How do Muslims get to heaven? (Jesus, priest, Earth, hell)

[natey]

This is something I've wondered for a vey long time and I've never really found an answer. How do Muslims know that they are going to heaven, how do they gain entrance to heaven etc?

I've heard the it's based totally on Allah's mercy and that Muhammad didn't even 100% know if he was going to heaven or not.

[Djamila]

Walk the straight path, and do good deeds, and you should have nothing to fear.

God's mercy is mainly reserved for those who do something bad, and through his forgiveness they may still be allowed into heaven. It isn't really a way of saying - do good, and God might let you in, it's up to God.

Idol worship is the only sin that will never be forgiven, absolutely never, but most other serious sins (murder, etc.) include the condemnation of eternal hellfire. So unless there's some circumstances for which you could be forgiven, and those criteria are up to God, then that's it.

Islam doesn't have confession in the Christian sense. You can't just tell an Imam what you've done, ask for forgiveness, mean it, and then walk out with a clean slate. Your whole life is judged by God, without exception, and God doesn't allow men on earth to do that for him.

[doppelgänger]

Practice.

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Idol worship is the only sin that will never be forgiven, absolutely never

What constitutes Idol worship? What sorts of things can be idols to be worshipped?

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Idol worship is the only sin that will never be forgiven, absolutely never, but most other serious sins (murder, etc.) include the condemnation of eternal hellfire. So unless there's some circumstances for which you could be forgiven, and those criteria are up to God, then that's it.

This is kind of similar to the question Christians get asked about what happens to people who have never heard of Jesus, so i'm half expecting a similar answer;

If a hypothetical person from a hypothetical South American tribe, who had previously worshipped stone idols of her Gods converted to Islam - would her idol worship be forgiven because she had no idea it was wrong, or would she be damned anyway?

[Djamila]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

This is kind of similar to the question Christians get asked about what happens to people who have never heard of Jesus, so i'm half expecting a similar answer;

If a hypothetical person from a hypothetical South American tribe, who had previously worshipped stone idols of her Gods converted to Islam - would her idol worship be forgiven because she had no idea it was wrong, or would she be damned anyway?

Sorry, I should've clarified. "Idol worship, if maintained until death" is the only thing that can never be forgiven. That's the full line.

[natey]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Walk the straight path, and do good deeds, and you should have nothing to fear.

God's mercy is mainly reserved for those who do something bad, and through his forgiveness they may still be allowed into heaven. It isn't really a way of saying - do good, and God might let you in, it's up to God.

Idol worship is the only sin that will never be forgiven, absolutely never, but most other serious sins (murder, etc.) include the condemnation of eternal hellfire. So unless there's some circumstances for which you could be forgiven, and those criteria are up to God, then that's it.

So basically doing good deads gets you into heaven is what you're saying?

Originally Posted by Djamila

Islam doesn't have confession in the Christian sense. You can't just tell an Imam what you've done, ask for forgiveness, mean it, and then walk out with a clean slate. Your whole life is judged by God, without exception, and God doesn't allow men on earth to do that for him.

That would be Catholicism, don't get the two confused. We talk directly to God, not to a priest, bishop, pope or whatever.

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by SoyLeche

What constitutes Idol worship? What sorts of things can be idols to be worshipped?

Still waiting for an answer to this

[Djamila]

Originally Posted by SoyLeche

Still waiting for an answer to this

Sorry! I didn't see the question.

You'd have to ask an Islamic scholar for the details, but in a general sense idol worship is worshipping anyone other than God.

You can, for example, "idol worship" Muhammed. It's not just something against belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, or the RC Pope, or certain Saints, and so on - it also includes Muhammed.

And then, in a more general sense, it includes pagan Gods and all those sorts of things.

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by Djamila

Sorry! I didn't see the question.

You'd have to ask an Islamic scholar for the details, but in a general sense idol worship is worshipping anyone other than God.

You can, for example, "idol worship" Muhammed. It's not just something against belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, or the RC Pope, or certain Saints, and so on - it also includes Muhammed.

And then, in a more general sense, it includes pagan Gods and all those sorts of things.

I was wondering specifically about things like money, television, an ipod, etc. Is "worshipping" any of these things unforgivable?