Muslim Saints

[bball147]

Is it possible that non-Catholics can be united with God or reach a state of perfection on earth? I came across a woman named Rabia Basri and the things she says are really similar to some of the famous catholic saints who I have read about. For example, one of her quotes is "O God! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell,
and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise.
But if I worship You for Your Own sake,
grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty.”
I did further reading and one of the sites stated that “Rabia was in her early to mid eighties when she died, having followed the mystic Way to the end. By then, she was continually united with her Beloved. As she told her Sufi friends, “My Beloved is always with me””
This is very similar to the things that I read about in saints like St terese of lisuex and other Saints. Ya, so i was just wondering if it was possible for people in other religions to be in union with God when they were on earth. Thanks

 

[bball147]

Anyone have an answer to this question? I read in St Teresa’s seven mansion that once you are in union you are fully aware that God is always by your side. And in reading about this muslim it seems that she has reached this union. It makes me think that maybe people in other religions can reach sainthood.

 

[Sam_777]

And in reading about this muslim it seems that she has reached this union.

Rabia al-Adawiyya (Arabic: رابعة العدوية), was a real Muslim Sufism, GOD bless her for the love she loved Him…

 

[dolphinlove]

Bball, you have to give people time to answer your question. But yes, people from other faiths can be united with God, but if we learn about Jesus and what he taught us, but deny him, chances are not so good.

 

[Jehoshua]

Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me”

Now before you come to the general conclusion that I’m saying muslims or anyone else can;t get to heaven, let me say that, that is not precisely true. What Christ is saying from my understanding in this passage is that only through him and his sacrifice can anyone get to heaven. So a muslim saint who lives a moral life and achieves an awareness of God can achieve sainthood, but their salvation is solely possible due to Christs sacrifice on the cross atoneing for their sins and thus only through Christ are they able to achieve sainthood and enter into the beatific vision, union with God.

However as has been stated if that same person on the path to sainthood becomes aware of Christ and his Church’s teachings, and the absolute neccesity of Christ and the Church for salvation and in full knowledge rejects that teaching and turns away from christ or refuses to accept this in the first place, then their chances at achieving salvation or the real sort of union with God expected of those who walk in holiness on earth are rather low.

In effect its the principle of invincible ignorance that applies in this case in that one who is unaware of Christ and his Church can achieve salvation if they live a life of holiness and morality. So indeed it is possible under this precept for a muslim to achieve holiness, but that holiness and their subsequent salvation is solely through Christ.

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If you want a more informed opinion i suggest checking out apologetics or ask an apologist here on catholic online, or perhaps looking up the Catechism, which although i think it is a bit ambiguous on this particular topic, is an informed view from the Magisterium.

 

[Sufjon]

Is it possible that non-Catholics can be united with God or reach a state of perfection on earth? I came across a woman named Rabia Basri and the things she says are really similar to some of the famous catholic saints who I have read about. For example, one of her quotes is "O God! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell,
and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise.
But if I worship You for Your Own sake,
grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty.”
I did further reading and one of the sites stated that “Rabia was in her early to mid eighties when she died, having followed the mystic Way to the end. By then, she was continually united with her Beloved. As she told her Sufi friends, “My Beloved is always with me””
This is very similar to the things that I read about in saints like St terese of lisuex and other Saints. Ya, so i was just wondering if it was possible for people in other religions to be in union with God when they were on earth. Thanks

Hi Bball: I think this is a great question you’ve asked. I would offer that every person from every religion, in fact, every creature and every thing is in fact in union with God. The difference is the realization of this fact, and this is not something that can be known on the level of the intellect. It is a deep connection that cannot be explained to the mind, which deals in words. I can tell you but still you won’t know it. However, you are not the mind. You are something infinitely more, and this thing that you are is in union with God. Knowing is experiential, yet can’t be explained. It can only be known. A saint is just a person who has come to this realization. He or she is nothing more than you. It is only that they know, and this makes them different. At the core, they are not something other than you. God does not see Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or atheists. These are all constructs of the human mind. A time will come when you do not have the mind you are using to read this. What then will be the use of these fabrications we have built around that which cannot be known with the mind anyway? This is what a saint knows. It is not easy for the rest of us to know.

Your friend,
Sufjon