SIN

an-Nisa' 4:111

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

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

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

> If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:8-10).

Comparison with Christianity

Christian |  | Muslim
1. Everyone is born in sin, which explains a person's sinful nature and his tendency to sin (Romans 5:12,19) |  | 1. Everyone is born sinless and without a natural, sinful nature.

2. Sin in human nature causes a man to do evil (James 1:14,15, Genesis 8:21, Romans 6:12-14). It is rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4). It is more than simply breaking God's law (1 John 3:4). |  | 2. Sin is breaking Allah's law (al-A`raf 7:33). The harm is only against oneself (al-A`raf 7:22), for Allah is too majestic to be affected.
3. All (except Jesus) have sinned and thus become guilty before God (Romans 3:23). |  | 3. If Allah had wanted, he could have kept man from sinning (al-A`raf 32:13, ar-Ra`d 13:31, al-An`am 6:39).
4. Sin grieves God (Genesis 6:5,6; Psalms 78:40). |  | 4. Sin does not grieve Allah, who is too great to be affected. Allah created man's evil deeds, and man must do them (as-Saffat 37:96, al-Qamar 54:49, at-Taubah 9:51, al-Hadid 57:22)
5. Sin breaks fellowship between man and God, and between fellow men (1 John 1:3,6,7; Isaiah 59:2,3). |  | 5. Sin only breaks a law, not a fellowship such as between a son and his father.
6. God hates sin, but loves sinners and wants them to repent (Romans 5:6-8) |  | 6. Allah does not love evildoers (al-A`raf 7:55, ash-Shura 42:40, al-Baqarah 2:276)
7. Good deeds do not earn forgiveness from God. Forgiveness is a free gift from God, and good deeds should be done in gratitude (Ephesians 2:8,9, Galatians 2:16) |  | 7. Good deeds are put in a balance against evil deeds on Judgement Day and may help to obtain forgiveness (al-Anbiya' 21:47, al-Furqan 25:70)
8. God forgives the sin of all who trust in Christ (2 Cor 5:19-21) Christians can know this now (1 John 1:9, 2:12) |  | 8. Allah forgives whom he wills and punishes whom he wills (Âl 'Imran 3:124, al-Ma'idah 5:118)

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

See also: Biblical ‘Original Sin’ or Islamic ‘Original Forgiveness’?

- acts of sinful nature,

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

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

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

- avoiding, an-Nisa' 4:31

- blaming another, an-Nisa' 4:112

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

- forgiven because of prayers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- of David, Sad 38:25

- of Moses, al-Qasas 28:15-16

  - is forgiven, al-Qasas 28:16
    * This Qur'anic verse is clear that God forgave Moses for his wrong. What is there to forgive if there is no wrong?

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

- of Noah, Hud 11:47

- retaliation before entering paradise, Sahih Bukhari 3.620

- sins forgiven for the first to invade Caesar's city, Sahih Bukhari 4.175

- forgiven if "amen" coincide with angels, Sahih Bukhari 4.446

Go Back to Main Index