Man needing a saviour???

[Zafran]

It is a clash of obedience and morality is my point. A moral ending to the story would have been Abraham refusing to kill Isaac, saying something like "I will not kill my innocent son Lord, for you have taught me it is wrong to kill" and God saying he passed the test.

This idea of confusing obedience for morality, or of them clashing and obedience trumping is a common theme across abrahamic dogma. It comes up again and again. It is one of the primary problems I have with these faiths.

How is that a moral ending that you propose?? You seem to think Morality is clear cut. You also seem to get mixed up with the stories. How do you define innocent?

 

[Hiroshi]

Our concern here is not about what the people after Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) did, but about him himself and what Allah commanded him to do. At no stage does Allah say to him, "I want you to sacrifice your son because of your or his sins". Abraham and Ismail (peace be upon them both) were amongst the most upright and noble of humanity.

Allah tells us Himself that the sacrifice that Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was ordered to do was nothing more than a test, as sister Danah has shown from the Qur'an.

Peace.

If Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son for a noble purpose, what is wrong with thinking that God would do the same?

 

[Hiroshi]

Let us go back to your scientist and imagine a perfect scientist who by his knowldge actually knows from his research an eathquake will occur. Think about that for a moment.

Now think in terms that Allaah(swt) is perfect and will make no error. He knows, he is not predicting. Yes all things are through the will of Allaah(swt) and our free will is the result of him willing us to have it. Allaah(swt) is the source of all power and with out his will we are powerless to do anything. Because he has willed us to have free will, does not mean we can not make our own choices. My grandson wants to go to the movies. I give him the $5 to go. Does that mean I made him go to the movies even though I made it possible and know he is going to the movies?

Actually the Christian concept of the all-knowing aspect of Allaah(swt) is nearly identical with our view. The Presbyterian is the closest, but they often get accused of believing man has no free will.

Btw, the passages that I cited in my post #14 were taken from here:

http://www.islamicperspectives.com/IslamAndDeterminism2.htm

Am I allowed to include links in my posts?

 

[Insaanah]

If Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son for a noble purpose, what is wrong with thinking that God would do the same?

That was a test. So what you mean here is what is wrong with thinking that somebody should be testing God. (God forbid)

Regardless of whether you meant that, the very notion that God should need to make a sacrifice for any reason, suggests that God is no longer All Powerful, and limits His power. The idea that He would need to make a sacrifice to prove something or do something, and that He could not prove that point or do the thing in question without it, means that that god is no longer All-Powerful. It is denigrating to God, Glorified and Exalted be He.

Peace.

 

[Hiroshi]

That was a test. So what you mean here is what is wrong with thinking that somebody should be testing God. (God forbid)

Regardless of whether you meant that, the very notion that God should need to make a sacrifice for any reason, suggests that God is no longer All Powerful, and limits His power. The idea that He would need to make a sacrifice to prove something or do something, and that He could not prove that point or do the thing in question without it, means that that god is no longer All-Powerful. It is denigrating to God, Glorified and Exalted be He.

Peace.

We all live by principles, standards of right and wrong, and a sense of justice. With God there is perfect justice. God's perfect law requires that the one that sins should die. Now a murderer must pay for the life that he has taken with his own life (Surah 5:45), but the principle "a life for a life" can also work another way. Someone who had no sin, Jesus, could die for the sins of others.

God is under no obligation to act with justice, but God chooses to do so because God is righteous.

 

[Insaanah]

We all live by principles, standards of right and wrong, and a sense of justice.

We try our best, as humans to do this. Our standards of justice come from God.

And Allah tells us regarding humans: "...He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned..." (2:286, part).

In other words, we are responsible for our own deeds and the consequences of them, nobody else is.

With God there is perfect justice.

I agree.

God's perfect law requires that the one that sins should die.

Justice requires that one should be rewarded for ones good deeds, and punished for ones evil deeds, unless God, out of His Mercy, decides to forgive them.

Now a murderer must pay for the life that he has taken with his own life (Surah 5:45), but the principle "a life for a life" can also work another way.

You mean that some innocent person who had nothing to do with it should be killed instead of the murderer? Very just, that.

Someone who had no sin, Jesus, could die for the sins of others.

This is a complete contradiction to this sentence:

With God there is perfect justice.

Not only is the notion that one person died for the sins of others who he didn't even know, never met, had no idea what sins they've done and had nothing to do with them unjust and is ascribing injustice to God, but it is also limiting to the Power of God to suggest that He cannot forgive mankind without making some sort of sacrifice. That suggests that God's forgiving powers are limited, and that He is not All Powerful.

Every way you look at it, this notion ascribes injustice to God and denigrates his Power.

God is under no obligation to act with justice, but God chooses to do so

So then you will agree that God did not make one person lose his life for the sins of the rest of humanity.

Peace.

 

[Hiroshi]

Not only is the notion that one person died for the sins of others who he didn't even know, never met, had no idea what sins they've done and had nothing to do with them unjust and is ascribing injustice to God, but it is also limiting to the Power of God to suggest that He cannot forgive mankind without making some sort of sacrifice. That suggests that God's forgiving powers are limited, and that He is not All Powerful.

Every way you look at it, this notion ascribes injustice to God and denigrates his Power.

But why then did God demand animal sacrifices? And in relation to this also, why is it forbidden to eat blood? (Surah 2:173)

 

[aadil77]

But why then did God demand animal sacrifices? And in relation to this also, why is it forbidden to eat blood? (Surah 2:173)

The point of animal sacrifice in islam has nothing to do with the forgiving of sins, its only done to commemorate the prophet Ibrahim and Ismail and then distribute the meat to the poor

Drinking blood is haram because its impure:

“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But whosoever is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits; (for him) certainly, your Lord is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-An’aam 6:145]

 

[Insaanah]

But why then did God demand animal sacrifices?

The companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the sacrifice?” He said: "It is the way of your fore father Ibrahim." They asked: what (reward) is for us therein?" He replied: "There is a reward for every hair." (Ahmed, Ibn Majah)

This act of sacrifice is to commemorate the unparallelled sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). When he, in pursuance to the command of Allah conveyed to him in a dream, prepared himself to slaughter his beloved son Ismail (peace be upon him), but Allah Almighty after testing him of his submission, sent down a ram and saved his son from the fate of slaughter. It is from that time onwards that the sacrifice of an animal has been performed by every well to do Muslim.

It is a demonstration of total submission to Allah and of complete obedience to Allah’s will or command. And shows that the Muslim would not hesitate even for a moment once he receives an absolute command from his Creator to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even if it be at the price of his life and possessions.

And in relation to this also, why is it forbidden to eat blood? (Surah 2:173)

The simple answer is that Allah decreed it forbidden, and that is why it is forbidden to us. Also, blood can carry many diseases, and eating and drinking blood can be harmful.

And Allah knows best.

Peace.

 

[Hiroshi]

The simple answer is that Allah decreed it forbidden, and that is why it is forbidden to us. Also, blood can carry many diseases, and eating and drinking blood can be harmful.

And Allah knows best.

Peace.

Drinking blood is haram because its impure:

“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But whosoever is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits; (for him) certainly, your Lord is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-An’aam 6:145]

Both of you have answered from an Islamic perspective I guess. But according to the Torah, eating blood is not forbidden because blood is impure or a health risk. It is forbidden because blood is sacred to God, representing life.

Leviticus 17:10-12 prescribes the death penalty for anyone that eats blood. Would a Muslim be put to death for eating pork?

10 "'Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, "None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood."

 

[Woodrow]

What you say makes sense and places moral responsibility squarely on the shoulders of man. This seems most logical. However, I have read a number of hadiths that appear to paint a different picture:

Muslim bin Yasar said that when 'Umar bin al-Khattab was questioned about the verse, "When your Lord took their offspring from the backs of the children of Adam ..." [Qur`an 7:172], he replied that he had heard God's messenger say when he was questioned about it, "Verily God created Adam and then rubbed his back with His right hand and took out a progeny from him and said: 'I created these for Paradise and with the actions of the inmates of Paradise which they will do.' Afterwards He rubbed his back with His left hand and took out a progeny from him and said: 'I created these for Fire and with the actions of the inmates of Fire which they will do.'" Someone asked the Prophet, "What are then deeds for?" The Prophet replied, "When God creates a servant for Paradise he makes him do deeds of the people of Paradise until he dies doing the deeds of the people of Paradise and He then puts him in Paradise on account of them (i.e. the deeds). And when God creates a servant for Fire he makes him do deeds of the people of Fire until he dies doing the deeds of the people of Fire and He then puts him in Fire on account of them."


Ahmad ibn Hambal records the following hadith:

(Abu Nadra told that the Prophet was heard by a companion called Abu Abd Allah as saying that) God took a handful in His right hand and another in His left saying, "This (i.e., the handful in His right hand) is for this (i.e., Paradise), and that (i.e., the handful in His left hand) is for that (i.e., Hell), and I do not care." (Ahmad)


Two men of Muzaynah came to the Prophet and said, 'O Messenger of God! That for which people now do deeds and strive over, is it something that is already decided and is foreordained or is it something that will come about in future on the basis of what their prophet gave them and on the basis of proof?' The Prophet said, 'No, it is something already decided and foreordained for them. This is confirmed by the Book of God: (Qur`an 91:7-8).'" (Muslim)


Suraqa bin Malik came to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of God! Explain our religion for us (in this matter): Suppose we are born now. For what do we do deeds? For that with which the pen has dried (after writing maqadir) and the fates are sealed? Or, for that which we meet in the future (without being ordained)?" The Prophet replied, "But no, for that with which the pen has dried (after writing maqadir) and the fates are sealed." ... (Muslim on the authority of Jabir)


According to a hadith found both in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said that during pregnancy:

God sends an angel and orders him to write four things: his provision, his age, and whether he will be wretched (shaqiyy) or blessed (sa'id). Then the spirit (ruh) is breathed into him. And by God, a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which God has ordered the angel to write) proceeds, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing proceeds and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. (Bukhari on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud; Muslim also reports something parallel)

I am still very much a baby in the Study of the Ahadith. Perhaps a member more knowledgeable will see this and give their view of the Ahadith you quoted.

 

[Insaanah]

Both of you have answered from an Islamic perspective I guess. But according to the Torah, eating blood is not forbidden because blood is impure or a health risk. It is forbidden because blood is sacred to God, representing life.

10 "'Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, "None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood."

No such reason has been given in Islam, neither are there any such connotations for blood in Islam.

Leviticus 17:10-12 prescribes the death penalty for anyone that eats blood. Would a Muslim be put to death for eating pork?

No. He/She would have to repent sincerely and resolve not to do it again.

Peace.

 

[Hiroshi]

I am still very much a baby in the Study of the Ahadith. Perhaps a member more knowledgeable will see this and give their view of the Ahadith you quoted.

Many thanks Woodrow. I realize that hadith is a vast and sometimes difficult area of study. If you get a chance to read that article "Islam and Determinism" by Dr. Ahmad Shafaat I would like to know your thoughts about it:

http://www.islamicperspectives.com/IslamAndDeterminism2.htm

 

[Pygoscelis]

I find it refreshing that many of the same points I made in post #12 http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/134299242-man-needing-saviour.html#post1357023 are being made now again by the muslims here.

 

[Hiroshi]

Not only is the notion that one person died for the sins of others who he didn't even know, never met, had no idea what sins they've done and had nothing to do with them unjust and is ascribing injustice to God, but it is also limiting to the Power of God to suggest that He cannot forgive mankind without making some sort of sacrifice.

Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6668 says: "Abu Burda reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their stead the Jews and the Christians."

Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6666 says: "Abu Burda reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: No Muslim would die but Allah would admit in his stead a Jew or a Christian in Hell-Fire."

And Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6665 says: "Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire."

Quoted from:

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/muslim/037.smt.html



You say that the provision of the ransom sacrifice is unjust and therefore something that God would never do. But in these passages we see Jews and Christians being punished instead of Muslims with "as heavy sins as a mountain" in order to "rescue" them from Hell-Fire.

Peace.

 

[Pygoscelis]

Hiroshi, "They do it too!" is no excuse for evil.

 

[Hiroshi]

Hiroshi, "They do it too!" is no excuse for evil.

It isn't as simple as that. God had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation through Isaac. Abraham had to show faith in that promise, being confident that, even if his son died, God would restore his son to life (Hebrews 11:19).

 

[Insaanah]

Greetings Hiroshi,

With regards to the hadeeth you posted, that to you, don't place moral responsibility squarely on the shoulders of man:

Allah gave us free will. He, in His infinite knowledge of the past, present and future, knows exactly what will happen and who will make what choice. All of that He has written down. So it doesn't mean we have no choice, we have free choice, but Allah with His All Encompassing Infinite Knowledge, knows all the choices we will make til the end of time. The people He created for Hell are those people whom He knows beforehand will choose to do deeds of the people of hell. It is not the case that they have no choice; their choice is completely free, but Allah knows beforehand what choice will be made.

The following will also explain:

"In a technical sense, qadar means, "something of which there was prior knowledge, one of the things which was written by the Pen when it wrote down everything that was going to happen for the rest of eternity...." ('Aqeedat as-Safaareeni, 1/348, Cited in Umar Al Ashqar, Divine Will and Predestination in the Light of Quran and Sunnah, p 33)

Ibn Hajar said in his definition: "What is meant is that Allah knows how things will be and when they will happen, before He initiates them. Then He creates that which He already knows will happen." (Fath al-Baari, 1/118, Cited in Umar Al Ashqar, Divine Will and Predestination in the Light of Quran and Sunnah, p 33)

Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6668 says: "Abu Burda reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their stead the Jews and the Christians."

Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6666 says: "Abu Burda reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: No Muslim would die but Allah would admit in his stead a Jew or a Christian in Hell-Fire."

And Sahih Muslim Book 37, Number 6665 says: "Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire."

Quoted from:

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/muslim/037.smt.html

You say that the provision of the ransom sacrifice is unjust and therefore something that God would never do. But in these passages we see Jews and Christians being punished instead of Muslims with "as heavy sins as a mountain" in order to "rescue" them from Hell-Fire.

Ah yes, I saw these same hadeeths being quoted in the answering-islam website.

We know that those righteous Christian and Jewish folk of old, who followed the teachings of the Messengers of God sent to them before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and worshipped Allah alone without ascribing to Him any associates in His Divinity, will go to Paradise.

We also know, that sinful Muslims whose bad deeds outweigh their good deeds, will be thrown into hell, and will stay there for a period commensurate with their sins, and receive punishment that is commensurate with their sins. After that, they will be removed from Hell and admitted into Paradise.

We also know that Allah will forgive the sins of some Muslims, whom He will, without entry into hell.

We also know that nobody will go to hell whose deeds and beliefs with regards to Allah did not justify them to be there.

There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their stead the Jews and the Christians."

Notice that it first mentions that Allah will forgive them. No sacrifice of any sort has been mentioned. After the Muslim in question has been forgiven (out of Allah's Divine Mercy), if the Muslim was next in line to Hell, and Allah forgave him out of His Mercy, then the next Jew or Christian will go in (not the righteous of old).

The Jews and Christians mentioned in the hadeeths are not the righteous folk of old, but those who disobeyed Allah and the Prophets sent to them. They are people who, whatever happens then, are going to hell because of their own deeds. They are not innocent lambs carrying the burdens of others sins. There is no mention of Allah making any kind of sacrifice. All it says is that they go to hell. If the Muslim was one who Allah didn't throw in hell (many Muslims with sins will go into hell) and decided to forgive him out of His Divine Mercy, then a disobedient Jew or Christian (who has done deeds of the people of hellfire) will be thrown in next, in his place. The forgiveness happened due to Allah's Mercy, and someone who did deeds of the people of the hellfire, will go into hell. The forgiveness did not happen because of the throwing into hell; the forgiveness is out of Allah's Mercy, as He forgives whom He wills. The throwing into hell of the disobedient person happened because that was earnt by the person's deeds.

So they are not being unduly punished instead of Muslims. They are receiving the punishment they would always have received. There is no sacrifice of any sort being made. Allah forgives whom He Wills through His Divine Mercy, and not by unjustly making an innocent person carry the burden of another.

Peace.

 

[syed_z]

What you say makes sense and places moral responsibility squarely on the shoulders of man. This seems most logical. However, I have read a number of hadiths that appear to paint a different picture:

Muslim bin Yasar said that when 'Umar bin al-Khattab was questioned about the verse, "When your Lord took their offspring from the backs of the children of Adam ..." [Qur`an 7:172], he replied that he had heard God's messenger say when he was questioned about it, "Verily God created Adam and then rubbed his back with His right hand and took out a progeny from him and said: 'I created these for Paradise and with the actions of the inmates of Paradise which they will do.' Afterwards He rubbed his back with His left hand and took out a progeny from him and said: 'I created these for Fire and with the actions of the inmates of Fire which they will do.'" Someone asked the Prophet, "What are then deeds for?" The Prophet replied, "When God creates a servant for Paradise he makes him do deeds of the people of Paradise until he dies doing the deeds of the people of Paradise and He then puts him in Paradise on account of them (i.e. the deeds). And when God creates a servant for Fire he makes him do deeds of the people of Fire until he dies doing the deeds of the people of Fire and He then puts him in Fire on account of them."


Ahmad ibn Hambal records the following hadith:

(Abu Nadra told that the Prophet was heard by a companion called Abu Abd Allah as saying that) God took a handful in His right hand and another in His left saying, "This (i.e., the handful in His right hand) is for this (i.e., Paradise), and that (i.e., the handful in His left hand) is for that (i.e., Hell), and I do not care." (Ahmad)


Two men of Muzaynah came to the Prophet and said, 'O Messenger of God! That for which people now do deeds and strive over, is it something that is already decided and is foreordained or is it something that will come about in future on the basis of what their prophet gave them and on the basis of proof?' The Prophet said, 'No, it is something already decided and foreordained for them. This is confirmed by the Book of God: (Qur`an 91:7-8).'" (Muslim)


Suraqa bin Malik came to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of God! Explain our religion for us (in this matter): Suppose we are born now. For what do we do deeds? For that with which the pen has dried (after writing maqadir) and the fates are sealed? Or, for that which we meet in the future (without being ordained)?" The Prophet replied, "But no, for that with which the pen has dried (after writing maqadir) and the fates are sealed." ... (Muslim on the authority of Jabir)


According to a hadith found both in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said that during pregnancy:

God sends an angel and orders him to write four things: his provision, his age, and whether he will be wretched (shaqiyy) or blessed (sa'id). Then the spirit (ruh) is breathed into him. And by God, a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which God has ordered the angel to write) proceeds, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing proceeds and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. (Bukhari on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud; Muslim also reports something parallel)

you have not read them together with this Surah ... it is called Surah Al Layl...Chapter of The Night... these Hadith and Traditions mentioned, are to be read in conjunction with this Surah of the Glorious Quran.... This is Quoted and explained all in the Commentary of Great Classical Commentator of the Quran, Imam Ismail Ibn Kathir (r.a)....



Al-Bukhari recorded from `Ali bin Abi Talib that they (the Companions) were with the Messenger of Allah at the cemetery of Baqi` Al-Gharqad for a funeral, when the Prophet (saw) said, "There is none among you except that his place has already been written, a seat in Paradise and a seat in the Hellfire." They said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should we depend on this'' He replied, "Perform deeds for everyone will have the deeds of what he was created for (Paradise or Hell) made easy for him." Then he recited the Ayah of Surah Al Layl Chapter 92.....


92:5. As for him who gives (to others) and is Conscious of God
92:6. And believes in Al-Husna (ultimate good i.e moral values as given by Allah).
92:7. We will make smooth for him the path of ease. (i.e towards ease of mind and peace of the spirit)
92:8.But he who is greedy and thinks himself self-sufficient (even though he is a creation himself)
92:9. And denies Al-Husna. (i.e calls ultimate good a lie)
92:10. We will make smooth for him the path to evil.

So The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to recite the above Verses when he mentioned about every individual Muslim's destiny, and so he recited the above Verses to make it clear, that there is no such thing as Pre Destination in everything in Islam, rather our destiny will be determined by our will to do good or bad deeds. For if everything was pre determined for us, i.e Our Paradise and Hell regardless of is we do good or bad, then why Would Allah (swt) say this in the Quran ?


(3:108)... Allah (swt) Wills no wrong to His Creation."


So this brings us to the Conclusion that Mankind , male /female all have Free Will and depending on the path they choose, is what will be made easy for them. So if they choose to be ungrateful and deny whatever Blessings Allah has given them and do all that is wrong, and continue with the Falsehood then, Allah will make it easy for them the path they chose themselves, because of their freedom of choice. As for him/her to is Conscious of God and does whatever God says, then the path to paradise will be made easy for him....as Allah (Swt) says in Quran in Chapter of the Man...


(76:02)........We made him a being endowed with hearing and sight.
(76:03) Verily We have shown him the way; (and it rests with him to prove himself) either grateful or ungrateful.


...hearing and sight....means that God has not only endowed man with reason and the ability to discern between right and wrong, but has also.....Shown him the way.... i.e actively guided mankind, throughout the History of mankind, by means of revelations through Prophets.


So if a person chooses to remain ignorant even though he has the ability to reason and find out the Truth (i.e Islam, Submission to the Will of God), then Allah (swt) is not in need of his creatures He is Self Sufficient, and so He would make easy for him the path of rejection which leads towards the Fire. And if person accepts the Truth, then he does it for his own good, and Allah (swt) would make easy for him the path towards righteousness which leads towards Paradise.

According to a hadith found both in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said that during pregnancy:

God sends an angel and orders him to write four things: his provision, his age, and whether he will be wretched (shaqiyy) or blessed (sa'id). Then the spirit (ruh) is breathed into him. And by God, a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which God has ordered the angel to write) proceeds, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing proceeds and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. (Bukhari on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud; Muslim also reports something parallel)

This Tradition answers your concern....

Narrated Anas The Prophet (saw) said, "When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad ? He will say: I testify that he is Allah's slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.' The Prophet added, "The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns." (Bukhari Hadith #422)


We can see from the Hadith which i mentioned, that every persons place in Fire and Paradise, both is written for him by the Angels, he may either work towards good, with his free will and attain the place of Paradise, which will omit his place in Fire, or he may continue disbeliving and do everything contrary to God's teachings, and his place in Paradise will change to the place of Fire, as Prophet said "The Dead person will see both his places."


About your concern where it says....

a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which God has ordered the angel to write) proceeds, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing proceeds and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it.

What this means is that, that it is the overriding concern of a believer that he or she should die in a state of Iman (Belief), for otherwise a life time of good deeds may come to nothing. Therefore protecting our Faith is a life long struggle. There is a Hadith (Traditions) which sheds light on the importance of this matter.

Prophet Muhammad (Saw) said "None of you should say ' Oh Allah instruct me in my evidence at the time of death', as the non-believer is also instructed in his evidence. Rather you should say, 'Oh Allah! Instruct me in the evidence of faith at the time of death."


So basically a life long time of good deeds have the chances of being lost, if a Muslim or A Believer disobeys God before the time of his/her death or becomes a Disbeliever or becomes a Sinner, which might make him/her end up in the Fire rather than going to Paradise, and his assigned seat in Paradise would change and he would be given one in the Fire, as each and every Person has been assigned a seat in Paradise and Fire, as i already mentioned the Tradition above!

Also because Prophet (saw) said in another tradition that the Last deeds of a person would determine whether they are destined to paradise and Hell, and so a Muslim is supposed to work hard all his life, and commit to doing good deeds!

 

[Woodrow]

Just some questions. If Jesus(as) was a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, where is the sacrifice? If you accept that Jesus(as) is God(swt) he could not die, only the physical body could. But, the physical body would only have been an insignificant bit of created matter, replaceable by God(swt) if he so desired. Giving up something which is insignificant is not a sacrifice. What was the sacrifice? Where is the price of sacrifice paid and to whom was the sacrifice made too? Who paid the price of the sacrifice, if you say God(swt) does that mean Jesus(as) was God(swt)'s property and not God(swt)? Who was the sacrifice made to? To God(swt)? But, does it makes sense in concept of a sacrifice to pay the sacrifice price to yourself?

Did Jesus(as) know he was God(swt)?