What must I do (or believe) to go to heaven?

[Phil12123]

I would like to hear from Muslims, Christrians, Jews, everyone, to briefly state what you think a person has to do or believe to go to heaven. Imagine a scenerio where your best friend is in the hospital dying of cancer. He's just been told he has only days, perhaps hours, before he will die. You are there to visit him. He says to you, "Help! I'm going to die! What do I have to do to make sure I'll go to heaven when I die???" What is your response?

[Abdul Fattah]

everybody will be judged for what they did. Those who did well will thus recieve a reward and the wrondoers wil recieve a punishment. In Islam we give no guarantees. Yes being a muslim makes you're chances of heaven a lot higher, since you will be following the right guidance, but it's still not a guarantee. In the End only Allah can judge since only he has full knowledge of our intentions, knowledge, backgrounds, etc...
And he will forgive who he desires in his mercy.
To a friend in teh hospitalI can sadly give no guarantee either. If he were to suddenly revert to Islam his sins will be forgiven, but his revertion has to be sincere (not opportunistic). So what would I do in the given situation? Try to talk to him about faith as much as possible, as much as he wants to hear. Hope for the best, and pray. There's not much more we can do, eventually his case is between him and Allah.

[- Qatada -]

The biggest sin a person can ever commit is that they worship others besides their Creator, and their Creator is God - Allaah.

No matter how good the person is, and even if the person does believe there is a higher Being i.e. God - they still have to believe in Laa illaaha illAllaah (there is none worthy of worship except God/Allaah (alone.)) And this message has always been the message since the beginning of mankind, and every messenger that came told the people to follow this, but man kept going astray.


Believing that no-one is worthy of worship except Allaah means that people have to give up other deities besides God (i.e. idols, humans i.e. Jesus [peace be upon him], or even a form of law besides the law of God, which may be taking the laws of someone who governs in a way that opposes the commandments of God in the Qur'an [the speech of God] and Sunnah [ways of God's messenger])

If a person takes these ideoligies as a way of life instead of submitting themselves to God (i.e. muslim means submitter and islam means submission) - they may be taking others as associates with God because they are accepting a man made law instead of the divine law which God revealed to mankind in the Qur'an and Sunnah.


Therefore, the above example may be a form associating partners with God and the person may be commiting the biggest sin that ever exists - & that is associating others as partners with God, because the person feels that the man made law is superior to the law of God, and this is why they may be following it.


If a person believes in the above two examples, then they also have to believe in Allaah Almighty and His Attributes (Asma - wal-Sifaa.) This is believing in Allaah being the Perfect Being, and believing in the meanings of the names of Allaah which are mentioned in the Qur'an i.e.

Allah - Allah, He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.

Al-Malik - The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.

Al-Mu'min - Guardian of Faith, The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him.

You can click on this text to view the 99 Names of Allaah Almighty and the meanings.

If one grasps these 3 ideas of Tawheed (the Oneness of God) - then they have believed in Laaillaaha illAllaah (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah.) And hence they should believe that the Qur'an is the word of God, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is God's/Allaah Almighty's final messenger.

If the person believes this and obeys Allaah in this, then they are muslim (submitters) to God. However this is just a small summary, so you may want to ask for more info. if you're interested.


Allaah Almighty knows best.


If theres any mistakes, its from myself and my sins - all good comes from Allaah Almighty.


Peace.

[- Qatada -]

Allaah Almighty threatens mankind of hellfire if they disobey Him, and this is why people are afraid to disobey God. What's the point of having a God who lets you do whatever evil you want in this world, then giving you paradise in return for it?

At the same time, those who don't want to do evil and want to obey Allaah Almighty - they will be rewarded equally for it. And if you feel that Allaah Almighty is evil for threatening mankind - then just think about it, Allaah could easily threaten you of hellfire and not reward anyone with paradise either.


If you feel that there is no afterlife, its upto you to believe that - but realise that you have no knowledge of what will happen to you after you die, by then its too late, and theres no turning back. You have your temporary life right now, and this is why we're here - to obey Allaah Almighty alone. If we do this, then we are promised an eternal paradise insha'Allaah (God willing.)

No matter how hard you try turning away from death - it will come to you no matter where you are. So please think deep before its too late, and there is no turning back. Because those who reject their Creator - are promished hellfire forever, whereas those who obey Allaah Almighty in this temporary world and die in that state are promised paradise forever.


Allaah Almighty knows best.


Peace.

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[duskiness]

He says to you, "Help! I'm going to die! What do I have to do to make sure I'll go to heaven when I die???" What is your response?

- i would say him/her about my believes, that that I have faith in Him, that i know there is no way to "earn" havean, that i trust Him that He willl change and guide me in such a way that i'll end up in heaven ;)

But to be frank, i dislike talking about havean/hell , punishment/reward subject. when i was atheist and i hear that someone believed or did sth to "go to heaven" i sounded so silly. It simple barter. or "do ut des" ("i give so you should give") deal. Or "ok, i don't do all this tempting, sinful things here, but than You will give me eternity-long all-inclusive holidays. Oh...and God, please remember about drinks with that little umbrellas".

there are people who believe in God and don't believe in afterlife.

if you believe to gain something what kind of faith it is?

So if this friend would only look for way not to go to hell, than she/he is lost. Because is not God or faith he is looking for, but barter.
And if he/she is looking for Him...then "seek and you shall find"

n.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

Believe that there is only one God, he put him into the earth, he gave him everything he had till this day. And now he will take him bak to wence he came! Believe that muhammad saws is indeed the last and final messenger, and if this is firm, if this is true, then he will get jannah inshaAllah.


:salamext:

[Zulkiflim]

Salaam,

To enter heaven you must do more good deeds..

But there are some unforgivable sins..

Saying man is god,worhsipping idols and sayng god has children..

These are grevious sins..

But as Allah said,In the end.."HIS MERCY SHALL OVERCOME HIS WRATH"

Inshallah only Allah knows best..

[nimrod]

Phil, they must know that Jesus is Lord. They must agree that they are sinners and know what they have done wrong and ask for the Lord's forgiveness. They must accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour.

.....Or… well there is always the debate about what happens to those who have never heard of God……

Thanks
Nimrod

[north_malaysian]

God created human, because he wanted to be worshipped. We should worship him BECAUSE OF HIM, not because of entering heaven.

[khushnood]

.....Or… well there is always the debate about what happens to those who have never heard of God……

Thanks
Nimrod[/QUOTE]
NEVER HEARD OF GOD?IDOUBT WHETHER THERE IS ANYONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD OF GOD.THE CONCEPT OF GOD IS INATE.NOBODY NEEDS AN INTRODUCTION TO GOD.THERE IS A STAGE IN EVERYONES LIFE WHEN THEY NEED GOD,WHETHER THEY BELIEVE IN GOD OR NOT.THAT IS WHY ''IF GOD WASNT THERE , MAN WOULD LIKE TO INVENT HIM''

[IbnAbdulHakim]

NEVER HEARD OF GOD?IDOUBT WHETHER THERE IS ANYONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD OF GOD.

what about these dudes?

:?

[Maryam22]

And make not another an object of worship with Allah: I am from Him a Warner to you, clear and open! (translation of the holy quran:051.051 )

I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me. (translation of the holy quran: 051.056 )

No Sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. (translation of the holy quran: 051.057 )

Then set your face upright for religion in the right state-- the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know (translation of the holy quran: 030.030 )

[Ghazi]

:sl:

Imbrace islam, without this you'll have no chance to enter janna, with this you'll have a chance but it's not garanteed some will enter janna after being purified for their sins in hell.

[Abdullah4ever]

:sl:

Read these Ayah's (Verses) of the quran which instruct you to youre way to Jannah (Heaven) :


23: 1. In the name of ALLAH, the Gracious, the Merciful.
23: 2. Successful indeed are the believers,
23: 3. Who are humble in their Prayers,
23: 4. And who shun all that which is vain,
23: 5. And who are prompt and regular in paying the Zakát,
23: 6. And who guard their chastity -
23: 7. Except from their wives or what their right hands possess, for then they are not to be blamed;
23: 8. But those, who seek anything beyond that are the transgressors -
23: 9. And who are watchful of their trusts and their covenants,
23: 10. And who are strict in the observance of their Prayers.
23: 11. These are the heirs,
23: 12. Who will inherit Paradise. They will abide therein for ever.

[jss]

Bani tells us (humanity) to live a truthful and honest life, do good deeds

[Trumble]

I would like to hear from Muslims, Christrians, Jews, everyone, to briefly state what you think a person has to do or believe to go to heaven.

As you opened the question to "everyone", personally I believe it to be a mute one in that there is no "heaven" to go to. I think the whole idea is the result of the (perhaps) natural human fear of death, and a desire for the ego-personality to continue to exist forever, preferably somewhere with far less suffering and misery than on Earth. Nothing exists forever, at least in that way... and clinging to the belief it can only enhances such suffering.

The best advice to offer your hypothetical friend would be to let go of such desires, then he will meet death with true serenity and without fear.

[Ghazi]

As you opened the question to "everyone", personally I believe it to be a mute one in that there is no "heaven" to go to. I think the whole idea is the result of the (perhaps) natural human fear of death, and a desire for the ego-personality to continue to exist forever, preferably somewhere with far less suffering and misery than on Earth. Nothing exists forever, at least in that way... and clinging to the belief it can only enhances such suffering.

The best advice to offer your hypothetical friend would be to let go of such desires, then he will meet death with true serenity and without fear.

:sl:

Well by your logic I have nothing to loose and everything to gain but you on the other hand are running a huge risk.

[Zulkiflim]

As you opened the question to "everyone", personally I believe it to be a mute one in that there is no "heaven" to go to. I think the whole idea is the result of the (perhaps) natural human fear of death, and a desire for the ego-personality to continue to exist forever, preferably somewhere with far less suffering and misery than on Earth. Nothing exists forever, at least in that way... and clinging to the belief it can only enhances such suffering.

The best advice to offer your hypothetical friend would be to let go of such desires, then he will meet death with true serenity and without fear.

Salaam,

I dont know about you but in Singapore,buddhist here do beleive that Buddha and his passe are in heaven..

I think if i remember correctly,my aunt worship Guan Yin,the buddhist goddes and the Jade emperor.taoism....She say heaven is full of lotus leaves and what not and when you achieve nirvana become a a buddha,,then you enter heaven and never reincarnate...


Anyway check this out

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/heaven.html

[Trumble]

:sl:

Well by your logic I have nothing to loose and everything to gain but you on the other hand are running a huge risk.

It's not logic, its belief - always wise not to confuse the two!

An interesting point, but Buddhist (and I hope my personal) behaviour is/should be that that the theistic religions consider conducive to going to heaven rather than hell. The factor remaining then is belief.. I have gathered from this board that in the case of Islam that is the essential requirement - far more than the 'good deeds' (somebody gave Mother Theresa as an example of someone who wouldn't reach heaven?!). You can't just say to yourself that you believe - you do or you don't. I don't, so no concious risk is involved. Many Christians would argue that 'accepting Jesus' is what is required, so by that 'logic' your risk taking is as great as mine. You don't believe that, of course, but its not something you can turn on and off at will to improve your chances!

I dont know about you but in Singapore,buddhist here do beleive that Buddha and his passe are in heaven..

I think if i remember correctly,my aunt worship Guan Yin,the buddhist goddes and the Jade emperor.taoism....She say heaven is full of lotus leaves and what not and when you achieve nirvana become a a buddha,,then you enter heaven and never reincarnate...

There is a huge variation in Buddhist beliefs. For example, some believe there are "heavens" but the are actually a pretty lousy place to be reborn as there are much better chances for spiritual progress if reborn as a human being. Others believe "heaven" is the stop for a final re-incarnation before becoming a Buddha. My personal take is that nirvana cannot be equated with "heaven" as the monotheists understand it, as there are no personality/egos to be there and indeed no 'there' for them to be in.

[Woodrow]

:sl:

Re: What must I do (or believe) to go to heaven?

Step ! Beleive that God, Allah(swt) exists.

Step 2 Believe that there is a heaven, Jannah

Step 3 Submit to the will of Allah (swt)

On a personal level I believe that to do my best to abide by the Qur'an is submission to the will of Allah(swt)

[Phil12123]

. . .briefly state what you think a person has to do or believe to go to heaven. Imagine a scenerio where your best friend is in the hospital dying of cancer. He's just been told he has only days, perhaps hours, before he will die. You are there to visit him. He says to you, "Help! I'm going to die! What do I have to do to make sure I'll go to heaven when I die???" What is your response?

Thanks, everyone, for the posts to my original post (above), which I have quoted to remind us of the scenario---your friend has a very short time to live, wanting to know what you would tell him/her about what must be done or believed to "make sure I'll go to heaven when I die." Your friend, obviously, is looking for some sort of assurance that if he/she believes or does something, heaven will be assured. Believing something is probably more practical because doing something, unless simple, cannot be something that takes a lifetime or any extended period of time, since he/she has only a short time to live. So, for example, if your answer is something like, "do good deeds" you must consider what they are, and how long it takes to do them, etc. If the friend is on his/her death bed, doing much of anything may not be real practical advise. Thanks for new posts, bearing the foregoing in mind.

Peace

[Woodrow]

I'd have to think about this in terms of my best friend who is Muslim. There would be little I could tell him that he does not know already. In fact just the opposite I would be asking him what I need to do.

I can not imagine a Muslim having a best friend who is not Muslim.

It is going to be difficult to find a Muslim who would be able to answer in relation to having a non-Muslim best friend. If the best friend is Muslim, there is no need to say much as he would already know.

I can not picture the scenario you describe as happening among Muslims.

[glo]

I can not imagine a Muslim having a best friend who is not Muslim.

You can't? Why not??? :?

For the sake of Phil's question, I don't think the issue hitches on the person dying 'being your best friend'
I think Phil is talking about somebody who is fearful of death, wanting your advice on what s/he needs to do do be assured heaven. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Phil!)

Incidentally, I am really struggling with this question.
For me the problem lies with not knowing how imminent death is for our imaginary friend.

If s/he had enough time to 'find' faith, I would talk about what I believe and why. I would explain the meaning of Jesus' life and the importance of my relationship with him. I would give the person time to reflect on life, confess and repent his/her sins (before God) and find peace with him.

If death was imminent, I would probably just advise to repent any mistakes s/he may have made in life and to trust him/herself into God's hands ...
No death-bed guilt trips for me, I don't think. I just couldn't do it. :X

peace.

[Woodrow]

You can't? Why not??? :?

For the sake of Phil's question, I don't think the issue hitches on the person dying 'being your best friend'
I think Phil is talking about somebody who is fearful of death, wanting your advice on what s/he needs to do do be assured heaven. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Phil!)

Incidentally, I am really struggling with this question.
For me the problem lies with not knowing how imminent death is for our imaginary friend.

If s/he had enough time to 'find' faith, I would talk about what I believe and why. I would explain the meaning of Jesus' life and the importance of my relationship with him. I would give the person time to reflect on life, confess and repent his/her sins (before God) and find peace with him.

If death was imminent, I would probably just advise to repent any mistakes s/he may have made in life and to trust him/herself into God's hands ...
No death-bed guilt trips for me, I don't think. I just couldn't do it. :X

peace.

Glo, you are correct.

I believe your statement

If death was imminent, I would probably just advise to repent any mistakes s/he may have made in life and to trust him/herself into God's hands ...
No death-bed guilt trips for me, I don't think. I just couldn't do it. :X peace.

Is the best answer I could give to a Non-Muslim friend.

[glo]

Glo, you are correct.

I believe your statement

Is the best answer I could give to a Non-Muslim friend.

Thanks, Woodrow.

I can't abide with anything humans do to force/coerce others to comply with their beliefs ... even on the death bed!

Sometimes I feel we get so self-righteous, thinking we have all the answers based on our holy books, and denying that no matter how hard we try not to, we always apply our own human interpretation to God's word!

This applies to us being oh-so-sure we know what God will do when we die. The only thing I am really sure of, is that we will stand before God, and in out state of weakness and sin will be entirely dependent on his mercy and love for us!

I don't like any of the 'you-will-burn-in-hell-because ... approach' - because in the Bible I see evidence of God's mercy!

It reminds me of God forgiving the people of Nineveh, and Jonah being right cross about it ... because Jonah in his human thinking and having just gone through a whole lot of trouble to do God's will, fancied seeing the people of Nineveh squirming under God's wrath! Isn't that just what us humans are like??!
But God had other plans for Nineveh ... so who am I to say I know God's plans for my brother and sisters?


peace.

[------]

Believing in Allah swt and that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah is the first step.

[------]

I can not imagine a Muslim having a best friend who is not Muslim.

LOL Imagine it mate....I have a best friend that is a Hindu...!

[north_malaysian]

LOL Imagine it mate....I have a best friend that is a Hindu...!

All my best friends (sahaba) are Muslims. But I've got lots of good and close friends who are Christians, Atheists, Buddhists, Confucians, Hindus and sikhs .. plus 1 murtad (apostate).

[- Qatada -]

All he has to believe is a simple statement, and that is that he has to believe that theres none worthy of worship besides the God that created him - Allaah Almighty.

He also has to believe that Allaah Almighty sends messengers, and Allaah Almighty's final messenger is Muhammad (peace be upon him.)

Ubaadah bin As-Saamit (may Allaah Almighty be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him); said,

"Whoever testifies that there is none worthy of being worshipped but Allah, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that 'Eesa (Jesus) is the Slave of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed in Maryann (Mary) and a spirit (created) from Him, and that Paradise is true, and that the Fire is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise, whatever his deeds may be."

[Narrated in Bukhari & Muslim]

Peace.

[Phil12123]

For the sake of Phil's question, I don't think the issue hitches on the person dying 'being your best friend'. I think Phil is talking about somebody who is fearful of death, wanting your advice on what s/he needs to do do be assured heaven. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Phil!)

Incidentally, I am really struggling with this question. For me the problem lies with not knowing how imminent death is for our imaginary friend.

If s/he had enough time to 'find' faith, I would talk about what I believe and why. I would explain the meaning of Jesus' life and the importance of my relationship with him. I would give the person time to reflect on life, confess and repent his/her sins (before God) and find peace with him.

If death was imminent, I would probably just advise to repent any mistakes s/he may have made in life and to trust him/herself into God's hands ...
No death-bed guilt trips for me, I don't think. I just couldn't do it.

Yes, Glo, you're right; no correction needed. I didn't really want to stress s/he is your best friend except to give you real concern about his/her plea for help preparing for death. For example, if the person were an enemy, rather than a best friend, some people would have no concern at all, maybe even wanting to speed up the process!

As for how imminent is the death, I wanted to make it very soon, so we wouldn't saddle the poor dying soul with a lot of things "to do" that s/he would not actually have time to do.

I've seen or read of times when Mother Theresa held a dying person in her arms, perhaps trying to comfort them as they took their last breaths. But I wondered if her "comfort" really prepared them to meet God. When a person is so weak and at the point of death, there may be very little you can do to help prepare them that way. So our imaginary friend is not quite that far gone, breathing his last breath, but also not going to live long enough to "do" much either.

Also, I wasn't thinking at all in terms of forcing a belief on the poor guy/gal. S/he is pleading for our help. We want to be helpful, not coercive, as we should be with everyone. As Jesus was with everyone.

Anyway, I guess what I am looking for is a brief statement of what various people thought would be the real "crux" of the matter of being ready to die, to meet God. I appreciate all the posts. Perhaps when we try to articulate something like this, it might help to crystalize, or to make clear and definite, our respective beliefs.

Peace