S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Because God is just, He will punish sin-regardless of how well you keep the Five Pillars of Islam. As a Muslim, you long to reach paradise after you die. But as a sinner, how will you escape God's ...

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July 01 2013 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeremiah Kaaya Supporter Pastor at Springs of Power Church, Teacher by professional

In the very first place, I believe the underlying truth is in the fact that Faiths/Religions have different teachings and perceptions of all these issues. This is because each Faith/Religion is built around a person or a spiritual power of its own kind. The Christian Faith is all about Jesus the CHRIST, the Islamic religion is about Muhammad, etc. The Muslims therefore have a different perception of heaven and the requirements of getting there compared to the Christian perception of the same. The Muslim god could be able to lead them to a certain type of “heaven” should they keep those pillars. Such is not the case when it comes to God/JEHOVAH/YAHWEH, the Father of Jesus the CHRIST. This God/JEHOVAH/YAHWEH, deals with the heart, through His Son Jesus the CHRIST. He is not a God of keeping a certain law for the sake of it; He is not a God of rituals. For that reason, we may never have an answer satisfying to all parties.

Having formerly been a Muslim though, I humbly believe my submission could weigh in as we discuss this very interesting piercing issue. In basic terms, let us list these pillars and thereafter discuss one by one in more critical terms;
1.	Shahadah- Confession that allah is god and Muhammad is his prophet.
2.	Swalah- keeping the daily five prayer sessions.
3.	Zakat- Giving to the poor
4.	Swaum- The annual fasting of the month of ramadhan
5.	Hajj- Visiting the “holy places” of Mecca and Muhammad’s tomb in Medina.

Shahadah
This is to confess that allah is god and that Muhammad is his prophet. By this, you have confirmed that you know no other god but allah and Muhammad is the “lead prophet”. Mere confession of allah and his prophet Muhammad in islam is a guarantee to heaven. Christians on the other hand are equally required to confess CHRIST Jesus as Lord and Savior. However though, in Christianity, mere confession is not an end in itself, it is to be followed up with actions of holiness. As that, in Christianity, nobody is simply led to heaven because he/she has confessed; it is the spirit in which you do so and how you act thereafter. The devil also believes and confesses Jesus is Lord but he is not accepted as a Christian. Additionally, the content of what we confess is different, the muslims confess allah and Muhammad, on the other hand, Christians confess CHRIST Jesus as Lord and Saviour of all. All these differences are clear indications that we are referring to very different deities. Allah is not JEHOVAH/YAHWEH neither is Muhammad a prophet of the same (JEHOVAH/YAHWEH). 

Swallah
This is to keep the five daily prayer sessions throughout the life of a muslim. It is a repeated recitation of some surahs from the Quran followed up with additional memorisations in all these prayer sessions, I mean the same words are said in all these prayers. On the other hand though, the God of the Christians is not about memorising or recitations. He allows you to pray from your heart not from Him (God). It is about the one praying not God. 

To Christians, prayer is out of the desire to have a relationship with God, as such prayer is not an end it itself and can’t therefore by itself lead you to heaven, it is simply a tool if used well with knowledge that can help build the much needed relationship with God that eventually paves your way to heaven.

There are immense differences in perceptions of prayer between Christians and muslims among which are the following: 

Christian God	Muslim god
It is out of need	It is a command
Prayer comes from the heart	Prayer is commanded by allah, memorised and recited
Not an end in itself	It is an end in itself
Prayer is formed by the individual	Prayer is formed by allah
God directs how to pray	allah commands you what to pray

Simply to pray can’t lead anybody to heaven.

Zakat
This is giving alms. It involves giving to the poor. However though, in the Islamic teaching, it is more of a command than out of passion, love, care. It is a command from allah. On the other hand though, giving whether as a command or not is a way of worship. Worship is not forced on someone, it is out of how you have realised how great God is and how good He has been to you. As such, giving sometimes is out of such encounters. However, many people of all sorts give, witches, muslims, Christians, etc. So to say someone may simply be led to heaven because he/she has given is not realistic.

Swaum
This is fasting during the “holy” month of ramadhan. In fact, in the muslim faith, it is alleged that during this month, the devil is tied up and the “heavens are wide open and any muslim who dies during this month has his direct way to jana (paradise). But so to say, such are simply religious beliefs that have no any backing at all. To fast or not to fast can’t be reason why someone should or shouldn’t go to heaven. This is because it is about the one fasting, it does God no good. It is much in aid of the individual. Much more so, the period during which to fast also raises questions. The God of the Christians allows them to fast as and when they believe and realise it is paramount to do so, no matter when. All time is God’s. Mere doing it is never a guarantee to heaven; it is how and the intent with which you do it. Many people have done all these things and will still end up in hell because they much more do it as a command rather than as out of passion and love for a good relationship with God. You could fast as a command or ritual but continue to dwell in sin.

Hajj
This is visiting the “holy” places of Mecca and Medina and perform certain rituals by those who can financially afford. Actually the word “Hajj” is translated as visitor. Christians do not have this as a reason to go or not to go to heaven. A rich Christian who may have never wished to go to Israel can’t be held for not doing so. The God of the Christians is Omnipresent, I don’t need to go to anywhere to have an experience of Him, the moment I confess His name, He is right there with me. That is enough for me to go to heaven much more so if I confess it with the intent to truly worship Him.

A broken heart God loves. An unbroken heart will lead one to hell whether so prayerful, so giving, so fasting, etc. A broken heart is of one who accepts his/her wrong doing, forsakes it, gets transformed and become the person, the type that Jesus intended to make on the cross at Calvary. On the other hand though, allah can allow whoever person into his heaven with whichever heart they have as long as they keep his laws, no matter with which heart. As such, well as allah can allow his followers into his heaven for simply performing certain rituals and keeping certain laws, JEHOVAH/YAHWEH God can’t do the same. He needs the heart, He loves a broken one.

Observing the five pillars of islam by muslims is simply their effort to please their god allah. Christians do not struggle to keep laws and observe rituals to please their God because they can’t please Him by works. Laws can be kept and rituals can be observed carnally and such will be justifiable to us observers, but God does not judge by what we can see, He only judges by the heart. The five pillars of Islam aren’t about the heart or transforming someone, they are simply a way of keeping laws and observing rituals designed to only give a sinner some sort of comfort.

My answer is therefore; keeping the five pillars of islam can’t get you to heaven.

December 18 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tom Huntford Supporter

No.  Keeping any system of good deeds will not make you acceptable to God.  

God has said of mankind, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  

And again, he said, "There is none that doeth good, no not one".

And again, he said, speaking of mankind, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

God sent his Son, Jesus of Nazarath, to bear our sins in his own body on the cross.  Jesus died and was buried.  Three days later God raised him from the dead.  That is the Gospel, the "Good News".

God now commands all men every where to repent and believe the Gospel (that Jesus is the Son of God; that he died on the cross, was buried, and rose again the third day).   THAT is how you get to heaven.  

"Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved."

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"

"Repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."  Repentance is turning away from doing what is evil, turning away from what dishonors God.

So, repent and believe the Gospel!

October 20 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

christopher pillay Supporter

No. No amount of good deeds can get anyone into Heaven neither are there any specific type of good work that a person can do to get into Heaven. Satan comes as an angel of light deceiving many into believing that doing good works can get them into Heaven, many have fallen for his trap. Jesus said that He is the way the truth and the life. 

Anyone who wants to inherit the Kingdom of God must become a heir of God they must be adopted into His family the only way to become a child of God is through believing in Jesus.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth who is perfect died on the cross for us imperfect human beings and in doing so made available to us the FREE gift of eternal life. You see eternal life in heaven is a free gift given to us by God, Jesus already paid the high price for this gift which can be received by us through faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

God loves you!

October 20 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report