 | Dr. Nabil Seyam is director of the Board of Administration of the Islamic Society of Wichita and Co-Founder of the Annoor Islamic School. He was the recipient of the Leader of the Year in 2002 in Wichita and most recently was the recipient of the Community Servant Award by the University United Methodist Church in 2003. Dr. Seyam was selected for the Community Servant Award because of his active role in peace-building and multiculturalism throughout Kansas. He is an adjunct instructor for Pittsburg State University and Wichita State University. He is married and has six children. He can be reached at (316) 630-9222 , by e-mail at nabil@seyam.org, or visit his website at www.seyam.org |
Religion
2005-01-01 09:20:00
Will we be judged more harshly than those of the Old Testament?
: Since the beginning of the New Testament, we have a myriad of resources to aid in our salvation, unlike those who lived and died during the Old Testament. Will we be judged more harshly when we die, than they were?
ANSWER: The theory that Jesus died on the cross and that Jesus is the only way to salvation has confused Christians more so than other religious denomination. Muslims and Jews do not believe in that theory. Does it mean that we are not going to be saved; yes we will be saved without believing that the only salvation is Jesus. The Holy Quran refers to the new and old testaments as one book. Yet, many non-Muslims view the new and old books as two different books. This is a major issue in the ideology of faith. Jesus said, "I did not come to change, I came to fulfill."We need to start thinking on our own. We need to start not letting others dictate our path. All the prophets and messengers of God came to save us. Came to bring us out of darkness to light. From Hell to Paradise. To believe that the only salvation is through following the new testament leaves the door wide open for questioning the fate of the previous nations. Moses, Abraham, Noah, Mohammad, Jacob, and many other prophets and messengers came to save humanity.The greatest source of hope is that God shall allow those people who accept Him to enter Paradise and, more importantly, to be close to Him. The Holy Quran contains many references on Paradise, and also on Hell, the destination of those people who know-ingly reject God. Paradise is quite literally a place of indescribable joy, whereas Hell is its indescribable opposite. "And whoever rebels against God and His Apostle and transgresses His bounds, him will He commit unto fire, therein to abide; and shameful suffering awaits him." [4:14]Are certain people arbitrarily guaranteed the Favor of God, while others are excluded? The Mercy of God is not restricted arbitrarily to any one person. Everyone and anyone is free to accept the path to God using their own free will and reason,"And they claim, `None shall ever enter Paradise unless he be a Jew' - or `a Christian'. Such are their wishful beliefs! Say [to them, O Prophet]: `Produce an evidence for what you are claiming, if what you say is true!' Yea, indeed: everyone who surrenders his whole being unto God, and is a doer of good, shall have his reward with his Sustainer, and all such need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve." [2:111-112]. The consequence of this is responsibility - everyone will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. Some of us may be uncomfortable with this, but it is simply the price of freedom, "It may not accord with your wishful thinking - nor with the wishful thinking of the followers of earlier revelation - [that] he who does evil shall be requited for it, and shall find none to protect him from God, and none to bring him succor, whereas anyone - be it man or woman - who does good deeds and is a believer, shall enter Paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone." [4:123-124]If we sin, what should we expect from God? If we subsequently feel guilty and repent after doing something evil, God wants us to expect Him to be forgiving, forgiving, and more forgiving. However, there is one sin which God will not forgive: worshipping anything besides Him (unless the person realizes his or her error and returns to worshipping the One God), "Verily God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to anything beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin to whomever He wills: for he who ascribes divinity to anything beside God has indeed contrived an awesome sin." [4:48]Yes there are known myriad of resources that aid in our salvation; yet, we must understand and know GOD Himself first. Do we really know Him? Do we really honor Him? Do we really follow His commands? Do we really worship Him? Are we truly on the straight path? Answering these questions is essential if we are truly looking for salvation. Each clergy will tell you that his/her way is the only way to salvation; however, you have obligations to find out the true way. For more information please visit my web site at http://www.seyam.org/
