A Comparision on Sin in Islam & Christianity

[sonz]

an-Nisa' 4:111 - "Whoso committeth sin committeth it only against himself. Allah is ever Knower, Wise".

Usually seen between Halal and Haram. Sin is seen as disobedience to an established law (shari'a).

Like Roman Catholics, there are Greater Sins and Lesser Sins. Greater Sins: a tradition says seven in number: polytheism, witchcraft, unlawful murder, spending the money of orphans, usury, running away from battle, and abusing helpless, faithful women. Some say as many as 700. Lesser Sins: the rest, including giving bribes, stealing, eating pork, deliberately omitting parts of salat, etc.

Some traditions say that sin is forgiven automatically because of good works, while greater sins require begging for forgiveness (istighfar) and sin of polytheism requires repentence (tawba). The conditions of forgiveness of sins is not very clearly stated, sometimes automatically forgiven, while others seem to require more. In any case, a Muslim does not know if his/her sins are forgiven, but have to wait till Judgment Day. This constrast sharply with the Bible:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

(1 John 1:8-10) - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.


Sin Comparison between Christianity & Islam

Christians
1. Everyone is born in sin, which explains a person's sinful nature and his tendency to sin (Romans 5:12,19)

Muslims
1. Everyone is born sinless and without a natural, sinful nature.

Christians
2. Sin in human nature causes a man to do evil (James 1:14,15, Genesis 8:21, Romans 6:12-14). It is rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4). It is more than simply breaking God's law (1 John 3:4).

Muslims
2. Sin is breaking Allah's law (al-A`raf 7:33). The harm is only against oneself (al-A`raf 7:22), for Allah is too majestic to be affected.

Christians
3. All (except Jesus) have sinned and thus become guilty before God (Romans 3:23).

Muslims
3. If Allah had wanted, he keep man from sinning (al-A`raf 32:13, ar-Ra`d 13:31, al-An`am 6:39).

Christians
4. Sin greives God (Genesis 6:5,6; Psalms 78:40).

Muslims
4. Sin does not grieve Allah, who is too great to be affected. Allah created man's evil deeds, and man must do them (as-Saffat 37:96, al-Qamar 54:49, at-Taubah 9:51, al-Hadid 57:22)

Christians
5. Sin breaks fellowship between man and God, and between fellow men (1 John 1:3,6,7; Isaiah 59:2,3).

Muslims
5. Sin only breaks a law, not a fellowship such as between a son and his father.

Christians
6. God hates sin, but loves sinners and wants them to repent (Romans 5:6-8)

Muslims
6. Allah does not love evildoers (al-A`raf 7:55, ash-Shura 42:40, al-Baqarah 2:276)

Christians
7. God deeds do not earn forgiveness from God. Forgiveness is a the free gift from God, and good deeds should be done in gratitude (Ephesians 2:8,9, Galatians 2:16)

Muslims
7. Good deeds balanced against evil deeds on the Judgement Day may help get forigiveness ( al-Anbiya' 21:47, al-Furqan 25:70)

Christians
8. God forgives the sin of all who trust in Christ (2 Cor 5:19-21) Christians can know this now (1 John 1:9, 2:12)

Muslims
8. Allah forgives whom he wills and punishes whom he wills
(Âl 'Imran 3:124, al-Ma'idah 5:118)

(Taken from Emory VanGerpen, Notes on Islam, 1979, p.45-46)

Acts of sinful nature,

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its pas sions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:16-28)

Allah forgives sins, al-Baqarah 2:268; al-Mudathir 74:56 although one never know if it is forgiven until Day of Judgement.

Avoiding, an-Nisa' 4:31 - If ye avoid the great (things) which ye are forbidden, We will remit from you your evil deeds and make you enter at a noble gate.

Blaming another, an-Nisa' 4:112 - And whoso committeth a delinquency or crime, then throweth (the blame) thereof upon the innocent, hath burdened himself with falsehood and a flagrant crime.

Forgiven because of good works, an-Nisa' 4:149; al-Ma'idah 5:9; al-`Ankabut 29:7

Forgiven because of prayers,

Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Bukhari 1.34)

Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said: "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Bukhari 1.36, also Sahih Bukhari 1.37)

Forgiveness for, Âl 'Imran 3:16,31,135,147,193; Yusuf 12:97; Ibrahim 14:10; al-Ahzab 33:71; az-Zumar 39:53; al-Mu'min 40:3,11,55; al-Ahqaf 46:31; Muhammad 47:19; al-Fath 48:2; as-Saff 61:12; Nuh 71:4

Joining other (religion) in worship is great wrong,

* Narrated 'Abdullah:

When the following Verse was revealed: "It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with wrong (worshipping others besides Allah.)" (al-An`am 6:83), the companions of Allah's Apostle asked, "Who is amongst us who had not done injustice (wrong)?" Allah revealed: "No doubt, joining others in worship with Allah is a great injustice (wrong) indeed." (Luqman 31:13) (Sahih Bukhari 1.31)

Man born free from sin.

* ``So if we take a certain young boy in France who was raised by wolves, so to speak, he'll be naturally good and selfless, uncorrupted by the evil tendencies of civilization. ``NOT! ``The boy I speak of is a real person, found in the woods of Navarron in the 19th century. He wasn't exactly bowing towards Mecca when he was found. He was ultimately selfish and suspicious of everyone. Noble savage indeed!'' (Richard F. Masoner)

Abraham, al-Anbiya' 21:51; ash-Shu`ara' 26:82

Adam, al-A`raf 7:20-23

David, Sad 38:25 - So We forgave him that; and lo! he had access to Our presence and a happy journey's end.

Moses, al-Qasas 28:15-16 - And he entered the city at a time of carelessness of its folk, and he found therein two men fighting, one of his own caste, and the other of his enemies; and he who was of his caste asked him for help against him who was of his enemies. So Moses struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is of the devil's doing. Lo! he is an enemy, a mere misleader. He said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged my soul, so forgive me. Then He forgave him. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

forgiven, al-Qasas 28:16 - He said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged my soul, so forgive me. Then He forgave him. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

* This Qur'anic verse is clear that God forgave Moses for his wrong. What is there to forgive if there is no wrong?

Muhammad, al-Ahzab 33:37; Muhammad 47:19; al-Fath 48:2

Noah, Hud 11:47 - He said: My Lord! Lo! in Thee do I seek refuge (from the sin) that I should ask of Thee that whereof I have no knowledge. Unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me I shall be among the lost.

Retaliation before entering paradise,

Sahih Bukhari 3.620 - Allah's Apostle said, "When the believers pas s safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world."

Sins forgiven for the first to invade Caesar's city,

Sahih Bukhari 4.175 - That 'Umair bin Al-Aswad Al-Anasi told him that he went to 'Ubada bin As-Samit while he was staying in his house at the sea-shore of Hims with (his wife) Um Haram. 'Umair said. Um Haram informed us that she heard the Prophet saying, "Paradise is granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition." Um Haram added, I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Will I be amongst them?' He replied, 'You are amongst them.' The Prophet then said, 'The first army amongst' my followers who will invade Caesar's City will be forgiven their sins.' I asked, 'Will I be one of them, O Allah's Apostle?' He replied in the negative."

forgiven if "amen" coincide with angels,

Sahih Bukhari 4.446 - The Prophet said, "Angels keep on descending from and ascending to the Heaven in turn, some at night and some by daytime, and all of them a**emble together at the time of the Fajr and 'Asr prayers. Then those who have stayed with you over-night, ascent unto Allah Who asks them, and He knows the answer better than they, "How have you left My slaves?" They reply, "We have left them praying as we found them praying." If anyone of you says "Amin" (during the Prayer at the end of the recitation of Surat-al-Faitiha), and the angels in Heaven say the same, and the two sayings coincide, all his past sins will be forgiven."


What does the Bible say about SIN?

Rom 6:1-23 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? By no means: how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died to sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth to God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts of it. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? By no means. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants in obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity, to (work) iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, to (work) holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and having become servants to God, ye have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[Halima]

:sl:

Might I just add for the non-muslims that may be curious as to what we essentially have to do after we commit a sin:




The major type of sin:


There is only one sin in the first category and that sin is polytheism (shirk). Allah says: “Allah does not forgive that anyone should set up partners with him, but he forgives anything less than that to whom He pleases.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 48] This refers to sinning without repentance. If a person dies as a polytheist, we know from this verse that Allah will never forgive him.

All sins, even polytheism, are forgiven with sincere repentance. Allah says: “Say: ‘O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of Allah’s Mercy. Truly, Allah forgives all sins. Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Sûrah al-Zumar: 53]

All sins besides polytheism fall under the second category. Allah may decide to forgive them even if we neglect to repent for them. Know that if you avoid the major sins, Allah will forgive you your minor ones. You should take care to repent for all of your sins to be sure that you will be forgiven






How we can repent for it:

It is therefore important to know what true repentance entails. Sincere repentance has the following conditions:
1. The person must recognize that he or she has committed a sin and truly regret having done so.
2. The person must have a sincere resolve never to commit the sin again.
3. The person must turn to Allah in humility and ask for forgiveness.
4. If the sin had caused harm to someone else, the person must make every attempt to redress the harm.
This does not mean that if the person falls weak and returns to the same sin in the future, his or her former repentance is null and void. What is needed is a serious commitment in the heart never to commit the sin again. The doors to repentance are always open.

If a person repents with true sincerity and conviction, then the reward is Allah’s forgiveness. Repentance is a form of worship. Allah loves when His servants turn to Him alone for forgiveness. No one can forgive sins except for Allah. It is forbidden for a Muslim to seek absolution from sin by turning to someone else. That is outright polytheism.

Confession of sins to other created beings is of no avail. One should not expose what Allah has made hidden. Instead, the sinner must turn to Allah in humble submission, seek His forgiveness, and place his or her hopes in the mercy of the Lord.