Peace Alexei,
I missed this post, so it's taken me until today to respond. Sorry!
As you know, we also have Faith and works in Christianity.. but there is a difference. In Islam you have to Faith AND works, but it appears it is in the end, not your faith, but your works that save you.. ie if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds then you will be saved.
No Muslim, save the prophets from what I understand are assured of Paradise, though many say that dying in jihad as a martyr assures you of it too. ( I have read other muslim sources that say it's not quite as simple as that).
This was the basis of my recent question to Lady Fatima. Yes, the statement of faith that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet, puts you on the right path, but it still doesn't assure you of salvation. You have faith, you can live a life of faith, for the five pillars you live under are all acts of faith, but in the end, it is not that faith that saves you, it is your own efforts in doing good works.
In Christianity we believe that we are saved by faith, and works have nothing to do with it. Our lives should reflect our faith and our good works reflect our relationship to God, but we know they cannot save us.
The comparison of these statements about faith from the Koran and from Moslem theologians with those of the Bible demonstrates similarities as well as differences. The Bible also presents faith as more than a mere acceptance of various regulations, a theoretical agreement with dogmas or a membership in a religious group. On the other hand, Biblical faith could be called 'a firm, unshakeable trust in God' rather than merely a humble recognition of God's sovereignty, as it is in Islam. The firm belief, which does not doubt, but becomes sure, before it sees, is considered exemplary in the Bible (Compare Heb. 11). Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that faith can never be a mere acknowledgement of dogmatic precepts. ("You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble." James 2:19) Rather, Biblical faith is a conviction which expresses itself in a person's actions. ("But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:20, or ""Thus also faith by itsef, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:17.) The Bible also calls this 'bearing fruit' "He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit;" John 15:5). Whoever truly believes, repents before God, for a merely theoretical conviction of sin is not a real conviction. A true believer in Christ, acts according to God's standards, for he otherwise proves that he is not really convinced of the truth of God' Word "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 1 John 2:6).
http://www.visi.com/~contra_m/ab/cschirrmacher/faith.html
I am still very interested in knowing what part faith really does play in your life.. not faith in the ability of works to save you,but faith which when if finds it's fulfilment in Islam, is not shaken by the constant need to "keep working" to please/be acceptable to the one who is the focus of that faith.
may God bless you and your family abundantly Alexei