"To those who reject Our signs and treat them with
arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of
heaven, nor will they enter the
garden, until the
camel can pass through the eye of the
needle: Such is Our reward for those in
sin. (
Quran, 7:40)"
Most
Christian scholars today, inclined by
medieval scholars, believe that needle eye is a narrow passage way in a biblical city. No historical record, biblical or otherwise, can support this claim.
Generally speaking,
Muslims approach the
Bible with caution because of corruption the Bible suffered over the centuries. Nevertheless, any seeming equality between passages in the Quran with passages in the Bible will provoke interest among Muslim scholars and create an acceptance for biblical authenticity towards compatible biblical passages with Quran. Jesus spoke, 6 centuries earlier, of a camel passing through the eye of the needle as related in
Matthew 19:23-26
If we take passages in Quran preceding 7:40 and exceeding 7:40 to situate the passage into fuller
context, it appears that these passages speak of
heaven and
hell. Most Muslim interpreters of Quran today believe a camel passing through the eye of the needle as impossible. Put into other words, residents of hell will stay in hell for infinity because of this alleged impossibility. On the contrary, with
Allah all things are possible. All Allah needs to do for something to happen is say be, and it becomes.
Moses turned his stick into snake by Allah’s will. Additionally, Moses split the sea with Allah’s will.
Torah, Bible, and Quran are full of stories relating Allah’s miracles. Consequently, it can be concluded Allah will let a camel pass through the eye of the needle as a miracle witnessed by populace of hell, before allowing residents of hell into heaven.
Hell is a temporary purification place. Most Christian and Muslim scholars today hold the analysis that residents of hell will stay in torture for eternity. If this was the case, then consider this authentic Hadeeth, "People who will be scorched by Hell (Fire) as a punishment for sins they have committed, and then Allah will admit them into
Paradise by the grant of His Mercy. These people will be called, 'Al-Jahannamiyyiin' (the people of Hell).' " (Translation of
Sahih Bukhari, ONENESS, UNIQUENESS OF ALLAH (TAWHEED), Volume 9, Book 93, Number 542)"
If Allah left his creations in hell for infinity, it would contradict his top quality, mercy.
Additionally, irony is not listed among his 99 attributes in Arabic. Therefore, once Allah promised in 7:40 to let a camel pass through a needle, it will be done.
Will the camel stretch? Will the camel transform into a string as Moses stick transformed to snake? Will the camel shrink? Will the needle eye expand? The answer is imprecise. What is plausible is that it will be done because Allah is consistent in the promises he make.
It is reasonable to believe that this is what
Jesus meant to his astonished
disciples when he declared: With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.