SALVATION
ACCORDING TO THE QUR'ĀNa note
by Joseph Kenny, O.P.In examining the Qur'ānic idea of salvation, we could look for what is represented by the wider meaning of the term: everything good that religion offers to man to improve his condition, even when the word "salvation" is not used.
Yet here I will only summarize how the Qur'ān speaks of salvation in the narrow sense of deliverance from a particular evil, where the verb نجا and its derivatives are used. The noun form نجاة does not occur in the Qur'ān. Let us see who, according to the Qur'ān is said to be saved from what:
People who sail in boats on the seas, without any specification of who or when, are said to call to God for help in danger, and God brings them safely to the land. Then, after being "saved", they are not thankful, but go back to idolatry. —6:63-4; 10:22-3; 17:67; 29:65; 31:32.
One of Joseph's companions in prison was "saved" from prison, and then recommended Pharaoh to ask for Joseph to interpret his dreams. —12:45.
When Pharaoh pursued the Israelites over the Sea of Reeds and was being drowned by the waves, he is said to have repented, and therefore God "saved" him from perishing. —10:92.
There are passages which affirm that God "saves" prophets in general and their believing and faithful followers from their enemies in this world, and gives them victory over them. —7:165; 10:103; 11:116; 12:110; 21:9; 267:53; 41:18.
The same people are promised that they will be "saved" on the last day from hell fire, to which unbelievers will be condemned. —19:72; 39:61; 70:14.
This salvation is merited (a commercial transaction: تجارة) by the practices of religion: belief in God and his Messenger, and being zealous (by jihad) for the cause of God with their wealth and their lives. —61:10-11.
Lastly, particular prophets, together with their believing followers, are said to be "saved" from their enemies who persecuted them, and also from the divine punishment which was visited in this world on the people or towns who refused to repent and believe. For example Noah and his family (except for one son) were "saved" in the boat from their people and from the flood. —7:64,72; 10:73; 23:27; 26:118-19; 29:15; 31:76.
The Arab prophet Hūd and those who believed with him were "saved" from the punishment God sent on their people. —11:58).
Another Arab prophet, Ṣāliḥ, was similarly "saved" with his followers from the destruction of their people. —11:66.
Abraham, together with Lot, was "saved" from his father's people, who wanted to burn him to death because he destroyed their idols —21:71,74; 29:24.
Lot and his family were later "saved" from the evil intents of the Sodomites and (except for his wife) from the destruction of the town of Sodom —7:83; 26:167-170; 27:57; 29:32; 37:134.
Moses was "saved" from those who wanted to take revenge on him for killing the Egyptian man (20:40; 28:25). Later Moses, Aaron and the Israelite people were "saved" from the Egyptians and made victorious. —2:49; 6:50; 7:141; 10:86; 14:6; 20:80; 26:65; 28:21; 44:30; 66:11.
The Arab prophet Shu`ayb and his followers were "saved" from their people and from the divine punishment which destroyed those people. —7:89; 11:94.
Jonah (Dhū n-Nūn) called to God for help from the darkness of the sea and the belly of the fish, and God answered his prayer and "saved" him. —21:87-8.
To summarize, "salvation" has to do with death or destruction in this world, whether from natural forces (acting as God's instruments) or from enemies or from God's special intervention to punish. To be "saved" from these evils, however, is not as important as being "saved" from hell-fire in the next world.