Hi OneGod.
I'm back on Tuesday 17th and likewise I can't wait to return. Being time restricted to answer questions and make comment is no fun on this forum. LOL
I do appreciate your reply and I have so much to ask, comment and question, but due to that time constraint, I'm going to postpone commenting now and try and do justice to this thread properly on Tuesday.
A couple of quick questions though.. I'm still puzzled about the relationship between the law, faith, predestination and the "God willing" aspect of salvation in Islam. Where do you get your peace from with all those dynamics at play? Secondly.. in Islam is there a difference between belief in, and actions actually done.
I was talking to Alexei recently and we were discussing the verses where the rich young man comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him about how he follows the laws or the commandments, and the rich young man stated that he follows all of those and has never broken any of them. Then Jesus asked the young man what I believe is the crux or most important reason for this story.
He asked the rich young man to go away, sell all he had and give it to the poor. The young man went "away sad".
Now what was it that sent him away sad? This young man to all intents and purposes was doing all that the Jewish law required and there was definitely nothing about being rich which prevented him from inheriting eternal life.. yet Jesus said he had to sell all his property, give it to the poor and then he would inherit eternal life.
There must be a reason why being good and following the law was not enough, and I think it's in what Jesus requested of the man... go and sell all you own and give it to the poor.
In another story, Jesus told the Disciples that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul mind and strength and the second was to love your neighbour as yourself.
In his mind, the rich young man was doing all the right things, yet Jesus showed him that two things stood between him and eternal life. He loved money more than God, and as a result, put money before loving others. Yes, in obeying the law, he was going through the form of religion, but in not wanting to give up his wealth, he was showing where his heart attitude towards God was.
This is my point.. we can get so busy being religious, doing the right things, and even believing that following the law is what God requires of us to inherit eternal life.. yet God Himself declares, that our entire focus must be God Himself, and any actions that do not have him at the centre of it all, will not be acceptable. These are strong words and well, how then does a Muslim react to this.. considering your comments here if I have interpreted them properly?
You see, you have to have faith and with faith come the belief in God's law on earth, his prophets. You worship him and adore him. You believe in all of his prophets, you believe in the judgement day, every thing revealed in the Quran.
I appreciate your replies and promise to read them properly again on my return home.
God bless