FIRST REMINDER: Sunday. 8th day of Rabeeul Awwal. SALVATION IN ISLAM. Bismillah. ONE OF THE BASIC ARGUMENTS RAISED BY NON-MUSLIMS, ESPECIALLY CHRISTIANS, AGAINST ISLAM CONCERNS THE CONCEPT OF SALVATION. They say that in Christianity, one is saved by faith, whereas in Islam one must earn their salvation through good deeds. How do we answer that? Unfortunately, many Muslims fall into the trap of defending the position imposed on them by these non-Muslims. This then provides the Christians with a basis for their entire Jesus-Father-Crucifixion-Salvation framework. They then go on to argue that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned. But if the true Islamic concept is made clear, the Christian has no basis to attack Islam. Many times, Muslims fail to realize that the Islaamic concept of salvation is not based upon good deeds, but is based primarily upon faith. In the dozens of times Allah Almighty talks in the Quran about salvation, Allah always states, "Those who believe and do good deeds." Belief is always mentioned before deeds or works. When one converts to Islaam, one does not do it by doing some good work but rather through realizing and believing that there is but one God and Muhammed peace be upon him is his last messenger. Such persons becomes a Muslim and all their past sins forgiving to the extend that if they are to die the next day without even offering one rakaat salaat, they will enter paradise by the permission of Allah. Non-Muslims may perform good works as well, but what sets them apart from Muslims is their lack of EEMAAN (Aqeedah) [faith], or belief. The reason that the good works of the non-believers are worthless in the hereafter is because of their disbelief. Unless a person's eemaan or aqeedah is not correct, all his good deeds are worthless. One of the more popular Hadiths of the Prophet peace be upon him states, "All actions are based upon intentions," implying that the purpose, intent, or imaan behind your action is what you get rewarded for; the actual action is really a consequence of the belief. So say Alhamdulillah for been a practicing Muslim and lets study our deen to do daawah to them as Allah commanded. May Allah keep guiding us and protect us from any satanic influences. Aameen.