In Chapter 3 page 83-84, the author talks about the different heavens and the different prophets in them. "Adam presided over the 1st heaven, Jesus and John the Baptist in the 2nd heaven, Joseph in the third, Enocj in the fourth, Moses and Aaron in the 5th and 6th and finally Abraham in the 7th.
My question then is, if both Jesus and Abraham are sent by the same God and knowing that God/Jesus hates hierarchy, then why are the divisions in heaven?
I don't know if I understand it correctly, but I don't think or I don't want to believe that the different heavens were a ranking system. It seemed more like the people in each heaven were being grouped together for their likeness to each other and not being put into ranks of their importance to worship. Especially because Muslims strictly worship only God and none of the followers listed in the heavens, I don't think it is a hierarchy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily. I do not think the divisions in heaven was a system of hierarchy. God is considered the ultimate being. No one was second or third to him. In God's eyes everyone else is one the same level. The king is not higher than the poor. I see it as the prophets got their own space or category.
ReplyDeleteWhile Jesus might have hated hierarchy, this isn't his story. Muhammad, while he had likely heard of Jesus, might not have shared all of his views, hence the description of what could be a hierarchical system in heaven. Alternately, the numbering of different heavens could be something akin to just having different buildings to house people that are all the same, we just made multiple buildings, and each one needs a landlord or sorts. Dividing up overseeing without stating any one of them is better than the others.
ReplyDeleteGiven that it may not be a hierarchy, we can not let go of the fact that Muhammad was able to transcend to a place where neither the angel nor the previous prophets could transcend to. How do we explain this. We can say that it is God realization wherein Muhammad realizes that just as much as he came into the world alone he has to go back to God alone. On the Contrary, if we discredit this account then we might have to accept the other, which is in support of hierarchy.
ReplyDeletePast date and not intended to be anything other than humorous -
ReplyDeleteMaybe he hates the hierarchy because he is at a relatively low rung of the ladder?