Hi, my name is Adrian; I was raised Christian but just started studying Islam this semester and am very much fascinated. I'm currently writing a paper on forgiveness in Islam and thought I'd get the opinion of believers, so here's a couple questions: how do Muslims view forgiveness? What does it mean to a Muslim to forgive? How does one balance forgiveness and justice? Is there a difference between sinning against God versus sinning against man? What are the differences between major and minor sins, and how does one atone for them?

If you could give your name and age when responding that would be very helpful, and thanks so much.

Originally Posted by NewtoIslam

how do Muslims view forgiveness?

Welcome, Forgiveness is forgiving someone for an act of injustice or immorality

What does it mean to a Muslim to forgive?

To sincerely let someone off for what they might have done to you

How does one balance forgiveness and justice?

That's something only the Al-Mighty knows best. But as people we should aim to forgive everyone and let Allah carry out the forgiving/justice in the hereafter.

Is there a difference between sinning against God versus sinning against man?

No, sinning against man is sinning against God

What are the differences between major and minor sins, and how does one atone for them?

Examples of major sins:

* Worshiping others, or associating partners with Allah (shirk)
* Believing in superstition, fortune telling and astrology
* Using magic or sorcery
* Committing murder
* Committing suicide
* Bearing false witness
* Committing adultery or fornication
* Cheating, stealing, and lying
* Charging or paying interest or usury (riba)
* Consuming pork or alcohol
* Consuming the wealth of an orphan
* Not fasting for Ramadan
* Not observing daily prayers
* Not paying zakat (annual charity)
* Gambling
* Oppression and unjust leadership
* Bribery, betraying trusts and breaking contracts
* Backbiting and slandering
* Breaking the ties of kinship
* Disobeying or not honoring one's parents



God is most merciful if you sincerely repent: "...if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended (your conduct), lo! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (6:54)

Originally Posted by NewtoIslam

Hi, my name is Adrian; I was raised Christian but just started studying Islam this semester and am very much fascinated. I'm currently writing a paper on forgiveness in Islam and thought I'd get the opinion of believers, so here's a couple questions: how do Muslims view forgiveness? What does it mean to a Muslim to forgive? How does one balance forgiveness and justice? Is there a difference between sinning against God versus sinning against man? What are the differences between major and minor sins, and how does one atone for them?

If you could give your name and age when responding that would be very helpful, and thanks so much.

Peace Adrian,

My name is Abdullah Muhammad I am very soon to be 71 years old. I have only accepted Islam in 2005 so you can say I am only a 6 year old Muslim who still has much to learn.

I am only going to address forgiveness. None of us can ever earn forgiveness. If in our life time we commit only one sin and it is the smallest of sins, we can not remove it our selves through anything we do.

Allaah(swt) is the most just and judges us with perfect fairness. He knows of our weaknesses and our failures. He does not punish us unjustly and is always willing to forgive us if we sincerely are sorry for our sins, ask him for forgiveness and truly do our best to repent and make amends for our past. Allaah(swt) readily gives forgiveness to those who sincerely repent and sincerely do their best to serve only Him.

Here are some translations of verse 45 of surah 5 in the Quran:

YUSUFALI:
We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.

PICKTHAL:
And We prescribed for them therein: The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds retaliation. But whoso forgoeth it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation for him. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are wrong-doers.

SHAKIR:
And We prescribed to them in it that life is for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and (that there is) reprisal in wounds; but he who foregoes it, it shall be an expiation for him; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust.

The abovementioned verse contains both the concept of justice and forgiveness in Islam. Justice in Islam means that you can retaliate to the full extent of what had been afflicted on you but it is still better to forgive in the hope that Allah will also forgive you for your own transgressions against Allah. Of course, this is not the only verse dealing with the issue of justice and forgiveness but I share it with the hope that it will shed some light on the matter. Insha Allah.

salaam

99 names of God is also a good place to look - Al Ghaffur - the forgiver.

peace

Allāh the Almighty said: O Son of Ādam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Ādam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask for forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you; O son of Ādam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. (Tirmidhī) (Hadīth Qudsī)

This sums it up beautifully.

To receive forgiveness from God there are three requirements:

1)Recognizing the offense itself and its admission before God.
2)Making a commitment not to repeat the offense.
3)Asking for forgiveness from God.

If the offense was committed against another human being, or against society, a fourth condition is added:

1)Recognizing the offense before those against whom offense was committed and before God.
2)Committing oneself not to repeat the offense.
3)Doing whatever needs to be done to rectify the offense (within reason) and asking pardon of the offended party.
4)Asking God for forgiveness.

There are no particular words to say for asking forgiveness. However, Muslims are taught many phrases and words to keep repeating daily asking God’s forgiveness. For example:

*Astaghfiru-Allah, “I ask forgiveness from Allah”
*Subhanaka-Allah humma wa bi hamdika wa ash-hadu al la Ilaha illa Anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, “Glory be to You, Allah, and with You Praise (thanks) and I bear witness that there is no deity but You, I ask Your forgiveness and I return to You (in obedience)”.

Originally Posted by NewtoIslam

how do Muslims view forgiveness? What does it mean to a Muslim to forgive?

I am a Muslim who converted from Protestant Christianity to Islam in 1982. My name is Mustafa and I am 50 years old. I view forgiveness as striking a deed from one's record as if it never happened. Forgiveness does not require a payment or a sacrifice, but as others have already indicated it requires for the offender to acknowledge the wrong he has done, to feel regret for having committed the deed, to ask for forgiveness from the one offended, and to intend not to repeat the offense again.

How does one balance forgiveness and justice? Is there a difference between sinning against God versus sinning against man?

I believe that there is no sin that I can commit that Allah (swt) cannot forgive if I repent of it; however, I believe that an offense I have committed against another living being that was not forgiven of me during my life will be exacted on me by that person or animal on the Day of Judgment, and Allah (swt) knows best. Even though Allah (swt) may forgive me and not send me to the Hellfire for a murder, the one murdered can still take revenge on me. (My Muslim brothers and sisters will kindly correct me if I have misspoken.)

What are the differences between major and minor sins, and how does one atone for them?

The most severe sin is to ascribe partners with Allah (swt) that will not be forgiven if one dies in that state. In Islam, my understanding is that good deeds offset bad deeds like in the scales of justice. Our records are kept according to the mercy of Allah (swt) with a bad deed counted as a single bad deed, but a good deed can count as many good deeds. We commit many sins that we are not even aware of and often our intentions are not pure. Ultimately, we are at the mercy of Allah (swt) for Him to forgive us or to punish us for the sins we have committed in our lives. There is a balance between hope in the mercy of Allah (swt) and fear of His wrath.

May Allah's Peace mercy and blessings be upon you brother Adrian

And may Allah guide you to his right path, and enlighten your heart with the light of faith. I would like to start by the following articles if I may, as it will help in explaining and answering your questions. I hope you will read them, they are useful. Prophethood in Islam: The nature of prophethood, Prophethood in Islam: A belief in all prophets without distinction, The inclusivenessof Islam: the finality of prophethood, Stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them all), 'The Original Sin', Why Did God Create?: Divine Mercy and Justice, Why Did God Create?: Divine Love and Grace, Conclusion.

Prophethood in Islam: The nature of prophethood

islamreligion.com/articles/228/viewall

Prophethoodis not unknown to heavenly revealed religions,such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special statusand significance.

According toIslam, God created man for a noble purpose: toworship Him and lead a virtuouslife based on His teachings and guidance. Howwould man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he receivedclear and practical instructions ofwhat God wants him to do?

Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus God has chosen from every nation at least one prophet to convey His Message to people.

One might ask, how were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?

Prophethood is God’s blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet’s life serves as a role model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drivethem away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message, he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes, which are usually corrected by revelation.

2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an imposter.Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usuallyin the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superior. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of themajor world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Moses’contemporaries were excellent in magic, so his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his day. Jesus’contemporaries were recognized as skilled physicians, therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God beu pon him, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad’s major miracle was the Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion of Arab poets and orators c, despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Again, Muhammad’s miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles werel imited to its time and place; that is, they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so with the miracle of Prophet Muhammad the Quran. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These can still be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Quran.

3. Every prophet state sclearly that what he receives is not of his own making, but from God, for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms whatwas revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does thisto show that he is simply conveying the message that is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence andfor the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealedbefore him or what might come after him.

Prophets are necessary for conveying God’s instructions andguidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What willhappen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable forour actions? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise,hell, and more, cannot be answered without direct revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why messengers are the elite of their societies interms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.

Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported tohave committed incestuous fornication while drunk. David is alleged to have sent one of his leaders to his death in order to marry his wife. Prophets, to Muslims, are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories cannot betrue from the Islamicpoint of view.

The prophets are also miraculously supported by God andinstructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message. The content of the prophets’ message to mankind can be summarized as follows:

a) Clear concept of God: His attributes, His creation, whatshould and should not be ascribed to Him.

b) Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits),Paradise and Hell.

c) Why God has created us, what He wants from us and what rewardsand punishments are for obedience and disobedience.

d) How to run our societies according to His will. That is, clearinstructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result ina smoothly functioning, harmonious society.

It is clear from the above discussion that there is nosubstitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and limited; the second is too subjective and frequently misleading.

To be continued.....

Prophethoodin Islam: A belief in all prophets withoutdistinction
islamreligion.com/articles/228/viewall
Onemight well ask:
Howmany prophets has God sent to humanity? We are only sure of what is clearly mentionedin the Quran, that God has sent a messenger to every nation. That is because itis one of God’s principles that He will never call a people to account unlessHe has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Quran mentions thenames of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were notmentioned to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

These25 include Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (may God praise themall).These five are the greatest among God’s messengers. They are called‘theresolute’ prophets.

Anoutstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believein and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. All the prophetscame from the same One God, for the same purpose: to lead mankind to God.Hence, belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejectingothers has to be based on misconceptions of the prophet’s role or ona racialbias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief inall the prophets an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus and Muhammad(peace be upon them), and the Christians reject Muhammad. The Muslims acceptthem all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, therevelations which those prophets before Muhammad brought from God have been tamperedwith in one way or another.

Thebelief in all the prophets of God is enjoined upon the Muslims in the Quran:
“Say (O Muslims): We believe in God and that which is revealed tous and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, andtheir children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophetsreceived from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and untoHim we have surrendered.” (Quran 2:136)

TheQuran continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this isthe true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, the yarefollowing in the right track. If they do not, they must be following their ownwhims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read:
“And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightlyguided. But if they turn away, then they are indisunity, and God will sufficeyou against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God’s religion and whois better than God in religion?” (Quran 2:137-138)

Thereare, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to beclarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad (peace be uponthem) as prophets, who are usually misunderstood.

TheQuranic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his ‘divinity’ and‘divine sonship’ and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Quranmakes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him theson of God and mentions, in this respect, Adam, who was created by God withouta father or mother.
“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God’s sight, is as Adam’slikeness; He created him of dust, them said He unto him“Be”, and he was.”(Quran3:59)

Likeother prophets, Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the deadand cured the blind and lepers, but, while showing these miracles, he alwaysmade it clear that it was all from God. Actually, the misconceptions about thepersonality and mission of Jesus, peace be upon him, found a way among hisfollowers because the Divine message he preached was not recorded during hispresence in the world. Rather, it was recorded after a lapse of about onehundred years. According to the Quran, he was sent to the Children of Israel;he confirmed the validity of the Torah, which was revealed to Moses ,peace beupon him, and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.
“And when Jesus son of Mary said, ‘Children of Israel. I am indeedthe messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving goodtidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the praisedone…” (Quran 61:6)

(The“praised one” is the translation of “Ahmad”, which is Prophet Muhammad’s name.)
However,the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted agains this lifeand in their opinion, crucified him. But the Quran refutes this opinion andsays that they neither killed him nor crucified him; rather, he was raised upto God. There is a verse in the Quran which implies that Jesus will come back

To be Continued...

The inclusiveness of Islam: the finality of prophethood
Jamaalal-Din Zarabozo

What is meanthere by “the inclusiveness of Islam” is that fact that Islam is for all timesand places. Regardless of who a person may be or where he may be, Islam shouldbe his religion and his way of life. This is just as much true for those wholived during the lifetime of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God beupon him, or those who will live in 2525 (if God wills that there shall be sucha year).

The correctunderstanding of this point revolves around a number of issues. The firstimportant issue is that of the finality of prophethood as vested in the ProphetMuhammad. The second concerns the perfection of the religion and the manner inwhich it is able to guide humankind during all eras.
TheFinality of Prophethood

God decreedthat the Prophet Muhammad would be His final messenger. God says:

“Muhammadis not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of God and thelast of the Prophets. And God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)

The ProphetMuhammad himself said:
“I havebeen sent to all of the creation and the prophets have been sealed by me.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Again, hesaid:
“TheChildren of Israel were led by the prophets; whenever a prophet died, a prophetsucceeded (him). Lo! There will be no prophet after me” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari,Saheeh Muslim)

Thus, therefinally came the Prophet who explicitly declared that he is the final prophet.The Prophets who came before the Prophet—as far as can be seen from what isnarrated from them—did not make such a claim regarding themselves. Thus, forexample, in Deuteronomy 18:17-19, God is telling Moses that He is goingto send another messenger “like unto him” in the future. In the New Testament, in John 14:15-16,Jesus speaks of “another Comforter” being sent by God. (Also in John 16:7-8 and John 16:12-13Jesus speaks of someone coming in the future.) On the other hand, the ProphetMuhammad made it very clear that no prophet would come after him.
Being sent asthe final messenger for humankind, there had to be some aspects that wereunique concerning this last Prophet. These aspects include:

First, since no one could comelater to correct any mistakes or distortions, the revelation received by thelast prophet had to be preserved in its pristine purity. It is obviously beyondthe scope of this short article, but a study of the history of the Quran andSunnah would demonstrate that both of them were minutely preserved.

Second, the nature of the “sign”of the last prophet would have to be different as well. This is because thissign would have to affect not only the people who were alive during the time ofthe prophet, but also all those who would come later. The “sign” of the ProphetMuhammad was the Quran, and its miraculous nature can still be appreciatedtoday and will continue to be appreciated in the future.

Third, this final prophet couldnot simply be sent for one community among humankind—each then having their ownfinal prophet and then differing with one another. This final prophet had to besent for all of humankind, putting an end to the succession of prophets andbeing suitable for the world as a whole. The Prophet Muhammad was the onlyprophet to make it known that he was not sent only for a certain people, butrather for all the various peoples of the world. The Jews, for example,consider themselves to be a chosen race and that their message is meantexclusively for themselves. Thus, many orthodox Jews do not believe inproselytizing their faith. The New Testament also makes it clear that Jesus’mission was to the Tribes of Israel. Matthew 10: 5-6 read:

“Thesetwelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of theGentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather tothe lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus isreported to have said when the Canaanite woman came to him for help,
“I amnot sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).[1]

This limitedmission of Jesus’ is also affirmed in the Quran (61:6). In the case ofthe Prophet Muhammad, however, God says:
“Say (O Muhammadto the people), ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger ofGod…’”(Quran 7:158)

Another versereads:
“And Wehave not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warnerto all mankind.” (Quran 34:28)
There are yetother verses giving the same purport. Prophet Muhammad also stated that he wasdistinguished from the earlier prophets by five matters. The last he mentionedwas:

“[Before]a prophet would be sent to his own people only, while I have been sent to allof mankind.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Fourth, the laws and teachings ofthis message had to be fixed in matters that need to be fixed for all ofhumankind until the Day of Judgment and guiding yet flexible or accommodatingin those matters that need to be open to change due to the changing circumstancesof humankind. This shall be discussed in more detail below.

islamreligion.com/articles/495/viewall

Footnotes:
[1] In the same context,Jesus in quoted in Matthew 15:26 as saying about helping the Canaanitewoman, “Itis not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs.”Again, God alone knowswhat parts of the Gospels attributed to Jesus were actually said by him.
To be Continued...

Thefollowing links are articles about the Stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them all)

The StoryofAdam (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1190/viewall

Regarding'The Original Sin'
islamreligion.com/articles/1776
islamreligion.com/articles/13/viewall


The Storyof Abraham (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/293/viewall

The Storyof Moses (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/3366/viewall

The Storyof Joseph (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1790/viewall


Stories ofa Blessed Family: Prophet Zachary (Zachariah) (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1472

Stories ofa Blessed Family: Prophet John (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1471


Mary(peace be upon her) in Islam
islamreligion.com/articles/25/viewall

Mary, theMother of Jesus (peace be upon them)
islamreligion.com/articles/1398/viewall

The Storyof Mary (peace be upon her) in Brief
islamreligion.com/articles/1186

The Storyof Jesus (peace be upon him) in Brief
islamreligion.com/articles/1185

Jesus(peace be upon him) in Islam
islamreligion.com/articles/31/viewall

Jesus Sonof Mary (peace be upon them)
islamreligion.com/articles/1412/viewall

The Storyof Jesus and Mary (peace be upon them) in the Holy Quran
islamreligion.com/articles/621/viewall

TheDescriptive Titles of Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Quran "TheMessiah" and "a Miracle"
islamreligion.com/articles/230

TheDescriptive Titles of Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Quran A "Word"and "Spirit" from God
islamreligion.com/articles/229

Jesus'Greatest Commandment
islamreligion.com/articles/28
To be Continued

'The Original Sin'
M. Abdulsalam
islamreligion.com/articles/13/viewall
islamreligion.com/articles/1776

“…Noperson earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdensshall bear the burden of another…” (Quran 6:164)

“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shallthe children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to deathfor his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

None can reject that in these two verses, the first from the Quran andthe second from the Bible, is an allusion to the same meaning: that the JustGod will never punish people for the sins of others.

Christianity alleges that God created humans to live eternally inHeaven, and that when Adam ate from the tree from which he had been forbidden,God punished him through death and banishment from Heaven. They further assertthat as death was inherited by his progeny, so too was the sin of their father,which was a permanent stain on the hearts of humanity, never to be removedexcept through a sacrifice so great that it would oblige God to forgivehumanity. This sacrifice would be nothing other than the sacrifice of Godhimself, incarnate in His “son” Jesus. Therefore Christianity deems all ofhumanity as ****ed to Hell for the sin of Adam from which they could never becleansed, except through the belief that God became incarnate and died forAdam’s sin, ritualized as Baptism, through which Christians are ‘born again’into the world, but this time free of sin.[1] So we see that the theoryof ‘Original Sin’ forms the basis of various Christian beliefs, from thecrucifixion of Jesus to the concept of salvation and savior from Hell. It formsthe very basis for the mission of Jesus himself.

So the questions arise, is humanity guilty for the sin which Adamcommitted by eating from the tree he was forbidden? Must we all repent fromthat great sin? In what way is one to repent? And if so, what is the fate ofthose who did not?

Islam strictly promotes the notion that the punishment of sins will onlybe faced by those who commit them. Sin is not a hereditary trait or ‘stain’passed to one’s progeny one generation to another. All people will beaccountable to what only they themselves did in this life. Therefore, eventhough the Quran mentions the sin of Adam and how he was banished from theGarden, it places no responsibility on the shoulders of his progeny. None ofthe Prophets before Jesus were known to have preached this concept, nor wereany other beliefs or rituals based upon this belief. Rather, salvation fromHell and attainment of Paradise was achieved through the belief in One God andobedience to His commandments, a message preached by all prophets, includingMuhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, as well.

The Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful

As for the sin of Adam, the Quran tells us that he repented for his sin.God revealed to him words with which to repent, which he then accepted fromhim.

“ThenAdam received Words (of forgiveness) from his Lord, and he accepted hisrepentance. Verily, He is the One Who repeatedly accepts repentance, the MostMerciful.” (Quran 2:37)

Through God’s acceptance of Adam’s repentance, Adam was cleansed of thesin which he committed. God in the Quran repeatedly ascribes to Himselfattribute of mercy and forgiveness. He also mentions that from His Names areThe Oft-Forgiving, The Most Merciful, the Accepter of Repentance, and others,all of which emphasize the All-Encompassing Mercy of God. Even to those whohave sinned much and may lose hope in the forgiveness of God, He says:

“Say:‘O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deedsand sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of God, indeed God forgives all sins.Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (Quran 39:53)

If a person sins, all they need to do is truly repent from their heart,and they will find God Ever Merciful. Adam did sin, and the sin did stain hisheart, but it was removed through his repentance. The Prophet Muhammad said:

“Indeed if a believer sins, a black spot covers his heart. If herepents, and stops from his sin, and seeks forgiveness for it, his heartbecomes clean again. If he persists (instead of repenting), it increases untilcovers his heart…” (Ibn Maajah)

Even if we were to say that Adam did not repent, that stain is notpassed on to further generations. Therefore, we see that God does not need anyphysical sacrifice in order to forgive sins, and that no sin is too great forHis Mercy; to say so would be to ascribe deficiency to His Excellence andPerfection. The Prophet Muhammad relates to us that God said:

“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shallforgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, wereyour sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgivenessof Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sinsnearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partnerto Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

God says in the Quran in regards to sacrifice, that it is the intentionof the person when offering the sacrifice which is of importance, and not theactual sacrifice itself.
“Itis neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God, but it is piety fromyou that reaches Him...” (Quran 22:37)

If we were to implement this verse in regards to the original sin andGod incarnate sacrificing himself in order to forgive all of humanity, we seethat even without seeking repentance for Adam’s sin, God forgave human beingsdue to His Own Sacrifice. Could He not have forgiven them without such asacrifice?
It is also mentioned in the bible:
“To what purpose (is) the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saiththe LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts;and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. Whenye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread mycourts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; thenew moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; (it is)iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts mysoul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear (them). And when yespread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make manyprayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make youclean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to doevil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge thefatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saiththe LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”[2]


Footnotes: [1]Apol., I, Ixvi.
[2]Isaiah 1:11-18
To be Continued....

Why Did God Create?: Divine Mercy and Justice
Dr. Bilal Philips

The Merciful, the Forgiving

In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness,mercy and kindness are also manifested. Human beings were created good and purewith a natural awareness of good and evil. The Almighty also created in humansdesires, and gave them an ability to control those desires according to divinelaw or to turn them loose and follow them blindly. God created mankind knowingthat they would disobey Him. Consequently, He taught human beings, beginningwith Adam, how to repent and thereby purify themselves of their sins. Adam andEve represent a pattern for all mankind to follow. They forgot the commandmentof God, and Satan played on their desires. After they had disobeyed God, theyturned back to Him in repentance, and He forgave them. In humankind’sdisobedience and turning back to God in repentance, the divine attributes oftotal forgiveness and infinite mercy become manifest

Every one of the 114 Chapters of the final revelation, except one,begins with the prayer, “In the name of God, the Beneficent the MostMerciful.” God’s attributes of mercy and forgiveness are stressed to encouragehumans not to fall into despair. No matter how great the sins of human beingsmay be, God can forgive them if man turns back to Him in sincere repentance.The Messenger, was quoted as saying:
“When God created the universe, He made an obligation on Himself[recorded] in a document kept by Him: ‘My mercy supersedes my wrath.’” (SaheehAl-Bukhari)
Had God wished, He could have created mankind like angels, incapable ofcommitting sin. However, that was not His wish, as He had already createdangels. Human beings were created capable of making mistakes and when theyrealize their errors and seek God’s forgiveness, the divine attributes of mercyand forgiveness become manifest.

Why Did God Create? : Divine Love and Grace
Dr. Bilal Philips

Divine Love

God’s love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whetherbeliever or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is alsorealized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness overevil. God states in the final revelation that He loves those who dogood (Quran 5:13), those who are just (Quran 5:42), those who arepious (Quran 9:4), those who are patient (Quran 3:146), those whoput their trust in Him (Quran 3:159), those who frequently turn to Himin repentance and those who purify themselves (Quran 2:222). However, it isHe who has defined for human beings through the scriptures and the prophetswhat is good, just and pious. Consequently, those who follow the prophets aremost beloved to God. In the Quran, God instructed Prophet Muhammad, may themercy and blessings of God be upon him, to say the following to the believers:
“Ifyou really love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive your sins…” (Quran 3:31)

More can be read at the following
islamreligion.com/articles/188/viewall
To be Continued.....

'The original sin'
M.Abdulsalam

TheDivine Will of the Perfect God

So Adamsought forgiveness for His sin, and God accepted it from Him. Another crucialpoint which must be mentioned is that God created humans with a free will, andHe knew that humanity would sin. For this reason, no human is expected to beperfect, but rather, God knows that they will sin. What is expected from humansis that they repent from their sin. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings ofGod be upon him, said:
“Allchildren of Adam repetitively make mistakes, but the best of those who makemistakes are those who repent.” (Ibn Maajah)

So here wesee that it was in the Great and Wise plan of God that Adam sin and that Godforgive him for that sin, and to say that Adam went against the Universal Willof God by sinning is a blasphemy against the All Encompassing Knowledge, Power,and Will of God. Christianity goes so far as to say that God even repented fromthe creation of humans! May God be free from all defects people attribute toHim. In Genesis 6:6, it says to quote:
“And itrepented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at hisheart”[1]

To agree tothis would mean that Adam did something which was out of the Will, Power, andKnowledge of God, and that God regretted His creation of humans. God isAll-Perfect and so are His deeds, and there is no defect or shortcoming inthem; He does nothing except with total and complete perfection and wisdom.Islam in no way agrees to this belief and, as we mentioned, all of whatoccurred in the story of Adam was within the perfect plan of God. The Prophetsaid:
“IndeedGod put everything into its proper measure fifty thousand years before thecreation of the heavens and the earths.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
God mentionsin the Quran what took place between the angels when He announced the creationof humans, and from this we see that it was known to God and part of His Greatand Divine Plan that humans would sin. God says:
“And(remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place(mankind) generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You placetherein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorifyYou with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’ He (God) said: ‘Indeed I knowthat which you do not know.’” (Quran 2:30)
It is alsoclear from these verses that God did not create humans as immortal, and thatdeath was prescribed for them from the beginning of their creation. As for theconsequences of the sin of Adam, which was his extradition from the Garden,this was felt by those to come after him and this is only natural. If one wasto become drunk and have a car accident, and some of the passengers die, thesin of driver effects the passengers in their death, but that does not meanthat the passengers are to be held to account for the sin of the driver.

The Innocent

Anotherquestion which must be dealt with is the fate of those who came before theclaim that God became incarnate and sacrificed himself for the sins ofhumanity, as well as the fate of those who were not baptized, as baptism is therite which all Christians must perform in order to be cleansed of Original Sin.In Christian belief, all humans previous to the incarnation of God, includingthe Prophets and infants usually regarded as sinless, are not free from theOriginal Sin of Adam, and therefore cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, AsAugustine said: “Do not believe, nor say, nor teach, that infants who diebefore baptism can obtain the remission of original sin.”[2] Only untilrecently, non-baptized infants were not buried in consecrated ground becausethey were believed to have died in original sin.
Also, we knowthat the verse in the Apostles’ Creed, “… and (Jesus) descended into Hell”[3],is said to mean that Jesus descended to Hell to free the righteous souls whowere there due to the sin of Adam. This leads us to believe that all thosebefore the coming of Jesus are in Hell, even if they were from the righteous.Paul mentioned this himself in Galatians:
“… a manis not justified by the works of the law ... for by the works of the law shallno flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
Here it isclear that adherence to the commandments of God is not enough for salvation,even for those before Jesus. This also holds true to all those who have notreceived the message of Christianity. We must ask; why did not the Prophetsbefore Jesus call to this notion of original sin? Did they lie when they saidthat it was enough to Worship One God and obey His commandments to achieveParadise? Why did not God come and free humanity from sin at the time of Adam sothat the righteous and others would not be in Hell due to his sin? Why areinfants, humanity before Jesus, and others who have not heard aboutChristianity, held accountable for a sin they never committed, nor haveknowledge about how to remit themselves from it? The truth of the matter isthat the notion of “Original Sin”, as many others, was one introduced by Pauland later expounded on by Christian scholars and councils.
“The OldTestament says nothing about the transmission of hereditary sin to the entirehuman race… the main scriptural affirmation of the doctrine is found in thewritings of St. Paul…”[4]
This conceptthough, was expounded by Augustine of Hippo, one of the most prominentChristian scholars in History. The basis of this concept is that “thedeliberate sin of the first man (Adam) is the cause of original sin.”[5]The Second Council of Orange (529 C.E.) declared, “One man has transmittedto the whole human race not only the death of the body, which is the punishmentof sin, but even sin itself, which is the death of the soul.”[6]

The conceptof original sin is one which has no basis in previous scriptures regarded asdivine by Christianity. None of the Prophets before Jesus were known to havepreached this concept, nor were any other beliefs or rituals based upon them.Rather, salvation from Hell was achieved through the belief in One God andobedience to His commandments which was preached by all prophets, including theProphet of Islam, Muhammad, may God praise them.
To be Continued....

'The original sin'
M. Abdulsalam


Summary

In Islam, the key to salvation is the belief in and worship of the OneTrue, Unique and Perfect God and obedience to His commandments, the samemessage brought by all Prophets. Islam preaches that a person must work righteousnessand avoid sin to attain Paradise, and that if one sins, that they seekrepentance for it from their heart. Through this and the Mercy and Grace ofGod, they will enter Paradise. Islam does not deem that all those before theadvent of Muhammad are doomed to Hell, but rather that each nation was sent aprophet by the same One God, and it was upon them to follow His commandments.Those who have not heard of the message are not held liable to follow Islam,and God will deal with them with His Perfect Justice on the Day of Judgment.Infants and children of both Muslims and disbelievers alike are in enjoyment inParadise upon death. Due to the infinite Justice of God:
“Noone laden with burdens can bear another’s burden. And We never punish (people) untilWe have sent (to them) a Messenger (to give warning).” (Quran 17:15)


Footnotes:

[1]King James Version.
[2]De Anima (III).
[3]The creed based on the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
[4]Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of World Religions. P.830. 1999, MerriamWebster, inc.
[5]De Nuptiis et Concupiscentiâ, II, xxvi, 43
[6]Enchiridion Symbolorum, Heinrich Joseph Dominicus Denzinger. n. 175(145)