Interfaith Dialogue Q & A: Sinful Nature and Original Sin, the Islamic Perspective

Question: What is the Islamic view of the original sin? Do Muslims believe in the original sin?

‘SINFUL NATURE AND ORIGINAL SIN’ has no place in Islam.

Islam teaches:-

1.That sin is an act and not a state of being

2. That each person is accountable for his own actions and will be judged accordingly

3. That we are all born in a natural state of purity (fitrah) – for Allah is just and will judge us accordingly

By committing a sin or making a mistake, as Adam and Eve did, does not necessarily prevent spiritual reform or stop moral growth or tarnish our nature to be in itself sinful.

The Bible blames Eve for seducing Adam into disobeying God. Hence, we see here again the concept that one person (Eve) is to be blamed for the sins of another (Adam).

Allah says in the Qur’an:

*{By deceit he [Satan] brought them to their fall: when they tasted the tree, their shame became manifest to them and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy?” They said: “Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy, we shall certainly be lost.”}* (Al-A`raf 7:22-23)

“…No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another…” (Quran 6:164)

“…man can have nothing but what he strives for” (Quran 53:38–39)

…and

“Who receives guidance, receives it for his own benefit: who goes astray does so to his own loss: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another …” (Quran 17:15)

The few differences between the Biblical presentation of creation and the Qur’anic one can be summarised as follows:

All the three religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam agree on one basic fact: Both men and women are created by God. But the Judeo-Christian tradition teaches that Satan appeared in the form of a serpent before Eve and tempted her to eat from the forbidden tree and that it was Eve who seduced Adam to eat with her.

According to the Genesis story, God rebuked Adam for what he did, but then Adam put all the blame on Eve: “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12).

Consequently, God said to Eve, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).

God now rebukes Adam for listening to Eve:-

God said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree … cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17).

A careful look into the two accounts of the story of the creation reveals some essential differences. The Qur’an, contrary to the Bible, places equal blame on both Adam and Eve for their disobedience. The Qur’an does not say that Eve tempted Adam to eat from the tree or even that she had eaten before him. Eve in the Qur’an is not a seducer or deceiver. God, according to the Qur’an, punishes no one for another’s faults. Both Adam and Eve committed a sin and then asked God for forgiveness and He forgave them both. So there is no question of a hereditary sin called Original Sin in Islam.

The whole garden story is actually a symbolic event. It’s sending the message that mankind is not perfect, we all have the gift of free will, the power of choice. And If we disobey God, we will be punished and become disconnected from God; and will not be able to enjoy the many blessings and bounties he has given us (the garden) unless we sincerely ask for his mercy and forgiveness.

The Christian teaching/claim of ‘ORIGINAL SIN’ and ‘SINFUL NATURE’ contradicts the Bible:

Here are a few verses to consider:-

1. “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

2. “But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:30)

3. “… The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezkiel 18:20)

4. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthews 7:1-2)

The Qur’an says

“And whoever commits a sin, he only commits it against his own soul; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.” [Holy Koran 4.111]

“Say: What! shall I seek a Lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you of that in which you differed.” [Koran 6.164].

Now, your other question in a nut shell is this: After accepting the repentance of Adam and Eve, why didn’t God allow them to remain in Paradise instead of e expelling them from the Garden?

It’s a misconception that it’s merely because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience that mankind are now living on earth.

As a matter of fact, before Allah created Adam and Eve He told the Angels that He was going to appoint “a vicegerent on earth.” He did not say, He was going to put “a vicegerent in Paradise.”

When your Lord said unto the Angels, I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,” they said (almost protesting), “Are you going to appoint one who will commit corruption and bloodshed therein, even though we (are the ones who) commemorate Your Name and glorify You? The Lord said, “I know that which you do not know.” (Al-Baqarah 2:30)

One important lesson Adam and Eve learnt through their experience in the garden, was that they were granted the gift of free will from God, which they had to make use of, with a sense of responsibility and accountability to their Lord. Because, it was when they had misused this freedom and indulged in an act of disobedience, that they were punished with expulsion from Paradise.

This was a lesson for them; and by this means Adam and Eve realised that Satan was their enemy. When they listened to Satan and followed his advice, they lost Paradise; and a return to Paradise was possible only if he rejected the whispering of Satan and followed the Guidance of Allah.

Thus, we can see that it was part of God’s plan that a period of “probation” was granted to Adam on earth, after he had fallen prey to the whispering of Satan.

During this period, Adam and his children would live on earth as free beings; that is to say, they would be given an opportunity to follow Divine Guidance that is sent to them from time to time, or to follow their own weaknesses, under the influence or whispering of Satan.