Is There Forgiveness in Islam?

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.

NewtoIslam said:

how do Muslims view forgiveness?

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

What does it mean to a Muslim to forgive?

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

How does one balance forgiveness and justice?

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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?

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No, sinning against man is sinning against God

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

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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)

NewtoIslam said:

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.

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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)”.

NewtoIslam said:

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

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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?

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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?

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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.....

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 Storyof Adam (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)

Allah’s (God’s) Forgiveness in Islam
(Source Unkown)

Allah(God) says in the Holy Quran:
"Say: O my slaves who have transgressed against themselves!Despair not for the mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly he isoft forgiving, most merciful." (39:53) Holy Quran

‘And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate’ (85:14) Holy Quran. Not only God isforgiving, He is also Loving and Affectionate. That is, Allah actively seeks usout with His Love and mercy, we have but to respond.

“Be you foremost (in seeking) forgiveness from your Lord(Allah), and paradise, the width whereof is as the width of Heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. That is the Graceof Allah, which He bestows on whom He is pleased with; and Allah is the ownerof Great Bounty.” (57:21) HolyQuran

“O you who believe! Fear, Allah, and believe in His Messenger, he will bestowon you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will provide for you a Light bywhich you shall walk (straight in your path), and He will forgive you (yourpast); for Allâh is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (57:28) Holy Quran

“And if My servants ask you about Me, then surely I am Close. Ianswer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls unto Me. So let them answer My Call and believe in Me, in order that they may be led aright."
(2:183) Holy Quran

ProphetMohammed (PBUH) said that Allah (God) says to the believers ina Hadith–ul-Qudsi:
“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and ask of Me, Ishall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam,were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to askforgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam were you to come to Mewith sins nearly as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribingno partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.”

“Indeed My Mercy prevails over My Wrath.”

“Whoever comes with a good deed, his reward will be ten timeslike it or more. And whoever comes with a bad deed, his recompense will be onlyone like it, or I shall forgive him. And whoever draws close to Me a hand'sspan, I shall draw close to him an arm's length. And whoever draws close to Mean arm's length, I shall draw close to him a fathom's length. And whoever comesto Me walking, I shall go to him running. And whoever faces me with sins asgreat as the earth, but without worshipping anything along with or instead ofMe, I shall meet him with forgiveness as great as that.
Also,Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said:

"Allahdivided Mercy in one-hundred parts and He retained its ninety-nine parts withHim, and sent down its one part on the earth, and because of this one singlepart there is mutual love among the creatures to the extent that even the marelifts up its hoof from its baby, fearing that it might harm it."

Allah’sgenerosity is so far-reaching, that we are not only forgiven through ourspecific repentance for each sin that we commit, but we can attain forgivenesssimply through our constant appeals to Allah to forgive us. Another way that weattain Allah’s forgiveness is through the performance of good deeds, pilgrimageto the holy land of Makka, Fasting the holy month of Ramadan, Salah, etc. thereare so many ways.Allah says: “Establishworship at the two ends of the day and in some watches of the night. Lo! Gooddeeds annul evil deeds. This is reminder for the mindful.” (11: 114)Holy Quran. Allah also forgivesour sins through the difficulties that we face in life. When we are strickenwith illness or suffer from circumstances, we will earn forgiveness if we bearthem patiently seeking Allah’s reward. In addition, Allah forgives our sins onaccount of the supplications that others make to Allah asking for ourforgiveness, including our funeral prayers. We earn forgiveness through thecharity we gave in our lives that continue to provide benefit to others afterour deaths. We earn forgiveness if we have pious children who beseech Allah onour behalf, Those sins are also forgiven by the intercession that the Prophet(PBUH) will make on that day, and then by the intercession those who aregranted intercession. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Myintercession is for those who committed major sins from among my followers”Above and beyond all of this is the mercy of theMost-Merciful Lord who pardons on that Day all sins as He pleases, as long asthe person meets Him worshipping Him alone without ascribing to Him anypartner.

It is importantfor Muslims never to despair of Allah’s mercy - no sin is too great torepent... or too little for that matter. As one of the salaf (Piouspredecessors) said:"Do not look at theinsignificance of your sins, but consider the greatness of The One you aredisobeying."

The example of a slave's hope in Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness can beexplained by the example of a farmer. If the farmer searches for fertile soil,then sows it with good and healthy seeds, giving to the seeds what they need atthe appropriate time, removing from around them the weeds and anything elsethat may hinder or ruin their growth and then hopes in Allah for His Favor withregards to keeping away violent storms and other harmful elements, until theseeds have fully ripened and grown - then this type of expectation can truly bedescribed as hope. However, if the farmer sows the seeds in hard and barrensoil, too high up for water to reach it, and he does not take care or protectthe seed from harm, and expects a good harvest, then this expectation is notcalled hope, it is only wishful thinking.

Similarly, ifthe servant sows the seeds of Eman (faith), and waters them with acts ofobedience to Allah, and protects himself from committing sins and seeks Allah'sForgiveness, then he is truly hoping in the Mercy of Allah.

Yahyaa IbnMuaadh said: "In my view, the worst kind ofself-delusion is to greatly sin, yet hope for forgiveness without feeling anyregret; and to hope to draw close to Allah - the Most High - without obedienceto Him; and to await the fruits of Paradise, by planting the seeds forHell-Fire; and to seek the abode of the obedient ones, by doing acts ofdisobedience; and to expect a reward, without doing any worthy action; and tohope in Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - after overstepping the bounds.""You hope for salvation but do not tread its path. A ship never sails upondry land." [Related by Ibn Hibbaan in Rawdatul-'Uqalaa (p.284),from the poetry of Abul-'Atiyyah]

Allah hasgranted intellect to human beings. The intellect entails responsibility. Whenthe intellect is missing, the responsibility is also not there. Little childrenare not held responsible, because their intellect has not yet developed. Theinsane are not responsible, because they have lost the intellectual capacity.However, part of our being human is also that we make mistakes. It is said, “To err is human and to forgive is divine.”Both parts of this statement are very true.As human beings we are responsible, but can make mistakes and need forgiveness.Islam speaks about two aspects of forgiveness: a) Allah’s forgiveness; b) Humanforgiveness. We need both, because we can wrong in our relations to Allah aswell as in our relations to each other.
‘And say, ‘My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and You are the bestof the merciful’ (23:118) Holy Quran
The Muslimsbelieve that Allah is more merciful with his believing servants than a motheris to her child, and that He loves to forgive sins for those who seekforgiveness from Him. And in spite of excessive ingratitude and disobedience,He continues to support with food, shelter, and many other resources and alwaysgives a chance to repent. We believe that Allah forgives whomever turns to Himalone in sincere repentance no matter how grave the sin, and that He alone canforgive sins.
“He said, ‘My Lord, Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgiveme. Then he forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful” (28:16) Holy Quran

This verserefers to God’s forgiving Moses for his murder of the Egyptian slave-driver.This beautiful ayat suggests many things to me. Firstly, it is a message ofhope. All those who repent sincerely will have their repentance accepted.Secondly, seeking repentance only requires sincerity and needs no great litanyof woe. That is, offering long and intricate prayers means nothing if it is notmatched by the inner truth of regret and sorrow. Thirdly, God’s forgiveness wasswift: as soon as we repent it truth, we are forgiven. This is a powerfulmessage.

These and othernumerous Ahadeeth and Qur'anic verses give hope to the sinful believer in theMercy of Allah for forgiveness of his sins, for Allah is full of forgivenessand pardon. “And never give up hope ofAllah's Mercy. Certainly, no one despairs of Allah's Mercy, except the peoplewho disbelieve.” (12: 87) Holy Quran

To be Continued....

Human Forgiveness in Islam:
(Source unknown)
Justas it is important to believe in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, it is alsonecessary to base human relations on forgiveness. Forgiving each other is oneof the most important Islamic teachings. In the Qur’an Allah has described theBelievers as “those who avoid major sins andacts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.” (42:37) HolyQuran. Later in the same Surah Allah says, “The reward for an evil is an evil thereof, but whosoeverforgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah…”(42:40)Holy Quran. In another place the Allah says,“If you punish, then punish with the like of thatwherewith you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, verily, indeed it isbetter for the patient. And endure you patiently. Your patience is not exceptthrough the help of Allah and grievenot over them, and be not distressed of what they plot. Truly, Allah is withthose who fear him, and those who are Muhsinun (good doers) (16:126-128)

In one Hadith the Prophet -peace be upon him- said that Allahhas commanded him about nine things. One of them he mentioned was “that I forgivethose who do wrong to me.”

Hewas the most forgiving person, even forgiving people who mistreated himterribly

Avery striking example of forgiveness we find in the Qur’an in reference to themost unfortunate event of “Slander of Sayyidah A’isha’”. Some hypocrites ofMadinah accused her. They tried to put dirt on her noble character.Oneof the slanderers turned out to be Mistah, the cousin of ‘Aisha’s father AbuBakr’s. Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- used to give financial help tothis young man. After he slandered his daughter, Abu Bakr vowed not to help himany more. But Allah reminded Abu Bakr and through him all the Believers, “And let not those among you who are blessed with gracesand wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masakin(the poor), and those who left their homes for Allah’s cause. Let them pardonand forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah isOft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (24:22) Holy Quran. Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him-came out of his home and said, “Yes, indeed, I want Allah’s forgiveness. He notonly continued to help him but he gave him more. In the next verse Allah says: Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never eventhink of anything touching their chastity and are good believers – are cursedin this life and in the hereafter, and for them will be great torment.Islam emphasizes justice and the punishment of the wrong doers, but it equallystrongly emphasizes mercy, kindness and love. Justice, law and order arenecessary for the maintenance of a social order, but there is also a need forforgiveness to healthe wounds and to restore good relations between thepeople. We must keep in mind that as much as we need Allah’s forgiveness forour own sins and mistakes, we must also practice forgiveness towards those whodo wrong to us.

To be continued...

Repentance (Tawbah) in Islam
(Source Unknown)

Theword Tawbah (Repentance) in Arabic indicates 'to return'. It refers to the actof leaving what Allah has prohibited and returning to what He has commanded.
“O you who believe! Turn to Allah withsincere repentance. It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins,and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)….”(66:8) Holy Quran

WhenAllah sees this sincere repentance from one of His servants – a servant whotruly turns to his Lord in fear and hope – He not only forgives the sin, butreplaces those sins for good deeds to the servant’s credit. This is fromAllah’s infinite grace and munificence. It is such a great act of worship thatdoing it can totally erase sins altogether, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: “"One who repents from sin is like one withoutsin."”
Thesubject of repentance is one which concerns all people who believe in God, andis a vital one for the Muslims to understand because our salvation in thehereafter is dependent on our repentance to Allah, as is shown by Allah in thefollowing verse of the Quran " ... andturn you all together in repentance to Allah O believers, that you may besuccessful" (24:31) Holy Quran

"…Truly, Allah loves those who turnunto him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves." (2:222) Holy Quran
Thisillustrates how pleasing our repenting is to Allah. Also, the Prophet, (peacebe upon him) gave us an example of just how pleasing to Allah our repenting is.In an authentic hadith Prophet Mohammed said: “"Allahis more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be,who suddenly finds his camel laden with supplies after losing it in a barrenland"”Try to imagine your joy if you were to suddenly retrieveeverything you ever possessed after losing all hope of recovering what you hadlost. Then think that Allah's delight is even greater than this when His slaverepents to Him.
Thereare conditions for repentance to be sincere and proper. The first of these isthat the repentant desist from the sinful act. The second is that he feels deepand genuine remorse of in the heart for having committed the sin. The third isthat he resolves in his heart never to return to the sin again. Finally, if thesin caused a transgression against the rights of another person, he needs to dohis best to make amends.

Muslimsdo not view any human being as being infallible; they believe thatinfallibility belongs to God alone. Therefore they believe that the only sourcefor forgiveness for a human is God. Muslims deny the authority of men to listento another person’s confessions and then pronounce him forgiven of his sin.Islam does not have a priest class. This has meant that the connection betweenGod and man has always been a direct one. Likewise repenting to anyone besidesGod is forbidden. In the Qur'an Allah says: "Verily,those you call upon besides Allah, are only slaves like yourselves…"(7:194)Holy Quran

Theproblem today is that Allah is not feared, which means that we don't think twiceabout disobeying Him and therefore fall into a sin. So perhaps the followingstatement by Ibn Mas'ood (3) should be reflected upon: "A believer sees his sins as if he were sittingunder a mountain which he is afraid may fall on him, whereas the wicked personconsiders his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them awaylike this (and he moved his hand over his nose in illustration)."

Whoever works righteous good deeds, it isfor (the benefit of) his ownself; and whoever does evil, it is against hisownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (his) slaves. (41:46) Holy Quran

Allah says: “Except those who repent andbelieve, and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins intogood deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,”(25:70) Holy Quran

“And those who, whenthey have committed Fahisah (illegal acts) or wronged themselves with evil,remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; and none can forgive sinsbut Allah. And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.”(3: 135)Holy Quran

“And of no effect is therepentance of those who continue to do evil until death faces one of them andhe says: 'Now I repent.'” (4:18) Holy Quran

The Origin of sin?
First of all, it isnecessary to understand what we mean by “sin”. This is important, becausedifferent religious communities have different perceptions about sin. Sin is a concept used primarily in the Abrahamic religions [Judaism,Christianity, and Islam] describing a transgression against the will of God,which calls for repentance and at times penance.

Judaism regards the breaking of the commandments or the Jewish Law to be a sin.The Jews believe that all people sin at various points in their lives, and holdthat the divine justice is tempered with divine mercy. Their liturgy of “theDays of Awe” states that prayer, repentance and charity are the means ofatonement for sin.

As for Protestant Christians use the term ‘sin’ primarily to refer to what theysee as “humanity's inherently sinful nature”. This is while the Catholicsmostly use the word for actual instances of sin, calling “the sinful nature ofhumans” as “concupiscence”, in the sense of ‘an innate tendency of human beingsto do evil’.

Most denominations of Christianity hold the belief that the sin ofAdam and Eve's disobedience to God is passed on to their descendants and thusthe whole of mankind is accursed with that Original Sin, from which nosalvation is possible unless one believes in the atoning death on the cross ofthe Son of God.

Butwhat about the prophets and people before Jesus (PBUH)? The Bible and the Quranboth testify that righteous men of God lived before Jesus (PBUH), Abraham(PBUH) is one of them. Can God take someone with original sin as His friend?

InIslam, every child is born sinless and the child is considered sinless till thetime he/she is matured. Before maturity, religious acts are not obligatory onchildren but one is expected to train them religiously so that it will be easyfor them to practice when they become matured. Jesus (PBUH) said that childrenshould be allowed to come close to him because the kingdom of God is for them.Can the kingdom of God be for people with inherited sin?

The Islamic view of sin, is similar to the Jewish view. But inChristianity we find a great difference. It is believed as a result from theinfluence of Saul of Tarsus, who is later known as St Paul. Paul introducedinto Christianity the ideas of ‘God becoming man’ and ‘God dying for the sinsof man’. Such concepts are entirely alien to the Semitic religious tradition.

The religion of Islam isthe culmination of the progressive revelation of God from the very firstprophet to the last one, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Consequently, Islam believesin all prophets of God, from Adam to Muhammad, including Abraham, Moses andJesus (peace be upon them all).

“By Nafs, and Him Who perfected him inproportion. Then he showed him what is wrong for him and what is right forhim.”(91:7-8) In Islam, a sin is an act against the will of Allah. We have theability to abide by His will and this is the meaning of the word Islam. Stillwe have the ability to ignore His will or deliberately oppose it; due to thefact that God has given us freedom - though within limits.

Islam is our conscious and peaceful submission to the will of Allah. Thepurpose of our existence as human beings is to worship and serve Allah – and tofulfill His will. And a solid foundation of worshipping Allah is to show gratitudeto Him for the great gifts He has granted us. Following this will bring us thegreatest benefits in this life and the next. It is in trying to do this thatour intentions are purified and it is by our intentions that we are judged.

Islam teaches that human nature is essentially good. There are many elements toHuman nature and each one has the potential to bring benefits. So there is no"Original Sin" in Islam. It is that when Man contradicts God’scommandments or His will, he commits sins.

Adam committed such a sin, which led to his expulsion from the Garden of Eden.But Adam repented and prayed to God for forgiveness, which God granted him, asmentioned in the following:

“Then Adam received from his lord Words .And his lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the one Whoforgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful. (2:37) Holy Quran

This means that unlike Christianity, which teaches that all thechildren of Adam are sinful for Adam’s sin, Islam teaches that all humans areinnocent by birth and they become sinful only when they consciously commit asin. Islam rejects the concept of “original sin” and the need for atonement byJesus Himself - via dying on the Cross for the sin of the world.

“That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the sonof Mary, the Messenger of Allah.;- but they killed him not, nor crucified him,but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full ofdoubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of asurety they killed him not"(4:157) Holy Quran

“Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted inPower, Wise (4: 158)HolyQuran

“O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Norsay of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no morethan) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and aspirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not"Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is oneAllah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongall things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer ofaffairs. (4:171) Holy Quran

"Then will Allah say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount Myfavour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holyspirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity.Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel and behold!thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, andthou breathest into it and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healestthose born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forththe dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from(violence to) thee when thou didst show them the clear Signs, and the unbelieversamong them said: 'This is nothing but evident magic." (5:110) Holy Quran

The Islamic concept of sin is that one man’s sin cannot betransferred to another; nor can the reward/righteousness due to a person betransferred either. Everyindividual is an independent person who isresponsible only for his or her actions.And will be rewarded for his/her righteous deeds or be punished for his/hersins. For God is never unjust. “Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for thebenefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his ownloss. No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden. And We never punishuntil We have sent a messenger (to give warning)” (17:15) Holy Quran
Nay is he not acquainted with what is in the books of Moses. Andof Abraham who fulfilled his engagements? Namely that no bearer of burdens canbear the burden of another; That man can have nothing but what he strives for,That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight; Then will he berewarded with a reward complete. (53:36-41)Holy Quran

“The soul who sins is the one who will die. the son will notshare the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and thewickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.” Bible - Ezekiel (18:20)

Inaddition, any person who does righteous deeds and encourages others to do itwill have additional reward for his/her efforts in encouraging others to do good deeds. Likewise, any person that does evil and encourages others to doevil will get additional sin for his/her bad example of spreading evil.

“This day (day of resurrection), none willbe wronged in anything, nor will you requited anything except that which youused to do.” (36:54)HolyQuran

And We shall set up balances of justice onthe Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. Andif there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient areWe as to take account.
(21:47)Holy Quran

One's success in the Hereafter lies in his living a righteous lifein this world. Faith is important, but faith alone without deeds will be fruitless.

I would appreciate if anyone finds error in my post to correct it:
http://www.islamicboard.com/clarifi...5374-there-forgiveness-islam.html#post1423665

Quran 4:110 Whoever does a misdeed or wrongs his own soul then seeks forgiveness from Allah will find Allah all-forgiving, mercy-giving.

Quran 4:116 Indeed, Allah will not forgive associating any god with Him. But He forgives anything less than this for whomever He so wills. This whoever associates gods with Allah has truly strayed far astray!

I have mentioned this before in several places but worded differently.

I find Islam to be the only Religion that recognises Allaah(swt)'s power to forgive with just his will. All other religions seem to claim that forgiveness requires a purchase price and if we can't pay it, somebody else has to pay it on our behalf.

In Islam, forgiveness comes without a purchase price or sacrifice. We do not/can not: buy, sacrifice for, earn or steal it. It comes freely when we sincerely ask for forgiveness and truly repent, accepting Allaah(swt)'s will.