Archive -> January 8, 2005

Moslem’s age of strength

. . . At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, “O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me . . .

The Holy Koran, Yusuf 'Ali translation

The Prophet Muhammad was forty years old when he received his calling to prophethood. The Apostle Isaac (Genesis 25:20) and Esau were both married at the age of forty (Genesis 26:34). The Prophet Moses was forty years old when the Sustainer gave him the Ten Commandments (Genesis 20).

Now, if this is the age of responsibility, or of knowing, what happens when a person dies before this age? Will he immediately go to paradise for he has not yet attained his age of “wisdom?” How about if they are of different faiths, will a Christian who is 20 years old not be held responsible for not knowing about Islam or not converting to Islam and be allowed in paradise?

Excerpted from 360 Questions To Ask Orthodox Sunni Muslims by Dr. Malachi Z. York
Relative: Age of 40

Excerpted from Is There A God? by Dr. Malachi Z. York