SIN A

SIN AND

ATONEMENT

IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY

Iskander Jadeed

The Good Way • Rikon • Switzerland

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All Rights Reserved

Order Number: RPB 4401 ENG

First English edition: 1979

English title: Sin and Atonement in Islam and Christianity

All Scripture quotations are taken from the

New King James Version, Holy Bible.

All Qur'an quotations are taken from The Koran Interpreted, by

Arthur J. Arberry

The Good Way P.O. Box 66-CH-8486 Rikon • Switzerland

Internet://www.the-good-way.com

e-mail: info@the-good-way.com

SIN IN ISLAM

There are many words for sin in the Qur'an.

The most important are as follows:

1. Al Dhanb (offence, crime, misdeed) - There

are 39 verses on this subject in the Qur'an.

Most of them align with the thought expressed

in (Sura al-Fath 48:1-2) "Lo, We have given

thee (O Muhammad) clear victory that Allah

may forgive thee of thy sin (Al Dhanb) which is

passed, and that which is to come."

2. Al Fahsha) (vile deed, crime, adultery) - This

term is used mostly to express the sin of

adultery. The Qur'an forbids it saying, "Do not

draw near to vile deeds, neither that wich is

seen or that which is hidden" (Sura al-An'am

6:151).

3. Al Wizr (sin as a heavy load, burden,

encumbrance) - "Have We not given thee

relief, and removed the burden (Al Wizr) which

weighed down on thy back" (Sura al-Sharh

94:1-3)?

Explaining this verse, Al Fakhr Al Razi said that

-3-

4 Sin and Atonement

the angel Gabriel came to Muhammad, cut

open his chest, took out his heart, washed and

purified it from rebelliousness, and then filled it

with knowledge and faith.

Ibn Hisham, quoting Muhammad Ibn Ishaq,

explained this, saying: "A group of

Muhammad's friends asked him, 'O prophet

of Allah, tell us about yourself.' He replied, 'I

was nursed among the Bani Sa}d. When I was

with a foster brother behind our houses taking

care of the herd, there came to me two men

dressed in white, and carrying a golden bowl

full of snow. They took me and split open my

body and removed my heart and split it and

took from it a clot of dark blood, and threw it

away. Then they washed my heart and my

body in the snow. Then one said to the other,

'Weigh him against ten of his people.' He did

so, and I outweighed them. Then he said,

'Weigh him against one hundred of his people.'

He did so, and I outweighed them also. Then

he said, 'Weigh him against a thousand of his

people.' He did so, and I outweighed them

also. Then he said, 'Leave him, for by Allah, if

Sin in Islam 5

you were to weigh him against all his people,

he would outweigh them."

4. Al Dalai (straying, to be lost) - "Thy Lord will

give unto thee so that thou wilt be satisfied. Did

He not find thee an orphan and shelter thee?

Did He not find thee destitute and enrich thee"

(Sura al-Duha 93:6-8)? Al Kalbi interpreted the

word 'lost and straying' as 'unbelief.'

5. Al Kufr (godlessness, atheism) - As the

Qur'an says to the believers, "Allah hath made

atheism (Al Kufr) and iniquity and rebellion

hateful unto you" (Sura al-Hujurat 49:7). Al

Zamakhshari explains this expression saying,

"There are three subjects here, Al Kufr, which

is denial of God; and Al Fusuk, which is lying

and Al (Usyan, which is rebellion."

6. Al Zulm (unjust, iniquity, unfairness) - As it is

said: "When thy Lord called Moses saying, 'Go

to the unjust folk (Al Zalimin)' " (Sura al-

Shu(ara) 26:10).

7. Al Ithm (crime, misdeed, offence) - The

Qur'an says, "Forsake wickedness; both the

open practice and the secret intention thereof.

6 Sin and Atonement

Lo! those who practice misdeeds will be

awarded according to that which they have

committed" (Sura al-An(am 6:121).

8. AI Fudjur (immorality, depravity) - It is said in

the Qur'an, "And lo! The depraved (Al Fudjur)

verily will be in hell, and they will not be absent

from it, they will burn therein on the Day of

Judgment" (Sura al-Infitar 82:14-15).

9. Al Khati'a (sin, offence) - The Qur'an says,

"Whoso committeth a sin (Al Khati'a) or

misdeed (Al Ithm), then blames it on the

innocent, hath burdened himself with slander

(Al Buhtan)" (Sura al-Nisa) 4:112).

There are three names for sin in this verse: Al

Khati'a, Al Ithm and Al Buhtan. Al Imam Al

Razi distinguished between them in these ways:

1. Al Khati'a is small (sin), and Al Ithm is great

(sin).

2. Al Khati'a is a fault which affects the sinner

himself, and Al Ithm is a crime against others,

such as injustice and murder.

3. Al Khati'a is an act which should not be done

whether it is either pre-meditated or by

Sin in Islam 7

mistake, and Al Ithm is a sin which is

deliberately committed.

Al Buhtan, however, is the casting of detestable

suspicion on an innocent person. The slan-

derer is censured with the strongest censure in

this world and most severely punished in

Eternity.

10. Al Sharr (evil) - The Qur'an states, "Whoso

doeth ill (Al Sharr) an atom's weight, will see it

then" (Sura al-Zalzala 99:8). Abu Ja(far Al

Tabari, quoting Yunus bin (Abd AV A(la from

Ibn Wahab from Yahya bin (Abd Allah from

Abi (Abd Al Rahman AI Hubali from (Abd

Allah bin (Amr bin Al (As, said, "This chapter

was sent down when Abu Bakr Al Saddik was

seated. He wept when it was sent down. The

Prophet of Allah said to him, 'What makes you

weep, Abu Bakr?' and he replied, This Sura

makes me weep.' Then the Prophet said to

him, 'If you did not sin and do wrong and in

that received Allah's forgiveness, Allah would

create a people who would sin and do wrong

and would forgive them.' "

8 Sin and Atonement

11. Al Sayyi'a (offence, misdeed) - The Qur'an

says, "Whoso bringeth a misdeed (Al Sayyi'a),

such will be flung down on their faces in the

Fire" (Sura al-Naml 27:90).

Ibn (Abbas said, "When this verse was sent

down, the believers found it unbearable, and

said to Muhammad, 'Who of us has not done

misdeeds, how then will the recompense be?'

and Muhammad replied, 'Allah has promised

for obedience ten blessings, and for one

disobedience one punishment, so one to whom

an offence is accounted loses one of the ten

blessings and nine still remain."

12. Al Su} (evil, misfortune) - It is said, "He

who doeth evil (Al Su') will have the recom-

pense thereof, and cannot find against Allah

any protecting friend or helper" (Sura al-Nisa)

4:123).

13. Al Fasad (corruption) - It is stated in the

Qur'an, "When (the hypocrite) turns away

(from thee) to corrupt the world, the crops

and the people are destroyed and truly Allah

Sin in Islam 9

does not love corruption" (Sura al-Baqara

2:205).

14. Al Fisk (viciousness, moral depravity) - It is

written in the Qur'an, "Verily, We have sent

down unto thee clear verses and no one other

than the depraved consider them a lie" (Sura

al-Baqara 2:99). Commentators expound that

Al Fisk is when man goes beyond that which

God has limited and that the depraved are

godless.

15. AI Buhtan (slander, lying) - It is written, "I is

not for us to speak of this. Praise to Thee

(Allah); this is awful slander (Al Buhtan)" (Sura

al-Nur 24:16).

There are many other words which describe

Sin, but we have no space in which to mention

them or their Qur'anic context. Before I finish

the discussion about sin, I must mention that

the Qur'an teaches the existence of 'original

sin' and states that it was the cause of the fall of

Adam and Eve and their descendants. There

are many verses in the Qur'an proving this, but

it is enough to mention the clearest and easiest

to understand.

10 Sin and Atonement

For example, the Qur'an states, "And We said,

'0 Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise

(the Garden of Eden) and eat with pleasure

from its fruits, wherever you want but do not

come near this tree lest you become of those

who offend.' But Satan misled them and

eypelled them from the place in which they

were; and We said, 'Fall down each one of you

a foe unto the other! There shall be for you on

earth a habitation and provision for a time.'

Then Adam received from his Lord words and

he (Allah) accepted his repentance. Lo! He is

the acceptor of repentance (forgiving), the

Merciful" (Sura al-Baqara 2:35-37).

Arabic scholars disagree over the whereabouts

of Adam and Eve before their fall. Abu Kasim

Al Balkhi and Abu Muslim Al Isfahani said

Paradise (the Garden) was on Earth and

explained that the Fall (Al Ihbat) was a transfer

from one place to another, as the Qur'an uses

the verb 'fall' (Ihbat) for removal, e.g. go down

to Egypt (Sura al-Baqara 2:61). But Al Djabba'i

said that Paradise (the Garden) was in the

seventh heaven, because it is said "fall down

from it."

Sin in Islam 11

It is to be noted that the Qur'an agrees with the

text of Genesis, in that the rebellion of Adam

was the eating from the tree in the midst of the

Garden. However, Muslim scholars disagree

over what kind of tree it was. They have many

accounts, all based on proofs ascribed to

Islamic tradition. To quote some of these:

• Ishak, quoting from (Abd Al Razzak, said,

"We were told by Ibn (Uyayna and Ibn Al

Mubarak and Al Hasan bin (Amara and Minhal

bin (Amru and Sa(id bin Jubair and Ibn (Abbas

that the tree which God has forbidden to Adam

and his wife was an ear of corn."

- Ibn Hamid said that he was told by Salama,

quoting Ibn Ishak, some people of Yaman, and

Wahab bin Munabbih Al Yamani that it was

wheat, but that a single grain of it was the size

of a cow's kidney, softer than butter, and

sweeter than honey.

- It is said that Abu Bakr Al Saddik asked the

Prophet of Allah about the 'tree' and he

replied, "The blessed tree was an ear of corn."

- Salama said that he was told by Muhammad

bin Ishak and Ya(kub bin (Ataba that it was the

12 Sin and Atonement

tree which the angels rubbed against to gain

immortality.

•Ibn Waki} said he was told by (Abd Allah, who

received it from Israel, who received it from Al

Saddi, who was told by Ibn (Abbas, that it was a

vine.

- Mudjahid and Katada said it was as fig tree.

- AI Rabi* Ibn Uns said that he who eats of the

tree has to defecate and there should not be

any defecation in Paradise (the Garden).

The Qur'an agrees also with the book of

Genesis in that Adam and Eve approuched

the tree to eat through the seduction of the

Devil, for it says "the Devil misled them."

Ibn Djuraydj said, quoting Ibn (Abbas, that the

word "misled" should be "He seduced them."

In the teaching of the Qur'an Adam is one of

the Prophets, and Prophets according to

Islamic teaching are infallible. Thus there has

arisen a problem concerning the "fall" of

Adam. Commentators have endeavoured to

escape from this difficulty and have said that at

the time when that offence was committed

Adam was not a prophet but became one

Sin in Islam 13

afterwards. This opinion is not unanimously

accepted. Other commentators have said that

Adam was a prophet from the beginning but

fell through forgetfulness. They compared him

with someone fasting who forgets and eats by

mistake because he has been absorbed in some

activity of life. Yet other version is that Eve

offered him wine until he became drunk.

Therefore, he sinned while he was drunk.

I can't understand how this explanation can

find acceptance since the Qur'an says, "Then

Adam received from his Lord words and He

(Allah) accepted his repentance. Lo! He is the

acceptor of repentance (forgiving), and

Merciful" (Sura al-Baqara 2:37) The word

'repentance' here shows that without doubt,

he fell into sin wilfully even though, as the Bible

says, he tried to blame Eve.

On the other hand, many scholars confirm that

Adam ate from the tree intentionally. Abu

Dja'far Al Tabari, quoting Yunis (Abd Al} A(la

and Wahab and Ibn Zayd, in explaining the

expression "Adam received from his Lord

words" said, "He, Allah, taught them this

14 Sin and Atonement

verse, 'Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves.

If you do not forgive us and have mercy on us,

surely we are lost.' "

Musa bin Harun, quoting (Amr bin Hammad

and Asbat and Al Saddi, in explanation of the

verse, "Adam received from his Lord words"

said, "Adam said to the Lord, 'Have you not

created me by your hand?' The answer was

yes. 'Have you not breathed into me your

spirit?' The answer was yes. 'Does not your

mercy surpass your wrath?' The answer was

yes. He said, 'O Lord, have you predestined

me to do this?' The answer was yes. Then he

said, 'O Lord, if I repent and make amends, will

you restore me to Paradise (the Garden)?' He

said yes Allah said, Then his Lord chose him,

and accepted his repentance and guided him."

Another account from Muhammad bin

Bashshar, who quoted (Abd Al Rahman bin

Mahdi, who was informed by Sufyan, who

received it from (Abd Al (Aziz bin Rafi\ who in

turn said he was informed by one who heard

(Ubayd bin (Umayr, says that Adam said, "O

Sin in Islam 15

Lord, this sin of mine which I committed, was it

foreordained by You before You created me or

something which I invented myself?" Allah

said, "It was something I foreordained for you

before I created you." Then Adam said, "As

You have foreordained this for me, forgive

me." So the verse, "Adam received from his

Lord words" was given.

All these explanations do not negate the logical

fact that Adam chose to sin. This is what Al

Fakhr Al Razi thought when he said, "The

verses which they (scholars) adhere to con-

cerning actions of people are many, and the

first of them is the story of Adam. They hold

seven views with regard to this:

1. That he was disobedient and the disobedient

is a great sinner in two ways. First, the text of

the Qur'an demands that he must be

punished according to the word of the

Highest who said 'who disobeys Allah and

His Prophet deserves the fires of the hell.'

Sedondly, the word 'disobedient' is a dero-

gatory title which must not be given except to

great sinners.

16 Sin and Atonement

2. It is demonstrated from the story of Adam that

he was seduced, as the Qur'an states: 'He

was seduced,' and seduction is against right

guidance.

3. He was repentant, and the repentant is an

offender. The repentant is remorseful over

his offences, and the one who is thus

remorseful confesses about himself that he

is an offender. If he lies in that confession,

then he is an offender in lying, and if he is

true in his confession, he has proved himself

an offender.

4. He committed that which was forbidden by

His (Allah's) words, 'Did I not forbid that tree

to both of you?' and 'Do not draw near to this

tree,' and the committing of that which is

forbidden is the essence of offence.

5. He was called a transgressor according to his

(Allah's) words, Then you will be from the

transgressors.' He (Adam) called himself a

transgressor in the verse, 'O Lord, we have

transgressed against ourselves.' The trans-

gressor is accursed, according to Allah's

words, 'Truly the curse of Allah rests on the

transgressors,' and he who merited the curse

was a great sinner.

Sin in Islam 17

6. He (Adam) confessed that if it were not for the

forgiveness of Allah granted to him, then he

would surely be one of those who had lost all.

Thus he declared himself to be a great sinner.

7. He was sent out of the Garden because of

Satan's devilish insinuation, and his degrada-

tion was a recompense for his act in obeying

Satan. This demonstrated that he was a great

sinner.

There is disagreement among scholars as to

how Satan entered Paradise (the Garden) and

was enabled to tempt Adam.

Al Kassas, quoting Wahab bin Munabbih and

Al Saddi and Ibn (Abbas, said that "When

Satan wanted to enter Paradise (the Garden),

he was forbidden by the angelic guards. After

he had presented himself to the other animals

and not one of them had accepted him he

came to the serpent, a creature having four

limbs, the best of all walking creatures. So the

serpent swallowed him and brought him into

the Garden secretly. When the serpent entered

Paradise (the Garden), the Devil emerged from

his mouth, and busied himself with his whisper-

18 Sin and Atonement

ings. There is no doubt that the serpent was

cursed, lost its legs and had to crawl upon its

belly. Its sustenance was found in the dust and it

became an enemy of the children of Adam."

In a book (Djami( Al Bayan) of Al Tabari, he

quotes Al Hasan Abi Yahya and (Abd Al

Razzak who said "(Amr bin (Abd Al Rahman

bin Muharrib told us that he heard Wahab bin

Munabbih say, 'When Allah put Adam and his

descendants in Paradise (the Garden), He

forbade them the Tree'. The Tree' had

manifold intertwining branches and fruit which

the angels partook of in order to gain their

immortality. This is the fruit which Allah

forbade Adam and his wife. When the Devil

desired to cause their downfall he entered

inside the serpent, which had four limbs and

was from the best of the walking creatures

which Allah had created. When the serpent

entered Paradise (the Garden) the Devil

emerged from inside it and took from the

Tree' which God had forbidden to Adam and

his wife and brought the fruit to Eve and said,

Sin in Islam 19

'Look at this Tree, how fragrant is its scent,

how delicious its taste and how nice its colour.'

So Eve took and ate from it, then went with it

to Adam and said, 'Look at this Tree, how

fragrant is its scent, how delicious its taste and

how nice its colour.' Then Adam also ate from

it, and their shame appeared to them. Adam

then entered the hollow of the Tree and his

Lord called to him, 'O Adam where are you?'

He replied, 'I am here, O Lord.' Allah asked

him, 'Will you not come forth?' But Adam

replied, 'I am embarrassed before Thee, O

Lord.' Then Allah said, 'Cursed be the earth

from which you were created, a curse which

will change its fruits into thorns.' (There was

not in Paradise (the Garden), nor on earth,

anything like it (the fruit) which was better than

the banana and the lotus.) Then God said, 'O

Eve, you are the who deceived my slave. You

will not become pregnant except with aversion,

and when you desire to bring forth chilren you

will often be near to death.' To the serpent He

(Allah) said, 'You were the one who brought

20 Sin and Atonement

the accursed one inside you into the Garden to

receive my slave. Therefore, you are comple-

tely cursed. Your limbs will go into your belly,

and there shall be no sustenance for you other

than dust. You are the enemy of men and they

are yours. Wherever you find one of them you

will catch his heels, and where he finds you he

will shatter your head."

Other experts in the Islamic Law say that when

Adam and Eve were going towards the gate of

the Garden the Devil was waiting nearby, and

he began to whisper to them.

However, there is a text in the Qur'an which

settles the mater as to whether Adam was a

sinner. This says, "But Satan whispered to

him, 'O Adam! Shall I show thee the tree of

immortality and a possession that wasteth not

away?' Then the two of them ate so that their

shame became apparent unto them and they

began to cover themselves with some of the

leaves of the Garden. And Adam disobeyed his

Lord, so he went astray" (Sura Ta Ha 20:120-

121).

Sin in Islam 21

This word 'astray' is taken from a root,

meaning 'error.' Al Razi in explaining the word

'astray' says it is synonymous with 'error.'

'Error' is the opposite of 'integrity of conduct.'

Such a sin includes only the depraved who is

resigned to his dissolute life.

Abu Imam Al Bahili said, "The case of Adam

was extraordinary, as Allah awakened in him

desire for continual rest and an ordered life by

his saying, 'Let him not drive you both out of

the Garden so that you be distressed... and that

you do not thirst therein nor toil' (Sura Ta Ha

20:117,119). The Devil also made him desire

continual rest saying, 'Shall I show thee the

Tree of Immortality' and also to desire an

ordered life by saying, 'and a possession that

wasteth not away?' The thing which Allah

made Adam desire was the same as mentioned

by the Devil. But Allah made it conditional on

his not touching the tree. Satan on the other

hands entired him to partake of it. Then seeing

as Adam had a perfect mind and the knowl-

edge that Allah was his Lord, teacher and

helper, and the knowledge that the Devil was

22 Sin and Atonement

his enemy, how did he believe the Devil and

reject the word of Allah?"

It is a fact that the commentators are unable to

eradicate the offence of Adam, because the

Qur'an declares his offence in the saying,

"Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray."

The commentators all agree, relying on the

verses of the Qur'an, that rebellion is an

offence, and "the rebel" is a name of

disparagement which is not given except to a

great sinner. There is no reason in giving the

name "a great sinner" except it be to one who

has committed a deed worthy of punishment.

FORGIVE US

OUR DEBTS

as we also

forgive

our debtors

SIN IN CHRISTIANITY

Sin is evident in the history of mankind.

Everyone who examines his own heart or

considers the behaviour of his fellowman must

admit it to be a reality. All men, even those

who have never received the light of divine

revelations, are conscious of their sins and

confess their shortcomings and inability to fulfill

the moral obligations demanded of them.

Sin is not merely shameful behaviour as many

people think, but it is also a departure from

God, our Creator and sole aim. This departure

from God is not just the inclination towards

evil; it is a separation from that which is good.

Experience has proved that the natural man

cannot discern the power of sin and the

strength of its influence in man. The believer

has the divine law as his instructor to lead him

to Christ. Christ gave man grace, so he knows

the reality of sin and its effect in luring him into

a state of depravity. He became aware of his

need for divine grace and for the blood of

atonement for his justification.

-23-

24 Sin and Atonement

Sin is transgression of the law of God (1. John

3:4). It is offensive to God no matter what the

sinner's excuse may be or how insignificant the

sin.

The Coming of Sin into the World

We read in Romans 5:12 that "Sin came into

the world through one man, and death through

sin, and so death spread to all men, because all

men sinned." The apostle means that the

cause of all men becoming sinners was Adam,

the father of mankind. Paul, in using the words

"through one men," looks upon Adam and Eve

as one, as is mentioned in Genesis 5:2. The

apostle does not mention the temptation by the

serpent nor Eve's disobedience because his

purpose is to show that Adam represented all

his ascendants.

Some philosophers say that man is born

innocent and that if he lives in a corrupted

environment, he would be influenced by it and

sin would infiltrate him. The truth is man is

born with a sinful nature. A corrupted

Sin in Christianity) 25

environment may assist the growth of sin but

man is sinful at heart.

Sin is an Inheritance

We know from experience that a living

creature can not reproduce offspring different

from itself. A bull will not produce a lamb and

as Christ said, "grapes are not gathered from

thorns." This law applis also to man. Adam,

the father of mankind, lost his righteous life

through his disobedience. As a punishment he

was cast out ot the purity of the Garden of

Eden to a land cursed bacause of his sin. There

he begat children, and as a matter of course

these descendants knew nothing of the Garden

of Purity. The Bible states this fact in the words

of David in Psalm 51:5, "Behold I was brought

forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother

conceive me." Paul also said in Romans 3:10-

12, "None is righteous, no, not one; no one

understands, no one seeks for God. All have

turned aside, together they have gone wrong;

no one does good, not even one."

Augustine explained the teaching of the Bible

26 Sin and Atonement

concerning the Fall and the inheritance of sin,

saying:

1. God created the first man in His own likeness,

in knowledge and righteousness and holiness,

chosen bo be immortal; and committed to

him the responsibility for other creatures. He

gave Adam the power to choose good or evil,

thus confirming his moral nature.

2. Allowed to choose his own way, Adam sinned

against God by choosing wrongly when he

was tempted by the Devil. He fell from the life

for which he was created.

3. As a result of his disobedience, he lost his

divine likeness and his whole nature was

corrupted and ruined. Now being spiritually

dead, he became incapable of doing good.

He became subject to physical death and

exposed to all the evils of this life and eternal

death.

4. Thus, that which is true of Adam as head of

the human race is true also of his desden-

dants. They are born condemned, devoid of

the likeness of God, and morally depraved.

5. This personal inherited corruption is the very

nature of sin, though it is not sin in action.

Sin in Christianity 27

6. The loss of original righteousness and the

corruption of nature, which resulted from

Adam's sin, are the penalties of the first sin.

7. Regeneration is the wonderful work of the

Holy Spirit. Man is the object, not the author

of it. Without exception it is related to the will

of God. Salvation is of grace alone.

The Effect of Sin on Man

The English scientist Huxley has said, "I know

of no study which has led to spiritual misery

greater than that of the evolution of mankind.

From the dark background of the study of

history it seems that man is subject to an

element put within him which dominates him

with a terrible power. He is a blind and feeble

victum of impulses leading him to destruction

and given up to endless delusions which bring

upon him heavy mental cares, resulting in his

physical body being worn out by worry and

strain. For thousands of years he has been the

same, fighting and persecuting his fellowman

and returning to lament his victims and build

their tombs."

28 Sin and Atonement

Does anyone need such a testimony to realize

the effect of sin? Isn't enough for man to look

into the depth of his own heart, to discover his

tendencies and whims and realize the presence

of the law of sin dwelling in him?

We have only to glance at human society to

perceive this fact in all men. As Psalm 14:1

says, "They are corrupt, they do abominable

deeds," and in Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep

have gone astray; we have turned everyone to

his own way." All are devoid of that likeness of

God which Adam had before he fell.

The existence of sin in the life of every man is

indisputable. The corrupt nature of man is

evident in his inability to keep the moral law

even though there be personal contrition. This

is a sign of his degeneracy and failure. He must

receive the help of God through the Holy

Spirit. It is quite evident to us that the soul of

man is devoid of the original righteousness

which the first man had before the Fall.

It is enough for us to take a look at the history

of crime over the years to find conclusive proof

that man has lost his godly nature and taken on

Sin in Christianity 29

a nature of corruption. The first time we see

this evil nature is in Cain, the son of Adam. He

killed his brother Abel. Why did he kill him?

Was it not because Cain was evil? Why do we

quarrel one with another? Is it not because of

the evil nature deeply rooted in us? Why does

one nation war against another nation? Is it not

the cumulative effect of the sin of individuals?

The Wages of Sin

God said to Adam in Geneses 2:17, "Of the

tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall

not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you

shall die." We read in Ezekiel 18:20, "The soul

that sins shall die," and in Romans 6:23, "The

wages of sin is death." Adam and Eve died

spiritually when they sinned, were cut off from

God, and lost their holy spiritual fellowship with

the Lord God. Also, they lost the desire to be in

the presence of God and hid from him among

the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8). Perhaps

some lack of bodily strength or illness caused

them to remember the Lord's warning, "The

day that you eat of it you shall die."

30 Sin and Atonement

It certainly is alarming to see the result of one's

sin face to face. But did the first family lose all

its privileges? Has hope been lost therefore of

mankind ever being able to return to that state

in the garden which was lost as a result of sin?

Has his purity been taken from him forever?

No! For God is love, and His love is rich in

mercy, and with Him is great forgiveness. Love

moved His heart with compassion which has

no delight in the death of the wicked. He has

become the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind

in the person of Jesus Christ the Word, who

was in the beginning with God. The first thing

the love of God did was to cover the nakedness

of Adam and Eve, clothing them with garments

of skins (Genesis 3:21). In so doing the Lord

God initiated the principle of the covenant of

atonement.

ATONEMENT IN ISLAM

There are fourteen verses in the Qur'an on the

subject of atonement. According to the theme

of the chapter, we find the first of the Qur'anic

texts on atonement in the saying of Allah, "If

you show your almsgiving, it is a blessing, but if

you give it to the poor secretly, it will be better

for you, and He will atone for your evil deeds"

(Sura al-Baqara 2:271).

The theologians explain atonement as a cover-

ing or veil. This explanation is near to the

thought of the Old Testament. It is a fact that

personal works in Islam as in Judaism, play an

important part in the matter of atonement for

sins. The foremost of these works is prayer. As

it is said, "Establish worship (pray) at the two

ends of the day, and some time in the night.

Lo! Good deeds annul evil deeds" (Sura Hud

11:114).

Al Tirmidhi quotes Abi Alyu saying, "A woman

came to me to buy dates. I embraced and

-31 -

32 Sin and Atonement

kissed her, and then I went to Muhammad and

informed him of what had happened. He

bowed his head in thought a long time then

said: 'Pray (establish worship) at the two ends

of the day and in sometime of the night. Lo,

good deeds annul evil deeds.' Which means

that the 'five (official) prayers' annul sins and

atone for them.

Then his companions said, 'O prophet of

Allah, is this specially for this man or for all

men?' He replied, 'It is for all.' "

Muslim related that (Abd Allah said, "A man

came to the prophet and said, 'O prophet of

Allah, I had handled a woman from the

outskirts of the town and gratified my desire

but without intercourse. Here I am. Judge me

as you wish.' (Umar nearby said to him, 'Allah

would have kept your secret if you had kept it

yourself.' The prophet of Allah said nothing,

and the man rose and went. Then the prophet

called him and recited to him this verse:

' Establish worship... etc.' "

Muslim quoting Abu Bakr said, "I heard the

Atonement in Islam 33

prophet of Allah say, 'There is no man (in his

situation as a slave to Allah) who sins (offends)

and who washes himself (according to the

Islamic ritual) and then stands to pray twice the

full ritual prayer and seeks the forgiveness of

Allah, whom He will not forgive.' Then he

recited: Those who, when they did an evil

thing or wronged themselves, remembered

Allah and implored forgiveness for their sins -

who forgives sins save Allah only? - did not

knowingly persist in that which they did" (Sura

Allmran 3:135).

There is nothing more suggestive of the

efficacy of works for atonement than is found

in Sura al-A(raf 7:8-9; "The weighing on that

day is the true (weighing). As for those scale is

heavy, they are successful. And as for those

whose scale is light: those are they who lost

themselves because they rejected our revela-

tions."

The Imam Al Razi, in explaining the weighing

of works, says two things.

(1) He states that Allah will set up a balance

34 Sin and Atonement

with an indicator and two weighing pans on the

Day of Resurrection, on which will be weighed

the deeds of mankind, their good and their evil

deeds.

It is related on Ibn (Abbas that he said, "The

believers's work will appear in the best form

and be placed on the pan of the scales, his

good deeds outweighing his evil deeds." There

are many points of view as to how works will be

weighed. One is that the works of believers will

appear in a form which is good and the works

of the unbelievers in one which is disgraceful,

and it is that form which will be weighed. The

second is that the weighing will be of the pages

on which there is the written record of man's

works.

(2) The second saying, taken from Mudjahid

and Al Dahhak and Al A(mash is that the

purpose of the balance is justice and judgment.

Muhammad was asked about the weighing on

the day of Resurrection, and he said, "The

records."

There is an extraordinary story about the

Atonement in Islam 35

length of the indicator of the balance and the

width of the weighing pans. (Abd Allah Ibn

Salam says, "If the earth and heaven were put

on one of the weighing pans, there would be

room for them, while Gabriel holding its

support would be able to observe the indica-

tor."

As for the method of weighing, it is told of (Abd

Allah Ibn (Umar that he said, "The prophet of

Allah said, 'On the Day of Resurrection, a man

will be brought to the balance and 99 books of

records will be brought to him each one

extending as far as the eye can see. In them

is written his sins and offences and these will be

put on the pan of the scales. Then there will be

brought to him a tiny scrap of paper, äs big as

the finger tip, written on it the confession,

There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is

the prophet of Allah.' This will be put on the

other scale and will outweigh his evil deeds."

There is a Qur'anic text which alludes to the

weights saying, "We prepare just weights for

the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is

36 Sin and Atonement

wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight

of a grain of mustard seed, we bring it. And we

suffice for reckoners" (Sura al-Anbiya) 21:47).

Commentators say that it is possible there will

be a balance to weight the intent of the heart

and one to weigh the outward action.

Al Fakhr Al Razi related a current story and its

meaning: David asked his Lord to show him

the balance and when he saw it, he swooned.

When he regained consciousness, he said, "O

my God, who is able to fill the scale with good

deeds?" He replied, "O David, if I am pleased

with my servant, I will fill it with fruit (grain)."

Bilal bin Yahya, quoting Hadhayfa, said,

"Gabriel, on whom be peace, in the Day of

Resurrection will be responsible for the bal-

ances and Allah will say, 'O Gabriel, weigh

between them and repay the oppressed, and if

the oppressor has no good deeds put on his

scale from the evil deeds of his colleague (the

oppressed), then the man (oppressor) will go

and his burden will be as heavy as moun-

tains.'"

Atonement in Islam 37

Abu Dja'far relates that Muhammad said,

"Nothing is put on the scale which is heavier

than excellency of character."

Lastly, it is possible to summarize the com-

ments with the word of Muhammad bin Sa(d

quoting Ibn (Abbas, "Whoever has surrounded

his ill deeds with his good deeds, his scale will

be heavy. His good deeds will annul his evil

deeds, and whoever has surrounded his good

deeds with his evil deeds certainly his scale will

be light, and he is a child of Hell. His ill deeds

have annulled his good deeds."

Godliness atones for sins

As Allah said, "O you who believe. If you

reverence Allah, He will give you discrimina-

tion (between right and wrong) and will cover

your evil deeds, and will forgive you, and Allah

is of great bounty" (Sura al-Tawba 8:29).

We note here that the reward of godliness is

threefold:

1. He will give you distinction. The word used

for distinction is interpreted by Islamic

38 Sin and Atonement

legislators as meaning that Allah will deter-

mine between the godly and the ungodly; that

is to say, Allah appoints to the godly guidance

and knowledge, and He endows their hearts

and breasts with gladness, and removes from

their hearts malice and hatred.

2. He will cover your evil deeds, all the evil you

have committed.

3. He will forgive you.

BLESSED ARE THOSE

WHO HUNGER

AND THIRST

VI M

for they shall

be satisfied

FORGIVENESS IN ISLAM

When we carefully consider the texts of the

Qur'an, we find there is a difference between

atonement and forgiveness. The commenta-

tors make the distinction that atonement for

evil deeds means a covering in this world and

that forgiveness means removal of sins on the

Day of Resurrecton.

Works and Forgiveness

The teaching of Islam tell us that forgiveness of

sins is based on good works, according to the

saying of the Qur'an, "Such as ward off with

good works the evil deed, the outcome for

those will be the (heavenly) Home. They will

enter the Gardens of Eden, along with all of

their forbears and their married partners and

their descendants who were good (rithteous)"

(Sura al-Ra(d 13:21-23).

It is said of Muhammad that he said to Mu'adh

bin Djabal, "If you have done an evil deed, then

do along with it a good deed and this will erase

it."

-39-

40 Sin and Atonement

Also Al Hasan in describing these (who did

good works) said, "They were deprived of help,

then they gave; and when unjustly wronged,

then they were gracious."

Zudjadj said, "Allah has made it clear that lineal

descent is useless if not accompanied by good

deeds."

Al Wahidi and Al Bukhari quoting Ibn (Abbas

said that, "Allah makes part of the reward of

the obedient the pleasure of having his family

with him in the Garden." This indicates that

they enter it in honour of the obedient one who

is bringing good deeds. If they enter it because

of their own good deeds, there would be in this

no honour to the obedient one, for everyone

who is good in his deeds will enter Paradise (the

Garden).

Fasting and Forgiveness

Sura al-Ahzab 33:34 says that for those who

fast, men and women, there is prepared for

them forgiveness and a great reward.

It is stated in the Qur'an that fasting for a

Forgiveness in Islam 41

period of two months obtains forgiveness for

the sin of killing. It is written, "It is not

permissible for a Muslim believer to kill a

Muslim believer, unless it be by mistake. He

who hath killed a Muslim believer by mistake

must set free a Muslim believing slave and pay

he the bloodmoney to the family of the slain,

unless they remit it as a charity. If he (the

victim) be of a people hostile unto you, and he

is a Muslim believer, then he (the slayer) has to

set free a Muslim believing slave. And if he

cometh of a people with whom you have a

covenant, then the bloodmoney must be paid

unto his family, and a Muslim believing slave

must be set free. And whoso hath not the

ability to pay, must fast two consecutive

months, and Allah will accept this repentance.

Allah is Omniscient, Wise" (Sura al-Nisa'

4:92).

It is said that thd cause for which this verse was

given is as follows: (Urwa bin Al Zubayr relates

that Hudhayfa Ibn Al Yaman was with the

prophet of Allah on the day of the battle of

Uhud where the Muslims erred and thought the

42 Sin and Atonement

father of Al Yaman was one of the unbelievers.

So they took him and struck him with their

swords, even though Hudhayfa said, "He is my

father." However they did not understand his

words until after they had killed him. Then

Hudhayfa said, "May Allah forgive you. He is

the most merciful." When the prophet of Allah

heard this, Hudhayfa went up in his estimation

and thus the verse was given.

There is another story behind the verse. Abu

Darda\ who was with a group of fighters, went

aside for a certain need. He found there a man

with some sheep and attacked him with a

sword. Then the man said, "There is no god

but Allah," but Abu Al Darda' killed him and

drove away his sheep. Afterwards he felt

disturbed and mentioned the matter to the

prophet who said, "Could you look into his

heart to know if he was a believer or not?"

Then Abu Al Darda* repented and thus the

verse was given.

It is written in the Qur'an also, that fasting for

three days will obtain forgiveness for the sin of

a false oath. As it is written, "Allah will not take

Forgiveness in Islam 43

you to ask for that which is unintentional in

your oaths, but He will take you to task for the

oaths which ye swear in ernest. The expiation

thereof is the feeding of ten of the needy

according to the average of that wherewith ye

feed your own folk, or the clothing of them, or

the liberation of a slave, and for him who has

not the ability to do so then a three days' fast

will make expiation of your oaths when ye have

sworn. Keep your oaths. Thus, Allah ex-

pounded unto you His verses in order that

you may give thanks" (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:89).

Al Fakhr Al Razi mentions that the cause for

which this verse was given was that some of the

followers of Muhammad denied to themselves

food and clothing and choose to become

monks, and took an oath concerning it.

When Allah forbade this they said, "O prophet

of Allah, what shall we do about our oath?"

Thus the verse was given.

Pilgrimage and Forgiveness

It is quoted, "Lo! (the mountains) Al Safa and

Al Marwa are among the signs of Allah. It is

44 Sin and Atonement

therefore no misdemeanour for him who is on

Pilgrimage to the House (of Allah) or visiteth it,

to go between them. And he who doeth good

of his own accord, lo! Allah is Responsive,

Omniscient" (Sura al-Baqara 2:158).

Ibn 'Abbas said, "There was on Al Safa an idol

and Al Marwa an idol. The ignorant unbelievers

used to circle these spots and touch them, but

when Islam came the Muslims hated to circle

these spots because of the presence of the two

idols. So this verse was given."

The word "no misdemeanour" mean "no

crime" and God accepts the good work of

him who voluntarily goes on pilgrimage.

Giving of Alms and Forgiveness

It has been said, "Those who offer prayer and

give alms have a reward with Allah their Lord,

and there is no fear for them, and they will not

be sad."

Commenting on this Ibn (Abbas says, "They

have no fear of that which awaits them in the

circumstance of the Day of Resurrection, and

Forgiveness in Islam 45

they will not be sad over that which they have

left behind in the world."

Al Asam explains, "There is no fear that they

will suffer on that Day, nor will they be sad

because they have not obtained as great a

happiness as some others, because there is no

rivalry in the next life."

Striving in the Way of Allah and

Forgiveness

In Sura al-Baqara 2:218 we read, "Those who

emigrate and strive in the way of Allah, these

have hope of Allah's mercy. Allah is Forgiving,

Merciful."

It is related of (Abd Allah bin Djahsh that he

questioned Muhammad, "O! prophet of Allah,

suppose there is no punishment for what we

have done, can we expect from our works

recompense and reward?" This verse was

given because (Abd Allah had emigrated and

had striven in the way of Allah.

46 Sin and Atonement

The Reading of the Qur'an and

Forgiveness

In Sura al-A(raf 7:204 it says, "When the

Qur'an is read, listen to it, that ye may obtain

mercy."

The commentators say that Allah asserted

before this verse that the Qur'an is mercy for

the world.

In the Hadith it says that Abu Dhar Al Ghifari

said to Muhammad, "O Prophet of Allah, I am

afraid to learn the Qur'an and not practice its

teachings." Muhammad replied, "Be not

afraid, O Abu Dhar. Allah does not afflict the

heart in which dwells the Qur'an."

About Anas Ibn Malik it is said, "The prophet

spoke to me and said, 'Who hears the Qur'an,

the afflictions of the world do not come near

him, and he who reads it will be kept from the

afflictions of the life to come."

To quote Ibn Mas'ud, the prophet said, "He

who reads the Qur'an, learns it by heart and

keeps it, Allah will bring him into Paradise (the

Garden), and he will be given permission to

Forgiveness in Islam 47

intercede for ten of his own people who were

destined for Hell."

The Testimony of the Creed and

Forgiveness

Abu Huraira said that Abu Dhar Al Ghifari

asked Muhammad, "0 prophet of Allah, how

is a Muslim saved?" Muhammad replied, "He

is saved by saying, "I testify that there is no god

but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the

prophet of Allah.'"

The Will of Allah and Forgiveness

It is said in Sura Al Imran 3:129, "Unto Allah

belongesth the heavens and the earth. He

forgiveth whom He will and punishes whom

He will."

Fakhr Al Razi said in explanation of this verse,

"Our colleagues allege in support of this verse

that seeing as Allah is above all, He has the

right to bring into Paradise through His divine

judgment all unbelievers and rebels, and He has

the right by His divine judgment to send all the

48 Sin and Atonement

upright to Hell. There is no protest against Him

in the doing of this."

Al Razi does not object to this idea; rather he

supports it when he says, "The verse clearly

indicates this meaning and intellectual proof

supports it also, because the deeds of man

depend on the will, and that will is Allah's

creation. If Allah created that kind of will, man

obeys, and if He created another kind of will,

he disobeys. Man's obedience and his disobe-

dience are alike from Allah. As for the acts of

Allah there is nothing obligatory for him.

Obedience does not necessarily bring reward,

nor disobedience of necessity deverse punish-

ment. Everything is from Allah, and is accord-

ing to His divine will and compulsion and

power."

Such an idea is opposed to that of the Bible,

which insists on sacrifice as an atonement for

sin. This obligation was made known from the

beginning for we see the blood of sacrifice

running like a crimson thread through the

Bible. In the book of Hebrews we read,

Forgiveness in Islam 49

"Without the shedding of blood there is no

forgiveness of sins" (Hebrew 9:22).

In fact, God being perfect, it would not be in

accordance with His will to forgive man his sin

on account of His Truth and Justice which

says, "The soul which sins shall die" (Ezekiel

18:4,20). If He is to forgive the sinner there

must be a reason for forgiveness, a reason

which satisfies Justice, and this satisfaction in

the Old Testament was from the offering of

animal sacrifices, goats, calves and sheep. God

accepted these because they symbolized the

sacrifice of Christ, which was offered in the

New Testament of Grace, satisfying divine

justice forever, and making perfect all the

believers. That which is written in Psalm

85:10 was fulfilled: "Truth and mercy have

met together; righteousness and peace have

kissed each other."

Sins which Cannot be Forgiven in Islam

(1) The Attributing of Partners to Allah

According to the Qur'an "Allah pardoneth not

50 Sin and Atonement

that partners should be ascribed unto Him. He

Pardoneth all except that." (Sura al-Nisa}

4:116) Commentators say that the polytheist

is excluded completely from the mercy of

Allah, as polytheism is a treat error. Some

say this verse was given because of those who

used to worship angels and said that they were

the daughters of God. Razi says those who do

not believe in the future life name the angels as

feminine. Other commentators say that the

verse was given because of those who used to

worship idols, and that there was a demon in

each idol which spoke to them.

(2) The Killing of a Believer

As the Qur'an says, "Whoso slayeth a believer

of set purpose, his reward is hell forever. Allah

is wroth with him and hath cursed him and

prepared for him an awful doom." (Sura al-

Nisa) 4:93) Abu Hunayfa said, "There is no

atonement for a deliberate killing." Ibn (Abbas

said, "Repentance on the part of one who

deliberately kills is not accepted."

Forgiveness in Islam 51

(3) Apostacy

As it is said, "Lo! those who disbelieve after

their profession of belief, and afterward grow in

infidelity, their repentance will never be ac-

cepted. And such are those who are astray"

(Sura Al Imran 3:90).

The commentators say that the apostate

multiplies his disbelief. In other words, the

apostate, remaining and persisting in it, in-

creases his unbelief. It may be that he adds

further infidelity to disbelief.

Al Kaffal and Ibn Al Anbari say, "Whoever

forsakes his faith again, after repenting, his

original repentance is not accepted. It is as if it

had never been."

ATONEMENT IN CHRISTIANITY

Atonement is a word which means a covering

or hiding. In Christianity it denotes the work of

Christ, who by His perfect obedience, provided

salvation for men from the curse of the law and

reconciliation to God by the blood of His Cross.

Concerning this the apostle Peter says in I

Peter 3:18, "For Christ died for sins once for

all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He

might bring us to God." The value of Christ's

atonement is based on His being the eternal

Son of God.

Let us look at the atonement of Christ from

various angles: first, in its relationship to God in

view of His love, justice and holiness; then its

relationship to man, its work in him and for

him. It is said that Christian atonement is an

expiation for the sin of man and is a clear

declaration of the effectiveness of the sacrifice

of Christ to save the sinner from the curse of

the Law and to remove condemnation from

him. It is also said that the atonement of Chist

was a satisfaction to God and a fulfilment of his

- 52-

Atonement in Christianity 53

justice; that is, a means of satisfying and

propitiating Him. This is an expression of the

effectiveness of the sacrifice of Christ as

removing the wrath of God and of His pleasure

in the acceptance of the sinner unto reconcilia-

tion.

It is also said that atonement is a covering for

the sinner by the blood of Christ. Punishment is

no longer demanded of him. This has been

removed and placed upon Christ who was

sacrificed for him. This aspect is pointed out by

the apostle John who said, "In this is love, not

that we loved God, but that He loved us and

sent His Son to be the expiation for our sins" (I

John 4:19).

It is said also that atonement opened the door

for reconciliation between man and God with-

out doing injustice to the holy law of God. This

is what Paul said in II Corinthians 5:19, "God

was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,

not counting their trespasses against them and

entusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Man has philosophized greatly about the nature

of God and His relation to His sinning creatures

54 Sin and Atonement

but has never reached a satisfactory conclu-

sion. Where philosophies of the world failed,

the Bible makes it clear. It says that God is just

and His justice demands the punishment of the

sinner, so there can be not reconciliation

without atonement. The practice of sacrifices

to cover sin began with this fact. It began in the

Garden when God made coverings of skin for

Adam and Eve for it was necessary to slay

animals to obtain these skins.

We know from the Bible that the sacrifice of

Abel which God accepted was a shadow of the

coming atonement. But it (sacrifice) was by

revelation and inspiration (Genesis 4:4).

In the same way the ram which was provided

by God for Abraham to redeem his son Isaac,

was also a type of the atonement through the

sacrifice of Christ which God planned from the

beginning (Genesis 22:1-14).

The passover lamb also, which God ordered

the people to offer in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-42),

was again an outstanding type of the New

Testament passover Lamb of God, spoken of

by Paul in I Corinthians 5:7,8: "For Christ, our

Atonement in Christianity 55

paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us

therefore celebrate the festival, not with the

old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but

with the unleavened bread of sincerity and

truth."

In the New Testament, 'atonement' is repre-

sented as the 'redemption', which Christ

accomplished on the Cross in order to fulfil

the demands of the law of God in the place of

sinful man and for his salvation. There was in

His sufferings and substitutionary death an

atonement to completely fulfil the punishment

due to man for his sin. It fulfilled the demands

of divine justice, and justifies the sinner who

believes and repents.

In the language of the Bible the redemption of

Christ is expressed in the word 'grace,' because

the Heavenly Father was not obligated to offer

a sacrifice for sinful man. Neither was the Son

obligated to take human form in the capacity of

a Redeemer. God, who is rich in mercy

because of His great love, put an end to the

punishment of the Law, accepting the vicarious

56 Sin and Atonement

sufferings voluntarily endured by the incarnate

Word of God instead of sinful man.

The Redeemer made this truth clear when He

said in John 10:15, "I lay down my life for the

sheep." When we compare this statement with

John 15:13, "Greater love has no man than

this, that a man lay down his life for his

friends," we can grasp the purpose for which

God was ready to empty Himself and become

flesh and suffer, carrying our sins in His body

on the cross.

The apostle Paul has made clear the need for

this vicarious suffering in his letter to the

Romans, "For God has done what the law,

weakened by flesh, could not do: sending His

own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for

sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order

that the just requirement of the law might be

fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the

flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans

8:3,4). That is to say that eternal death, the

wages of our sin, was taken by Christ upon

Himself, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah

53:5, "Upon Him was the chastisement that

Atonement in Christianity 57

made us whole; and with His stripes we are

healed."

Redemption gives assurance of forgiveness and

continuing blessings of salvation for God's

believing people, and that for two reasons:

First of all, God promised redemption to

believers, in view of the obedience and suffer-

ings of Christ. We read the words of the apostle

Paul in Romans 5:18,19, "Then as one man's

trespass led to condemnation for all men, so

one man's act of righteousness leads to

acquittal and life for all men. For as by man's

disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners,

so by one man's obedience (Christ) many will

be made righteous."

Secondly, redemption has satisfied the require-

ments of God's justice because it is based on

the eternal covenant between the Father and

the Son. To remove any possible doubt man

may have concerning the fact Divine revelation

has recorded that, "When Christ came into the

world, He said, 'Sacrifice and offerings thou

hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared

for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou

58 Sin and Atonement

hast taken no pleasure.' Then I said, 'Lo, I have

come to do thy will, O God.' " (Psalm 40:7 and

Hebrews 10:5-7) So Jesus became man, to be

a substitute for the sinner, and to take the

punishment of condemnation. He fulfilled the

demand of a broken covenant.

The apostle Paul expounded this subject

saying: "But God shows His love for us in that

while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Since, therefore, we are now justified by His

blood, much more shall we be saved by Him

from the wrath of God" (Romans 5:8-9).

Reasons for Redemption

1. The need of Salvation

Redemption is not merely a collective need, but

a personal necessity for every individual. Every

man is doomed and perishing. Christ once

asked the question, "What shall a man give in

return for his life?" (Matthew 16:26) Man has

nothing with which to redeem his soul, neither

is he able to redeem his brother. God spoke

Atonement in Christianity 59

through the words of David in Psalm 49:7,

"Truly no man can ransom himself, or give to

God the price of his life."

As for repentance, in man's heart there is a

natural intuitive awareness that it cannot

remove past sins. There must be some other

means of obtaining forgiveness, and this is by

way of redemption. Otherwise how can we

explain the existence of sacrifice from time

immemorial, and it being found in most

religions of the world? Is it not that they agree

with the need the sinner feels in his heart for

redemption? It is a fact that our moral nature

leads us to respect the demands of holiness,

even if our behaviour contradicts it. Everyone

of us realizes that his conscience is disturbed

about deliverance from the outcome of his

formers sin. Deliverance is only by justification

through redemption.

2. Man's Depravity - God's Holiness

God is holy and man is a sinner. Man's sin is in

opposition to divine holiness. Therefore, it is

under condemnation. If it were possible to

60 Sin and Atonement

become righteous through repenting, still

man's righteousness would not move past sins.

But if God forgave him without redemption,

the sinner would have no respect for God's

law, nor His holiness. Therefore, redemption

was ordained to remove the condemnation of

sin and reveal the absolute perfection of God's

character.

3. Redemption is consistent with Man's

Moral Need

Man has a moral nature. His conscience

teaches him the excellence of justice and

holiness. If he is under conviction of sin and

knows nothing of atonement, his conscience is

disturbed. However, forgiveness by means of

redemption satisfies man's conscience and

fulfills his moral needs.

4. Redemption meets the Requirements

of the Law

The Law demands the punishment of sinners.

A Law which is without punishment is not

practicable. It is self-evident that an honorable

Atonement in Christianity 61

law demands punishment and that forgiveness

without redemption means the collapse and

failure of the Law. This is opposed to the word

of Christ in Matthew 5:18, "For truly, I say to

you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an

iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is

accomplished." This must be remembered,

that any forgiveness without redemption is

tantamount to saying that sin need not be

punished. This is an insult to the justice and

holiness of God.

5. Redemption is Specified in the Word of

God

If there had been no need for redemption, God

would not have included it in His Holy Word. In

John 3:14 Christ states, "As Moses lifted up

the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son

of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in

Him may have eternal life."

6. The Requirement of the Moral Order

God, being a moral judge, must comply vwith

the order of His own judgement. Disobedience

62 Sin and Atonement

and confusion cannot be approved in a moral

universe over which He rules. He cannot make

light of the breaking of His commandments,

but must call transgressors to account, and

sentence them to punishment. In fact, in the

divine provision of redemption God reveals His

hatred of sin and His wrath upon evil. In order

to honour His law He has opened the door of

reconciliation to sinners.

7. The Fact that Atonement Exists in

many Religions

This shows that the conscience of man calls for

redemption and is not satisfied with mere

repentance for sin. Man seeks atonement,

which is by the shedding of sacrificial blood

for the sinner.

All these reasons prove the necessity for

redemption.

Good Works and Forgiveness

1. Good works are a moral obligation and must

be done, but they donot compensate for sins

committed. In other words, they can never be a

Atonement in Christianity 63

means of forgiveness for past sins. Christ

indicated this truth by his words, "When you

have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We

are unworthy servants; we have only done

what was our duty.'" (Luke 17:10) And the

apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:9, "For by

grace are ye saved through faith; and this is not

your own doing, it is the gift of God - not

because of works, lest any man should boast."

2. As for our possessions, and the health we

enjoy, they are from God, and we are merely

entrusted with them. When we give generously

or offer service, we have not sacrificed any-

thing of our own, or done anything worthy of

reward.

David spoke about this in I Chronicles 29:14,

after he had offered large sums of money for

the building of the Temple. He said, "Who am

I, and what is my people, that we should be

able thus to offer willingly? For all things come

from thee, and of thy own have we given

thee."

3. The good works which we do are not able to

wipe out the insult and affront we have

64 Sin and Atonement

committed against God. His holiness and

righteousness and truth are unlimited, thus

good works cannot obtain forgiveness for us.

4. To be in the presence of God demands

holiness from us. Without holiness none can

ever see God. Good works alone cannot make

us holy. Holiness is given to the believer who is

born of the Spirit of God. Christ said, "Unless

one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot

enter the kingdom of God. That which is born

of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of

the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5,6)

Prayer and Forgiveness

It goes without saying that prayer is a link with

God by conversation with Him and meditation

upon His Person.

The sinner is separated from God and his

prayer is not acceptable. Therefore, he will not

receive an answer. God has said so through the

prophet Isaiah. "Your iniquities have made a

separation between you and your God, and

your sins have did His face from you so that He

does not hear. For your hands are defiled with

Atonement in Christianity 65

blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips

have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wicked-

ness." (Isaiah 59:2,3) David also experienced

this truth, and said by the Spirit of prophecy,

"If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the

Lord would not have listened." (Psalm 66:18)

Fasting and Forgiveness

Fasting like prayer is a facet of worship. It es an

aspect of humility and brokeness before God,

but it cannot bring man back to the state of

righteousness which he had before he fell. Like

prayer, fasting has no power to compensate

for the offence of sin to a holy God. So it

cannot be a means of forgiveness. God has said

in the words of Zechariah the prophet, "When

you fasted and mourned... was it for me that

you fasted? And when you eat and when you

drink, do you not eat for youselves and drink

for yourselves?" (Zechariah 7:5-6)

A Summary

1. Man's salvation is based on redemption.

This is no mere philosophic theory but an

actual fact necessary to the removal of the

burden of sin from fallen man.

2. We all agree that Adam fell and that his fall

involved all mankind for Adam was man's

representative in the divine test. For this reason

God in love planned the removal of the penalty

of sin from man, whom he had created in His

likeness, by providing a substitute for him.

This substitute must be able to express the

power and love of God in order that man might

be saved. Such an expression of His love must

come from God himself. So God in His love for

mankind willed that Christ should participate in

a flesh and blood relationship with man, and be

a perfect substitute for man or, as the apostle

said, a second Adam. Thus the first Adam

represented man in the fall, and the second

Adam was man's substitute in atonement and

redemption.

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Summary 67

3. It was necessary for this representative to

pay the full price to remove sin from the world.

Christ paid it by His dying on the Cross where

He carried our sins in His body. What

convinces us of the need of the redemption

by the cross, is the offering of blood sacrifices

of old, which pointed as a type to Jesus the

Lamb of God.

One of the special characteristics of the

sacrifice of Christ is that it not only removes

sin from man, but heals him of a moral disease.

The life of each one who receives Christ the

Crucified is renewed. There is born within him

a hatred of sin. The Cross especially has

opened the eyes of his mind to see the awful

work of sin and its terrible punishment.

At this point comes the word of the apostle

John saying, "If we walk in the light, as He is in

the light, we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us

from all sin" (I John 1:7).

Quiz

Dear Friend, after reading this booklet please

answer the following questions carefully. If 15

of your answers are right we will send you

another booklet.

1. How many names are there for sin in the

Quran?

2. Were Adam and Eve considered sinners in

the Qur'an?

3. Give some Qur'anic references to the sin of

our first parents.

4. Explain the Qur'anic verse, "Adam dis-

obeyed his Lord, so he went astray."

5. What is the definition of sin in Christianity?

6. How did sin enter the world?

7. Sin is inherited. Is this true? Prove it.

8. What is the influence of sin in man?

9. What is the wage of sin?

10. How many Qur'anic verses point to

atonement?

- 68 -

Quiz 69

11. According to Islam, what is the meaning of

atonement?

12. How did the atonement of sins in Islam

come into being?

13. What is the difference between atonement

and forgiveness in Islam?

14. What are the ways of obtaining forgive-

ness? How many are there in Islam?

15. What is the meaning of atonement in

Christianity?

16. How was atonement accomplished in the

New Testament?

17. Is there a need for redemption? Give

evidence.

18. Why does man need salvation?

19. Prove man's need for salvation according

to: reason, the law and morality.

20. Try to summarize the subject of this

booklet by giving a single verse from the Bible.

Please don't forget to write your full name and

address at the end of your test.

The Good Way«P.O. Box 66-CH-8486 Rikon• Switzerland

Table of Contents

Sin and Atonement in Islam and Christianity