FORMER TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has said that he lives by the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and his own conscience, and hopes to get to heaven when he dies…Mr Ahern said he believed in heaven and hoped that he did enough to get into it, but if he didn’t “at least what I meant to do was good”.Source
A noble goal indeed for what soul does not yearn for the blessings of Jannah (Paradise/Heaven) wherein are “Gardens of perpetual bliss” [Surah al-Rad, 13: 23], a place that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that Allah (subhanahu wa Ta’ala) said:“I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen and no ear has heard, nor has it occurred to the human heart. Thus, recite if you wish, ‘And no soul knows what joy has been kept hidden for them.”’ [Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and ibn Majah, Surah Al Sajdah, 32: 17]
The question arises, is following the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and one’s own conscience a means of entry into this blissful abode?
In the Quran, Allah’s final revelation to His creation, the Most High says:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be one of the losers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]
And this religion is not new, it is the same religion that Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus) proclaimed and it is Islam:
“He has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He enjoined on Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus: namely that you should remain steadfast in religion and be not divided therein.” [Quran 42:13]
So know that the Commandments and the Beatitudes have found their completion in Islam, and it is through submission to this alone that man will attain salvation. For Allah has said:
“This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Quran 5:3]
Can we rely on our own conscience?
Conscience is an inspiration from Allah as mentioned in the Qur’an:
[And a soul and Him Who perfected it and inspired it with (with conscience of) depravity or (what is) taqwa, he who purifies it has succeeded; he who covers it up has failed.] (Ash-Shams 91:7-10)
Our conscience in its pure state helps discern between right and wrong, but in an age when wrong is considered right and vice versa it behooves us to seek discernment of that which pleases Allah through His Divine Word, the Quran.
The Message Of False Religion
There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path to Allah. How can one determine which one is correct or if, in fact, all are correct? The methods by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central object of worship to which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regards to Allah. They either claim that all men are gods or that specific men were Allah or that nature is Allah or that Allah is a figment of man’s imagination.
Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that Allah may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it. For example, Prophet Isa (Jesus) invited his followers to worship Allah but those who claim to be his followers today call people to worship Isa, claiming that he was Allah!
Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles to the religion of India. He did not claim to be God nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet, today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and prostrate to idols made in their perception of his likeness.
By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, false religion becomes very obvious and the contrived nature of their origin clear. As Allah said in the Qur’an:
That which you worship besides Him are only names you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority: The command belongs only to Allah:
He has commanded that you only worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand “.(Qur’an Yoosuf 12:40)It may be argued that all religions teach good things so why should it matter which one we follow. The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil, the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship Allah alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Our’aan:
“I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship me” (Qur’an Zaareeyaat 51:56)
Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by Allah in his final revelation to man:
“Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whom so ever He wishes”.(Qur’an An- Nisaa 4:48 and 116)
Source.
So we call Bertie Ahern to place his reliance in Allah, submit himself to the Creator and accept Islam for His salvation.
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