Seemingly Inconsistencies In Quran Regarding Minimum Requirements
Thanks Faisal. Let me clarify my question. Quran in many verses states that minimum required to go to heaven is belief in one god and the last day. Then why does it require in other verses belief in more things, why it requires prayer, zakat, fasting and Hajj. Most importantly, why there is punishment for not giving money to charity. If all the additional items were for extra credit, then there is no inconsistency, but if there is punishment for these extra items, then there is inconsistency.
Nadeem sahab, it’s not possible for me to comment on every single verse that you shared above, however, these verses do not establish that the minimum criteria to enter the paradise is only belief in One God and the Day of Judgement. Every verse must be understood in it’s context keeping in mind the stylistics of the Quran, the intended audience for particular verses, the situation as evidenced by the context, the argument being made, and how the Quran sometimes states something in summary and provides explanation elsewhere. There are dozens of verses where in addition to the correct belief, good deeds are also stated requirement for the paradise. I am sharing a couple of references just for your review: 2:62, 7:8-9, 101:6. In summary, there are no inconsistencies in the Quran. The required righteous deeds and beliefs are not extra credit, but in fact their requirement is based on individual circumstances.