If there is a description of the Islamic ideology it is this: Without hope.
Hope is one of the strongest values that shapes who we are. We often forget that the Bible says it is not just about faith or love, but also about hope (1 Cor 13:13). There are great and beautiful promises about hope:
“through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:2)
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5)
Hope is the power to persist through the worst of suffering. Jesus Christ gives us that hope. But where is the hope in Islam? Let’s look at three hours that really are hope-killers.
1) Islam’s prophet did not know if he was saved.
He is the central figure of all of Islam. Yet he himself did not know if he was saved. Some call this humility. Others, like this author, call it the blind leading the blind. Where does it say he didn’t know of his salvation?
“Say, “I am not something new among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner” (Quran 46:9).
Narrated Kharija bin Zaid bin Thabit:
Um Al-`Ala an Ansari woman who had given the Pledge of allegiance to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “`Uthman bin Maz’un came in our share when the Ansars drew lots to distribute the emigrants (to dwell) among themselves, He became sick and we looked after (nursed) him till he died. Then we shrouded him in his clothes. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came to us, I (addressing the dead body) said, “May Allah’s Mercy be on you, O Aba As-Sa’ib! I testify that Allah has honored you.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘How do you know that?’ I replied, ‘I do not know, by Allah.’ He said, ‘As for him, death has come to him and I wish him all good from Allah.
By Allah, though I am Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), I neither know what will happen to me, nor to you.'” Um Al-`Ala said, “By Allah, I will never attest the righteousness of anybody after that.” She added, “Later I saw in a dream, a flowing spring for `Uthman. So I went to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned that to him. He said, ‘That is (the symbol of) his good deeds (the reward for) which is going on for him.’ ” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7018).
Muhammad was open. He did not know if he was saved. If he did not know if he was saved, what hope is there for the average Muslim?
2) You never know if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds.
The Quran says the way of salvation is that your deeds are placed on a scale. If your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds, then you get Paradise. But who is to determine what the good deeds are? Good deeds are very cultural if you travel much. And how many good deeds does it take?
Qur’an 23:102–103
“So whoever’s scales are heavy — those are the successful.
And whoever’s scales are light — those are the ones who have lost their souls, abiding in Hell.”
No one knows. So all sit in the fear of Hell-fire, or arrogantly assuming they have done enough.
There is NO hope. Only fearful uncertainty.
In fact in Quran 19, it says all will first go to Hell-fire, then some will escape.
Qur’an 19:71-72
“And there is none of you except that he will come to it (Hell).
This is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.”
“Then We will save those who feared Allah,
and We will leave the wrongdoers therein on their knees.”
In the hadith it says the majority of women will be in Hell, so not much hope for them.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“O women, give in charity and pray a great deal for forgiveness, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell.” A woman who was very wise said: “Why is it, O Messenger of Allah, that we form the majority of the people of Hell?” He said: “You curse a great deal and you are ungrateful to your husbands, and I have never seen anyone lacking in discernment and religion more overwhelming to a man of wisdom than you.” She said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is this lacking in discernment and religion?” He said: “The lack of discernment is the fact that the testimony of two women is equal to the testimony of one man; this is the lack of reason. And (a woman) spends several nights when she does not pray, and she does not fast in Ramadhan, and this is the lack in religion.” (
Sahih – Sunan Ibn Majah 4003)
3) You may do everything right, and it still may not be enough. You are destined for hell.
This was a baby that died. But Islam’s prophet said it could likely be in Hell.
It was narrated that ‘Aishah the Mother of the Believers said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was called to the funeral of a child from among the Ansar. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, glad tidings for him! He is one of the little birds of Paradise, who never did evil or reached the age of doing evil (i.e, the age of accountability).’ He said: ‘It may not be so, O ‘Aishah! For Allah created people for Paradise, He created them for it when they were still in their father’s loins, And He has created people for Hell, He created them for it when they were still in their fathers’ loins'” (
Sunan Ibn Majah 82).
There is no context in which this means anything else. This hadith stands alone.
Conclusion:
There is just no hope in Islam. Thankfully, there is great hope in Jesus Christ.
