Please select the category which you feel you can relate yourself to.
I declare myself a follower of someone whom I love a lot, and always consider his words and lifestyle before making any decision in life. Even if at times I am tempted not to follow his way of living or I become careless, I at least humbly admit my mistakes (instead of justifying them) and intend to correct myself as soon as I get the strength to do so.
Even though I am a follower of someone by birth, but practically its just by name. I have love and respect for my Ideal only in words, because practically I prefer my ‘own personal thinking’ instead of refering to his words and lifestyle. And I don’t feel guilty at all while living a lifestyle and having opinions that are quite different than that of my ideal. In short, my practical lifestyle gives people an impression that I like to keep my own way of thinking above that of my ideal. Because whenever I am told my mistakes with reference to my ideals lifestyle, I try to justify my own views.
I know I am far away from the lifestyle and the way of thinking of my ideal. Honestly, I never really tried to learn and practically implement his ways in my life. But still I do humbly admit my mistake (instead of justifying it) and wish to take seriously his ways and to act upon them, before death. I do support and take side of those who base their views on the views of my Ideal, no matter how much it makes me feel guilty for not following it myself.
You may add another category which you feel comfortable with.
I feel and think that I myself am in category # 3. May Allah (swt) forgive me, guide me towards the truth and help me in overcoming my EGO that has grown larger than my love and respect for the ways of my IDEAL.
Allah (swt) judges people not on the basis of their own faith and circumstances, but only on the basis of how much they are trying their level best to bring their way of living and thinking closer to that of HIS Prophet (saw).
The standard is the Prophet (saw) and Quran, no one else. One is closer to his ways of thinking and actions, Good, otherwise one can't convince Allah (swt) to make that person the standard instead of the words of Prophet (saw) and Quran.
I can't disobey the ways of the prophet (saw) with good intentions and faith in Allah (swt). Faith comes with the ways of the prophet saw, and one's faith is judged accordingly.
Yes Allah does judge at the standard he has set. But no human can replace that. That after all would be shirk and that is as repugnant as eating pork. So at the end of the day as I said Allah will judge me and only him. I don't see where the disagreement is.
^ I agree with what you have said, but my point was not intended towards you but towards those people who would say that they have faith in Allah (swt) and only Allah (swt) would judge them, but apparently their lifestyle and the views they support are totally opposite to the ways and thinking of the Prophet (saw).
One example could be:
A person just told me that a Pakistani Muslim woman has made photos without clothes on TV and in her interview she is saying that she has a firm belief in Allah (swt) and no one can judge her. Yes, only Allah (swt) would judge her but HE also has set a standard for judgemet.
Its just like saying I have written 2+2 = 9 in my paper, but you are no one to judge if I have solved it correct or not. Only the best mathematician has the right to judge me. Hasn't the best mathematician already defined the rules of judgement ?