In Surah al-Baqarah, the Quran says:
Those who believe (in Quran) and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabaeans whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds, their reward is with Allah; and no fear shall be on them nor shall they grieve. (2:62) 
This aayah of the Quran, which because of its significance, is repeated with a slight verbal variation in Surah al-Ma’idah (5:69), demolishes the basis of a fatal religious deviation which has misled followers of many a religion in history. Although on the Quranic view all prophets of Allah preached essentially the same message of Divine guidance, their followers would generally take on a narrow sectarian path and shrink into a shell claiming salvation for those in the shell and denying it to all others. The Jews, for instance, believed that their race was God’s favourite race and those outside the Jewish fold were damned. The Christianity of St. Paul made salvation dependent on belief in the Atonement. This is to say just believe that you have been ransomed in advance by somebody’s sacrifice, you are saved regardless of what you do after such belief. In cast-ridden societies, the people of the upper cast claimed salvation simply by belonging to that cast.
The Quran on the other hand, tells us that salvation is not dependent on the accident of your being born in a particular race, sect or cast but on faith (iman) and good deeds (a’mal al-salih) issuing from that faith. This doctrine of personal responsibility is stressed over and over again in the Book whose most emphatic statement occurs in surah al-‘Asr:
By time (as it passes and stands witness) man is in manifest Loss except those who believe and do righteous deeds and exhort one another to follow truth and be steadfast and patient. (Surah 103)
The Quran also tells us repeatedly that in the Hereafter everyone will have to carry his own burden:
No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of others. (35:18)
The Prophet (SAW) told his beloved daughter, Hazrat Fatimah (RA), that on the day of Judgement she will be saved by her faith and righteous action. Of course faith and righteous action can bear fruit only if Allah approves them in His mercy but His mercy is earned only through faith and good deeds.           

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST