Minimum Requirement For God’s Salvation

Minimum Requirements For Salvation

[5:69] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the converts, and the Christians; any of them who (1) believe in GOD and (2) believe in the Last Day, and (3) lead a righteous life, have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

Unity of All Submitters

[2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who  (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

 

INTRODUCTION

“While every religion has been corrupted by innovations, traditions, and false, idolatrous doctrines, there may be "Submitters" within every religion. There may be Submitters who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or anything else. These Submitters, collectively, constitute the only religion acceptable to God. As emphasized by the theme on the front page of this book, all Submitters who are devoted to God ALONE, and do not set up any idols beside God, are redeemed into God's eternal kingdom (2:62). A criterion of the true submitters is that they will find nothing objectionable in the Quran.” 

All Believers Constitute the One Acceptable Religion

As expected from the Creator's final message, one of the prominent themes in the Quran is the call for unity among all believers, and the repeated prohibition of making any distinction among God's messengers. If the object of worship is one and the same, there will be absolute unity among all believers. It is the human factor, i.e., devotion and prejudice to such powerless humans as Jesus, Muhammad, and the saints that causes division, hatred, and bitter wars among the misguided believers. A guided believer is devoted to God ALONE, and rejoices in seeing any other believer who is devoted to God ALONE, regardless of the name such a believer calls his or her religion.

Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in God, (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. [2:62, 5:69]

So does this mean that we don’t need to do our Salat, pay our Zakat, give to charity, believe in any of God’s messengers or scriptures, or angles?  

Minimum Requirement is this minimum to all people or does it vary from person to person?

I am going to argue that the minimum will vary from person to person

We know that Zakat is 2.5% of our income, but this does not mean everyone will give the same amount. For instance the person who makes more money will pay more than the person who makes less money. Both are meeting the requirement, but to look at what each person’s level of Zakat is will not be the right metric to determine if they are meeting the requirement, and I believe that the minimum requirement will operate in the same manner 

If you do not know about the Quran you are not responsible for following it.

If you do not know of God’s messengers you are not responsible for following them

God holds us responsible for what we know and our circumstances 

Greater Miracles Bring Greater Responsibility*

[5:114] Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "Our god, our Lord, send down to us a feast from the sky. Let it bring plenty for each and every one of us, and a sign from You. Provide for us; You are the best Provider." [5:115] GOD said, "I am sending it down. Anyone among you who disbelieves after this, I will punish him as I never punished anyone else."*

*5:114-115 The Quran's overwhelming miracle (Appendix 1) is described in 74:35 as "One of the greatest miracles," and brings with it an uncommonly great responsibility. 

Miracles Bring Greater Responsibility*

[2:211] Ask the Children of Israel how many profound miracles have we shown them! For those who disregard the blessings bestowed upon them by GOD, GOD is most strict in retribution.

*2:211 The Quran's mathematical miracle is a great blessing, and brings with it an awesome responsibility (please see 5:115).

[33:36] No believing man or believing woman, if GOD and His messenger issue any command, has any choice regarding that command. Anyone who disobeys GOD and His messenger has gone far astray.

Major Prophecy Fulfilled* God's Messenger of the Covenant

[3:81] GOD took a covenant from the prophets, saying, "I will give you the scripture and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger will come to confirm all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to fulfill this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you."

Rejectors of God's Messenger of the Covenant are Disbelievers

[3:82] Those who reject this (Quranic prophecy) are the evil ones.

[4:159] Everyone among the people of the scripture was required to believe in him (Jesus) before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.

[24:61] The blind is not to be blamed, the crippled is not to be blamed, nor the handicapped is to be blamed, just as you are not to be blamed for eating at your homes, or the homes of your fathers, or the homes of your mothers, or the homes of your brothers, or the homes of your sisters, or the homes of your fathers' brothers, or the homes of your fathers' sisters, or the homes of your mothers' brothers, or the homes of your mothers' sisters, or the homes that belong to you and you possess their keys, or the homes of your friends. You commit nothing wrong by eating together or as individuals. When you enter any home, you shall greet each other a greeting from GOD that is blessed and good. GOD thus explains the revelations for you, that you may understand.

The Test for Early Generations

[48:16] Say to the sedentary Arabs who stay behind, "You will be invited to face powerful people and to fight them, unless they submit. If you obey, GOD will reward you with a generous recompense. But if you turn away again, as you did in the past, He will requite you with a painful retribution." [48:17] The blind is not to be blamed, the crippled is not to be blamed, and the sick is not to be blamed. Those who obey GOD and His messenger, He will admit them into gardens with flowing streams. As for those who turn away, He will requite them with a painful retribution. 

Apathy Condemned

[4:97] Those whose lives are terminated by the angels, while in a state of wronging their souls, the angels will ask them, "What was the matter with you?" They will say, "We were oppressed on earth." They will say, "Was GOD's earth not spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" For these, the final abode is Hell, and a miserable destiny. [4:98] Exempted are the weak men, women, and children who do not possess the strength, nor the means to find a way out. [4:99] These may be pardoned by GOD. GOD is Pardoner, Forgiver.

So if you are whole and able

If you have the hearing, eyesight and mind

If you are more intelligent

If you are leader

If you are rich

If you have influence

You bear more responsibility than ones who are not

Someone who dies before the age of 40 will be forgiven

Someone who is born mentally or physically deficient will be forgiven

40: The Age of Decision*

[46:15] We enjoined the human being to honor his parents. His mother bore him arduously, gave birth to him arduously, and took intimate care of him for thirty months. When he reaches maturity, and reaches the age of forty,* he should say, "My Lord, direct me to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do the righteous works that please You. Let my children be righteous as well. I have repented to You; I am a submitter."

Christians, too, Must Obey God's Messenger

[5:14] Also from those who said, "We are Christian," we took their covenant. But they disregarded some of the commandments given to them. Consequently, we condemned them to animosity and hatred among themselves, until the Day of Resurrection. GOD will then inform them of everything they had done.

The Quran: God's Message to the Jews and Christians

[5:15] O people of the scripture, our messenger has come to you to proclaim for you many things you have concealed in the scripture, and to pardon many other transgressions you have committed. A beacon has come to you from GOD, and a profound scripture. [5:16] With it, GOD guides those who seek His approval. He guides them to the paths of peace, leads them out of darkness into the light by His leave, and guides them in a straight path.

Salvation For Jews and Christians

[5:65] If only the people of the scripture believe and lead a righteous life, we will then remit their sins, and admit them into gardens of bliss.

They Must Believe in This Quran

[5:66] If only they would uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what is sent down to them herein from their Lord, they would be showered with blessings from above them and from beneath their feet. Some of them are righteous, but many of them are evildoers.

 

(1) Believe in God? 

What does it mean to believe in God? Just his mere existence?

The devil believes in God. 

Believe in God means believing in God’s qualities

God is One

[17:42] Say, "If there were any other gods beside Him, as they claim, they would have tried to overthrow the Possessor of the throne."

[4:36] You shall worship GOD alone—do not associate anything with Him…

Most Gracious, Most Merciful, Most Just, All Knowing, All Powerful etc.

Knowing God

[10:61] You do not get into any situation, nor do you recite any Quran, nor do you do anything, without us being witnesses thereof as you do it. Not even an atom's weight is out of your Lord's control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record.

God

[59:22] He is the One GOD; there is no other god besides Him. Knower of all secrets and declarations. He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. [59:23] He is the One GOD; there is no other god besides Him. The King, the Most Sacred, the Peace, the Most Faithful, the Supreme, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Most Dignified. GOD be glorified; far above having partners. [59:24] He is the One GOD; the Creator, the Initiator, the Designer. To Him belong the most beautiful names. Glorifying Him is everything in the heavens and the earth. He is the Almighty, Most Wise.

As we grow in our understanding God will allow us to better understand His character 

Appendix 9 - Abraham: Original Messenger of Islam

God Never Ordered Abraham to Sacrifice His Son God is the Most Merciful. He never violates His own law (7:28).

Any person who believes that the Most Merciful ordered Abraham to kill his son cannot possibly make it to God's Heaven. Such evil thought about God is grossly blasphemous. Nowhere in the Quran do we see that God ordered Abraham to kill his son. On the contrary, God intervened to save Abraham and Ismail from Satan's plot (37:107), and He told Abraham: "You believed the dream" (37:105). Undoubtedly, it was a dream inspired by Satan. God's irrevocable law is: "God never advocates sin" (7:28)

Examine All Inherited Information

[7:28] They commit a gross sin, then say, "We found our parents doing this, and GOD has commanded us to do it." Say, "GOD never advocates sin. Are you saying about GOD what you do not know?" 

If we believe then our actions should correspond to that belief  

So do we need to do our Salat?

If God tells us that Salat is a meal for our soul and we decide not to do our Salat it shows that we do not believe.

Traits of the Believers

[42:37] They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive. [42:38] They respond to their Lord by observing the Contact Prayers (Salat). Their affairs are decided after due consultation among themselves, and from our provisions to them they give (to charity). [42:39] When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights. [42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. [42:41] Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. [42:42] The wrong ones are those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to aggression without provocation. These have incurred a painful retribution. [42:43] Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true strength of character. 

If God tells us that Zakat is needed to attain God’s mercy and we choose not to pay Zakat does that mean we believe?

Requirements For Attaining God's Mercy: The Importance of Zakat

[7:156] "And decree for us righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have repented to You." He said, "My retribution befalls whomever I will. But My mercy encompasses all things. However, I will specify it for those who (1) lead a righteous life, (2) give the obligatory charity (Zakat),* (3) believe in our revelations, and [7:157] "(4) follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad), whom they find written in their Torah and Gospel.* He exhorts them to be righteous, enjoins them from evil, allows for them all good food, and prohibits that which is bad, and unloads the burdens and the shackles imposed upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and follow the light that came with him are the successful ones."

In addition to believing in God’s qualities if we believe in God we need to believe in His word

By following the Quran which is His proven word via the mathematical miracle of the Quran

 

(2) believe in the Last Day, 

Hadith & Sunna: Fabrications by the Prophet's Enemies

[6:112] We have permitted the enemies of every prophet—human and jinn devils—to inspire in each other fancy words, in order to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications. Important Criterion [6:113] This is to let the minds of those who do not believe in the Hereafter listen to such fabrications, and accept them, and thus expose their real convictions.*

*6:113 The Quran provides criteria that tell us whether we truly believe in the Hereafter or merely give it lip service. These important criteria are stated here and in 17:45-46 and 39:45. *6:113-115 Upholding any source beside the Quran reflects disbelief in the Quran (Appendix 18). 

Quran, the Whole Quran, and Nothing But the Quran

[6:19] Say, "Whose testimony is the greatest?" Say, "GOD's. He is the witness between me and you that this Quran* has been inspired to me, to preach it to you and whomever it reaches. Indeed, you bear witness that there are other gods* beside GOD." Say, "I do not testify as you do; there is only one god, and I disown your idolatry." [6:20] Those to whom we have given the scripture recognize this as they recognize their own children. The ones who lose their souls are those who do not believe. [6:21] Who is more evil than one who lies about GOD, or rejects His revelations? The transgressors never succeed.

Quran: Fully Detailed*

[6:114] Shall I seek other than GOD as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?* Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt. [6:115] The word of your Lord is complete,* in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient. Footnote [6:116] If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will divert you from the path of GOD. They follow only conjecture; they only guess.

The Greatest Criterion*

[39:45] When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion. But when others are mentioned beside Him, they become satisfied.*

*39:45 Despite the clear commandment in 3:18 that the First Pillar of Islam is proclaiming: "Ash-hadu An Lã Elãha Ellã Allãh (there is no other god beside God)," the majority of "Muslims" insist upon adding the name of Muhammad. This Greatest Criterion alerts us that rejoicing in adding the name of Muhammad, or any other name, exposes disbelief in the Hereafter. See also Footnote 17:46.

You Shall Not Make Any Distinction Among God's Messengers

[2:285] The messenger has believed in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and so did the believers. They believe in GOD, His angels, His scripture, and His messengers: "We make no distinction among any of His messengers." They say, "We hear, and we obey.* Forgive us, our Lord. To You is the ultimate destiny." 

The Most Important Commandment*

[3:18] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.

[63:1] When the hypocrites come to you they say, "We bear witness that you are the messenger of GOD."* GOD knows that you are His messenger, and GOD bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.

Disbelievers Cannot Understand Quran

[17:45] When you read the Quran, we place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier. Quran: The ONLY Source [17:46] We place shields around their minds, to prevent them from understanding it, and deafness in their ears. And when you preach your Lord, using the Quran alone,* they run away in aversion.

(3) leads a righteous life,

Righteousness Defined

[2:177] Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.

[3:92] You cannot attain righteousness until you give to charity from the possessions you love. Whatever you give to charity, GOD is fully aware thereof.

Attributes of the Righteous

[3:133] You should eagerly race towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heavens and the earth; it awaits the righteous, [3:134] who give to charity during the good times, as well as the bad times. They are suppressors of anger, and pardoners of the people. GOD loves the charitable. [3:135] If they fall in sin or wrong their souls, they remember GOD and ask forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives the sins except GOD—and they do not persist in sins, knowingly.

Traits of the Righteous

[25:63] The worshipers of the Most Gracious are those who tread the earth gently, and when the ignorant speak to them, they only utter peace. [25:64] In the privacy of the night, they meditate on their Lord, and fall prostrate. [25:65] And they say, "Our Lord, spare us the agony of Hell; its retribution is horrendous. [25:66] "It is the worst abode; the worst destiny." [25:67] When they give, they are neither extravagant, nor stingy; they give in moderation. [25:68] They never implore beside GOD any other god, nor do they kill any soul—for GOD has made life sacred—except in the course of justice. Nor do they commit adultery. Those who commit these offenses will have to pay.

Additional Traits of the Righteous

[25:72] They do not bear false witness. When they encounter vain talk, they ignore it. [25:73] When reminded of their Lord's revelations, they never react to them as if they were deaf and blind. [25:74] And they say, "Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous."

(1) The Righteous

[2:3] who believe in the unseen, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat),* and from our** provisions to them, they give to charity. [2:4] And they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you,* and with regard to the Hereafter, they are absolutely certain. [2:5] These are guided by their Lord; these are the winners.

Can you call someone who witnessed God’s miracle and message and chooses not to follow it righteous?

This shows that their actions do not match their belief