02-11-2005, 04:40 PM
Bismillah,
You wonder about the main purpose of the ayah. Let me repeat these two again,
“Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
[al-Baqarah 2:62]
“Surely, those who believe, those who are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians – whosoever believed in Allaah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
[al-Maa’idah 5:69]
So true believers go a long way back, all the way back to the first human being and Prophet, Adam, pbuh. So Allah, SWT, here is telling us about ALL true believers that have ever existed, until the Last Hour comes.
One has to be a bit careful, since if one do not try to understand WHO these people are, one may be confused. Maybe you read the word Christian, and then you see a 'green light' - according to the Qur'an you will be saved. Therefore it is so IMPORTANT to take the fundamental message of the Qur'an in.
Islam teaches that you have to be a true believer in Allah, SWT and and all His Prophet's, peace be upon them, including the Last Prophet, saws, to be able to enter Paradise. That is what Allah, SWT 'requires' of us one could say. So when Islam entered into the world IT is the way to obey and follow Him, until the Last Hour, since Islam teaches the Qur'an is the Last Message from our Creator, and Muhammad, saws is the last Prophet, saws.
So the followers of Musa, pbuh, for example, that did not have Muhammad, saws to follow, for obvious reasons, but did fulfill all the other criteria that Allah, SWT did set up for them, should be included in the true believers.
Are you following the thought?
Regards