Salvation, Ferris Bueller
Matt, there is NO guaranteed salvation for Muslims. When I took shahadah or bore witness that I believe in only one God, Allah (SWT) and in His messenger, Mohammed (sallallahu alayhi wa'sallam), I understood that Allah had forgiven all of my sins before becoming Muslim and that at least for the time being I had a clean slate. However, even though I am a Muslim now, my salvation is not guaranteed. The Qu'ran as the word of Allah (SWT) is clear on this - only Muslims will be saved on the Day of Judgment. However, when we are face to face with our creator, only then will we know if our good works have outweighed our sins and misdeeds. And if the scales are in the favor of our good works, then paradise. And if not, then at least temporarily, Hell.
It's hard for me to even write about this because as much as I belive I have done good works, I also know that I have sinned. But, Allah (SWT) knows my true intentions, so there's no point in even trying to hide my sentiments. I hope that I can ask forgiveness of Allah (SWT) with all seriousness and when my time comes, my good works will outweight my bad.
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I am in Chicago for a few days and had another of my Ferris Bueller-type moments yesterday evening when I had to pretend I was doing something, when I was doing something else. In this case, I had told my mom I was going to see a "friend" off N. Lincoln Ave (North Chicago side), but in fact I was going to meet some Muslim friends from Atlanta who were at the Islamic Center of Chicago (ICC) for a Ramadan workshop. So, as soon as my mom left the house, I made 'wudu' (wash before prayer) and put on a 'kameez' (long shirt from Pakistan) and jeans and drove up there. I also brought a hoodie in the car. Then, on the way back, not knowing if my mom had come back home yet, I tried to drive as fast as possible and definitely breathed a sigh of relief when her car wasn't in the garage, so I wouldn't have to change from kameez to hoodie in the garage before going into the house. Thankfully, I was able to get in and change before she came home.
But, at least for a few minutes, I had that ska track and Ferris Bueller memories going through my head like the end of the film, when he's running across neighbors' hards as his parents are pulling in. Whew.
Thoughts on education, politics, social justice, equality, pop culture and Islam through the heart, mind and soul of an American Muslim. I am a 32-year old male, Hindu convert to Islam, community college professor, doctoral student and past coordinator for Muslim Men Against Domestic Violence. Please email me at iwontjudgeyou@live.com
I thought your mom knew about you being a Muslim? How long are you going to deceive to your family about this? You just said that only Muslims have a shot at paradise, don't you want your family to be there with you?
ReplyDeleteAlso if your final destination is determined by your good deeds vs bad deeds, why is believing in Mohammed really necessary? What about people who never heard of Mohammed or Islam but were generally good people? Why is this prophet more important that God's other prophets? Mohammed got his revelation from an angel right? But OT prophets, for the most part, got their words directly from YHWH.
Speaking of Ferris Bueller, I caught the last part of the movie earlier today.
ReplyDeleteI met a couple of reverts this past week and one had yet to tell her parents about her conversion. InshaAllah with time will come ease.
Props for the blog. It's an interesting inspiration, especially for someone coming from a born Muslim, Indian background. MashaAllah & do continue.
Muslims are not the only ones who have a shot at paradise. No one who has not received the message of Islam properly will be accountable for not being Muslim. In fact in this day and age, very few people are getting the true message of Islam.
ReplyDeleteShaykh Hamza Yusuf, a Muslims scholar [who is a convert], himself stated that if Islam is presented the way it is today, he would not accept it.
Being Muslim right now is one thing but the most important thing is whether you die in a state of faith. Many people who are Muslims right now will lose their faith and many who are not Muslim will die in a state of submission.
And it really bugs me when people see paradise as just as a place you go to because you were "good". Paradise is a lot more than that. Unfortunately, the term is used loosely and now has taken on a simplified meaning. The ultimate goal of paradise is being with Allah with all veils removed.
It is possible to be in a similar state in this world- if one reaches the state of marifa- or true gnosis/knowledge of Allah.
And addressing your last point:
It is crucial to believe in Muhammad [saw] because the final message [the perfection of Allah's faith-Islam] was sent to him.
Allah in the Quran is very clear that no messenger is above another. All are equal. But for Muslims, obviously, since Muhammad [saw] brought and lived the message of Islam, we are closest to him.
Hope that all makes sense.
Tabassum... brilliant response! Please keep it coming...
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