ABOUT THE WORD ‘LORD’
The word lord in English has several related meanings. The
original meaning is ‘master’ or ‘ruler’, and in this sense it is
often used to refer to human beings: ‘the lord of the mansion’
or ‘Lord So-and-So’ (in the United Kingdom, for example). The
word Lord with a capital L is used in the lexicon of Islam to refer
to the One and Only God-Allah. In Islam, there is no ambiguity
about the meaning of this word. While it is true that one may occasionally
use the word lord (whether capitalized or not) to refer
to a human being, in Islamic discourse the reference of this term
is always clear from the context. Whereas for Christians, Hindus
and other polytheists, the word Lord with a capital L may refer
to Allah, to Jesus or to some imagined deity, for Muslims, there
can be no plurality of meaning. Allah alone is the Lord, and the
Lord is Allah-not Jesus, not Rama, not any other being.
9 |
ABOUT THE WORD ‘ALLAH’
Although the English word ‘God’ has often been used
interchangeably in this book with the word Allah, there is a
difference. ‘Allah’ is the word in Arabic that is translated as
‘God’. However, ‘Allah’ has a much more precise meaning than
‘God’. ‘Allah’ is not merely an Arabic term for the word ‘god’.
Instead, the root word of the word ‘Allah’ is ilah, which means
‘a god’. There are countless numbers of made-up ‘gods’, but
only One True God worthy of worship, Whose name is Allah.
The word ‘Allah’ literally means ‘the worshipped’, or ‘the God’.
Allah is, thus, the proper name for the only Being that is worthy
of worship in truth, the True Creator of the universe. By saying
‘Allah’, Muslims are, in essence, negating every other entity
which people wrongfully worship, while affirming worship to
Him alone. The name ‘Allah’ is how God Almighty has referred
to Himself in the Quran, and how Prophet Muhammad (blessings
and peace be upon him) also referred to Him. Therefore, in this
work, the term ‘Allah’ will often be used in reference to this One
and Only God Who is worthy of worship.
11 |
INTRODUCTION
Every individual is born into a religious environment that is not
necessarily in accordance with his or her choice; children are
raised to follow the religion or ideology of their family, society,
or culture. Even as new-born babies, they are assigned either the
religion of their family or the ideology of the state; in some countries,
the child’s assigned religion is even recorded on the birth
certificate. By the time individuals reach their teens, they have
usually accepted the beliefs of their parents or their particular society.
Since these beliefs have come to feel normal to them, they
may give no thought to examining and possibly changing them.
However, individuals often encounter, or are exposed to, various
beliefs and ideologies throughout the course of their lives,
leading many to question long-held beliefs, traditions, or philosophical
ideas. They begin to question the validity of their own
beliefs. Seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion, especially
upon realizing that the believers of every religion, sect,
ideology, and philosophy claim to profess the one and only truth.
Amongst the doctrines which the followers of Jesus (pbuh) have
inherited across the centuries is the belief in ‘original sin’. This
booklet discusses the reality of this belief from both theoretical
and logical point of views.
Before we proceed, here is a reminder that when beginning the
search for the true religion, one should keep in mind the following
four things:
Firstly, Allah has given us the ability and the intellect to discover
the answer to this crucial question, which is also a life-changing
decision: What is the true religion?
| 12
Secondly, Allah, the Most Compassionate, has not left us to go
astray without any guidance. Indeed, He sent us prophets with
scriptures to show us the right path.
Thirdly, we should always remember the underlying reason for
this search: the everlasting life to come depends upon adopting
the true religion in this life. This should be our ultimate motivation
and a driving force to keep us searching until we are
completely satisfied.1
Fourthly, we can only determine the true path and make a rational
and correct decision if we willingly put aside all the emotions
and prejudices which often blind us to reality.
With this short introduction, I leave you to peruse this book.
Kind regards,
Majed S. Al-Rassi
Phone: 966 50 5906761
e-mail: majed.alrassi@gmail.com
1 The Bible, in its present form, confirms that seeking the truth is the main
cause for salvation. In John 8:32, it has been stated, “and you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Muslims believe that the existing
versions of the Bible contain elements of the original true message, although
it has been altered significantly over time.
13 |
THE FACTS ABOUT ORIGINAL SIN1
20 Arguments regarding the doctrine of original sin
BACKGROUND
According to the explanation of this doctrine, Adam sinned
when he disobeyed Allah, the Exalted, by eating from the forbidden
tree. According to Christian theology,2 the following eight
doctrines branch off from the principle of original sin:
1. All of Adam’s descendants inherit his sin, which means that
all human beings (with the exception of Mary) are born with
this original sin on their account.
2. For God’s justice to be achieved, a price must be paid as a
penalty for every sin that has been committed, in order for
that sin to be wiped out and for the individual to be forgiven.
3. The only way to wipe out sin is to shed blood; according to
Paul, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness
of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22)
4. This blood must be perfect, sinless, and incorruptible.
5. Jesus (pbuh) alone can pay the infinite price of sin because
his blood is perfect, sinless, and incorruptible, and he is the
(alleged) son of God, the infinite God.
6. Jesus shed his holy sinless blood, suffered indescribable
1 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.
2 This section is based on the view of original sin and atonement as generally
understood by Roman Catholics and Protestants. It must be noted that some
Christians have other views; the Eastern Orthodox churches in particular do
not teach that all of humankind inherited the guilt of Adam’s sin. A detailed
discussion of the various beliefs is beyond the scope of this book.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 14
agony, and died to pay for the sins of people. This concept is
known as ‘atonement’.
7. No one can be saved (attain salvation) without accepting
Jesus Christ as his or her redeemer. In other words, salvation
is restricted to those who believe that Jesus was willingly
crucified, died on the cross, and shed his blood as a price of
that sin. Acceptance of this doctrine is the only way to attain
‘salvation’.
8. Otherwise, everyone is condemned to suffer eternally in
hell because of his or her sinful nature and the sin originally
inherited from the father of humankind, Adam.
The doctrine of original sin can be divided into six distinct parts:
1. The existence of original sin.
2. Humanity’s inheritance of the original sin.
3. God’s justice requires a ‘blood penalty’ for the original
sin.
4. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of all humankind.
5. The rationality of the “God’s sacrifice” dogma.
6. Salvation (from original and other sins) is only for those
who believe in this vicarious sacrifice.
ANALYSIS
Arguments against the six parts of the dogma of original sin are
as follows:
Argument against the first part: The existence of original
sin.
1. There is no conflict between the Quranic verses and Christian
theology with reference to the fact that Adam committed a
15 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
sin when he ate from the forbidden tree. However, Allah has
mentioned in the Quran that Prophet Adam repented after that
and submitted himself completely to his Lord; consequently,
Allah forgave him for the sin he had committed. This is
a tenet of Islamic belief and has been mentioned in three
different chapters in the Quran (in verses 2: 37, 7: 24 and 20:
122). Based on Adam’s repentance and Allah’s acceptance of
his repentance, the sin of Adam (pbuh) was not inherited by
his children; hence, it did not require the suffering and death
of Jesus Christ (or of anyone else) in order to be forgiven.
Argument against the second part: Humanity’s inheritance
of the original sin.
2. The doctrine of inherited sin has no support from the
teachings of Jesus.
3. The doctrine of inherited sin has no support in the words of
the prophets who came either before or after Jesus. If it
was required by God, then they would have told their people
about it and taught them to believe in it, because all prophets
were sent to guide people towards paradise and ward them
away from sins and hellfire. If it were true, why would they
all have hidden this important concept from their people?
4. Indeed, Jesus himself regarded children as innocent and
pure, not born in sin. This is clear from his reported saying:
Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such
belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever
does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not
enter it. (Mark 10:14-15)
5. The doctrine of inherited sin implies that all the people who
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 16
came after Adam but before Jesus were born with original
sin and died with it on their account; hence, all of them will
be cast into hellfire because they did not even know of this
dogma, and thus could not profess it! And if that were true,
what would have been the purpose of all the prophets who
came before Jesus?
6. All the prophets taught that every human being is accountable
for his or her own sins, so children will not be punished for
the sins of their fathers. Allah has mentioned in the Quran:
{That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.}
(Quran 53: 38)
{Every soul, for what it has earned, will be retained.} (Quran
74: 38)
7. Sin is not inherited; it is something that people acquire for
themselves by doing what they should not do or by refraining
from doing what they should do. Considered rationally, it
would be the height of injustice to condemn the entire human
race for a sin committed thousands of years ago by the first
parents. Sin is a wilful transgression of the law of Allah. The
responsibility or blame for it must lie only with the person
committing it, not with his or her descendants. It is the
height of misanthropy to even consider such a thing. Imagine
how unreasonable and hard-hearted a person could become
by believing that every baby is sinful at birth!
8. Saying that the original sin committed by our father, Adam
(pbuh), was inherited by all of humanity goes against the
quality of mercy which Allah attributes to Himself. It is clear
that the creed of the inheritance of original sin has no place
whatsoever in Islamic teachings.
17 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
Argument against the third part: God’s justice requires a
‘blood penalty’ for the original sin.
The third part of the original sin doctrine says that God’s justice
requires that a price be paid for the sins of humankind (original
sin and otherwise) and that if God were to pardon (forgive) a
sinner without punishment, it would be a denial of His justice.
The response to that has two points:
9. This view reflects complete ignorance of two of Allah’s
attributes, namely mercy and forgiveness. To elaborate,
if Allah finds some real good in you and sees that you are
sincerely repentant, having a genuine urge to conquer the
evil within you, then Almighty Allah will forgive your
failings and sins, out of His loving mercy and forgiveness.
10. The God Whom we worship (Allah) is the Most Strong
and Most Rich; no one can harm Him. Consequently, if He
prescribes a law and demands obedience, then it is not for
His own benefit that we abide by it; it is for the benefit of
humankind. If we disobey Him, we are the losers, not Allah.
If He punishes a person before death for his or her faults and
sins, it is not for His own satisfaction or compensation but in
order to keep evil in check and to purify/reform the sinner,
out of His mercy. Bearing these facts in mind, it is not valid
to claim that Allah’s justice requires that a price be paid for
the sins of others.
Argument against the fourth part: Jesus died on the cross to
pay for the sins of all humankind.
The fourth part of the original sin doctrine says that Jesus (pbuh)
paid the penalty for all sins (original sin and any others) by
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 18
sacrificing his blood on the cross of Calvary. The response to
this proposition has ten points (11-20):
11. The Christian concept of salvation has no basis in the words
of Jesus (pbuh). It is not historically correct to say that Jesus
(pbuh) had come to die willingly and deliberately for the
sins of all humanity. In reality, the present form of the Bible
testifies that he did not wish to die on the cross.1
12. Indeed, the Bible points to the fact that God (Allah), not
Jesus (pbuh), is the ultimate saviour:
...That you may know and believe me and understand that
I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be
any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no
savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11)
13. To punish an innocent man (Jesus) for the sins of others is
the height of injustice, harshness, and lack of mercy, and
these traits cannot be attributed to the Almighty.
14. Rationally, we cannot accept that the suffering and death of
one man can wipe out the sins of others (because there is
no logical connection or relationship between them). It is
similar to a father, for example, removing one of his good
teeth to relieve the pain of his child’s bad tooth. Hence, the
idea of the crucifixion is false and illogical.
15. Jesus (like all the other prophets) was sent to convey a
message and to be an example for his followers during his
time on the earth. He was not sent to deliberately die for
them on the cross or to offer his blood to absolve their sins.
1 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup
from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)
19 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
16. Allah has mentioned in the Quran that He is the Most
Merciful and Most Compassionate; He forgives sinners, no
matter how many and how evil their sins, once they repent.
According to His will, mercy, and favour, He may even
forgive sinners who do not repent.
17. The concept of atonement is false because it indirectly
encourages people to sin, assuming that their sins will be
wiped out through someone else once they believe in him!
Furthermore, if someone dies for another person’s sins, what
is the point of adhering to good and forbidding evil?
Reading through the crucifixion story dispassionately, an
unbiased reader will surely feel in his or her heart that it is hard
to understand ̶ and consequently difficult to believe!
Was there no way for Jesus to achieve salvation for human
beings (assuming that salvation was actually needed) other than
this severe way? He could have prayed to Allah to forgive the
people from the sin they inherited (assuming that the notion of
inherited sin was true). God is the Most Compassionate; surely
if Jesus was His son, He would have forgiven them in reply to
His son’s prayers! And if Jesus himself was God, he could have
absolved them himself.
In fact, it is not appropriate for God to be crucified. The Old
Testament, and thus the law of Moses, says that a man who
is crucified is “cursed by God”; it forbids leaving his body
overnight because it would “defile” the land. How can God be
cursed? How can he curse Himself?
And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and
he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall
not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 20
day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your
land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.
(Deuteronomy 21:22-23)1
Paul confirmed this curse but claimed that Jesus (pbuh) had to be
crucified – and had to bear the curse of God – in order to redeem
human beings from such a punishment.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged
on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)2
In other words, the only way justice could be carried out was
1 “Hanging on a tree” also refers to crucifixion, as indicated in the following
verses from the New Testament:
• The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on
a tree. (Acts 5:30)
• And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and
in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. (Acts 10:39)
• And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him
down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. (Acts 13:29)
2 This letter from Paul to the Galatians, a community of Gallic Christians in
what is now Central Turkey, is one of the earliest writings in the New Testament.
Early Christians who came from Jewish backgrounds thought that the
laws that God gave to Moses (as recorded in the Old Testament) also applied
to non-Jewish converts, but these converts objected to some of them, in particular
circumcision (for males). Paul taught that if they had faith, they did
not have to obey the law of Moses; in other words, he gave them permission
to ignore the Old Testament laws. Much controversy erupted, with some
church officials arguing that Paul (who had not been an apostle of Jesus, and
in fact had never met him) was an impostor who was not qualified to be a
leader of the church. Paul replied that he had been appointed by Jesus (in a
vision on the road to Damascus, after Jesus left this earth).
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me
is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught
it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)
21 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
for Jesus to substitute himself for human beings, to give his life
and be cursed… as if God could not bring about justice by any
means other than this severe and harsh way.
Argument against the fifth part: The rationality of the
“God’s sacrifice” dogma.
18. Christian doctrine states that Jesus (pbuh) was crucified by
the administration of the Roman governor of Jerusalem,
Pontius Pilate, with the cooperation of certain Jewish
leaders.1 However, the Quran has explained that Jesus did
not die; rather, Allah raised him when they attempted to kill
him. Allah replaced him with another person who resembled
him, and it was this other person who was killed. To this day,
Christians believe that Jesus himself was the one who was
killed on the cross, but Allah has mentioned in the Quran:
{And [for] their saying: Indeed, we have killed the Messiah,
Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah. And they
did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was
made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ
over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it
except the following of assumption. And they did not kill
him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And
ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.} (Quran 4: 157-158)
19. Here is another proof that Jesus was not killed. Islamic
teachings clearly foretell the second coming of Jesus before
the final hour; this is an additional and final miracle for
Jesus. He will return not as God, as the Christians believe,
but as Jesus, Allah’s messenger and slave, as he has always
been. One of the purposes of his coming will be to correct
1 Harrington, “Who Killed Jesus?”
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 22
the misconceptions surrounding his message and mission.
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said that he will stay forty
years, and these will be the happiest years of life on this
earth. During that time, those who had misconceptions about
him will correct their understanding and believe in him as a
messenger, not as the son of God (Allah).
«It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him) that the Messenger of Allah (bpuh) said:
By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it will not be long
before the son of Mary descends amongst you, a just judge
and ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish
the tax paid by Jews and Christians. Money will be so
plentiful that no one will accept it. At that time, a single
prostration will be better than this world and everything in it.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) then said:
Read if you wish (the following verse of the Quran):
{And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that
he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the
Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness.}
(Quran 4: 159)» (Recorded by Bukhari)
This ends the answer of the fifth part of the doctrine.
Argument against the sixth part: Salvation (from original
and other sins) is only for those who believe in this vicarious
sacrifice.
20. The Bible itself contradicts the notion of original sin. In this
regard, the Bible says about the dispute concerning original sin:
He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will
receive his wages according to his labor. (I Corinthians 3:8)
23 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
It also says:
The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor
the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness
of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel
18:20)
ORIGINAL SIN AND ATONEMENT FROM AN ISLAMIC
PERSPECTIVE
Islam declares that:
People cannot transfer their responsibilities to saviours or
saints. Each person’s redemption and salvation depends upon
his or her own deeds.
Forgiveness of sins (salvation) can only be attained through
repentance to Allah and sincere and persistent efforts to fight
off evil and do good. Allah forgives the faults and sins of
those in whom He sees real goodness, and of those who have
turned away from their sins and reformed themselves, without
punishing them or any other person on their behalf.
In numerous verses in the Quran and statements of Prophet
Muhammad (bpuh), it is mentioned that those who repent
are granted forgiveness from sins; furthermore, their sins are
replaced with an equivalent reward.
{…And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they
grieve.} (Quran 2: 112)
In many verses of the noble Quran, Allah Almighty calls on
people to repent sincerely.
{[O Muhammad,] inform My slaves that it is I Who am the
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 24
Forgiving, the Merciful, and that it is My punishment which is
the painful punishment.} (Quran 15: 49-50)
Here, Allah is inviting the sinners to repent, and He will forgive
them regardless of the magnitude of their sins. At the same time,
He is warning those who do not repent that no punishment can
be compared to His punishment. He has also said:
{Say: O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves
[by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed,
Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the
Merciful. And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to
Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not
be helped.} (Quran 39: 53-54)
See how beautifully, soundly, and logically the Book of Allah,
the Quran, addresses the issues of sinning and atonement. It
must be noted that Islam confirms that the Islamic approach to
the subject was revealed in all the divine messages, including
the message of Jesus Christ. May peace and blessings be upon
him and all the prophets!
CONCLUSION
By maintaining the concept of original sin, the entire notion of
justice in Christian theology becomes flawed. An analysis of
the six tenets of this doctrine, along with the arguments against
them, proves that the whole structure of the principle of original
sin and atonement is false, for it has no support either in the
revealed scriptures or in logic; rather, it is clearly a man-made
dogma developed in the Christian Church.
25 |
A CALL TO REASON
A concluding suggestion: consider what everyone has in common.
Come, let us reason together:
{Say: O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable
between us and you-that we will not worship except Allah
and not associate anything with Him and not take one another
as lords instead of Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear
witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].} (Quran 3: 64)
In the noble Quran, {People of the Scripture} is the respectful
title given to the Jews and the Christians. Muslims are being
commanded to invite them with noble and respectful words: O
People of the Book, O learned people, O people who claim to
be the recipients of divine revelation of a holy scripture, let us
gather onto a common platform: that we worship none but Allah,
because none but Him is worthy of worship and because He is
our Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all
praise, prayer and devotion.
These truths are basic and an integral part of any human being’s
intellect. Sort through the layers of indoctrination that hide this
simple fact, and one will be able to see that deep down, every
human being retains the simple and obvious concept of Allah. In
essence, every human being agrees that there is only One God
worthy of worship, One God Who is free of partners, helpers,
and anything that is ascribed to Him falsely.
27 |
THIS IS IT
In this book, you have been shown the right path, and Allah
has given you the ability to distinguish right from wrong. He
has also given you the freedom of choice as to whether or not to
accept the message of Islam. If you accept His call, you will be
warmly welcomed into paradise. If you reject it, you will end up
with the biggest loss ever imagined: the loss of paradise and the
guarantee of dwelling in hellfire for all eternity. Take a moment
to comprehend what eternity really means. It is a very frightening
realization.
To those who have been faithful Christians, you are warmly
welcome to embrace Islam because:
Jesus asked his followers to follow Muhammad (bpuh)
whenever he appeared.1
When Jesus comes back before the end of this world, he will
follow Muhammad (bpuh) and abide by his teachings.2
Yes, since Jesus called his true followers to follow it while he
was on the earth, and he will follow Islam when he comes back,
all faithful Christians should follow Islam as well.
To those who have been believing Jews, remember that
Abraham and Moses surrendered themselves completely to their
Lord, whether they called Him Elohenu, God, or Allah. All pride
in ethnicity or ancestry is vain; what will matter in the end is
1 See al-Rassi, The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible:
Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood.
2 See al-Rassi, Eleven Facts about Jesus and His Mother (Mary) in the Islamic
Teachings.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 28
your individual relationship with your Creator. This means total
submission: Islam.
To those of other faiths or those who, until now, did not feel
that they had any faith at all, consider this message now,
without any reluctance or hesitation, before it is too late―before
death overtakes you. It could be soon. Who knows?
29 |
A WHISPER
Some people are not able to find the truth because of their blind
commitment to their beliefs. Their tenacious adherence is usually
not based on an intellectual understanding of the teachings
but on powerful cultural and emotional influences. Because they
were brought up in a particular family or society, they firmly
cling to the beliefs of that group, believing that they are upholding
the truth.
There are others who are convinced about the religion of Islam
and are mentally ready to embrace it. However, when they
contemplate the drastic changes it will bring to their lives,
changes that might not please their families and communities,
they hesitate, and even after taking the decision, they sometimes
go back and change their minds later.
It is whispered in their ears that no matter how much money,
prestige, status, and power an unbeliever may have possessed in
this life, he or she will never have enough to buy entrance into
paradise. In the hereafter, the poorest inhabitant of Earth who has
testified to the truth of Islam will be far happier and more dignified
than the richest person who did not accept the message of Islam.
Rejecting Allah’s message is the biggest sin that one can commit.
For this reason, while the soul is still in his or her body, the
wise individual should take this opportunity; he or she is still
alive to accept Allah’s message before it is too late. The time for
repentance is limited because once death arrives, it is no longer
possible to obtain forgiveness.1 Allah has mentioned:
1 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 30
{[For such is the state of the disbelievers] until, when death
comes to one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back that I
might do righteousness in that which I left behind. No! It is only
a word he is saying…}1 (Quran 23: 99-100)
Religion is, without question, the most important aspect of a
person’s life, for it determines whether or not a person is rightly
guided. It follows, therefore, that choosing the true faith is
the most important personal decision one must make, and this
decision needs to be based on clarity and total conviction. When
it comes to matters of religion and creed, nothing must be left
to chance because the one who is truly guided-as opposed to the
one who is not-will surely find eternal happiness in the hereafter!
Having been presented with the previous proofs, we should
use our intellect to analyse and reason. A crossroad has been
reached, and Allah (Glorified is He) calls on all people to follow
the clear, straight road and avoid all the murky, dubious ones.
The right path has now become distinct from the wrong path, as
Allah has mentioned:
{There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion.
The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever
disbelieves in taghoot2 and believes in Allah has grasped the
most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is
Hearing and Knowing.} (Quran 2: 256)
It is my duty and responsibility, as a resident of this great planet,
and as one who has submitted my free will to the law and
1 The unbelievers will ask for a ‘second chance’ when they see the angels
ready to punish them, but it will be too late; they were given the time, the
intellect, and the guidance, but they neglected it for years until time ran out.
2 taghoot: idols; everything evil that is worshipped.
31 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
commandments of the Supreme Being, to urge all human beings
to stay away from the worship of false deities-to stop putting
their faith in statues, sphinxes, figures, amulets, talismans,
horseshoes, and any other objects that have been manufactured
by humans or created by God. After first repenting, a person
should submit completely to the will of Allah, the Only God of
the universe.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 32
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Caraballo, Simon (Muhammad bin Abdullah Caraballo). My
Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam. Jubail, KSA: Dawah
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Harrington, Daniel. “Who Killed Jesus?” in Scriptures from Scratch.
St. Anthony Messenger Press. Accessed online at http://www.
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al-Rassi, Majed. The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in
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__. Eleven Facts about Jesus and His Mother (Mary) in the Islamic
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33 | IS ORIGINAL SIN A FACT?
APPENDIX
For Further Information about Islam
Arfaj, Dr Naji I. Discover Its Beauty in 7 Minutes Series.
http://discoveritsbeauty.com/.
Ata ur-Rahim, Muhammad and Ahmad Thomson. Jesus:
Prophet of Islam. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing
House, 2008.
Baagil, M. Christian-Muslim Dialogue. Riyadh: International
Islamic Publishing House.
Bucaille, Maurice. The Quran and Modern Science. Riyadh:
International Islamic Publishing House, 2001.
Ibrahim, I. A. A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding
Islam. Houston, TX: Darussalam, 1997. Also available at
www.islam-guide.com.
Khan, Maulana Wahiduddin. God Arises. Riyadh: International
Islamic Publishing House, 2005.
Khan, Abdul Waheed. The Personality of Allah’s Last
Messenger, 2nd ed. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing
House, 2007.
LeBlanc, Abdul-Malik. The Bible Led Me to Islam. Toronto:
Al-Attique Publisher.
Liepert, David. Choosing Faith. Riyadh: International Islamic
Publishing House, 2011. (Available online at http://www.
choosingfaith.com/.)
Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal. The Purpose of Creation.
Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 4 | 34
Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal. The True Message of Jesus
Christ. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2006.
al-Uthaymeen, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih. Explanation
of the Three Fundamental Principles of Islaam. UK: Al-
Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, 1997.
