UNDENIABLE EVIDENCES FOR ORIGINAL SIN IN ISLAM
God made the first man perfect. As a perfect Creator, it is impossible for the true God to create man in any other way:
Ecclesiastes 7:29: “The true God made mankind upright.”
Adam was the crowning glory of God’s earthly creative works. Adam was not only created with free will but also with the ability to imitate the qualities of God. And the Bible confirms this in the following verse:
Genesis 1:27: “And God created man in his image.”
However, Adam chose to rebel against God. As a result, he lost his perfection. The term Original Sin refers to the sin of Adam and its effects upon the human race. Original Sin is the sin that we all inherited from Adam as a consequence of his disobedience in the Garden of Eden. God by definition is Holy. The principle of Original Sin is the only doctrine which proves that God did not create the human race with an inherent tendency to sin, but that our nature became sinful due to the sin we inherited from our first parents. To deny Original Sin is to deny the holiness of God. Outside Christianity, no other religion has ever explained the entrance of sin into the human race as clearly as the Bible does.
The Doctrine of Original Sin focuses particularly on the innate fallen nature of the descendants of Adam. The Bible states that as the result of the effects of Original Sin, all of us are born with the stain of imperfection – resulting in death. Original Sin is a description of the tragic reality of mankind’s tendency to sin. Original Sin – the doctrine that every one of us is born a sinner and will manifest that sinfulness in his or her life – is a Christian teaching that is easily verifiable. Everyone sins. And everyone dies.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:14: And death ruled as king from Adam down to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the same way that Adam transgressed.
The doctrine of Original Sin is central to Christianity. However, it is rejected completely in Islam. Although Islam acknowledges that Adam sinned, it nonetheless teaches that his sin has no consequence on the rest of the human race. We now have two opposing views. Two opposing views cannot be equally true. Our eternal salvation is very much dependent on knowing the truth. Thus, it is important to establish which of these two beliefs conforms to the divine standard of God’s righteousness. Is it Christianity or Islam? We will consider the teachings of both Islam and Christianity regarding the fall of man. We will begin with the teachings of Islam on this crucial issue.
ACCORDING TO THE QUR’AN
According to the Qur’an, Adam and Eve were placed in a Garden. And they were commanded to eat freely of all the fruits in the Garden with the exception of the fruit from the forbidden tree. They were warned not to approach the tree:
Surah 7:19: And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden; so eat from where you desire, but do not go near this tree, for then you will be of the unjust. (Shakir)
But Satan caused them to sin:
Surah 7:20-22: But the Shaitan made an evil suggestion to them that he might make manifest to them what had been hidden from them of their evil inclinations, and he said: Your Lord has not forbidden you this tree except that you may not both become two angels or that you may not become of the immortals. And he swore to them both: Most surely I am a sincere adviser to you. Then he caused them to fall by deceit; so when they tasted of the tree, their evil inclinations became manifest to them, and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden; and their Lord called out to them: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and say to you that the Shaitan is your open enemy? (Shakir)
After sinning against Allah, Adam and Eve begged for his forgiveness:
Surah 7:23: They said: Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not, and have not mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers. (Shakir)
And Allah forgave them:
Surah 2:37: Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful. (Hilali-Khan)
The Qur’an states explicitly that Allah forgave Adam and Eve. However, despite the fact that the Qur’an affirms that their sins were pardoned, they were still expelled from the Garden:
Surah 2:38: We said: “Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.” (Hilali-Khan)
And this is confirmed in another account in the Qur’an:
Surah 20:122-123: Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance. (Allah) said: “Get you down (from the Paradise to the earth), both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others. Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery.” (Hilali-Khan)
The Qur’an teaches that Adam and Eve were created in heaven. And they were cast down to the earth only after their disobedience to Allah. According to Islam, the Garden of Eden known in Arabic as al-Jannatul-’Adn, is a heavenly Paradise:
Surah 2:36: But Satan tempted them with the tree to disobey Allah’s commandment and caused them to be expelled from Paradise, and We said: “Get out from here, some of you being enemies to others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and provisions for a specified period.” (Farook Malik)
Since Islam teaches that Allah forgave Adam and Eve, it rejects completely the Christian doctrine of Original Sin. Thus, Muslims believe that everyone is born sinless. Instead of Original Sin, Muslims believe in Original Forgiveness. Muslims also believe that every individual is responsible only for his or her own sins. As such, they completely reject the idea that we could suffer the consequence of Adam’s sin. Therefore, no soul can bear the sin of another:
Surah 6:164: Each soul is responsible for its own actions; no soul will bear the burden of another. (Abdel Haleem)
Surah 35:18: No soul can carry the sins of another soul. (Rashad Khalifa)
Based on these teachings, Muslims oppose the doctrine of Original Sin. And they also reject the redeeming value of Christ’s ransom sacrifice since they believe that no one can bear the sins of another. Additionally, since Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were forgiven by Allah, the concept of Original Sin makes no sense to them.
Does Islam really have any valid basis for rejecting Original Sin? Is the doctrine of Original Sin a more plausible explanation for mankind’s fallen condition or is it erroneous as Islam claims? When Islam rejects the doctrine of Original Sin, it is essentially saying that the sinful act of Adam and his subsequent fall has no consequence whatsoever on his descendants. Is this true? While addressing this issue, we will also look into the numerous absurdities and contradictions surrounding this issue in the Qur’an. It is important to determine if Islam’s rejection of Original Sin is consistent with the divine nature of a Holy God. We will have to deal with this issue systematically and with integrity. Let’s begin.
THE ERRORS OF ISLAM
The Bible states that Adam was created on earth. However, the Qur’an contradicts this clear statement in the Bible by teaching that Adam was created in a heavenly Paradise. Which one of these two accounts is true? Is it the Bible or the Qur’an? Ironically, for the answer we need to look no further than the Qur’an. In contradiction with itself, the Qur’an makes the following statement when recounting the account of Adam’s creation:
Surah 2:30: Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” (Yusuf Ali)
This Qur’anic verse clearly states that Allah will create Adam on earth. For Allah’s statement in Surah 2:30 to be true, Adam must be created on earth and nowhere else. Notice, it does not say that Allah will create Adam in heaven with the intention of later placing him on earth. Muslims make this absurd claim to deceitfully cover an obvious contradiction in the Qur’an. Surah 2:30 clearly contradicts Surah 2:36. Furthermore, the Qur’an also states:
Surah 71:17: And how God caused you to develop, bringing you forth from the earth. (L. Bakhtiar)
How God has produced you from the earth and caused you to grow. (W. Khan)
How are Muslims going to resolve this clear contradiction in the Qur’an? The only option for Muslims is to recognize the fact that the fall of Adam does not mean a fall from heaven but a fall from a state of perfection. This would harmonize perfectly with the statement in Surah 2:30 which reveals Allah’s plan to create Adam on earth. This means that Muslims will have to now look in the direction of Original Sin. They have to accept the fact that the fall of Adam means a fall from perfection. And an imperfect Adam can only pass on imperfection to his descendants. And imperfection leads to sin and death. Either Muslims accept the doctrine of Original Sin as true or they have to acknowledge the fact that there is a serious contradiction in the Qur’an. We will now consider another problem in the Qur’an. A careful reading of the following Qur’anic verses, which are written chronologically, reveals the following details.
After the creation of Adam, Allah commanded the angels to bow down to Adam. In obedience to Allah, they all bowed down with the exception of Satan:
Surah 7:11-12: And We have certainly created you, (O Mankind), and given you (human) form. Then We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam”; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated. (Allah) said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” (Satan) said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” (Sahih International)
As a result, Satan was banished from Paradise. And in no uncertain terms Satan was commanded to “Descend from Paradise” and to “Get out of Paradise” by Allah:
Surah 7:13: Allah said, “Descend from Paradise, for it is not for you to be arrogant therein. So get out; indeed, you are of the debased. (Sahih International)
Surah 7:18: Allah said, “Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them – I will surely fill Hell with you, all together.” (Sahih International)
After expelling Satan, Allah informs Adam and Eve to dwell in the heavenly Paradise:
Surah 7:19: And “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat from wherever you will but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” (Sahih International)
And the Qur’an then states the following absurdity:
Surah 7:20: But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal.” (Sahih International)
How is it possible for Satan who was banished from the heavenly Paradise to gain entry back into heaven to tempt Adam and Eve? The subsequent temptation by Satan after his banishment from heaven is only possible if Adam and Eve were dwelling on earth all along. A failure to accept this fact would mean that Satan is more powerful than Allah. It means that Satan could challenge Allah’s banishment order and regain entry into heaven. And Allah could nothing about it. Are Muslims willing to accept this?
The account in the Bible which consistently states that Adam and Eve were created on earth is far more reliable than the wishy-washy story in the Qur’an. When Islam denies the doctrine of Original Sin, it runs into numerous difficulties. We will now examine some these difficulties in the Qur’an. Regarding his creative works, Allah asks Muhammad a significant question:
Surah 67:3: You do not see any imperfection in the creation by the Almighty. Keep looking; do you see any flaw? (Monotheist Group)
The above Qur’anic verse clearly testifies that we will not be able to find “any imperfection in the creation by the Almighty.” In other words, all his creative works are perfect. The fact that Allah even commanded the angels to bow down to Adam proves that the creation of man ranked high among his creative works. Yet, Islam cannot explain why “all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now” when all the creative works of Allah are supposed to be perfect.
Romans 8:22: For we know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.
Why are humans continually described as evil, carnal, perverse, deceitful, and wicked if all men are born perfect? By denying Original Sin, Islam has no real answers for the fallen condition of man. Islam is unable to provide a meaningful reason for mankind’s sinful nature and the reason for all the distressing conditions surrounding us when it denies Original Sin. And Original Sin is the only explanation that makes sense for mankind’s sad condition. It is not a mere coincidence that while morality has to be taught, no one has to learn immorality. It comes naturally. Having no plausible explanation, Islam has to come up with some of the most absurd excuses for the imperfect condition of man. Let’s look at one of the excuses Islam has to conjure up:
Surah 4:28: Allah would make the burden light for you, for man was created weak. (Pickthall)
Once again the Qur’an contradicts itself. From perfect creation to weak creation. As we can see, the Qur’an both agrees and disagrees with the Bible on this single matter regarding the perfection of God’s creative works. This means that the Qur’an is wrong, at least, in one instance. Can we then trust the Qur’an? Additionally, is it not an instant contradiction to claim that we have been created perfect but with an inherent weakness towards sin? When Islam rejects Original Sin it has to blasphemously propose the idea that the perfect Creator of the universe created man in a dismal condition with a weakness to sin. Would the true God create man as such? How could a perfect God at the height of his creative works create man with an inherent weakness to sin as part of his created nature? Can something which is created weak be considered perfect at the same instant? Shockingly, Allah believes this is possible!
Does not all this validate the doctrine of Original Sin as true? Does not this prove that man must have been created perfect but somehow lost his perfection at a later time? And that this imperfection was somehow passed on to the descendants of Adam? Would not this be a far more plausible explanation for the weak state of mankind than the absurd claim that the Almighty God created man weak? And naturally this weakness would have its consequences. And as the Bible truthfully testifies, it resulted in sin leading to death. And the Qur’an unwittingly agrees. It states that the entire world of mankind is deserving of death:
Surah 16:61: If Allah were to punish men for their wrong-doing He would not leave upon the earth a single living creature. (H. S. Aziz)
This proves that no man is free from error. What greater calamity can humans be born with than with this inherent tendency to sin against God. Does not all this point to the truthfulness of the Christian doctrine of Original Sin? If Muslims fail to accept this, the only option left for them now is to blame Allah for the sinful condition of mankind. Since Allah created mankind weak, he must be held accountable for the sinful state of the human race. When Muslims refuse to blame Adam for Original Sin, they will only end up blaming Allah. Muslims also claim boldly that the fall of Adam does not have any effect on his offspring. Really? We will let Islam answer this:
Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 380:
“It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira and Hudhaifa that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, would gather people. The believers would stand till the Paradise would be brought near them. They would come to Adam and say: O our father, open for us the Paradise. He would say: What turned you out from the Paradise was the sin of your father Adam. I am not in a position to do that.”
Adam was disqualified to lead the believers into Paradise. Why? Because according to this Hadith it was the sin of Adam that turned them out of Paradise in the first place. So Adam’s sin did have damaging consequences on his offspring. The denial of Paradise for the entire human race was the result of Adam’s original sin. Provided below is an interesting Tafseer on Surah 7:172 by the renowned Muslim scholar, Ibn Kathir. It acknowledges that Adam’s sin had damaging effects on his offspring:
Commenting on this Ayah (7:172), At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said: “…, so Adam denied that and his offspring followed suit denying Allah’s covenant, Adam forgot and his offspring forgot, Adam made a mistake and his offspring made mistakes.”
At-Tirmidhi said: “This Hadith is Hasan Sahih (Authentic), and it was reported from various chains of narration through Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet.” (Tafseer Ibn Kathir, Surat Al-A‘raf to the end of Surah Yunus, Volume 4, pp. 201-203)
We would like to ask the Muslims the following questions:
- Who introduced sin into the world?
- If Allah’s original purpose is for mankind to dwell in a heavenly Paradise, then why are we not residing in Paradise?
- Is it not because of Adam’s sin?
- And if Adam’s sin did not affect us, then what are we doing here on earth?
- If Allah so easily forgave Adam and Eve before their expulsion, why did he not allow them to continue dwelling in Paradise?
- Since both Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, how can the Qur’an then say that they were forgiven?
- How can they be forgiven when the punishment was still enforced?
- Can there be forgiveness when there is punishment?
- And can there be punishment when there is forgiveness?
- How can there be Original Forgiveness as Muslims claim if there is no Original Sin in the first place?
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 262:
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Moses argued with Adam and said to him (Adam), ‘You are the one who got the people out of Paradise by your sin, and thus made them miserable.’ Adam replied, ‘O Moses! You are the one whom Allah selected for His Message and for His direct talk. Yet you blame me for a thing which Allah had ordained for me before He created me?’” Allah’s Apostle further said, “So Adam overcame Moses by this Argument.”
Moses blamed Adam for both the misery and the expulsion of his offspring from Paradise. Adam did not deny the accusation but only countered it by saying that it was Allah who caused him to do this. Muslims can either accept the testimony of Moses and believe in Original Sin or they can opt for the excuse of Adam. The excuse of Adam is far more damaging for Muslims than the denial of Original Sin. Adam blamed Allah. In Islam, the problems only get deeper. If Allah predestined Adam to sin, then Allah’s forgiveness of Adam is a deception. How can Allah forgive a sin when he himself is the cause of that sin? While the Bible traces Original Sin back to Adam, the Qur’an traces it to Allah. Therefore, instead of Adam, Allah is the original sinner.
It is time to call their bluff. Islam maintains that we are unaffected by the sins of Adam and Eve. Either the sinful course of our first parents affects us or it does not. Muslims cannot have it both ways. We will now look at two of the most authentic Hadiths in the Muslim world.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 611:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said, “Were it not for Bani Israel, meat would not decay; and were it not for Eve, no women would ever betray their husbands.”
Sahih Muslim, Book 8, Hadith Number 3471:
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Had it not been for Eve, woman would have never acted unfaithfully towards her husband.
Al-Nawawi (1233 C.E.–1277C.E.) was a notable Muslim scholar and a great interpreter of the sayings of the Prophet. He studied under the tutorage of more than twenty celebrated Muslim scholars who were masters and authorities on the subject of Hadith and Islamic Jurisprudence. Al-Nawawi gave the following exegesis on the above Hadiths. And his Commentary was based on the Tafseer of Al-Qadhi, the great Muslim scholar who lived during the time of Muhammad:
“Had it not been for Hawaa’ (Eve), women would never betray their husbands.” Al-Qadhi said: “The meaning of this Hadith is that she was the mother of the daughters of Adam; so they resembled her, and they inherited from her what happened to her in the account of the tree with Iblees (Satan) – he seduced her into eating from the tree and lured her, so she told Adam about the tree and, as a result, he ate from it…, As regards the saying of the Prophet: “Were it not for the Children of Israel, food would not become rotten and meat would not decay…” The scholars said: “It means that when Allah sent down manna and quails to the Children of Israel, Allah prohibited them from storing it, but they stored it; so it went bad and rotted, and this has continued since then.” (Source: Islamweb.com)
Sounds pretty much like Original Sin, does it not? Both the Hadith and the Tafseer by great Muslim scholars clearly validate the doctrine of Original Sin. These Muslim sources clearly testify that sin can be inherited. Contemporary Muslim apologists deliberately hide these facts not only from the general public but also from the Muslims themselves. They know the problems this will cause to their religion. Well, what do we learn from Islam’s own sources? We learn that the teachings of Islam are replete with contradictions. After going around in circles of denial, Islam has to but agree with the teachings of the Bible on the concept of Original Sin. It has to agree that sin can be inherited. Centuries before the arrival of the Qur’an, under inspiration, David wrote the following truth regarding the effects of Original Sin:
Psalms 51:5: Look! I was born guilty of error. And my mother conceived me in sin.
While it is true that no one can be accountable for the sins of someone else as the Qur’an teaches, Islam has however failed to understand this is not the same as Original Sin. It fails to see the difference between accountability and consequence. More on this later. As a result of this failure to discern the difference, Muslims reject the atoning value of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ on behalf of our sins. The Muslim position is based on the following Qur’anic verse:
Surah 6:164: Each one is personally responsible for every sin he commits. No one shall bear the burden of sin for anyone else. (Munir Munshey)
Truth is absolute. Lacking truth, Islam contradicts itself time and again. In contradiction with itself, Islam teaches that on Judgment Day, Allah will cause the Jews and the Christians to bear the sins of the Muslims. Thus, Allah will rescue the Muslims from the fires of Hell by placing their sins on the Jews and the Christians. Take note of the expressions used in these Hadiths:
110 Ahadith Qudsi, (Sacred Hadith) pp. 19-20:
Superiority of the believers in the Oneness of Allah and the punishment of Jews and Christians
Narrated Abu Musa: Allah’s Messenger said: On the Day of Resurrection, my Ummah (nation) will be gathered into three groups. One sort will enter Paradise without rendering an account (of their deeds). Another sort will be reckoned an easy account and admitted into Paradise. Yet another sort will come bearing on their backs heaps of sins like great mountains. Allah will ask the angels though He knows best about them: Who are these people? They will reply: They are humble slaves of yours. He will say: Unload the sins from them and put the same over the Jews and Christians; then let the humble slaves get into Paradise by virtue of My Mercy. This Hadith is sound and mentioned in Mustadrak of Hakim. (Translated from Arabic by Syed Masood-ul-Hasan, Saudi Arabia)
And Allah will also cause the Jews and the Christians to bear the punishments of the Muslims:
Sahih Muslim, Book 37, Hadith Number 6665:
Chapter: Throwing of non-believers in hell-fire for believers as Divine Grace and Mercy.
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.
Sahih Muslim, Book 37, Hadith Number 6666:
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.
Sahih Muslim, Book 37, Hadith Number 6668:
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.
These are the authentic teachings of Islam. And they speak volumes. And they are absolutely destructive to Islam. The term “Ransom” basically refers to the price paid to set one free from some adverse circumstances such as captivity or death. While Islam finds it a great moral dilemma to accept the ransom of Jesus for the release of mankind from sin and death, it however has no objection whatsoever in accepting the ransom of ordinary Jews and Christians for the release of the Muslims from Hell. How is it now suddenly possible for someone to bear the sins of another? Why is Allah so contradictory in his ways? Why could not Allah simply deliver the Muslims from Hell without the substitution of the Jews and the Christians? What happened to the boastful claims of Muslims that Allah could simply forgive without requiring anything in return? Lying is second nature in Islam – another proof that Original Sin is true.
If you are a Muslim, are you not troubled by all these contradictions in the teachings of Islam? Are you not troubled by all these errors in the Qur’an? It must be reminded that Muslims who reject the Hadith are considered as apostates in Islam. What the Qur’an teaches in black and white, the Hadith teaches in color. A Muslim cannot be a Muslim without the Hadith. Well, do you think Islam can be trusted to guide you to salvation? We will let the Qur’an answer this vital question for you:
Surah 4:82: Will they not ponder on the Qur’an? Had it not come from someone other than God, they would have certainly found therein many contradictions. (Muhammad Sarwar)
The above Qur’anic verse is strongly testifying that the teachings which originate from God will not have contradictions in it. We could not agree more. However, since there are so “many contradictions” in the teachings of Islam, can they then originate from the true God? Can they truly guide you to salvation? Muslims, your salvation depends very much on the decision you make now. We have presented all these evidences because we care for you. There is still hope for those who turn to the true God for salvation.
Isaiah 12:2: Behold! God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. For Jehovah, even Jehovah is my strength and my might, and he became my salvation.”
Salvation belongs to Jehovah. And God sent Jesus to undo the damaging effects of Original Sin. Salvation can only be obtained through faith in the redeeming value of the Ransom Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
RANSOM SACRIFICE IN THE QUR’AN
Now for the big question. Is it really true that the doctrine of the ransom sacrifice cannot be found in the teachings of the Qur’an? During the Hajj pilgrimage, Muslims sacrifice animals as a re-enactment of Abraham’s sacrifice of a ram in place of his son. Well, who was it that provided the ransom sacrifice to redeem Abraham’s son? Let’s follow closely the Qur’anic account of Abraham’s offering of his son as a sacrifice:
Surah 37:101-103: So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. Then, when the son reached the age of serious work with him, he said: “O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!” The son said: “O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practicing Patience and Constancy!” So when they had both submitted their wills to Allah, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead for sacrifice. (Yusuf Ali)
The Qur’anic account continues with these significant words of Allah:
Surah 37:104-108: We called out to him “O Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!” – thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial- And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice: And We left this blessing for him among generations to come in later times. (Yusuf Ali)
The above verses clearly reveal that Allah “ransomed” Abraham’s son by personally providing “a momentous sacrifice.” Note how others translations of the Qur’an render this phrase:
“We have ransomed his son with a great sacrifice.” (Sarwar)
“And We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice.” (Maududi)
“And We ransomed him with a tremendous sacrifice.” (Asad)
“And We ransomed him with a noble victim.” (Sale)
Allah stated clearly: “We ransomed him.” Both the Bible and the Qur’an testify that God provided a substitute sacrifice to take the place of Abraham’s son. And both Scriptures agree that a ram was “sacrificed” as a “ransom” to redeem Abraham’s son.
The Arabic term used in the Qur’an for the substitutive sacrifice is “Azzim.” It is extremely vital for Muslims to note that the term “al-Azzim” is one of the ninety-nine names of Allah. As such, it unlikely that this sacrifice could refer to a mere ram which Abraham sacrificed in place of his son. By no means can a mere ram be considered as a “Momentous Sacrifice” – especially when compared with Abraham’s son. By itself, the ram is by no means special. So how could a ram be greater or even equal in value to a human being? This will make sense only if the ram was a representation of an altogether greater sacrifice – a greater sacrifice that is yet to come. Muslims, who are sincerely seeking to find the truth, must ask themselves the following questions:
- Why did Allah use the term “Ransom”?
- To whom did Allah pay the ransom to? If it is to himself, why could not Allah just waive the ransom price?
- In the first place, why must there even be a requirement of a ransom sacrifice to free Abraham’s son?
- Could not Allah just free Abraham’s son without the payment of a ransom?
- Why was it absolutely necessary for Allah to provide the ram as a substitute sacrifice to redeem Abraham’s son from undergoing a sacrificial death?
- What legal obligation could there be to enforce the rule that the only justifiable way for Allah to free Abraham’s son was by substituting another sacrifice in his place?
- If it is only to test Abraham’s faith, why was it still compulsory for Allah to provide a ransom sacrifice to free Abraham’s son even after Abraham had already passed the test of faithfulness?
- Could not Allah just let Abraham and his son walk away free after Abraham proved faithful?
- Does not all this prove that there must be something more to this episode than a test of Abraham’s faith?
- Did it ever occur to you that this event could be a prophetic drama of a greater sacrifice that God himself would be offering to redeem mankind?
- Finally, ask yourself, how can the sacrifice of a mere ram be described as a “Momentous Sacrifice” in the Qur’an?
These are vital questions. Knowing the answers is crucial if you really value your eternal salvation. Only when Muslims understand the full implications of these questions, will they be able to understand why the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ as a ransom is necessary to redeem mankind from sin and death. The answers to these questions cannot be found in the Qur’an but in the Holy Bible. And this is also true regarding Original Sin. Muslims need to go to the Bible for the answers. When John the Baptizer saw Jesus coming towards him, he recognized Jesus as the “Lamb of God” who will take away the sin of the world:
John 1:29: “See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
A ram is a male sheep. Is it not significant that Jesus is referred to as a lamb – a young ram? Yes, the “Momentous Sacrifice” prefigured by the ram is none other than Jesus Christ through whom God will remove the damaging effects of Original Sin. The Bible consistently upholds the truth regarding the role of Jesus Christ in the outworking of mankind’s salvation. As we can see, not only does the Qur’an fail to recognize this truth, but it contradicts itself to a fault. The entire purpose of this article would be meaningless if we do not discuss the justification of Original Sin in the Bible. We will now consider how the Christian doctrine of Original Sin is defined in the teachings of the Bible. The following segment is especially important for Muslims who are not familiar with the doctrine of Original Sin.
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
According to teachings of the Bible, death and old age were not part of God’s original purpose for mankind. When God created Adam, he made him perfect in every respect. As a perfect creation of God, Adam was sinless. He was made to live forever. Adam was not only given a beautiful garden as a home but also a perfect wife as his companion. For all these reasons and many more, it is only fitting that Adam obey his Creator. Thus, the Universal Lawgiver outlined for Adam a simple law of obedience. Adam was given the opportunity to demonstrate his love and devotion to his Creator by obeying the command to abstain from eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. God also informed him of the penalty for disobedience:
Genesis 2:16-17: Jehovah God also gave this command to the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” “As for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”
Sadly, Adam and Eve disobeyed God. When they sinned, something dramatically changed within their being. They became tainted with sin. They lost both perfection and the prospect of living forever. Adam and his wife were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Outside the Garden, Adam fathered sons and daughters. Consistent with the laws of genetic inheritance, the offspring of Adam could inherit only sin and death from him now. As in the making of copies from a defective mold, all the copies will have the same defect. Similarly, all the offspring of Adam became defective. Every one of us is affected because we all came from Adam. Adam caused the entire human race to be born as sinners. Sin and death are inseparable. Thus, sin and death entered the world of mankind through Adam. This was the tragic start Adam gave the human race. Paradise, happiness, and everlasting life were forfeited. And in their place sin, death, and suffering plagued the entire human family.
The term, Adamic Sin is synonymous with Original Sin. Adamic Sin is the cause of the hereditary imperfections of the human race and the underlying reason why it is a challenge to maintain our integrity towards God. Adamic Sin resulted in Adamic Death – the death that we inherited from Adam. This is what Christians mean when they use the term Original Sin. The concept of Original Sin is summarized perfectly in the following verse:
Romans 5:12: “That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.
Sin entered into the world through Adam and spread to all men. From a human standpoint, sin and death seems to be an inescapable reality for mankind. But God provided a way out from this desperate situation. It is called the Ransom. For us to enjoy eternal life, we need someone to pay a ransom for us. Why? Where were the offspring of Adam when God sentenced him to death? Adam sinned before he fathered any children. The entire human race was still in his loins. As such, the sentence of death pronounced on Adam automatically included all of us. And as Adam began to die as God said he would, we faced death along with him. God could not yield to sentiment and simply commute the death sentence. If Jehovah ignored his own perfect laws, lawlessness would reign supreme! God’s legal requirement of perfect justice is evident in the Law which he gave to ancient Israel:
Deuteronomy19:21: “Life will be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Adam forfeited his own perfect life. But more than that, when Adam sinned against God, he caused the destruction of a perfect life that rightfully belongs to God. He now owed God a perfect human life. And God’s Law required the mandatory payment of a perfect life to settle the debt. Judicially, from God’s standpoint, Adam died the very day when judgment was passed against him. And without divine intervention, we too will share his destiny. A perfect life has to be paid to release us from sin and death. Since all of us inherited imperfection from Adam, none of us could settle the debt of a perfect life. The truthfulness of this is expressed clearly in the following verse:
Psalms 49:7: “Not one of them can by any means redeem even a brother. Nor give to God a ransom for him.”
God had to act to provide the redeeming value of a perfect life. At great cost to himself, Jehovah did exactly that. Instead of cancelling the debt unlawfully, God provided the ransom. Had Jehovah arbitrarily cancelled the debt without the settlement of the legal cost, he would be guilty of breaking his own perfect Law. The Law required the compensation of “life for a life.” Also, had God cancelled the debt without the settlement of the legal cost, murderers could now demand for the cancellation of their debt of “life for a life” on the basis that God himself had invalidated this legal requirement. And God would not be able to provide a justifiable answer to the demand of the murderers. Thus, Jehovah never deviated in the least from the legal requirements of his perfect Law that he gave to Moses.
In Adam’s case, the legal compensation would be a perfect life. How could the debt be settled when every offspring of Adam are born with imperfection? God loving settled the payment of “a perfect life for a perfect life” on our behalf. He accomplished this by sending his heavenly Son to die as a perfect human on earth to settle the debt. Jesus Christ was born without Adamic sin because he was born without a human father. And he lived a sinless life. Interestingly, the Qur’an not only describes Jesus as a “holy son” but it also testifies to his virgin birth:
Surah 19:19-21: He said: “Nay, I am only an apostle from thy Lord, to announce to thee the gift of a holy son. She said: “How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?” He said: “So it will be: Thy Lord saith, ‘that is easy for Me: and We wish to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’: It is a matter so decreed.” (Yusuf Ali)
Here we find God interrupting the course of nature, and overriding the very laws of procreation that he himself had established, in order that Jesus might thus have a virgin-birth. Why would God do that? In the Qur’an we are assured that the virgin-birth took place but we are not told why. The purpose of the virgin-birth of Jesus is meaningless in Islam when it denies Original Sin. However, the Bible clearly explains that Jesus had to come to the earth and be born in this manner in order to settle the debt of a perfect life that Adam forfeited. Thus, Jehovah lovingly redeemed the children of Adam. What a wonderful quality! Through the loving provision of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, God made it possible for us to gain life:
1 John 4:9: By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him.
Jesus took the place of Adam as our father. Jesus succeeded where Adam failed. He gave up his perfect life as a ransom for the perfect life that Adam forfeited. The legal requirement was settled. Jesus paid the price for our sins. By his death, Jesus opened the way for all faithful humans to receive forgiveness for their sins. For this very purpose he came to the earth:
Matthew 20:28: Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.
With a valid reason, Jesus is called the “last Adam” in the Holy Bible:
1 Corinthians 15:45: The first man Adam became a living person. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Those putting faith in the redeeming value of the sacrificial death of Jesus have the prospect of being rescued from sin and death. And they can look forward to the prospect of living forever:
John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”
Christians are well acquainted with the doctrine of Original Sin. As a result, they submit themselves to the corrective work of Jesus Christ – the last Adam.
1 Corinthians 15:22: For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.
Although the Qur’an and the Bible may appear to share some similarities, they differ greatly in many essential areas. Before we proceed any further, it is important to clarify some essential points. We want Muslims to understand that we too believe that our God will not punish us for the sins of someone else. Like Muslims we also believe that we are personally accountable for our own sins and not that of others. And we also know for a certainty that our God will never punish us for the sin of Adam.
Consider this! Why did not God execute Adam straight away? Had Jehovah executed Adam and Eve immediately, we would have died along with them. But because of his great love for us, Jehovah permitted Adam and Eve to continue living for a time in order to birth us into this world. While humans can count the seeds in an apple, God could count the apples in a seed. As such, Jehovah saw us through Adam. He saw you and he saw me and it mattered to him. And he stayed the execution long enough to bring us into this world. Jehovah knew that it would be a gross act of injustice to punish us along with Adam. Such is the love of our God.
There is difference between punishment and consequence. Muslims need to understand the difference between these two. The nature of Adam changed when he sinned. Since we were in his loins when these changes occurred, our nature also changed along with him. We too became sinners. The consequence was unavoidable. And the changes were enormous. The changes were from perfection to imperfection, from sinless to sin, from eternal life to death. The Book of Job explains quite clearly the unavoidable consequence of Adam’s sin in the following verse:
Job 14:4: “Who can produce someone clean from someone unclean? There is not one.”
And that is why at God’s appointed time, Jesus Christ laid down his perfect human life as a ransom sacrifice on behalf of the offspring of Adam. By means of this loving arrangement, God repurchased us and redeemed us from Original Sin.
A MUSLIM OBJECTION
Before we conclude this article, we would like to respond to a common Muslim objection. Muslims often quote Ezekiel 18:20 to disprove Original Sin. Let’s read this verse:
Ezekiel 18:20: The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will bear no guilt because of the error of his father, and a father will bear no guilt because of the error of his son. The righteousness of the righteous one will be accounted to him alone, and the wickedness of the wicked one will be accounted to him alone.
Muslims use this verse in the Bible as evidence to prove that their denial of Original Sin is true while Christianity is wrong. They claim that since this verse teaches that each person will be accountable only for their own errors, therefore the concept of Original Sin must be false. They also conclude that as such, Jesus could not die for the sins of others. In other words, it is impossible for Jesus to die for our sins. Are they correct in their understanding of this verse? Deuteronomy 24:16 also states something similar to Ezekiel 18:20. Therefore, our response will apply to both these Scriptures.
As a cardinal rule, it is important to remember that to understand the meaning of any verses of the Scriptures, they must be evaluated in their proper setting rather than in isolation. Let’s see what Ezekiel 18:20 actually mean. To begin, Ezekiel 18:20 does not contradict the doctrine of Original Sin. Muslims are simply confusing two different issues. They need to understand the difference between consequence and accountability. There is a vast difference between suffering the consequence of the sin of Adam and bearing accountability for the errors of someone else – even someone as close as our own fathers or sons.
Adam was the seed through whom God purposed to bring forth every single human being on earth. Instead of populating the earth by creating every subsequent individual over and over again from the dust as he did in the case of Adam, God created Adam with the ability to transmit life to his offspring. Thus, we could inherit life from Adam. This inbuilt mechanism to impart life is what we call the perfect law of inheritance that God blessed the human race with.
Think of this inbuilt mechanism as a perfect plumbing system that transmits water from the tank to your home. The system itself is perfect. And it is also convenient. However, if for some reason the water in the tank becomes polluted, can you expect clean water to run from your tap? Can you blame the plumbing system for the polluted water that you now receive from your tap? The same plumbing system that is meant to provide clean water can also provide unclean water. It all depends on the condition of the water in the tank. Similarly, Adam who is meant to impart perfection to his offspring can also impart sin. It all depends on the condition of Adam. When Adam became polluted through sin, he became like the polluted water in the tank. Everything that came out of his loins was polluted. And he could only produce a polluted race. And it must be remembered that the whole of mankind was there in Adam when he sinned. This is an unavoidable consequence resulting from Adam’s sin.
However, Ezekiel 18:20 is dealing with a different issue altogether. It is talking about personal accountability. Moreover, it is talking about the sins of the immediate father and does not allude to the Original Sin of Adam. Ezekiel 18:20 is specifically stating that in the case where a father breaks the law, his son will not be accountable for the crime of his father. Neither will the father be accountable for the crime of his son. It will be unlawful in any Court of Law to punish someone for a crime they did not commit. And surely we do not expect God’s law to be any less justifiable. This is exactly what God was saying:
Ezekiel 18:20: “A son will bear no guilt because of the error of his father, and a father will bear no guilt because of the error of his son.”
As we can clearly see that God’s law does not punish or hold a son accountable for the crimes of his father. And neither will the father be punished for the crimes of his son. But, how is this related in anyway to the unavoidable consequence of Adam’s sin? What has one got to do with the other? Absolutely nothing! Accountability and consequence are not the same.
The difference between consequence and accountability can easily be illustrated. Children who are born to an abusive father will suffer the consequence of his bad behavior. But are the children accountable? In other words, will it be legal to punish the children for the sin of the father? The same can be said of citizens who live under the reign of a tyrant. They will suffer the consequence of his wicked rulership. Are the citizens accountable? Will it be legal to punish the citizens for the sin of the tyrant? Can you distinguish now how far detached these two issues are one from the other?
There is clearly a vast difference between suffering the consequence of the sin of someone else and bearing accountability for the sin of someone else. While Original Sin has to do with the consequence of Adamic Sin, Ezekiel 18:20 is discussing about the issue of accountability. Or to be precise, the unaccountability of a son or a father who is innocent of the sinful act. Thus, God’s Word tells us that it is unlawful to punishment the guiltless.
Ezekiel 18:20 is addressing the Israelites who were living under the Law of Moses. It is plainly saying that if a father sins against the Law of Moses, the son will not bear his guilt. Likewise if a son sins against the Law of Moses, the father will not bear his guilt. This verse has nothing to do with Adamic sin. The context of this Bible verse is based on the teachings of the Torah and not on the Qur’an. Therefore, if we want to appreciate what this verse actually means we need to understand how it is related to the Israelites who were give the Law of Moses.
Under the Mosaic Law animal sacrifices were offered as sin offerings to atone for the sins of the individual Israelite. These served as strong reminders to the Israelites that they were sinners. And it also prepared them to recognize the redeeming value of a greater sacrifice that was yet to come to atone for their sins. Notice what is said in the Law given to Moses:
Leviticus 17:11: For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have given it on the altar for you to make atonement for yourselves, because it is the blood that makes atonement by means of the life in it.
However, the Bible reveals that the “Law is a shadow of good things to come.” The reality belongs to Christ. Therefore, the animal sacrifice arrangement under the Law Covenant was only prefiguring the ultimate sacrifice in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus, the animal sacrifice, by itself, cannot redeem mankind from Original Sin:
Hebrews 10:1-4: For since the Law is a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things. It can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make those who approach perfect. Otherwise, the sacrifices would be stopped being offered because those rendering sacred service, once having been cleansed, would have no consciousness of sins anymore. On the contrary, these sacrifices are a reminder of sins year after year, for it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away.
Hebrews 10:10: By this will (of God) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
Muslims fail to understand the true meaning of Ezekiel 18:20. This verse is not saying that there is no sacrifice that can carry our sin. But rather it is teaching us that we are individually responsible for the sins that we personally commit and we need to seek God’s forgiveness. In fact, the entire eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel is basically about repentance and forgiveness. It is important to note that even in the case of Adam, we are not held personally accountable for his sin. Neither are we punished for his sin. In fact, the opposite is true. At great cost to himself, Jehovah provided us with an antidote, namely the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thus, Ezekiel 18:20 is in full harmony with what Christianity teaches.
There is a difference between Original Sin and Sin by Choice. And as we have learned, we will not be called into account for the sins of our fathers. And neither are we called into account for the sin of Adam. We are only suffering the unavoidable consequence of Adam’s sin. The only antidote for Original Sin is the Ransom Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It will be good for Muslims not to forget that their own Islamic sources teach that women inherited sin from Eve causing them to become unfaithful to their husbands. It will be good for Muslims not to forget that Islam teaches that the Jews and the Christians will bear the sins of the Muslims. It will be good for Muslims not to forget that Islam teaches that the Jews and the Christians will bear the punishments of the Muslims on Judgment Day. It will be good for Muslims not to forget that Islam teaches that Allah will use the Jews and the Christians as ransom to rescue the Muslims from Hell.
With all these teachings in Islam, it will be good for Muslims not to dispute the doctrine of Original Sin. It will be good for Muslims to first deal with the contradictions of Islam before they challenge the doctrine of Original Sin. And what is even worse for Muslims is their failure to submit to the only solution that Jehovah God provides for the liberation of mankind from Original Sin. Please share this article with your friends. For further information, please read the following related articles:
THE BASIS FOR THE RANSOM SACRIFICE OF JESUS IN THE QUR’AN
SACRIFICE OF ABRAHAM – WAS IT ISAAC OR ISHMAEL?
THE QUR’AN DISQUALIFIES THE PROPHETHOOD OF MUHAMMAD
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