zama@midway.uchicago.edu (iftikhar uz zaman) (05/13/91)
In article <1991May10.133924.130@wpi.WPI.EDU> goguenm@chopin.udel.edu (Matthew L Goguen) writes: > >In article <1991May9.114325.23668@wpi.WPI.EDU> tnap1@ccvax.iastate.edu writes: >> >>I think that while it is important that everyone understands that Allah means >>God when speaking to non-Muslims we should make clear that they understand >>what we mean by God. That is that we mean the One true God who is One NOT >>three and he has NO sons are daughters or any relatives for that matter. >>We should make sure that they understand God's position with respect to >>mankind. That is he is our creator not our Father, we are his servants >>Not his children. >>Assalaamu `Alaikum >> Abur Rahman (the servant of the Most Merciful) > > You have just shown the basic differences between the Christian and >Muslim concepts of God or Allah. (Makes no difference to me.) > Just as I have difficualty understanding Islam I have begun to understand >the difficulty involved with a Muslim trying to understand Christianity by >reading this group. If I may be a little bold I would like to ask what >brings man to Allah, works(Keeping rules and commandments) or Allah's >mercy(For those who want to follow him but arn't sure how or try but fail) >according to Islam. (I know Christianities response for that is where I >am coming from. ) >may Allah's Peace be given unto you, >// Matthew L. Goguen // Choose this day whom ye // I do believe I know the Christian response too...In any case, there is an explicit saying of the Prophet ("hadith") to the effect that no one will go to heaven simply on the basis of their deeds, it will be Allah's (God's) mercy which takes them there. Upon hearing this one of the companions of the Prophet asked him, "not even you, o prophet of God?" and he replied (in effect): "Not even me." Iftikhar