Fear of Hell?-soothing words that helps

Thankyou Pauline, I really appreciate your wise input. I don't think any of us here are "scholars" in the real sense but I think most of us read the Qur'an everyday and understand it, that is why we are more than convinced about the truth of our religion. Not only that for those who pray and read the Quran regularly we see and experience God's revelations often so we know that we must continue to grasp this truth firmly and that is the only way to success both in this world and the next. Here are just a few verses from the Qur'an which I felt I must post:

009.030:The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! 

009.031:They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him). 

009.032 :Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).

009.033:It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it). 

009.034:O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty- 

009.035 :On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!" 

004.171:O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. 

004.172:Christ disdaineth nor to serve and worship Allah, nor do the angels, those nearest (to Allah): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant,-He will gather them all together unto Himself to (answer). 

004.173:But to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, He will give their (due) rewards,- and more, out of His bounty: But those who are disdainful and arrogant, He will punish with a grievous penalty; Nor will they find, besides Allah, any to protect or help them. 

004.174:O mankind! verily there hath come to you a convincing proof from your Lord: For We have sent unto you a light (that is) manifest.

004.175 :Then those who believe in Allah, and hold fast to Him,- soon will He admit them to mercy and grace from Himself, and guide them to Himself by a straight way. 

 
 

 All the prophets sent to the world have different but yet the same message. What we humans have done with that message is the issue.

 It is comforting to think that Jesus came and dies for our sins and if we believe we will be saved. That is a lovely thought. But frankly there are too many mysteries and the afterlife is unknown until we reach that point. I pray that Allah as Mercy on my soul when I move on but there are no guarantees. None of us can understand Allah. Why do we live for a long time, why does the baby die? Why does an earthquake kill 100, 000 people, and yet that one woman live?

Nima wrote: With that said let me say that I've heard Muslims say here that one has to be Muslim in order to attain that type of peace. Similar argument (even to a greater extent) also from Christians. My point here is that is goodness not enough for God eve if one doesn't understand or deny him? Is it not enough that a man is punished because he doesnt share a religion, a congreagation of some sort? there is a fear of hell because man is condemn even in light of his good nature and deeds all because he doesn't believe in the historical existence of prophetic figures.

Nima I�ll try to answer your question here and God willing Herjihad will answer you too. One who believes in the Oneness of God and obeys His commands is a Muslim. So no matter what you call yourself if you believe in the One & Only God and do not associate anything with Him then you are a Muslim.

Nima say for instance that your parents are providing you with everything � good food, a good house, love and plenty of money which you shower as gifts upon your friends. But while you receive the admiration of your friends for your generosity, you do not acknowledge any gratitude to your parents. Would this be right? I think certainly not! There is nothing worse than an ungrateful child and the parents would be extremely hurt and full of remorse.

Now God provides for you everything, absolutely everything � the air you breathe, the food you eat, the water you drink, the body you possess, the love of those relatives & friends and the list is endless. It is impossible to count God�s blessings on mankind. There is a verse in the Qur�an which says that if the sea was ink and there were seven such seas still the ink would not be enough to write the favours of God on mankind! And this is absolutely true! What we perceive is infinitesimal. And we don�t think enough and reflect how God produces that beautiful tree from that tiny seed which we scarcely saw. There is so much before us that we don�t reflect upon. After seeing and enjoying all that God has granted us how can we deny Him? No matter how good you are, when you don�t acknowledge the Creator who provided you with those conditions of goodness that you display, of what good are your deeds?

Your goodness should stem from acknowledging the Creator first and where will be your goodness if you yourself were miserable in pain and suffering? If all the above were denied to you?

Secondly, just as you are now most people are and have been. That is they did not know or grasp the existence of God who is the Creator of the Universe and everything beyond. Man in his foolishness worshipped everything - the sun, the moon, all sorts of animals and even human beings as god, instead of the real God. To correct man in his folly God in His kindness and Graciousness sent messengers to mankind. There have been thousands of messengers and only a few are well known. All these messengers brought home the truth of the existence of the One and Only True God, and that we should worship none but Him, that He was neither begotten nor does He beget, that we should associate none with Him. This was the message that was brought to mankind by Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed and many others (Peace be upon them all). Had it not been for them we would have continued in our folly of worshipping idols and other human beings etc. Therefore we have the highest regard for them (amongst human beings) and their teachings but we do not worship them.

I hope all the above answers your question that gratitude to God first and then to those who brought you the message is the first step one can take in order to achieve bliss and no matter how good you are if you deny the Provider, you would be lost.

Nima wrote: I don't fear hell as I have seen it personally in life a dif there is a mor terrible and agnoizin existence and I'm going there all because my good nature and good spirit is not enough for a deity then why am I prompted to believe in such a deity? 

Nima whatever you have seen of hell here are but tiny glimpses of the big picture. You may have seen volcanoes erupting and lava flowing, you may have seen the Tsunami, you may have seen the earthquakes � all on television. These are small reminders of the power of God and what one can expect when one denies His existence and associates anyone with Him, after the truth has reached them. It is easy to say that �I don�t fear hell�, but it is a lot more different there. As for me boiling water had scarred me a long time ago and I can never forget it. What if it was boiling oil? It would have been worse. But nothing can be worse than what we have been warned about and to prevent that God is not asking a lot. Just acknowledge His existence and live a righteous life.

Community wrote: Hell is a certainty, there is no point in fearing it. Rather fear Him who has power over all things and who created you out of nothing, leave those who try to instill fears in you as to make you accept their given way to safety. The only safety is with The Almighty, so seek a way to please Him, strive to achieve the eternal peace with Him through mending works.

Hell is real.agreed.but ask yourself can you escape it with your own merits? Do you think God does nothing about sin when we cannot acutally pay the price thats so heavy? Does he merely keep watching and demanding that we pay its price when we cannot pay it? Oh ! if that is the faith you have where  allah demands us like a cruel master and not a loving father to pay the heavy price which you and I cannot pay then who need such a faith?

I look to Jesus who like a parent Jump into the water to save me when I dont know swimming.That is why he is the savior God who came to save us from the penalty of sin when we are not able to pay it. why  not trust him now.