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Common Questions

Congratulations!  You can be much more confident and secure on the Day of Judgment because if you keep all the Law all the time you have Righteousness.  Personally I do not know anyone who has been able to keep the Law in this way so this is indeed a great achievement.  But do not stop your efforts yet because you must continue in this Straight Way for your entire life.

I had stated that these Ten Commandments of the Law were never cancelled since they deal with the basic issues of worshiping One God, adultery, stealing, truthfulness etc.  But the later prophets did comment on these commands to explain their application more fully.  Below is what Isa al Masih (PBUH) said in the Injil about how we keep these Ten Commands.  In his teaching he refers to the ‘Pharisees’.  These were the religious teachers in his day.  They could be considered like very religious and knowledgeable scholars of today.

The words of Isa al-Masih (PBUH) on the Ten Commandments

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:20-30)

In addition, the apostles of Isa al-Masih – his companions – also taught about idolatry.  They taught that idolatry is not only worshiping idols of stone – but worshiping anything along with Allah.  And this includes money.  Therefore you will notice that they teach that ‘greed’ is also idolatry because a greedy person worships money along with God.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  (Colossians 3:5-6)

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater —has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 5:4-6)

These explanations of Isa al Masih and his companions take the original Ten Commandments, which largely deal with outside actions, to internal motivations, which only Allah can see.  This makes the Law even more difficult.

You can reconsider your answer as to whether you are keeping the Law.  But if you are sure that you are keeping all the Law the Injil will have no meaning or purpose for you.  And there is no need to continue following further Signs or trying to understand the Injil. This is because the Injil is only for those who are failing to keep the Law – not for those who are keeping it.  Isa al Masih explained this in the following way.

While Jesus (Isa) was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”On hearing this, Jesus (Isa) said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10-13)

Sometimes I am asked if Allah really expects and demands 100% obedience.  We can argue about this between humans but really this question will be answered by Allah, not by us, so instead I have simply picked out verses from Taurat that tell us to what extent obedience to the Law is required and expected.  They are below.  Notice how many verses and how clear they are.  The verses are full of phrases like ‘carefully follow’, ‘ALL commands’, “All your heart”, “commands always”, “everything”, “All decrees”, “fully obey”, “all the words”, “listen to all”.

This standard of 100% obedience never changes with the later prophets.  Isa al Masih (PBUH) in the Injil taught that:

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.(Matthew 5:17-19)

And the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the haddith said

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar: ..A group of Jews came and invited the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) to Quff. …  They said: ‘AbulQasim, one of our men has committed fornication with a woman; so pronounce judgment upon them’. They placed a cushion for the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) who sat on it and said: “Bring the Torah”. It was then brought. He then withdrew the cushion from beneath him and placed the Torah on it saying: “I believed in thee and in Him Who revealed thee.”  Sunan Abu Dawud Book 38, No. 4434:

And this only makes sense.  Allah is preparing Paradise – and this is a perfect and holy place – where He is.  There will be no police, no armies, no locks – and all the other securities we have today to protect ourselves from the sins of each other.  That is why it will be paradise.  But for it to remain a perfect place, only perfect people can enter – those who follow ‘all’ commands ‘always’, ‘fully’, and ‘in everything’.

Here is what the Taurat says about the extent of obedience to the Law that is required.