The Scope of Sin
Muslim theologians often object to the Christian doctrine of “original sin.” They argue that each person is individually responsible for their conduct, as the Qur’an says: “No soul shall bear the burden of another soul” (6:164). Islamic teaching claims that people are born sinless. They are sin-ners but not sin-ful.
Christians contend that human beings are all members of the same human family. When our parents Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command, their sin had serious repercussions not only for themselves but also for their offspring. The unprovoked murder of Adam’s son Abel by his brother Cain is a poignant demonstration of this (Genesis 4:1–16; cf. Qur’an 5:30–34). From a Christian perspective, when people are born, they are oriented towards evil; they are not morally neutral. Their sinful nature leads them to commit sin. Jesus explains that what we do reflects who we are in our uttermost being: “For from within, out of your heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly” (Mark 7:21–22).
The Qur’an says that “the soul is prone to evil” (12:53). Human beings are perverse and thankless (70:19), contentious (18:54), and rebellious (96:6). As we have already seen, another Muslim prophetic saying asserts that all human beings (except Jesus and Mary) are struck by Satan as soon as they are born. Furthermore, the Qur’an highlights the universality of sin. We are all sinners and deserve God’s judgment: “If God were to treat people according to their evildoing, no creature would escape His punishment, but he gives them a fixed respite” (16:61). In other words, as regards the extent and the depth of sin in humanity, Christian doctrine and at least some texts in Qur’anic teaching are not as far apart as they are often assumed to be by both Christians and Muslims. Nevertheless the power of evil and its manifold outworking in humanity, including among religious people, appear more clearly in the Bible than in the Qur’an.
The Reparation of Sin
Good works are expected from Christians and Muslims. The role of good works, however, is not the same in the two religions. In Islam, good works have an atoning effect; they make up for evil deeds as “the good deeds remove the evil ones” (11:114). The first beneficiaries of good actions are their authors.
This is not so in the Christian faith. We are not in a position to redeem our wrongdoing (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20). Our good works indicate that our faith makes a significant difference in our lives. Our reformed life shows the reality of God at work in our heart. Like a living tree, genuine faith naturally produces good fruit: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26; Ephesians 2:8–10).
Forgiveness in Islam
Divine sovereignty, justice, and mercy are all relevant to divine pardon in Islam as well as in Christianity. Muslims generally emphasize one of these three attributes, which determines how they conceive of God’s forgiveness. These attributes characterize the three main schools in Islamic thought: Ash’arism, Mu’tazilism, and Sufism.
God Is Sovereign: He Will Eventually Forgive All Muslims
The majority of Muslim theologians consider that God’s highest attribute is his sovereignty. It comes before his mercy and justice. He has the right to do whatever he likes: “He will forgive whom He will and He will punish whom He will” (2:284; cf. 3:129; 5:20, 43; 48:14). His forgiveness depends exclusively on his free decision. We already said that shirk (polytheism) is the only unforgivable sin: “God does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives any other sin to whom He pleases” (4:48).
As monotheistic believers, Muslims are not guilty of committing the only unforgivable sin. Hence all their sins are forgivable in principle. Will God forgive disobedient and unrepentant Muslims their sins on the Day of Judgment? No one knows the answer because no one can anticipate God’s decision. He may forgive, and they will go to paradise; or he may not, and they will go to hell. God will disclose his final verdict only on the Day when he will judge everyone.
God is merciful as well. God’s mercy will be demonstrated in the fact that he will not condemn disobedient Muslims to eternal punishment. After they have paid for their sins, they will come out of hell and will go to paradise where they will enjoy eternal happiness with their fellow Muslims.26 On the day of judgment, God’s mercy will also be shown when he accepts the Prophet’s intercession for his community. Muhammad will ask God’s forgiveness for those Muslims who need it most: “My intercession will be for members of my Nation that have committed major sins.”27
Muhammad’s intercession is based on his personal privileges: he is the last Prophet (33:40), and God has forgiven his sins already (48:2). As result of the Prophet’s intercession, God will forgive many Muslims their sins. They will either go directly to paradise, or the time of their stay in hell will be shortened. >Thus God’s mercy will take the form of a temporary punishment for unrighteous Muslims.28
God’s justice will mean eternal happiness for righteous Muslims and eternal punishment for non-Muslims.
God Is Just: He Will Forgive Only Obedient Muslims
Mu’tazili theologians advocate an alternative view of God’s pardon. They believe God’s key attribute is justice, which comes before his mercy and his sovereignty. On the day of resurrection, God will judge everyone according to his perfect justice. Muslims will not be favored because of their faith (99:7–8; cf. 10:61; 21:47; 34:3).
According to Mu’tazili teaching, not only polytheism but also major sins are unforgivable unless people repent from them. God’s justice would be compromised if he were to forgive major sins. People must avoid committing sin, especially major ones, if they entertain any hope of going to paradise: “If you keep away from major [sins], We will pardon your [minor] sins and introduce you [to Paradise] through a gate of great honor” (4:31). One major sin that has not been repented from will earn the person eternal punishment. Unlike major sins, minor sins can be redeemed with good deeds as “the good deeds remove the evil ones” (11:114). Provided people have not committed any major sin, God will forgive their minor sins, even if they have not been repented from, as this does not undermine his justice.
The belief about temporary punishment in hell is rejected by Mu’tazili theologians. They claim it has no basis in the Qur’an, and the Hadith narratives about it are unreliable. For the same reasons, they reject the belief that the Prophet will intercede for unrepentant Muslims who have committed major sins. God would deny his justice if he were to forgive major sins.
God’s overriding justice in Mu’tazilite theology means that Muslims have no guarantee whatsoever that they will go to paradise. If they deserve God’s punishment, they will stay in hell forever. However, their suffering will be less painful than that of non-Muslims.
God Is Merciful: He Will Eventually Forgive All People
Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, represents an important trend within the Muslim world. In Sufism, God’s major attribute is mercy. Ibn ‘Arabi (d. 638/1240) considers mercy to be God’s defining attribute. He is “the most merciful of those who are merciful” (7:151) and “the best of those who are merciful” (23:109). His mercy embraces “all things” (7:156), and “He has prescribed mercy upon Himself” (6:12, 54). God’s mercy is all-inclusive; when it is expressed in forgiving people their sins, it has no limitations whatsoever: “Say: ‘O My servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins, for He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful’” (39:53).
For Ibn ‘Arabi, this text clearly shows that no sin is beyond God’s pardon, not even polytheism. It also indicates that God’s forgiveness is unconditional: it does not depend on people’s repentance. Finally, it is most comprehensive as it includes everyone. God’s justice will be satisfied on the day of resurrection when unrepentant Muslims and non-Muslims will be sent to hell. However, God’s mercy would be denied if their punishment were eternal. His mercy is such that it will necessarily bring people’s suffering to an end. Disobedient Muslims and all other monotheistic believers will come out of hell and will go to paradise. Everyone else will stay in hell, but hell itself will be transformed. It will no longer be a place of enduring suffering; instead it will become a place where people will enjoy a different kind of happiness forever.
Ibn ‘Arabi believes that the Prophet is the mediator of God’s universal mercy: “We have sent you as a mercy to the worlds” (21:107; cf. 34:28). Muhammad was the last prophet in terms of his physical appearance in the sixth century AD, but he is also the first prophet as his existence predates Adam’s creation. In terms of eminence, Muhammad is the First Prophet, and all prophets have been his deputies. They have been sent to their respective peoples while he was sent to humankind as a whole. All prophets are sinless, and Muhammad is the Prophet. The sins of humankind are attributed to him as he is their leader and representative. His “past sins” are the sins of the people from Adam to his own time, and his “future sins” are the sins of the people from then to the day of resurrection. God will forgive Muhammad’s past and future sins (48:2) in response to his intercession on behalf of his Nation, i.e., humankind. God’s universal amnesty in the world to come will demonstrate that “his favor is indeed overwhelming” (2:105).
Forgiveness in Christianity
Ibn ‘Arabi’s emphasis on God’s unconditional and universal mercy is initially strikingly similar to the Christian doctrine of God’s love. Ibn ‘Arabi’s belief, however, about the key role of the Prophet as the mediator of God’s love is in sharp conflict with the Bible, which assigns this role to Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5; cf. 1 John 4:8). More striking yet is the ground on which the God of the Bible forgives sin: he does so not because he is “merciful” such that he is willing to overlook sin, but because in the person of his Son he pays the penalty for sin. The perfection both of God’s holiness and of God’s grace is thus maintained: the holy God demands that sin be punished, and then, in the person of his Son, bears that punishment himself. The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the only qualified mediator between God and humankind, and this for three reasons: he is the only sinless human being who ever existed (John 10:46; Hebrews 7:26; 9:14); he died for our sins (1 John 2:1–2; Hebrews 2:17–18); and (as we have seen) he is God’s eternal Son, not only a prophet. The difference between the Bible and the theology of Ibn ‘Arabi at this point could scarcely be greater—and in the matter of forgiveness of sins, Ibn ‘Arabi, with his emphasis on God’s universal mercy, represents, among Muslims, the closest approach to Christianity. The majority Muslim vision and practice insists that, however merciful God is, sinners must atone for their own sins by their own works.
Jesus’ redeeming mission was predicted by the Old Testament prophets (e.g., Isaiah 53:4–12; cf. Matthew 26:54; Luke 24:44–47). He died on the cross as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). His was the true sacrifice for sin that was foreshadowed in the law of Moses. (This sacrifice is also alluded to in the second chapter of the Qur’an, which is precisely entitled “the Heifer” or “the Cow” [verses 67–71; cf. Numbers 19:1–10].)
God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and lifted him up to himself. His resurrection and ascension are evidence that he has perfectly accomplished his mission. He is a well-qualified mediator as well as an effective intercessor. Since he ascended to heaven, he has been interceding on our behalf:
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:31–34; cf. Hebrews 7:23–28).
Islamic Objections to the Crucifixion of Christ
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the foundational events for God’s forgiveness: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Muslims, however, believe that Jesus neither died nor was crucified. This belief is founded on the following Qur’anic passage:
As for their [i.e., the Jews] claim that they killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of God, the truth is they did not kill him nor did they crucify him. They were under the illusion that they had. . . . Assuredly, they did not kill him. On the contrary, God raised him to Himself, and God is powerful and wise (4:157–158).
According to Islamic tradition, when Jesus was about to be arrested, God stepped in to rescue his prophet. He vindicated Jesus and took him up to himself alive. God made another man look like Jesus. Neither the Roman soldiers nor the Jews realized that the man they had crucified was not Jesus: “they were under the illusion that they had crucified Jesus.” Jesus will return to earth at the end of time. He will have a new mission, which, unlike the first one, will be greatly successful. He will fight against the Antichrist and will defeat him. He will implement Islamic law and will rule the earth for a time. Jews will then believe in him as God’s prophet, and Christians will be convinced that he is not the Son of God. Both Jews and Christians will then realize he was not crucified. He will lead a normal life before he dies. Muslims will bury him next to Muhammad in Medina. His death will give the signal for the general resurrection and the last judgment (43:61).29
The Qur’an gives no reason that God rescued Jesus while allowing many other prophets to be killed by the Jews (2:61, 91; 3:21, 112, 181; 4:155; 5:73). Muslim theologians have objected to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the grounds that it undermines God’s attributes:
1. God’s faithfulness to his prophet would be undermined if he let him down.
2. God’s power would be challenged if his enemies succeeded in putting Jesus to death.
3. God’s sovereignty is such that he does not need a sacrifice to forgive sin (4:48), hence Jesus’ death was unnecessary.
4. God’s justice rules out the atoning death of Jesus on two accounts. First, it is unacceptable for someone to be punished for sins he did not commit. Second, God holds everyone accountable for their own deeds (6:164; 99:7–8).
A Christian response
The historicity of Jesus’ crucifixion is based on the four Gospels, whose reliability cannot be seriously called into question (as seen in §1). Christians believe that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ perfectly fulfill all of God’s attributes. God’s righteousness was demonstrated in vindicating Jesus by raising him from the dead. His supreme power over evil is demonstrated in saving humanity from eternal death. God’s sovereignty is best seen in his decision to save humankind through the incarnation, death, and resurrection of his Son. Just as God’s love is limitless, so is his justice. God’s love does not compromise with sin in any way, and his justice is absolute: “He does not leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:7). He does not tolerate sin, not even the so-called minor sins. He wants to forgive our sins but not at the expense of his justice. The death of Jesus on our behalf displayed God’s judgment on our sin. Jesus voluntarily offered his life for us. He thus demonstrated God’s self-giving love for us in all its fullness (John 15:13).
However, just because God saved humanity through Jesus’ death and resurrection, it does not mean that everyone is saved. Our responsibility is fully engaged in the way we respond to God’s forgiving love. Do we accept God’s offer and live our lives accordingly, or do we dismiss it? Jesus summed up the gospel in two elements when he commissioned his disciples to be his witnesses in the world: forgiveness of sins and repentance (Luke 24:45–48). Forgiveness of sins is granted on the ground of what God has already done in Jesus Christ. It is unmerited; it is entirely founded not on our good deeds but on God’s undeserved mercy towards us. It is one of God’s greatest gifts to us. This saving grace is given freely to those who believe in him, but it cost Christ his own life. It is a powerful expression of God’s unfailing love for his human creatures. Repentance signals our response to this grace. Do we acknowledge our sins, confess them to God, ask his forgiveness and commit ourselves to a new life? In other words, do we follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?