Question:
Someone told me you don’t have to be a Muslim to go to heaven. They said that if you don’t accept the kalma (There is No God but Allah, and the Prophet Mohammed is his Last and Final Messenger) you’ll still go to heaven if you are a good person, even if you are of a different faith. Further, they stated there was a person who had two faiths. This person was both a Christian and a Muslim and therefore received double the reward of believing in both religions. They said that this had been confirmed by our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW). Is this true and is it true that you can be a person of different religion and still be admitted to heaven as long as you’re a good person?
Supporting references from the Qu’ran required.
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam
Allah swt said:
وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيداً
{And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;} (Surat an-Nisa, 4:159) ”
About this verse, Ibn Jarir said, “This occurs after `Isa returns and before he dies, as then, all of the People of the Scriptures will believe in him.”
Abu Malik commented: {but must believe in him, before his death.} “This occurs after `Isa returns and before he dies, as then, all of the People of the Scriptures will believe in him.”
See the Posts “One who believes without pronouncing faith” and “unbelievers“.
Staff
