him. But it will not.[11]

Nevertheless, there is divine grace in Islam, which God will bestow upon those who have sought to know Him and to carry out His will. “God will do away with their foulest deeds and reward them according to their noblest actions.”[12] How will individual people be notified of the fate that will be theirs? According to the Qur’an, each soul will be handed his or her “book,” containing an accurate record of the deeds done in the flesh. If the book is placed in the soul’s right hand, it may know that it will enjoy eternal bliss in paradise. If, however, the book is placed in the left hand, it will be a sure sign that, in the just verdict of God, that particular soul’s deeds merit damnation.[13]

The Qur’an does not predict a specific time for the Day of Judgment. “They question you about the Hour of Doom,” it tells Muhammad. “When will it come? How are you to know? Your Lord alone knows when it will come. Your duty is but to warn those that fear it.”[14] The fact that mankind has been supplied no specific time and does not know the Lord’s timetable cannot justify the common assumption that the dreaded hour will not come. Nor, for that matter, should people complacently assume that it is far away: “They think the Day of Judgement is far off: but We see it near at hand.”[15]

Your hearts are taken up with worldly gain from the cradle to the grave. But you shall know. You shall before long come to know. Indeed, if you knew the truth with certainty, you would see the fire of Hell: you would see it with your very eyes. Then, on that day, you shall be questioned about comfort.[16]

[1] 10:61; compare 17:13-14; 45:28-29;

[2] 52-53.

[3] 99:6-8 (Arberry); compare 21:47.

[4] 77:47-48.

[5] 13:15.

[6] 45:28.

[7] 14:51.

[8] 4:111; compare 10:44; 11:101; 16:33; 29:40; 43:76. Also, compare the Book of Mormon’s Ether 10:11, where we find the striking description of Morianton as a king who “did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself.”

[9] 4:17-18; 8:38.

[10] 14:49-50.

[11] 10:54; 70:11-18.

[12] 39:35.

[13] 69:18-29.

[14] 79:42-45 (Arberry); compare 7:187; 67:25-26.

[15] 70:6-7.

[16] This is the entire text of the 102nd chapter of the Qur’an and a good example of the conciseness of the chapters revealed at Mecca.

Previous Post

August 25, 2020

"Scholarly Support for the Book of Abraham"

Next Post

August 26, 2020 "Sturm und Drang" in 3 Nephi

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What covered the sky during Jesus’ crucifixion?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Clouds Fire Rain Darkness