The Garden in the Bible and the Qur’an. Part Fifty-Seven

This blog continues the series of studies looking at references to the Garden(s) of Paradise, as depicted in the Qur’an. Our last blog on this matter was on February 8.

The next relevant passage is from Surah 40:7-9 (Yusuf Ali):

7: Those who sustain the Throne (of Allah) and those around it Sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him; and implore Forgiveness for those who believe: “Our Lord! Thy Reach is over all things, in Mercy and Knowledge. Forgive, then, those who turn in Repentance, and follow Thy Path; and preserve them from the Penalty of the Blazing Fire!

8: “And grant, our Lord! that they enter the Gardens of Eternity, which Thou hast promised to them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity! For Thou art (He), the Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom.

9: “And preserve them from (all) ills; and any whom Thou dost preserve from ills that Day,- on them wilt Thou have bestowed Mercy indeed: and that will be truly (for them) the highest Achievement”.

Evidently, those who “sustain” or “bear” Allah’s throne are the encircling, worshipping angelic host. They are depicted as appealing to Allah’s sovereignty, mercy and knowledge and asking him to forgive all true Muslims, that is, those who repent of past failures and commit themselves to observe Islam. As verse 7 indicates, forgiveness is a fairly limited concept and amounts to little more than Muslims being saved from the torment of the blazing fires of Hell and, implicitly, receiving the right to enter Paradise (verse 8). Verse 8 is unusual since it contemplates the possibility of women, that is, righteous wives, entering Paradise. It is very seldom in the Qur’an that we have any indication of women being in Paradise, apart from the consorts promised to faithful Muslim men.

Verse 9 is often understood by translators as being a request that Allah act to keep faithful Muslims from committing evil deeds. For example:

• Pickthal: “And ward off from them ill-deeds.”
• Rashad: “And protect them from falling in sin.”
• Sarwar: “Lord, keep them away from evil deeds.”
• Shakir: “And keep them from evil deeds.”

On the Day of Judgment those Muslims who are admitted to Paradise will be those whom Allah has enabled to steer clear of doing things Allah deems to be evil.

In contrast to the much more limited Islamic concept of forgiveness the Bible teaches that because of the shedding of Jesus’ sacrificial blood Christians are ever able to confess their sins and experience God’s forgiveness and cleansing so as to enable them to ‘walk in the light’ and have ongoing intimate fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-2:2). Further, there is no concept whatsoever in the Bible of angels acting as intercessors before God’s throne. The only intercessor and mediator is Jesus himself:

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

Therefore he [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25).

Posted March 12, 2011

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