The Way To Paradise

Contrasts between Christianity and Islam

From the Qur’an, the Hadith and the Bible

A Muslim asked his friend about salvation and the way to reach Paradise. The following is the response to his question. It should be noted that this topic is of the utmost importance. Everyone should seek to know the way that leads to eternal blessing and happiness. When we study about salvation and follow the sure way to reach Paradise, we do ourselves an eternal favor.

IN ISLAM:

Here are some verses from the Qur’an that will help us understand some facts:

All Adam’s seeds are inclined to sin. Sin is universal.“If Allah were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave, on the (earth), a single living creature…(16:61).“…the (human) soul is certainly prone to evil…." (12:53)“Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds” (96:6). The Holy Book of the Muslims lists the sins of the prophets except “Isa” the son of Mary, Jesus Christ, Al Masih, as there was no sin in him (19:19).

Do good and hope for the best. “The balance that day will be true (to a nicety): those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will prosper: Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfully treated Our Signs”. (7:8,9)

“…for those things that are good remove those that are evil…”: (11:114) At the Day of Judgment scales will be set to weigh the good and evil deeds. However, Hadith number 6760 according to Sahih Muslim says: Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (MPBUH) as saying: None amongst you would attain salvation purely because of his deeds. A person said: Allah’s Messenger, even you also? Thereupon he said: Yes. Not even I, but that Allah wraps me in mercy

Fate has been ascribed to everyone: No one can do anything to change one’s fate. Every man's fate We have fastened on his own neck: on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open. (17:13)“…He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things” (2:284)“…Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases…” (14:4)

The Qur’an admits all Muslims to Hell.(Jinn in the Qur’an is synonymous to Demons in the Bible.). “Many are the Jinns and men We have made for Hell…” (7:179)"…I will fill Hell with jinns and men all together." (11:119, 32:13) …“Not one of you but will pass over it (Hell), this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished” (19:71) The literal translation of the last verse cited is: “Not one of you but will enter it (Hell)”. Muslim scholars try to soften the actual meaning of this verse and say that all will be admitted to Hell but the believers will be rescued. But no one can know when he will be rescued. It is worthwhile to quote Ibn Kathir, the well known Islamic expositor, as he stated three stories for men who lived understanding what the prophet of Islam has said.
The First: Abdullah Ibn Rowaha was putting his head on his wife’s lap, he wept, his wife also wept. He asked her, “why do you weep?” “ I saw you weeping so I wept”, she answered. He said, “I remembered what Allah said :’No one of you but will enter it (Hell)’. I do not know if I will escape from it or not.”
The second: Abu Mysarah used to say every night before he went to bed, “I wish that my mother had not given birth of me!” then he would weep. Someone asked him, “Why do you weep, Abu Mysarah?” He answered, “The Qur’an told us that we will enter Hell, but we were not told that we will get out of it”.
The third: Abdullah Ibn Al Mubarak cited Al Hasan Al Basari: “A man asked his brother : ‘Do you know that you will enter Hell fire?’ “Yes”, his brother answered. “Do you know if you will get out of it?” he asked. “No” , his brother answered. “Why do you laugh then?” From that time on he was never seen laughing till he died. (Ibn Katheir on Surat Maryam Vol 3 p129). You may remember what Abu Bakr, the first successor of the prophet of Islam, said. He stated that if he had one foot in Paradise and the other outside , he did not trust the cunning of his Lord.

Some think that those who kill themselves and kill others (the infidels) are martyrs and will be ushered to Paradise. No, in fact, they are killers and murderers. They have condemned themselves to eternal destruction, in Hell. Sheikh Tantawi, the Imam of the world’s largest Islamic Mosque, in Cairo, Egypt, in his address to the leaders of the Islamic nations, convened in Malaysia July 2003 - and quoted by the “AL Arab” newspaper (vol. 14 NO 513) published in Los Angeles California on July 17, 2003 - condemned the suicide bombers.

Those who are familiar with the Bible, know that all killers, the murderers will end up in Hell for all eternity. (Revelation 21:8)

To top all the above, according to Hadith Al Bukhary volume 5 No. 266, the prophet of Islam said: “ By Allah, though I am the apostle of Allah, yet I do not know what Allah will do to me”

As you see, there is no assurance of salvation to those who embrace Islam.

IN BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY:

We are all sinners:
- From the inspired Word of God, The Bible, it is written: “… there is no one who does good, not even one”. (Psalm 14:3)
- Also, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8.) (see also Ecclesiastes 7:20; Psalm 130:3; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 15:19,20a, Romans 3:10,23).

God is a Holy God. Sin separates man from God. Here is what the prophet Isaiah has said: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).

There are two Eternal Destinations: Paradise and Hell. The Lord Jesus Christ explained this fact and what will happen at the day pf judgment, as He Said: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ …Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”… “Then they (the sinners) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:34-46) (see also Revelation20:15, 21:8,27, 22:15)

God loves the world , He prepared the only way to Paradise. John the Baptist (called “Yehya” by the Qur’an) when he saw Jesus the Christ (called “Isa Al Masih, the son of Mary“ by the Qur’an), proclaimed: “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). What does it mean that Jesus is the Lamb of God? A lamb was the most frequent type of sacrifice which was given by the sinner to God. (Leviticus 4).To obtain forgiveness, the sinner was asking God to accept the life and the blood of an innocent animal (instead of his). You see, Jesus, the Word of God, took on flesh, came to present Himself as a sacrifice for the sinners. Jesus was not crucified because He had been overpowered—no, He willingly presented Himself. When they approached Him, all the mob and the soldiers fell to the ground. He came to die for our sin, was buried and rose from the dead as He previously and repeatedly announced. All who believe in Him and believe in what He has done and accept His gift will be saved. Thus we can realize that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Who is Jesus?: He is not only a prophet or a great teacher, He is God. The Word of God, that took on a human flesh, the creator, the healer, who raised the dead and fed the hungry, who forgives our sins, the Prince of peace who grants peace that transcends all understanding, who knows the unknown, the redeemer and the Judge. Yes, Jesus is the only way to Paradise. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Also, the Apostle Peter said to the crowds: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

What must we do to be saved from eternal punishment? The only way to please God and to be accepted by Him is to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe that He carried our sins on the cross. It is written: “And without faith it is impossible to please God”, How can we accomplish this? Here are some verses from the inspired word of God that will help us understand and know the way

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”.( Romans 3:22-24).

“If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:9,10,13)

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4,5)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from your selves, it is the gift of God , not by works, so that no one can boast, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8 -10).

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:8 -10)

God gives the assurance that all who believe will be saved.
- Jesus said “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life”(John 5:24).
- “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away”( John 6:37).
- “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27,28).
- The apostle Paul, assuring the believers regarding their stand with our Lord Jesus Christ said “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)

Those who believe in Jesus Christ the Saviour, do not do good works to win a place in Heaven or win His favour, for Jesus did all the work of providing salvation. Rather, the good deeds are performed to show evidence of faith in Christ, expressing love that sprouts from a grateful heart.

Now, If you are serious about your eternal destination, whatever religion you follow, if you felt your heart being opened to a new desire for God and you sincerely want to accept the gift of God, You may pray something like this:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner, I realize that from my life and from your Word, destined for Hell. I need your mercy and forgiveness. I believe that Jesus has died for my sins. I trust Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. I want to turn away from my sins. God, I submit to you now and I invite You to come into my heart and life.. Please help me to follow you all the days of my life.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Source: http://www.islamreview.com/articles/waytoparadise.shtml

IHS