This excerpt is taken from the book of Fazilat-ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam Rustami From Denial of Hadith to Denial of Quran.
Hadith 38: Most of the poor people will enter Paradise
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
اطلعت فى الجنة فرأيت أكثر أهلها الفقراء
"I looked into Paradise and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were the poor."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Ar-Riqaq, Chapter on the Description of Paradise and Hell, Hadith: 6546
In another hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
ألا أخبركم بأهل الجنة قالوا بلى قال صلى الله عليه وسلم كل ضعيف متضعف لو أقسم على الله لأبره
"Shall I not tell you about the people of Paradise?" The Companions said, "Why not, please tell us." He said: "Every weak person and the one who is considered weak, if he swears by Allah with trust, He will surely fulfill it for him."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Al-Jannah wa Na'eemaha, Chapter on the Fire Entered by the Arrogant, Hadith: 2853
There are more hadiths related to this topic. Mr. Parvez objects, saying: Islam is a religion of dominance and strength.
فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ
"Indeed, the party of Allah will be the victorious."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:56)
The Quran repeatedly commands Muslims to gather so much strength that their opponents are overwhelmed by their awe, and the opponents knew that as long as this thought was not removed from the hearts of Muslims—that power and authority are a sign of being chosen by God—it would be impossible to overcome them. Therefore, they began to fabricate such hadiths that the close servants of God are those who are weak and powerless, who remain in need and poverty, who are embodiments of weakness and helplessness, and who are humiliated and disgraced in this world. Thus, it is in Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet said: "I saw in Paradise that the majority of its people were those who were poor in this world."
Reference: Maqam al-Hadith, p. 224
In this writing, Mr. Parvez tried to confront these hadiths with the Quran and declared these hadiths fabricated.
Answer:
➊ The first point is that Mr. Pervez's statement that Islam is a religion of dominance and power is incorrect; rather, Islam is meant to be dominated and strengthened, as Allah Almighty has said:
هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ
"He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions."
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:33)
➋ The second point is that these Ahadith are in accordance with the Holy Quran because the leaders and chiefs of every era opposed their respective prophets. Regarding the people of Noah (peace be upon him), it is said:
قَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ
"The chiefs of his people said, 'Indeed, we see you in clear error.'"
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:60)
Regarding the chiefs of the people of Hud (peace be upon him), it is said:
قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ
"The disbelieving chiefs of his people said, 'Indeed, we see you in foolishness.'"
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:66)
Regarding the arrogant chiefs of the people of Salih (peace be upon him), it is said:
قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ
"The arrogant chiefs of his people said."
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:75)
Among these nations, those who believed and supported their prophet were all weak people. It is said:
لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ
"(The arrogant chiefs said) to those weak people among them who believed."
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:75)
Regarding the Children of Israel, it is said:
وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا
"And We made those who were considered weak inheritors of the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed."
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:137)
Regarding those individuals from the people of Noah (peace be upon him) who believed, the arrogant said:
وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأْيِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ
"We see that those who followed you among us are the lowliest and contemptible, and we do not find any superiority over you among the people."
Reference: (11-Hud:27)
Similarly, the first people to believe in the Seal of the Prophets, peace be upon him, in Mecca were those who were the weak members of society.
➌ The third point is that wealthy and prosperous people cannot endure the hardships of Islam and make excuses to escape. Allah Almighty has said:
إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَسْتَأْذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَاءُ
"Only those who ask you for leave, despite being rich, are burdened with sin."
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:93)
Whereas the poor and needy often participate in Jihad with sincerity and courage.
➍ The fourth point is that on the Day of Judgment, the wealthy will be asked two questions about their wealth: where they earned it and where they spent it. Those wealthy who succeed in answering these questions will enter Paradise, while the poor and needy will enter Paradise five hundred years earlier because they will be free from most questions.
There is no restriction on the poor and needy from earning wealth; rather, they spend from what they earn in poverty and strive for the dominance of Islam. In summary, the poor remain engaged in such righteous deeds in their state of poverty that due to these righteous deeds, their number in Paradise will be greater.
