Good Deeds

Assuming you believe in heaven, what do you think you need to do to get there?

Is faith enough? Are good deeds important? What about good intentions?

This is one of the main disagreements between Muslims and Christians. Is it faith or good works? Paul said faith without works is dead, but John wrote that belief was the most important. Are these statements contradictory, or do they complement each other?

Muslims believe that good deeds are the most important, but these deeds must be accompanied by good intentions. A verse in the Qur'an says, Woe to the worshippers who worship to be seen by men. Prayer, fasting, pilgrimage mean nothing without the proper intention.

I think there's an order to these components. First comes faith, which is followed by good intentions. Good deeds--the best deeds--are built on this foundation.

Can a believer simply sit back and rest on his or her belief system, expecting great rewards after death. No, I don't think so. You have to be willing to work for it.