REPENTANCE THE WAY TO GOD’S MERCY
[Compiled by: Bro. A. Erandio]
It is commonly believed that sin started in the world when Adam and Eve (peace is upon them) disobeyed the commandments of Allah by eating from the prohibited tree. Pauline Christianity is based upon the doctrine of original sin. It pre-supposes that man is by nature a sinful creature of Allah (The Almighty).
ISLAM TEACHES THE SINLESSNESS OF MAN
And every person is responsible to his own action; whoever deals unjustly to others is only hurting him. So believe in Allah (swt) alone, and make repentance the way to Allah’s mercy.
ISLAM CONDEMNS THE DOGMA OF ORIGINAL SIN:
Islam condemns the dogma of original sin and regards children as pure at birth and has taken a unique position on the whole issue. When Adam and Eve (pbut) ate from prohibited tree, they were expelled from the garden and brought down to earth. As the realized their fault, they asked for Allah’s mercy and they were forgiven.
COME NOT NEAR THIS TREE:
Qur’an 2:35And We said: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat you freely (of the fruits) thereof where you will; but come not near this tree lest you become wrongdoers.
SATAN MAKES THEM DEFLECT:
Qur’an 2:36 Then did Satan make them deflect [malaking pagkakamali] from the (garden) and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get you down all (you people) with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood for a time."
AND HIS LORD PARDONED HIM:
Qur’an 2:37“Then Adam received from his Lord words, and his Lord pardoned him [accept his repentance].for He is Oft-Returning Most Merciful.”
I LISTEN TO THE PRAYER OF EVERY SUPPLICANT:
Qur’an 2:186 When my servants ask thee concerning Me I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he called on Me; let them also with a will listen to My call and believe in Me; that they may walk in the right way.
SO IT IS CLEAR THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE BORN PURE:
The above verses of the Qur’an where shown that love and mercy are the first qualities of Allah (swt).
ALLAH (swt) HONORED THE SON OF ADAM:
Qur’an 17:70“We have honored [binigyan ng karangalan] the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors above a great part of Our Creation.”
SIN IT SAYS IS AN ACQUIREMENT AND NOT INHERITANCE:
A life of sin or virtue with the dawn of intellect and as such sin can be attributed to someone only when he is able to distinguish right from wrong. Since a child is immune from this distinction, it would be absurd to attribute sin to his nature.
SO, IN ISLAM, THERE IS NO SUCH A THING AS ORIGINAL SIN. Islam holds everyone responsible for his own action and his deeds.
Qur’an 53:38-41 namely that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another; that man can have nothing but what he strives for; that (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight; Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete.
THE REDEMPTION OF SIN THROUGH THE CRUCIFIXION IS NOT JESUS (pbuh) TEACHING. This is the doctrine of atonement accepted by the church three to four centuries after Jesus (pbuh) left this earth.
SOME CHRISTIAN OF TODAY BELIEVES that every child is born with a sin. But it contradicts the Bible itself as shown in the following passages.
FORBID THEM NOT TO COME UNTO ME:
Mathew 19:14 “But Jesus said, suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me for such is the kingdom of heaven.”[sa mga katulad nga nila ang kaharian ng Dios]
THE FATHER SHALL NOT BE PUT TO DEATH FOR THE CHILDREN:
Deuteronomy 24:16 “The father 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.”
THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN AND ATONEMENT BY THE REDEEMING [pagtubos] BLOOD OF JESUS (pbuh) LEAD TO CONFUTION. This is so because it is contrary to reality and on the other hand, it has no support in the words of Jesus or the Prophet who had come before him.
AND BE HOLD, ONE COME AND SAID UNTO HIM [Jesus]
Matthew 19:16-17 “And be hold, one came and said unto him, good Master, what good things shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
THE SON SHALL NOT BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHER;
Ezekiel 18:20-21“The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; neither shall the father bear iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
BUT EVERYONE SHALL DIE FOR HIS OWN INIQUITY;
Jeremiah 31:30 “But everyone shall die for his own iniquity, every man that eaten the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on the edge.”
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING, ALLAH (swt) SHOWED MAN BOTH THE PATH OF GOODNESS AND PATH OF EVIL; so that everyone would be rewarded of punishment according to his or her actions and deeds.
Man and woman have come from the same essence, possess the same soul and have been equipped with capabilities for intellectual, moral and spiritual attainment. The distinctive feature of Islam is that it is based on impartial justice sound reason and enlightenment of both the sexes.
NO PERSON EARNS ANY SIN EXCEPT AGAINST HIMSELF;
Qur’an 6:164 Say: "Shall I seek a Lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things (that exist)? No person earns any [sin] except against himself [only], and no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Then unto your Lord is your return, so He will tell you the truth of the things wherein you disputed.”
Since Allah (swt) is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, we must live in accordance with His will. We must live in the presence of Allah (swt) who is the source of all light and truth and happiness.
His light will dispel our darkness of ignorance, and His being the source of happiness; our heart will radiate happiness and joy if we fill our hearts with His remembrance.
REPENTANCE IS NOT ONLY A WORD
But it is a certain actions, and steps should be taken. And Allah (swt) loves those who repent by heart.
ALLAH (SWT) WILL NOT ACCEPT;
And Allah (swt) will not accept the repentance of those who are hypocrites, the people who disbelieved the oneness of Allah (swt) and disbelieving prophet Muhammad (sas) the last book the Holy Qur’an.
THOSE WHO REJECT FAITH
Qur’an 3:90 But those who reject faith after they accepted it and then went on increasing in their disbelief never will their repentance be accepted; for they are those who have (of set purpose) gone astray.
WHOLE EARTH FULL OF GOLD WILL NOT ACCEPTED
Qur’an 3:91 Verily those who disbelieve and died while they were disbelievers, the [whole] earth full of gold will not accepted from anyone of them even if the offered it as a ransom. For them is a painful torment and they will find no helpers.
O MY LORD! SEND ME BACK;
Qur’an 23:99-100 Until when death comes to one of them he says: "O my Lord! Send me back (to life) “So, that I may do right in that which I have left behind! But no! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a barrier until the day when they will be resurrected.
EVEN THEY ASKED 70 TIMES:
Qur’an 9:80 Whether thou ask you [O Muhasmmad] for their forgiveness or not (their sin is unforgivable): if thou ask seventy times for their forgiveness Allah will not forgive them: because they have rejected Allah and His apostle; and Allah guides not those who are perversely rebellious.
ALLAH ACCEPTS THE REPENTANCE;
Qur’an 4:17 Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy; for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
NO AFFECT THE REPENTANCE;
Qur’an 4:18 Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil until death faces one of them and he says "Now have I repented indeed"; nor of those who die rejecting faith: for them have We prepared a punishment most grievous.
HOW TO REPENT ALLAH (SWT);
1st sincere intention not to do the sin again,
2nd asks forgiveness to people before ask forgiveness to Allah (swt)
3rd and feel the guiltiness and stop committing sin.
THE MOST SUPERIOR WAY OF ASKING FORGIVENESS:
The Prophet said “O Allah you are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but you. You created me and I am your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise (to you) as much as I can. I seek refuge with you from all evil and I have done. I acknowledge before you all the blessing you have bestowed upon me, and I confess to you all my sins. So I treat you to forgive my sins for nobody can forgive sins except you.
“The Prophet added.” If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise." [Sahih Al-Bukhari V.8 H.no. 318]
ALLAH (swt) SAY’S I AM INDEED CLOSE TO THEM;
Qur’an 2:186 “When My servants ask thee concerning me, I am indeed close [to them], I respond to the prayer of every suppliant he calleth Me. “Verily to Allah (swt) we belong and to Him we return” will be echoed by our souls and save us from all anxiety and grief. Allah (swt) is gracious and compassionate, and if somebody is sins, Allah, the Almighty is ever prepared to respond to the sincere call of those who seeks His help.
Alahumma infa`ni bima `allamtani wa `allamni ma yanfa`uni! OH ALLAH! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me!
(Aameen)