In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.
The picture in the home page is one of the proofs of the divinity of the Holy Quran. Read about this miracle in item 5 in this blog published on February 16, 2006. You might visit the URL http://www.bilal-prayer.com/Quran_en.html
You are invited to read – 13. Allah exists – A proof; and 14. Evidence that the Holy Quran supersedes the Holy Torah and the Holy Bible – in this blog. As of now, only one religion is approved by God Almighty – Islam.
Is there ‘Freedom of thought’ in Islam?
It is Muslim belief that the soul of a human would be rewarded or punished depending on the actions performed by the human. Whether the soul would enter Heaven or Hell is based on the last action done by the human before the onset of the pain of death. What about the effect of the actions until then? Are they simply wasted?
We quote two Traditions to show that actions performed prior to the last action do have a role to play.
From http://www.searchtruth.com/searchHadith.php?keyword=Firdaus acquaint&translator=1&search=1&book=&start=0&records_display=10&search_word=all we get:
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Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Whoever believes in Allah and His Apostle, offer prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah's Cause or remains in the land where he is born." The people said, "O Allah's Apostle ! Shall we acquaint the people with the is good news?" He said, "Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-Firdaus which is the best and highest part of Paradise." (i.e. The sub-narrator added, "I think the Prophet also said, 'Above it (i.e. Al-Firdaus) is the Throne of Beneficent (i.e. Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.") (Book #52, Hadith #48) (Sahih Bukhari)
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The above Tradition clearly establishes that there are very many grades in Paradise and thus the deeds of one admitted to Paradise decides the grade in Paradise.
http://www.searchtruth.com/searchHadith.php?keyword=Fire feet embers&translator=1&search=1&book=&start=0&records_display=10&search_word=all has the following Tradition:
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Narrated An-Nu'man bin Bashir: I heard the Prophet saying, "The least punished person of the (Hell) Fire people on the Day of Resurrection will be a man under whose arch of the feet two smoldering embers will be placed, because of which his brain will boil just like Al-Mirjal (copper vessel) or a Qum-qum (narrow-necked vessel) is boiling with water." (Book #76, Hadith #567) (Sahih Bukhari)
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Here again we find that there are grades in Hell and thus the previous deeds in fact decide the grade in Hell.
Whether a soul enters Heaven or Hell, the relative position is decided by previous actions, whereas Heaven or Hell is decided by the last action.
In Islam we are encouraged to help one another. Are there rewards without helping others? Yes, there are rewards even without actions to help others. Consider the following Tradition:
http://www.searchtruth.com/searchHadith.php?keyword=best mankind life&translator=1&search=1&book=&start=0&records_display=10&search_word=all
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Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: A bedouin came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is the best of mankind!" The Prophet said, "A man who strives for Allah's Cause with his life and property, and also a man who lives (all alone) in a mountain path among the mountain paths to worship his Lord and save the people from his evil." (Book #76, Hadith #501) (Sahih Bukhari)
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Agreed, one of the best men living alone does not help any one. However, he worships his Lord. We know that additional worship of course brings rewards. And that worship is action. Is there any way to receive awards without action?
Yes, indeed! From http://www.searchtruth.com/searchHadith.php?keyword=occurs&translator=2&search=1&book=&start=0&records_display=10&search_word=all we get:
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Abu Huraira reported that Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), said: When it occurs to my bondsman that he should do a good deed but he actually does not do it, record one good to him, but if he puts it into practice, I make an entry of ten good acts in his favor. When it occurs to him to do evil, but he does not commit it, I forgive that. But if he commits it, I record one evil against his name. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed. The angels said: That bondsman of Yours intends to commit evil, though His Lord is more Vigilant than he. Upon this He (the Lord) said: Watch him; if he commits (evil), write it against his name but if he refrains from doing it, write one good deed for him, for he desisted from doing it for My sake. The Messenger of Allah said: He who amongst you is good of faith, all his good acts are multiplied from ten to seven hundred times (and are recorded in his name) and all the evils that he commits are recorded as such (i, e. without increase) till he meets Allah. (Book #001, Hadith #0235) (Sahih Muslim)
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What about one who thinks and thinks but does nothing? Yes such a person also earns reward simply by thinking. If he thought of a good deed but did not do it, one good deed is written for him. If he thought of an evil deed and did not do it, even then a good deed is written for him. So if one thinks of a deed, whether good or bad, a good deed is written for him.
Well, if a person does good deeds, then such a person gets multiple rewards. It must be recognized that simple thought process by itself earns rewards. So Muslims must indulge in as much research and development as possible.
It must be observed that developing technology by itself is not evil: making a better knife is always welcome. However, if one uses a knife to kill an innocent person, then a great sin is committed by the one who committed murder. Can we say that the inventor of the knife has a share in the sin? No, as his invention is basically event neutral.
Muslims should invent. If they feel that their invention might lead to evil practices, they might not reveal the invention. An example of an evil invention is one that helps to rig elections. The inventors get rewarded for not revealing an evil invention if not by society in this life, by God Almighty in the Hereafter. If they do feel that their invention would benefit mankind, then they should make such invention a public property and get rewarded manifold.
In summary, we state that there is complete freedom of thought in Islam. This is because even an evil thought is rewarded as long as it is not put to practice.