REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Asma Nadia
Is there a heaven that is not sorely missed?
Is not heaven always being sorely missed?
Some surprise-pitched comments appeared when I published a novel Heaven is not missed (Surga yang Tak Dirindukan). There were many people have questioned the selection of the title.
How could heaven not be missed?
Actually, the word heaven in my novel was metaphors from proverbial ‘my home, my heaven’. When a husband decided to marry again, then as if he had not missed his home as a heaven again.
But it is not novel ‘Heaven is not missed’ that I will discuss, but the answers to the questions above.
Are there any among us who do not yearn for heaven?
To answer this we must first trace it, anyone who yearned for the heaven. One who yearned the heaven those who will do anything to get into His Janah (heaven). They are people of faith and do righteous deeds.
“Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow.” (QS. Al-Hajj: 23)
In the Surah al-Mukminun described that believers were heirs of heaven, those who humility in his prayer, abstain from useless (deeds and sayings), that practice regular charity, and keep his privates.
The person who yearned of heaven was those who feared Allah (takwa).
But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say: "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," (QS. Az-Zumar: 73-74)
The person who yearned of heaven was those who obeyed Allah and His Messenger.
“... And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted by Allah to gardens [in Heaven] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment.” (QS. An Nisa: 13)
Then who does not yearn for paradise?
The opposite of all of the above.
Those who were not believers, of course, clearly, including the people who did not yearn for heaven.
Which was dangerous were those who claimd to have faith but did not obey the commandments of Allah and ignored the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. They wanted to go to heaven, believed that heaven it exists, but their behavior did not indicate their desire to heaven.
Even if we examine the Qur'an and hadith as well as facts on the ground, the people whose behavior did not show the longing for heaven were so many.
They were not believe with Allah or polytheism, believed shamans, performed magic, feared of ghosts, were the people who did not yearn for heaven.
People, who commit adultery, did activities close to adultery, open a porn site, seclusion (courtship being alone), and sodomy or homosexual, was a person who did not yearn for heaven.
Muslims who abandon the obligatory prayers, did not fasting Ramadan, ignored the obligation of Hajj when sufficient of sustenance and material, do not issued a zakat, also the behavior of people who did not yearn the heaven. Kill, steal, rob, cheat, drinking wine (alcohol, drugs, and everything that was intoxicating), gambling, bets, maul, the behavior of people who did not yearn the heaven.
Officials who were corrupt, tyrannical, manipulative, tyrannical tax collector, judge and apparatus that were unjust are the leader who did not yearn for heaven. Usury eater, the orphan's property eater, cheater, liar, become a false witness, make falsely vows, broken promises, could not be trusted, were not among them who yearn for heaven. People who riya, smug, arrogant, rebellious child to parents, friendship breakers, those who liked to accuse others, slanderers, sneering, condescending fellow also not including people who does not yearn the heaven.
Actually there were many more examples of behavior that did not yearn for heaven.
Back to the question is there any among us who do not yearn for heaven?
Turns out there are, even a lot. But more important of it all is to ask each other's hearts, including who are we? Those who are crave for heaven, or away from it? C37