Page 36 - Islam and Karma

ISLAM AND KARMA

are not done in order to win Allah's blessing and His mercy and to at-
tain the Garden, but rather in order to have a better life in the next in-
carnation, they will not find favour with Allah, unless Allah wishes
that it should be so.

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Contrary to what those who believe in karma say, the Garden and
the Fire are not places in which we stay temporarily. Both will go on
for ever. Also, just as those who go to the Garden will never leave it,
so will some of those who go to the Fire stay there for ever. There is a
superstitious belief not only among those who accept the idea of
karma but also among the general public that Hell is only temporary,
and that when people have lived through the tortures of Hell and so
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been punished, they will go to Heaven. Allah explains this in the fol-
lowing words:
They say, "The Fire will only touch us for a number of days”. Say,
"Have you made a contract with Allah—then Allah will not break
His contract—or are you rather saying about Allah what you do not
know?” No indeed! Those who accumulate bad actions and are sur-
rounded by their mistakes, such people are the Companions of the
Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever; whereas those who believe
and do right actions, such people are the Companions of the Garden,
remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surat al-Baqara: 80-82) 6
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T Those who fear that death will bring a cessation of existence will l
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As we have already stated, one of the most important reasons
why some people believe in reincarnation is that they are afraid of
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