Saudi Arabia, in its drive to enrich Arab culture, launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris    Civil Defense warns of thunderstorms hitting most Saudi regions until Saturday    Jeddah Mayoralty reclaims 18 government land sites on the North Obhur waterfront    Neymar exits Al Hilal match with muscle injury, leaving fans disappointed    Quality of Life Program CEO highlights Saudi urban transformations at UN-Habitat conference in Cairo    AlHisn Big Time Studios unveiled to transform film and TV production in Riyadh    Saudi Aramco's Q3 net income falls 15.5% to SR103 billion amid a jump in annual cash flows    Saudi Arabia approves cooperation agreement with US for the use of outer space for peaceful purposes    Almarai wins 'Best Corporate Sukuk' at Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards    Top climber falls to death after rare Himalayan feat    US voters flying home in time for election    Elon Musk can keep giving $1m to voters, judge rules    Drones and snipers on standby to protect Arizona vote-counters    India's Modi condemns violence after Canada temple incident    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Quincy Jones, titan of US music, dies aged 91    Al Qadsiah secure 2-0 victory over Al Ettifaq in first Eastern Derby since 2021    Hidden sugars in Asia's baby food spark concerns    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



The justice of judgment
Dr. Laurence B. Brown
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 27 - 01 - 2011

TRUE belief has a reward in the Hereafter. Disbelief does too, but … you don't want it. Such has been the message of all the prophets – each and every one of them.
How can we justify an afterlife? Well, where else can the injustices of this life be rectified, if not in an afterlife? What we perceive to be injustices in this worldly life would be a poor reflection upon God's sense of fairness, if these “injustices” aren't offset by appropriate rewards and punishments in the Hereafter. Some of the worst of the worst enjoy some of the most luxurious lives. Meanwhile, some of the best of the best suffer terribly. For example, which prophet had an easy time of it? Which prophets lived pampered lives of splendor to match that of a mafia boss, drug lord or tyrannical ruler, either of our time or of theirs.
If we are to trust in the mercy and justice of our Creator we cannot believe He restricts the rewards of piety and the punishments of transgression to this worldly life, for the inequities of life are clear.
So there will be a Day of Judgment, we'll all be there, and it will be a bad time to start thinking about changing our lives for the better. Because … now stay with me here … because our lives will be, in a word, over. It'll be too late. The record of our deeds will be looked into. And there's no going back.
Mankind will be sorted according to beliefs and deeds. The faithful will be vindicated, the disbelievers condemned, the transgressors (if not forgiven) punished according to the severity of their sins.
Jews declare paradise to be a birthright of the “chosen people,” Christians claim “not to be perfect, just forgiven,” and Muslims believe that all who die in submission to the Creator are eligible for redemption. Those who followed the revelation and prophet of their time will be successful, whereas those who forsook the revelation and prophet of their day did so to the compromise of their souls.
According to Islam, the believing Jews were upon the truth right up until they rejected the prophets who followed (i.e., John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, may peace be upon them), their teachings and, in the case of Jesus, the revelation he conveyed. In this manner, the Jews lived in submission to God not on His terms, but on their terms. When God sent prophets or revelation they didn't like, they chose to remain upon the religion of their forefathers rather than upon the religion of God. In this manner, they fell into disobedience and disbelief.
Similarly, the followers of Jesus were upon the truth, right up until they rejected the final Prophet (i.e., Muhammad, peace be upon him). Again, Jesus' followers submitted to God, but only on their terms. And that's not good enough. When called upon to honor the final revelation (i.e., the Holy Qur'an) and the Prophet who conveyed it (i.e., Muhammad, pbuh), they rejected and fell into the same disobedience and disbelief as their Jewish cousins.
According to Muslims, the religion of truth has always been Islam (i.e., submission to the will of God), for that is what all prophets taught. However, the refinement of Islam is to be found in the final revelation and in the teachings of the final prophet. In revealing the final revelation, God abrogated all preceding religions and revelation. Hence, the only group that submits to God's religion in the present day is the Muslims.
Those who know of Islam, and reject, will be condemned. Those who know of Islam and willfully duck the responsibility of studying the religion will likewise be condemned. However, those who die neither knowing of Islam nor willfully avoiding investigation thereof will be tested on the Day of Judgment, to prove what they would have done, had they known. And on that basis, God will judge them.
In this manner, if it can be imagined that there are Jews who died without having known of the prophets who followed, and Christians who died ignorant of Muhammad (pbuh) and the Holy Qur'an, they are not to be condemned. Rather, God will judge them according to their submission to the revelation to which they had been exposed during their lifetimes, and test their faith and obedience.
So, too, with those who die ignorant of revelation as a whole. Hence, the ignorant who die sincerely seeking the religion of truth have hope for salvation, whereas the insincere have no such hope, even if educated.To read more about
Dr. Brown, please
visit his website:
www.LevelTruth.com __


Clic here to read the story from its source.