The terms used for believers are – Mu’min, pl. Mu’minun; and Muslim pl. Musilmun. The difference expressed in these two words is explained in the Traditions, in a Hadis given in the Sahih of Muslim (p.27), where it is recorded by ‘Umar, as having been taught by Muhammad, that a Mu’min is one who has iman, or “faith;” Faith being a sincere belief in God, His angels, His inspired books, His prophets, the Day of Resurrection, and the predestination of good and evil; and that a Muslim is one who is resigned and obedient to the will of God, and bears witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His Apostle, and is steadfast in prayer, and gives zakat, or “legal alms,” and fasts in the month of Ramazan, and makes a pilgrimage to the Temple (Bait) at Makkah, if he have the means.
The rewards in store for the believer are as follows (see Suratu ‘l-Baqarah, Surah ii, 76):-
“They who have believed and done the things that be right, they shall be the inmates of Paradise,-therein to abide forever.”
Surat ‘n-Nisa, Surah iv. 60 –
“Those who have believed, and done the things that are right, we will bring them into gardens beneath which the rivers flow – therein to abide eternally therein shall they have wives of stainless purity; and we will bring them into shadowing shades.”
Suratu ‘l-A’raf, Surah vii. 40:-
“Those who have believed and done the things which are right, (we will lay on no one a burden beyond his power) – these shall be inmates of Paradise: for ever shall they abide therein;”
“And will we remove whatever rancour was in their bosoms rivers shall roll at their feet; and they shall say, ‘Praise be to God who hath guided us hither! We had not been guided had not God guided us! Of a surety the Apostles of our Lord came to us with truth.’ And a voice shall cry to them, This is paradise, of which, as the meed of your works, ye are made heirs.'”
“And the inmates of Paradise shall cry to the inmates of the Fire “Now have we found what our Lord promised us to be true. Have ye too found what your Lord promised you to be true?’ And they shall answer, ‘Yes.’ And a Herald shall proclaim between them: ‘The curse of God be upon the evil doers.”
“Who turn men aside from the way of God, And seek to make it crooked, and who believe not in the life to come!”
“And between them shall be a partition: and on “the wall” al-A’raf, shall be men who will know all, by their tokens, and they shall cry to the inmates of Paradise ‘Peace be on you!’ but they shalt not yet enter it, although they long to do so.”
“And when their eyes are turned towards the inmates of the Fire, they shall say, ‘O our Lord! place us not with the offending people’.”
“And they who are upon al-A’raf shall cry to those whom they shall know by their tokens, ‘Your amassings and your pride have availed you nothing.”
“‘Are these they on whom ye aware God would not bestow mercy? Enter ye into Paradise! where no fear shall be upon you neither shall ye put to grief.'”
“And the inmates of the Fire shall cry to the inmates of Paradise ‘Pour upon us some water, or of the refreshments God hath given you?’ They shall they, ‘Truly God hath forbidden both to unbelievers.'”
For a further descriptions of the Muhammadan future state the reader is referred to the article PARADISE, which deals more directly with the sensual character of the heaven supposed to be in store for the believer in the mission of Muhammad.
The following is a description of the believer which is given in the Qur’an. Suratu ‘l-Muminin, the xxxiiird Surah, v 1. :-
“Happy now the Believers,
Who humble themselves in their prayer,
And who keep aloof from vain words,
And who are doers of alms-deeds (zakat),
And who restrain their appetites,
(Save with their wives or the slaves whom their right hands possess; for in that case they shall be free from blame:
But they whose desires reach further than this are transgressors)
And who tend well their trusts and their covenants,
And who keep them strictly to their prayers:
These shall be the heritors, who shall inherit Paradise, to abide therein for ever.”
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam
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