The facts about 'Original Sin' 87
20 arguments regarding the doctrine of 'original sin'
Background
According to the explanation of this doctrine,
Adam (bpuh) sinned when he disobeyed Allah and ate from the forbidden tree.
According to the Christian theology, the following eight doctrines branch off
the 'original sin' principle:
1. All Adam's descendants inherit his sin, which
means that all human beings are born with this original sin.
2. For God's justice to be achieved, a price must
be paid as a penalty for every sin that has been committed, in order for that
sin to be wiped out and the individual to be forgiven.
3. The only way to wipe out sin is shedding of
blood, and according to Paul, "without the shedding of blood there is no
remission" (Hebrews 9:22).
4. But this blood must be perfect, sinless, and
incorruptible.
5. Christians believe that Jesus alone could pay the
infinite price of sin, because they believe that his blood is perfect, sinless,
and incorruptible, and he is the alleged son of God, the infinite God.
6. Christian theology says that Jesus shed his holy
sinless blood, suffered indescribable agony, and died to pay for the sins of
people. This concept is known in Christian theology as 'Atonement' .
7. Christians believe that nobody can be saved
(attain salvation) unless he or she accepts Jesus Christ as his or her redeemer
(saviour). In other words, salvation is restricted to those who believe that
Jesus was willingly crucified and killed on the cross, and shed his blood as a
price of that sin. Acceptance of this doctrine is the only way to attain
'salvation'.
8. Otherwise, everyone is condemned to suffer
eternally in hell because of hislher sinful nature and originally inherited sin
from the father of humankind, Prophet Adam.
The doctrine of original sin can be divided into
six distinct parts:
1) The factuality of the existence
of original sin.
2) Humanity's inheritance of the
original sin.
3) The belief that God's justice
requires a penalty of blood which must be paid against that sin.
4) The belief that Jesus has paid
the price for the sins of all humankind by sacrifice of his blood, through his
'death on the cross' .
5) The rationality of 'God's
sacrifice' dogma.
6) The salvation from sin (original
and newly attained) is only possible for those who believe in his vicarious
sacrifice.
Analysis
The arguments against these six parts of the
dogma of 'Original Sin':
Argument against the first part, the factuality
of the original sin:
1. There is no conflict between what the Qur' an
says and the Christian theology that Adam committed a sin when he ate from the
forbidden tree. However, Allah says in the Qur' an that Prophet Adam (bpuh)
repented after that and submitted himself completely to his Lord, and
consequently he was forgiven by Allah for the sin he committed. This is a tenet
of Islamic belief and is mentioned in three different verses in the Qur'an (2:
37, 7: 24 & 20: 122). Based on Adam's repentance and Allah's acceptance of
his repentance, the sin of Adam was not inherited by the children of Adam, nor
did it require the suffering and death of Jesus Christ (or of anyone else) to
be forgiven.
Argument against the second part,
'all human beings inherited Adam's sin':
2. The doctrine of the inherited sin has no
support in the words of Jesus.
3) Indeed, Jesus himself regarded children as
innocent and pure, and not born in sin. This is clear from his
reported saying:
"Suffer the little children to come unto
me, and forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you,
whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not
enter therein." (Mark 10:14-15)
4) The doctrine of the inherited sin implies
that all people after Adam and before Jesus were born with original sin
and died with original sin, and all of them will be rust into Hellfire, because
they did not even know of this dogrra, and thus could not profess it!
5) The doctrine ofthe inherited sin has no
support in the words of the prophets who had come either before him or after
him. If it was required by God, then they would have told their people
about it and taught them to believe in it, because all prophets were sent to
guide people to the way of paradise and warn them from sins and hellfire.
6) All prophets taught that every human being is
accountable for his/her own sins, and hence children will not be punished for
the sins of their fathers. Allah says in the Qur' an,
The bearer of burdens will not bear the burden
of another. (Qur'an 53: 38).
He also says,
Every soul will be a pledge for its own deeds.] (Qur'an 74:
38)
7) Sin, as it says, is not inherited, but it is
something which a person acquires for himself/herself by doing what s/he should
not do or not doing what s/he should do. Rationally considered, it would be the
height of injustice to condemn the entire human race for a sin committed
thousands of years ago by the first parents. Sin is a wilful transgression of
the Law of Allah. The responsibility or blame for it must lie only on the
person committing it, and not on his or her descendants. It is
the height of misanthropy to consider it. How unreasonable and hard-hearted a
person can become by believing that every baby is sinful at birth!
8) Saying that the original sin committed by our
father Adam was inherited through humanity goes against the attribute of mercy
which Allah attributes to Himself.
With this, the creed of the inheritance of
original sin has no room whatsoever in Islamic teachings.
Argument against the third part: 'blood penalty'
The third part of the original sin doctrine says
that God's justice requires that a price must be paid for the sins of humankind
(original and otherwise) and that if God were to pardon (forgive) a sinner
without punishment, it would be a denial of His justice.
The response to that has two points:
9) This view reflects complete ignorance of two
of Allah's attributes, namely mercy and forgiveness. To elaborate, if Allah
finds some real good in you and sees that you are sincerely repentant, having a
real urge to conquer the evil within you, then Almighty Allah will forgive your
failings and sins, out of His loving mercy and forgiveness.
10) The God we worship (Allah) is the Most
Strong and Most Rich, and no one can harm Him. Consequently, if He prescribes a
law and demands obedience, then it is not for His own benefit to abide by it,
but for the benefit of humankind. If we disobey Him then we are the losers, not
Allah. If He punishes a person before death for his/her faults and sins, it is
not for His own satisfaction or compensation, but in order to check evil and
purify/reform the sinner, which is out of His mercy. Bearing these facts in
mind, claiming that Allah's justice requires a price to be paid for the sins of
others is not valid.
Argument against the fourth part of 'original
sin':
Jesus was sacrificed for humanity
The fourth part of the original sin doctrine
says that Jesus paid the penalty for all sins (the original sins and any
others) by sacrificing his blood on the cross of Calvary. The response to this
proposition has ten points:
11.The Christian concept of salvation has no
support in the words of Jesus (peace be upon him). It is not historically
correct to say that Jesus had come to die willingly and deliberately for the
sins of all humanity. Actually, the present form of the Bible testifies that he did
not wish to die on the cross. (See Mark 14:36)
12. Indeed, the Bible points to the fact that
God (Allah), not Jesus, is the ultimate saviour, "You may
know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after Me. I, I am the Lord, and besides Me there
is no Saviour." (Isaiah 43: 10-11)
13. To punish a man who is not guilty for the
sins of others is the height of injustice, harshness and lack of mercy, which
cannot be attributed to the Almighty.
14. Rationally, we cannot accept that the
suffering and death of one man can wipe out the sins of others. It is similar
to a father, for example, removing one of his good teeth to relieve the pain of
his child's bad tooth. Hence, the idea of crucifixion is false and illogicaL
15. Jesus (like all prophets) was sent to convey
a message and to be an example for his followers during his time on earth, and
not by deliberately dying for them on the cross or offering his blood for their
sins.
16. Allah mentioned in the Qur' an that He is
the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate; he forgives the sinner from any sin
no matter how bad once the sinner repents. He may even forgive the
sinner who did not repent, according to His will, mercy and favour.
17. The concept of atonement is false because it
indirectly encourages people to sin, since their sins will be wiped out through
someone else once they believe in him! Further, if someone died for another
person's sins, what is the point of adhering to good and forbidding evil?
Argument against the fifth part, the 'sacrifice'
of Jesus
18. Christian doctrine states that Jesus was
crucified by the administration of the Roman governor of Jerusalem, Pontius
Pilate, with the cooperation of certain Jewish leaders. 88 However, the Qur'an explains that Jesus (peace
be upon him) did not die, but Allah raised him up when they attempted to kill
him. Allah replaced him with another person who looked like him, and in fact,
it was this person that was killed. To this day, however, Christians believe
that Jesus was killed on the cross. Allah says in the Qur' an:
And they said: We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son
of Mary, Messenger of Allah, but they did not kill him or crucify him, but that
is how it appeared to them. Verily, those who disagree with this matter are in
doubt; they have no knowledge of it and they follow speculation. They certainly
did not kill him. Certainly, Allah raised him up; Allah is Almighty and
All-Wise.~ (Qur'an 4: 157-158)
19. Another proof that Jesus was not killed and
is still alive is that in Islamic teachings there is clear evidence
indicating the second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him) before the
Final Hour. He will come back to correct the misconception which people
have developed about his personality and his mission. According to a statement
by Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace be upon him), he will stay for forty
years, which will be the happiest years of life on this earth. At that time,
those who had misconceptions about him will correct their misconception and
believe in him as a messenger, not as the 'son of God' or as God incarnate. It
is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (one of Prophet Muhammad's Companions, may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (bpuh), said: «By the
one in whose hand is my soul, it will not be long before the son of Mary
descends amongst you, a just judge and ruler. He will break the cross and kill
the swine and abolish the tribute paid by Jews and Christians. Money will be so
plentiful that no one will accept it. At that time a single prostration will be
better than this world and everything in it.» 89 Abu Hurayrah then said,
"Read if you wish (the following verse of Qur'an):
And verily there is no one from among the people
of the scripture/" except that he will believe in him before his death and
on the Day of resurrection he will be a witness over them. (Qur'an 4:
159)"91
This ends the answer on the fifth part of the
doctrine.
Argument against the sixth part: salvation only
possible via belief in Christ's vicarious 'sacrifice'
20. The Bible itself contradicts the notion of
"Original Sin". In this regard, the Bible says about the dispute
concerning the original sin: "The man who plants and the man who waters
have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour."
(I Corinthians 3:8)
Original Sin and Atonement from an Islamic
Perspective
Islam declares that:
.:. People cannot transfer their
responsibilities to saviours or saints. Each person's redemption and salvation
depends on his or her own deeds.
.:. Forgiveness of sins (salvation) can only be
attained through repentance to Allah and sincere and persistent efforts to
fight off evil and do good. Allah forgives the faults and sins of those in whom
He sees real goodness and those who have turned away from their sins and
reformed themselves - without punishing them or any other person on
their behalf.
In numerous verses in the Qur' an and statements
of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), it is mentioned that those who repent are granted
forgiveness from sins; furthermore, their sins are to be replaced with an
equivalent reward, and ~there shall be no fear upon them, neither shall they
grieves.
In many verses of the Noble Qur'an Allah
Almighty calls on people to repent sincerely.
Declare [0 Muhammad] to My slaves that, truly, I
am the Oft- Forgiving, the Most Merciful, and that My Torment is indeed the
most painful torments(Qur'an 15: 49-50)
Here Allah invites the sinners to repent;
regardless of the magnitude of their sins, He will forgive them. At the same
time, He warns those who do not repent that no punishment can be compared to
His punishment.
He also says,
Say: O My slaves who have transgressed
against themselves [by committing evil deeds and sins], do not despair of the Mercy
of Allah; verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful. And turn in repentance and obey Him before the torment comes upon
you, when you will not be helped.
(Qur'an 39:
53-54)
See how beautifully, soundly and logically the
Book of Allah, the Qur' an, addresses the issue of sinning and atonement. It
must be noted that Islam teaches that this Islamic approach to the subject was
revealed in all divine messages, including the message of Jesus Christ. May
peace and blessings be upon him and all the prophets.
Conclusion
By maintaining the concept of original sin, the
entire notion of justice in Christian theology becomes flawed. Having analysed
the six tenets of this doctrine and the arguments against them, the structure
of the whole principle of 'original sin and atonement' is shown to be false,
because it has no support either in revealed sources or in logic, but rather
only in the ideology of the Christian Church.
Courtesy : Majed S. Al-Rassi ( Islam is your BirthRight)
Courtesy : Majed S. Al-Rassi ( Islam is your BirthRight)
Original Sin
The concept of
original sin is completely foreign to Judaism and Eastern Christianity, having
achieved acceptance in only the Western
Church
Conceiving
good deeds is more contrary to the base nature of man. Since our creation, if
not bound by societal or religious restrictions, humankind has historically
dined on the banquet of life with lust and abandon. The orgies of
self-indulgence that have carpeted the corridors of history envelop not only
individuals and small communities, but even major world powers which ate their
fill of deviancy to the point of self-destruction. Sodom and Gomorrah may top
most lists, but the greatest powers of the ancient world—to include the Greek,
Roman and Persian empires, as well as those of Genghis Khan and Alexander the
Great—certainly bear dishonorable mention. But while examples of communal
decadence are innumerable, cases of individual corruption are exponentially
more common.
So, good thoughts are not always the first instinct of humankind. As such, the Islamic understanding is that the very conception of good deeds is worthy of reward, even if not acted upon. When a person actually commits a good deed, Allah multiplies the reward even further.
The
concept of original sin simply does not exist in Islam, and never has. For the
Christian readers, the question is not whether the concept of original sin
exists in present day, but whether it existed during the period of Christian
origins. Specifically, did Jesus teach it?
Apparently
not. Whoever dreamt up the concept, it certainly wasn’t Jesus, for he
reportedly taught, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). We may well wonder how
“for of such” could be “the kingdom of heaven” if the unbaptized are hell‑bound.
Children are either born with original sin or are bound for the kingdom of
heaven. The church can’t have it both ways. Ezekiel 18:20
records, “The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear
the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself,
and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”
Deuteronomy
24:16 repeats the point. The objection may be raised that this is Old
Testament, but it’s not older than Adam! If original sin dated from Adam and
Eve, one wouldn’t find it disavowed in any
scripture of any age!
Islam
teaches that each person is born in a state of spiritual purity, but upbringing
and the allure of worldly pleasures may corrupt us. Nonetheless, sins are not
inherited and, for that matter, not even Adam and Eve will be punished for
their sins, for God has forgiven them. And how can humankind inherit something
that no longer exists? No, Islamically speaking, all of us will be judged
according to our deeds, for “man can have nothing but what he strives for” (TMQ
53:38–39), and “Who receives guidance, receives it for his own benefit: who
goes astray does so to his own loss: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden
of another . . .” (TMQ 17:15). Each person will bear responsibility
for his or her actions, but no infant goes to hell for being unbaptized and
burdened with sin as a birthright—or should we say a birthwrong?
www.LevelTruth.com by Dr. Lawrence Brown (Doctor of Divinity DD )
_____________________________________________________________________________
The Original Sin (part 1 of 2) [Thedeenshow]
Description: Is humanity guilty for the sin of Adam? The Christian and Islamic concepts of sin, repentance, and sacrifice compared.
“…No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another…” (Quran 6:164)
“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)
None can reject that in these two verses, the first from the Quran and the second from the Bible, is an allusion to the same meaning: that the Just God will never punish people for the sins of others.
Christianity alleges that God created humans to live eternally in Heaven, 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 assert that 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 removed except through a sacrifice so great that it would oblige God to forgive humanity. This sacrifice would be nothing other than the sacrifice of God himself, incarnate in His “son” Jesus. Therefore Christianity deems all of humanity as damned to Hell for the sin of Adam from which they could never be cleansed, except through the belief that God became incarnate and died for Adam’s sin, ritualized as Baptism, through which Christians are ‘born again’ into the world, but this time free of sin. So we see that the theory of ‘Original Sin’ forms the basis of various Christian beliefs, from the crucifixion of Jesus to the concept of salvation and savior from Hell. It forms the very basis for the mission of Jesus himself.
So the questions arise, is humanity guilty for the sin which Adam committed by eating from the tree he was forbidden? Must we all repent from that great sin? In what way is one to repent? And if so, what is the fate of those who did not?
Islam strictly promotes the notion that the punishment of sins will only be 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 be accountable to what only they themselves did in this life. Therefore, even though the Quran mentions the sin of Adam and how he was banished from the Garden, it places no responsibility on the shoulders of his progeny. None of the Prophets before Jesus were known to have preached this concept, nor were any other beliefs or rituals based upon this belief. Rather, salvation from Hell and attainment of Paradise was achieved through the belief in One God and obedience to His commandments, a message preached by all prophets, including Muhammad, may God praise 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 from him.
“Then Adam received Words (of forgiveness) from his Lord, and he accepted his repentance. Verily, He is the One Who repeatedly accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.” (Quran 2:37)
Through God’s acceptance of Adam’s repentance, Adam was cleansed of the sin which he committed. God in the Quran repeatedly ascribes to Himself attribute of mercy and forgiveness. He also mentions that from His Names are The Oft-Forgiving, The Most Merciful, the Accepter of Repentance, and others, all of which emphasize the All-Encompassing Mercy of God. Even to those who have 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 deeds and 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 his heart, but it was removed through his repentance. The Prophet Muhammad said:
“Indeed if a believer sins, a black spot covers his heart. If he repents, and stops from his sin, and seeks forgiveness for it, his heart becomes clean again. If he persists (instead of repenting), it increases until covers his heart…” (Ibn Maajah)
Even if we were to say that Adam did not repent, that stain is not passed on to further generations. Therefore, we see that God does not need any physical sacrifice in order to forgive sins, and that no sin is too great for His Mercy; to say so would be to ascribe deficiency to His Excellence and Perfection. 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 shall 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 ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, 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 at it.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
God says in the Quran in regards to sacrifice, that it is the intention of the person when offering the sacrifice which is of importance, and not the actual sacrifice itself.
“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God, but it is piety from you that reaches Him...” (Quran 22:37)
If we were to implement this verse in regards to the original sin and God incarnate sacrificing himself in order to forgive all of humanity, we see that even without seeking repentance for Adam’s sin, God forgave human beings due to His Own Sacrifice. Could He not have forgiven them without such a sacrifice?
It is also mentioned in the bible:
“To what purpose (is) the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the 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. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new 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 my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear (them). And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the 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.”
Footnotes:Apol., I, Ixvi.
Isaiah 1:11-18
The Original Sin (part 2 of 2)
Description: The Wisdom behind the sin of Adam, the fate of the innocent, and the basis of the theory of original sin.
The Divine Will of the Perfect God
So Adam sought forgiveness for His sin, and God accepted it from Him. Another crucial point which must be mentioned is that God created humans with a free will, and He knew that humanity would sin. For this reason, no human is expected to be perfect, but rather, God knows that they will sin. What is expected from humans is that they repent from their sin. The Prophet, may God praise him, said:
“All children of Adam repetitively make mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent.” (Ibn Maajah)
The Prophet also said:
“By Him in Whose Hand is My soul (i.e. God), if you did not commit sins, God would do away with you and come with a race which committed sins. They would seek forgiveness from God and He would forgive them. (Saheeh Muslim #4936)
So here we see that it was in the Great and Wise plan of God that Adam sin and that God forgive him for that sin, and to say that Adam went against the Universal Will of 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 from the creation of humans! May God be free from all defects people attribute to Him. In Genesis 6:6, it says to quote:
“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart”
To agree to this would mean that Adam did something which was out of the Will, Power, and Knowledge of God, and that God regretted His creation of humans. God is All-Perfect and so are His deeds, and there is no defect or shortcoming in them; 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 what occurred in the story of Adam was within the perfect plan of God. The Prophet said:
“Indeed God put everything into its proper measure fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earths.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
God mentions in the Quran what took place between the angels when He announced the creation of humans, and from this we see that it was known to God and part of His Great and 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 place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’ He (God) said: ‘Indeed I know that which you do not know.’” (Quran 2:30)
It is also clear from these verses that God did not create humans as immortal, and that death was prescribed for them from the beginning of their creation. As for the consequences 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 was to become drunk and have a car accident, and some of the passengers die, the sin of driver effects the passengers in their death, but that does not mean that the passengers are to be held to account for the sin of the driver.
The Innocent
Another question which must be dealt with is the fate of those who came before the claim that God became incarnate and sacrificed himself for the sins of humanity, as well as the fate of those who were not baptized, as baptism is the rite which all Christians must perform in order to be cleansed of Original Sin. In Christian belief, all humans previous to the incarnation of God, including the Prophets and infants usually regarded as sinless, are not free from the Original Sin of Adam, and therefore cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, As Augustine said: “Do not believe, nor say, nor teach, that infants who die before baptism can obtain the remission of original sin.” Only until recently, non-baptized infants were not buried in consecrated ground because they were believed to have died in original sin.
Also, we know that the verse in the Apostles’ Creed, “… and (Jesus) descended into Hell”, is said to mean that Jesus descended to Hell to free the righteous souls who were there due to the sin of Adam. This leads us to believe that all those before the coming of Jesus are in Hell, even if they were from the righteous. Paul mentioned this himself in Galatians:
“… a man is not justified by the works of the law ... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
Here it is clear 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 not received the message of Christianity. We must ask; why did not the Prophets before Jesus call to this notion of original sin? Did they lie when they said that it was enough to Worship One God and obey His commandments to achieve Paradise? Why did not God come and free humanity from sin at the time of Adam so that the righteous and others would not be in Hell due to his sin? Why are infants, humanity before Jesus, and others who have not heard about Christianity, held accountable for a sin they never committed, nor have knowledge about how to remit themselves from it? The truth of the matter is that the notion of “Original Sin”, as many others, was one introduced by Paul and later expounded on by Christian scholars and councils.
“The Old Testament says nothing about the transmission of hereditary sin to the entire human race… the main scriptural affirmation of the doctrine is found in the writings of St. Paul…”
This concept though, was expounded by Augustine of Hippo, one of the most prominent Christian scholars in History. The basis of this concept is that “the deliberate sin of the first man (Adam) is the cause of original sin.” The Second Council of Orange (529 C.E.) declared, “One man has transmitted to the whole human race not only the death of the body, which is the punishment of sin, but even sin itself, which is the death of the soul.”
The concept of original sin is one which has no basis in previous scriptures regarded as divine by Christianity. None of the Prophets before Jesus were known to have preached this concept, nor were any other beliefs or rituals based upon them. Rather, salvation from Hell was achieved through the belief in One God and obedience to His commandments which was preached by all prophets, including the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, may God praise them.
Summary
In Islam, the key to salvation is the belief in and worship of the One True, Unique and Perfect God and obedience to His commandments, the same message brought by all Prophets. Islam preaches that a person must work righteousness and avoid sin to attain Paradise, and that if one sins, that they seek repentance for it from their heart. Through this and the Mercy and Grace of God, they will enter Paradise. Islam does not deem that all those before the advent of Muhammad are doomed to Hell, but rather that each nation was sent a prophet 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 in Paradise upon death. Due to the infinite Justice of God:
“No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden. And We never punish (people) until We have sent (to them) a Messenger (to give warning).” (Quran 17:15)
Footnotes:King James Version.
De Anima (III).
The creed based on the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of World Religions. P.830. 1999, Merriam Webster, inc.
De Nuptiis et Concupiscentiâ, II, xxvi, 43
Enchiridion Symbolorum, Heinrich Joseph Dominicus Denzinger. n. 175 (145)
Or perhaps we are meant to be distracted
from this Gospel passage J in
which Jesus reminds us that it is God Alone who forgives sinners:
‘Then his lord, after
that he had called him, said unto him, O
thou wicked servant, I for- gave thee all that debt,
because thou desiredst me. Shouldest not thou also have had compas-sion
on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on
thee? And his lord was wroth, and deliv-
ered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all
that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father
do also unto you, if ye from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’
(MATTHEW 18:32-35)
In this parable, does Jesus say that he himself
will deliver us over to the torturers if we do
not forgive those who wrong us, after we
ourselves have been forgiven?Or does he say
that his heavenly Father—our heavenly Father!—will
deliver us over to the torturers if we choose to persist in this
hypocrisy? We are entitled to ask: Is this heavenly Father he speaks of the
same as, or different than, the Father referenced elsewhere as the Father
of all the faithful, the One who causes the sun
to rise and the rain to fall on all of us?
‘Not everyone who says to
me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven_only the one who does
the will of my Father in heaven.’
(MATTHEW 7:21)
Do the words that the Gospels attribute to Jesus
support this theory?
‘Agree with
thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him;
lest at any time the ad-versary deliver thee to
the judge, and the judge de-liver thee to the officer,
and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say
unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out
thence, till thou hast paid the
ut-termost farthing.’(MATTHEW 5:25-26)
This pragmatic submission to the Reality of the situation we all face is, as it turns out, the guiding theological principle of Islam. And it is, to the careful reader of Q, Jesus’ guiding theological principle, as well.
We cannot seriously maintain
that it is simple ‘coincidence’ that
Jesus fails to mention the atoning action
of the blood of the Son of God in any of
these sayings. Nor can we regard as ‘coincidence’ the
stark and disorienting fact that not a single word promoting the
theology of redemption in Christ’s sacrifice appears in any of the most ancient
Gospel verses. Instead, in Q [ ‘sayings gospel’ called Q (from the German Quelle, or
‘source’) do appear in Matthew and Luke.] , we hear
Jesus rebuking Satan when Satan tests him by referring to him
as God’s son. In Q, we
hear Jesus forecasting the doom of people who listen to his
instructions for living and fail to take action on
them. If he meant to forecast the doom of
those who fail to accept his sacrifice
for mankind, surely he would have done so! In Q, we hear Jesus refer to
himself as the Son of Adam—not at all the same thing as being the only begotten
Son of God. These facts cannot be accidents. They cannot be coincidences. They
cannot be happen stance. The early evidence is quite clear. Notions of Jesus’
sacrifice and his ransom for all mankind of a human being who was
God Incarnate simply were not part of the earliest Gospel. These concepts were
added later, long after the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry.
These influences betrayed the original message of
Jesus. The influences of those pagan groups, fortunately, appear to
be entirely absent from the early
Gospel passages we find in Q.
The remarkable thing is that so much of that
original theology is still evident in the earliest Gospel verses. Look at the
teachings we find in Q ...
and ask yourself how closely they match the ‘context’ of
Constantine. In Q,
Jesus warns us to fear only the judgment of a single God:
‘And I say unto you my friends, Be not
afraid of them that kill the body, and after
that have no more that they can do. But I will
forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he
hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say
unto you, Fear him.’ (LUKE 12:4-5)
This is identical to the Islamic
principle known asTaqwa. Compare:
‘To Him belongs all that is in the
heavens and the earth. God’s retribution is
severe. Should you then have fear of anyone other than God?’
(QUR’AN 16:52)
In Q, Jesus warns
humanity plainly that earthly advantages and pleasures should not be the goal
of our lives:
‘But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have
re- ceived your consolation. Woe unto you that are
full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that
laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.’ (LUKE 6:24-5)
This is identical to Islam’s
warning that we must not be fooled by the allures of Dunya,
or earthly life. Compare:
‘The desire to have
increase of worldly gains has preoccupied you so much (that you have
neglected the obligation of remembering God)— until you come to your graves!
You shall know. You shall certainly know (about
the conse- quences of your deeds). You will certainly have
the knowledge of your deeds beyond all doubt. You will be shown hell, and
you will see it with your own eyes. Then, on that day, you shall be questioned
about the bounties (of God).’ (QUR’AN
102:1-8)
Perhaps just as revealing, Q teaches nothing whatsoever of
the Crucifixion, or of the sacrificial
nature of the mission of Jesus ... an intriguing omissionindeAendd!consider the
following chilling words:
‘And I say unto you,
that many shall come from the east and
west, and shall sit downwith Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But
those who believe they own the kingdom of heaven
shall be cast out into the outer darkness. There shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (MATTHEW8:11-12)
There is context J and there
is betrayal. Each of us must decide for ourselves which
is which.Those of us who are unwilling to accept the pagan remnants of
Constantine as the permanent foundation of our religious faith may,
as our detractors claim, not be ‘real Christians’.Then again
J one never knows. We may be.
The more I looked at the Q sayings, the more impossible it became for
me to reconcile the notion of the Trinity with that which seemed most authentic
to me in the Gospels. I found myself face-to-face with some very difficult
questions:
• Where in the Gospels did Jesus use the
word‘Trinity’?
• If Jesus was God, as the doctrine of the Trinity claims, why did he worship God?
• If Jesus was God, as the doctrine of the Trinity claims, to whom was he praying, and why?
• If Jesus was God, as the doctrine of the Trinity claims, why did he worship God?
• If Jesus was God, as the doctrine of the Trinity claims, to whom was he praying, and why?
If Jesus(pbuh) was trying to die for the sins of mankind Why he asked God to save him from being killed (Luke
22:42)?!
Why he ordered his disciples to buy swords (Luke 22:36)?!
Why he kept escaping from Jews because he did not want to got killed (John 7:1)?!
Why he accused Jews for trying to kill him (John 8:40)?!
Why he ordered his disciples to buy swords (Luke 22:36)?!
Why he kept escaping from Jews because he did not want to got killed (John 7:1)?!
Why he accused Jews for trying to kill him (John 8:40)?!
if one indulge in conspiracy but could not emerge it to actions than that one is innocent ???????
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