Both
the words, Islam and Iman, are used synonymously. Allah Ta’ala
says:
“Verily
(the true) Deen by Allah is Islam.”
(Aayat
No. 19 Surah A’ale Imran)
“Whoever
searches for a Deen other than Islam, never will it be accepted from
him. (i.e. His adoption of any other religion will never be acceptable
to Allah Ta’ala). And, in the Akhirah he (the one who chooses
another religion) will be ruined.”
(Aayat
No. 85, Surah A’ale Imran)
“Whoever
among you turns away from his Deen (Islam) and then dies being a kaafir,
his good deeds will be ruined in this world and the Aakhirah. Such people
are the inmates of the Fire; therein will they remain forever.”
(Aayat
217, Surah Baqara)
The
ruin of one’s deeds in this world is the nullification of one’s
Nikah. By renegading reneging from Islam, the renegade’s (murtad’s)
wife falls out of his Nikah. He is also deprived of inheritance. He
will not inherit in the estate of any Muslim. After death there is no
Janaazah Salaat for him. The ruin of one’s deeds in relation to
the Aakhirah is the everlasting residence in Jahannum.
If
a murtad (one who renounced Islam) returns to the fold of Islam, he
will have to renew his Nikah with the woman who was previously his wife.
This renewal will be with her consent and approval. If she refuses,
it cannot be imposed on her and she cannot be compelled to marry him.
Allah Ta’ala says:
“O
People of Iman! Believe in Allah, His Rasool, in the Kitab which He
has revealed to His Rasool and in those Kitabs which were revealed before
(Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Whoever commits kufr (i.e.
disbelieves) with Allah, with His Angels, with His Books, with His Rasools
and with the Day of Qiyaama, verily, he has gone far astray. Undoubtedly,
those who were (first) Muslims then became kaffir; then again Muslims;
then again kaafir (and remained so to the last), have gone multiplying
in kufr. Allah will never forgive such people nor will He show them
the Road (of Jannat).”
(Aayat
No. 136-137 Surah Al-Nisa)
Allah
Ta’ala says:
“Verily,
those who have rejected Our laws, soon will We enter them into a dreadful
Fire. Therein (there condition will be such that) when their skins have
become scorched (and burnt out), We will immediately replace the skin
so that they suffer the punishment (forever). Verily, Allah is most
Powerful and the Wise.
(Aayat No. 56, Surah Al-Nisa)
Those
who have adopted Iman and practiced righteousness, soon will We enter
them into such Paradises under which flow rivers. They will dwell therein
forever. Therein will be pure wives for them. We will enter them into
a dense shade (of coolness).
(Aayat
No. 57 – Surah Al-Nisa)
In
these aayaat some of the bounties of Jannat for the people of Islam
and some of the terrors and hardships of Jahannum are mentioned for
the rejectors of Islam. Other aayaat and ahadith explain these in greater
detail.
O
Muslims! The life of this world is insignificant. If you remain steadfast
on Islam irrespective of whether you have to suffer some hardship, the
comforts and luxuries which you will experience and enjoy immediately
after death, will obliterate the memory of any difficulty or hardship
which you had undergone here on earth.
If
due to some baneful motive, greed, fear or hardship you turned away
from Islam Allah forbid! You will experience and suffer such terror
and punishment immediately after death that you will forget whatever
comfort and luxury you had enjoyed here on earth. You will never be
able to escape that misfortune and dread which will overtake you after
death. Hence, a person with the least amount of understanding will not
renounce Islam for the sake of even the kingdom of the whole world.
O
Allah! Guide our brethren and straighten their intelligence.