Crucifixion of the Christ

The author : Father Zakaria Boutros

The publisher: www.fatherzakaria.com

Introduction

This who thinks that Islam is discrediting Christianity or attacking its creeds is
definitely mistaking, verily it is the contrary as Islam is showing friendliness to the
Christianity as the quran says “Verily, you will find the strongest among men in
enmity to the believers the Jews and those who are polytheisms, and you will find the
nearest in love to the believers those who say: "We are Christians.” That is because
amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.” the table chapter
(Surat Al-Ma'idah') 82

So I wrote these studies on the basis of the common ground between Christianity &
Islam, based on what was mentioned in the bible & quran, of these studies three
books had been published: A dialogue in Arab broadcast, God is one in trinity & the
Christ, son of God

Actually the issue of crucifixion of the Christ is the quintessence of Christianity & its
core around which all the theological creeds are centralized, for that we have to
discuss it thoroughly. This discussion will include:

The crucifixion of the Christ, in which we will discuss the sin Microbe, the
punishment verdict, the grace of forgiveness,
& another book will be published about Inevitability of the Redemption & the
challenges about the crucifixion & their answers

We ask the lord to bless this work to be a light for the stray selves to guide them to
the way of life to get through his grace of the salvation & to enjoy with him in the
eternal gloriousness

First Chapter : the sin in Christianity

Second Chapter: the sin in Islam

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 First Chapter
The sin Microbe
From the Christian point of view

“Therefore, as sin get into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so
death passed to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12)

The sin is the microbe that ruined the whole mankind & it is the main subject in the
crucifixion of the Christ, but how sin gets into the world? & how did it pass to all
men?

To clarify this we have to talk about: Adam’s sin & the sin of his offerings (i.e. the
sin of whole mankind)

We will clarify this first from the Christian point of view then we will discuss it from
islamic point of view

First: Adam’s sin

Apostle Paul said “sin entered into the world through one man” (Romans 5:12)

Who is that man by whom sin get into the world? He was the first man, our father
Adam by who sin get into the world

To clarify how sin get into the world through Adam, let us go back to the holy bible
& read the first chapters of Genesis to see how God created Adam & Eve in a state
of holiness & righteousness, meaning on God’s righteous & holy image then he
put them into the garden of Eden & he said to them:” Of every tree of the garden
you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall
not eat of it ; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die."
(Genesis 2:17)

In spite of this we have seen Satan enticed Eve to eat & give her husband also “she
took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave to her husband also, and he ate”
(Genesis 3:6)

So Adam had sinned & disobeyed God’s command & ate from the tree therefore sin
get into the world

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Second: the sin of Adam‘s offerings

Apostle Paul said “Death passed to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12)

Actually by Adam’s sin, the sin became a natural inclination for the whole mankind,
its microbe spread in their blood, they committed the evil & transgression, so the holy
bible said: There is none righteous not even one person, they have together become
unprofitable" (Romans 3:12)

This is the miserable situation reached by mankind; people are craving for their
bodily lusts, having friendship with the world, craving for procurement, self loving &
getting away from God,

And the greatest adversity is that they see no sin in what they do & consider it natural
They regard those living with God as retarded living in the ignorance epochs

Even those religious people are having an enormous internal conflict as they find
internal inclination dragging them to the sin. So from where did this evil
inclination come? It’s certainly the sin microbe inherited by man from his old
ancestors Adam & Eve contaminated with that sin microbe

Third: the prophets’ sins

Do you think dear reader that the prophets escaped from the sin microbe? No, as the
whole human blood is contaminated, as the holy bible said” There is none
righteous not even one person” (Romans 3:10)

And the prophets also as they are from Adam offspring, they inherited the sin
microbe & fell in it, the holy bible mentions for every prophet his sins, let us mention
here some of them as examples:

1) Abraham (Al-khalil):
Our father Abraham lied when he said about his wife that she is his sister to avoid
being killed because of her (Genesis 12, 20)

2) Prophet Moses:
Prophet Moses killed the egyptian who was fighting with the Israeli & when he knew
that what he had done was discovered he fled away to Sinai desert (Exodus 2)

3) Noah the Ark maker: He drank of the wine and got drunk & was uncovered
(Genesis 9)

It will take much time to mention for everyone his numerous sins

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From this dear reader it is obvious to you now our christian point of view as regards
the sin microbe which first contaminated Adam and Eve then had been inherited by
the whole mankind

The sin microbe in Islam

Adam’s sin was mentioned also in the quran as it was mentioned in the holy bible,
as it is obvious from the holy bible that the whole mankind was contaminated by the
sin microbe, the same thing was explained by the quran as we will see

First: Adam’s sin

The quran testified that Adam was created in the best image

1) The fig chapter (Surat Al-tin) 4:” We created man of the best stature”

This verse declares that God created Adam in the most wonderful image in purity &
righteousness (the best stature)

Concerning Adam’s sin it was mentioned in:

2) The cow chapter (Surat Al-Baqarah) 35-38:

‘And we said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat both oafs
you freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will, but come
not near this tree or you both will be of the wrong-doers." Then the Satan made them
slip there from the Paradise, and got them out from that in which they were. We said:
"Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling
place for you and an enjoyment for a time."

From this we saw the role of Satan in enticing Adam & Eve to eat from the tree that
was forbidden by God to eat from; therefore they fell in the sin

3) Ta-Ha chapter (Surat Ta-Ha) 117-123:

“Then we said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy (Satan) to you and to your wife.
So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed in misery.
. Then Satan whispered to him, saying: "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of
eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away (never ends)?” Then they both
ate of the tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on
themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus Adam disobeyed his
Lord, so he went astray”

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From that we see how Adam fell into the sin when he disobeyed his Lord

Second: the sin of Adam‘s offerings:

The quran & the Islamic scholars explain the sins of the mankind as follows:

1) Joseph chapter (Surat Yusuf) 53: “Verily the human self is inclined to evil”,
meaning that the human self in its fallen nature is leaning to the evil , that’s what
was explained by Imam Al-Razy as we will see in the following point:

2) Imam Al –Razy (one of the most famous quran annotators) said: the human self
has an inclination to the ugly things, wishing the disobedience; the human nature is
craving for the lusts

3) Al- Tirmoudhi ( he is Isa Mohammed bin Isa, one of the most important collectors
of the prophetical verses) narrated from Abu-Hurairah, the prophet said: Adam
repudiated therefore his offerings repudiated, he forgot & ate from the tree therefore
his offerings forgot, he sinned therefore his offerings sinned”

From that it is obvious that the human self inherited the sin from Adam, therefore
succumbed to the captivity of the sin which dominated the whole mankind

Thirdly: The sins of the prophets;

The quran mentions the sins of the prophets also very clearly as we will explain from
the following:

1) Abraham;

Abraham chapter (Surat Ibrahim) 41” Ibrahim says:” Our Lord! Forgive me and my
parents, and all the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established." so
here Ibrahim is asking for the forgiveness, how could a man ask for the forgiveness
unless he actually had sinned?

2) Moses:

The story chapter (Surat Al-Qasas) 15, 16 “And he entered the city at a time of
unawareness of its people, and he found there two men fighting, - one of his party,
and the other of his foes. The man of his own party asked him for help against his
foe, so Moses struck him (kicked him) with his fist and killed him. He said: "This is
of Satan’s doing, verily; he is a plain misleading enemy." He said: “O My Lord!
Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me." Then He forgave him. Verily, He is
the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. “So Moses after he killed the man asked for
forgiveness.

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3) The quran mentions about the prophet Mohammed the following:

Victory chapter (Surat Al-Fath) 2: “Allah may forgive you, your sins of the past and
the future”

Imam Al-Nasfy explains this saying (he will forgive you whatever you have done)

And in The Opening Forth chapter (Surat Ash-Sharh) 1-3: Have we not opened your
breast for you? And removed from you your burden, which weighed down your
back?

Meaning that he take off his sins which weighed down his back

In Sahih Al-Bokhary part 2 page 134:

The prophet peace upon him was invoking:”O God I see refuge by you from the
grave torment & the fire torment”

Also in Sahih Al-Bokhary The prophet peace upon him was saying: “no one will be
admitted to the paradise except by the grace of almighty god, they said neither do you
messenger of God? He replied neither do I unless I was involved by the mercy of
God “

Narrated Al–Alaghar bin yaser al mazny:” The prophet peace upon him said: O
people repent to God & ask for his forgiveness, I repent to him daily hundred times
“(Sahih Muslim, the book of righteous garden from the book of the master of the
messengers by Imam Al-Nawawy page 9 )

From the above it is obvious that quran is mentioning the prophets sins , we will
mention here the Islamic & the Islamic sects view concerning the prophets sins

Islam is categorizing the sins into; grave sins as (adultery, steeling, murdering etc) &
minor sins (like banging etc...)

Islam is saying the prophets are infallibles in some of the grave sins (as adultery,
steeling, murdering) but the rest of these grave sins they may fall in them before they
start their mission (i.e. before their prophecy begins) {as said by the Sunnah who are
a big Islamic sector), concerning the minor sins they may fall in them before they
start their mission deliberately & they may fall in them after they start their mission
unintentionally

On this Mr: Hassen Metoaly the lecturer in the religion institute in Cairo commented
saying: this doesn’t contradict naming it a transgression necessitating forgiveness &
being a sin requiring confession ( Al-tawheed & Al-ferak note page 38,39)

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So as we have seen the sin passed to the whole mankind even the prophets
themselves had fallen under its domination whether deliberately or unintentionally &
the holy bible affirmed this saying: “for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes,
many strong men have been slain by her.” (Proverbs 7:26), also it said “They have
all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does
good, no, not, so much as one." (Romans 3:12)

This is concerning the sin microbe which passed to the whole mankind, we will put
all these factors in a simplified table to summarize the whole subject, focus on it &
recapitulate it in a quick look

Subject In the Christianity In Islam

Adam's God created man in his own image. We created man of the best stature
sin In God's image he created him {The fig chapter (Surat Al-tin)
(genesis1)

God commanded the man, saying, "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife
"Of every tree of the garden you may in the Paradise and eat both oafs
freely eat; but of the tree of the you freely with pleasure and delight
knowledge of good and evil, you of things therein as wherever you
shall not eat of it; for in the day thatwill but come not near this tree or
you eat of it you will surely die you both will be of the wrong-doers
(genesis2) {The cow chapter (Surat Al-
Baqarah)}
Adam's The serpent said to the woman, "You Satan whispered to him, saying:
offspring won't surely die, for God knows that "O Adam Shall I lead you to the
sin in the day you eat it your eyes will be tree
opened, and you will be like God of eternity and to a kingdom that
knowing good and evil." she took of will never waste away Then they
its fruit, and ate and she gave her both ate of the tree, and so their
husband and he ate, the eyes of both private parts appeared to them, and
of them were opened, and they knew they began to stick on themselves
that they were naked. They sewed fig the leaves from Paradise for their
leaves together, and made themselves covering. Thus Adam disobeyed his
aprons.( genesis 3 ) Lord, so he went astray”
”{Ta-Ha chapter (Surat Ta-Ha)}
“but I see a different law in my Verily the human self is inclined to
members, warring against the law of evil” Joseph chapter (Surat Yusuf)
my mind, and bringing me into
captivity under the law of sin which meaning that the human self has an
is in my members”( Romans 7:23) inclination to the ugly things
wishing the disobedience & the
human nature is craving for

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 the lusts { Imam Al-Razy tafsir
(exegesis) }

Prophets Abraham lied (Genesis 12, 20) Ibrahim says:” Our Lord! Forgive
sins me and my parents and all
the believers on the day when the
reckoning will be established
{Abraham chapter (Surat Ibrahim)}

Moses killed (Exodus 2) Moses killed & said: O My Lord!

Verily, I have wronged myself, so
forgive me {The story chapter (Surat
Al-Qasas)}

Noah got drunk (Genesis 9) Mohammed: Allah may forgive you

your sins of the past and the future
{Victory chapter ( Surat Al-Fath) }

The prophet was invoking God I see

refuge by you from the grave
torment & the fire torment
{ Sahih Al-Bokhary, part2
page134 }

Chapter two
The punishment verdict

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Part one: the sin punishment in the Christianity
Part two: the sin punishment in the Islam

Part one:
The sin punishment in the Christianity

What is God’s attitude towards Adam’s sin & the sin of his offspring (the whole
mankind)?
To know that we have to discuss first the absolute characters of God, especially the
character of absolute fairness as God is a fair ruler so he should punish Adam & his
offspring for their sins, let us clarify this from the Christian point of view

First: God is a fair ruler

It is very obvious that one of the characters of God is being a fair ruler, Prophet
David is saying in the psalms {God is a righteous judge} (Psalm 7:11)

So as God is a fair ruler he should judge the criminals for their crimes & punish the
evils as world judges are doing in the courts

Here we are asking what is God’s judgment for the sinner self?

All of us know the judgment of world judges over the criminals, they are either
sentenced them to death, life time prison or to be jailed for a period of time, the
punishment is determined in relation to the severity on the crime, as the punishment
of the one who committed a mistake against a normal person differs from that of the
one who committed a mistake against a higher rank like the state president &
definitely differs if he had mistaken against God

So what was the punishment of Adam & his offspring? That what we will explain in
the following:

Second: the punishment of Adam & his offspring

Adam disobeyed God by eating from the tree that God forbid him from eating from it
So he became a wrongdoer to God, God warned him from the punishment he will get
if he disobeyed his command & ate from that tree , as he said to him:
“The day that you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:17)

As Adam ate from the tree the death sentence was due on him & his offspring, as we
have seen in the previous chapter everyone had sinned & became under the domain
of sin so everybody is a criminal to God & deserves God‘s fair punishment which is

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the death as the holy revelation said by prophet Ezekiel: “the soul who sins, he shall
die” (Ezekiel 18:4), here we are confronted with an important question

What is the death sentence imposed on Adam & his offspring?

To answer this question we say that the death sentence includes the spiritual death
moral death & the eternal death so let us clarify these three aspects in the following:

1) The spiritual death:

God created Adam & put him in the Garden of Eden to live there forever but when he
sinned God sent him forth from it, as the holy bible said: God sent him forth from the
Garden of Eden . So he drove out the man”” (genesis 3: 23, 24)

God placed angel with a flaming sword to prevent Adam from coming back to the
Garden of Eden as his original pure nature created by God became impure & is no
longer suitable with the sacred life in the paradise, that’s what we call the spiritual
death which is the separation from God & exiting from his holy presence

Naturally those born from those parents had to inherit their impure mistaking nature
which deserves God’s fair verdict which is death, so the holy bible said;” in Adam
all die.”(1 Corinthians 15:22)

As the whole mankind inherited the impure nature of their parents the nature which is
craving for the pleasures & lusts so committing many sins as we have seen in the
previous chapter, all of this deserve the death sentence, so the holy bible said:
“Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin;
and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.”(Romans 5:12)

This is about the spiritual death by exiting from paradise & the separation from God,
but there is another kind of death which is:

2) The moral death (which is the disgrace):

Actually when God created man he created him on his image & gave him eminent
dignity & placed him in the garden of Aden, but when he sinned against God he was
expelled from the paradise, he lost the dignity bestowed to him & he was
overwhelmed by the disgrace & infamy. He found himself stripped from the
righteousness & holiness, that’s what is really happening to the sinner as the holy
bible is saying: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people”
(Proverbs 14:34),

one of the best proof to this disgrace is the story of the gigantic Samson who left the
sacred life he was living in & fell into the sin with Delilah, so what happened to him?

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, he lost his eyes & was spinning around in the mill like an animal & was mocked at,
he was covered by the disgrace & infamy

That’s what we mean by the moral death, in which man passes through as an
inevitable consequence for the sin & there is a third type of death which is:

3) The eternal death:

The punishment of the sinners is not only confined to expelling from the paradise &
not returning back to it but it includes also casting in the hell for good that’s what
we mean by the eternal death

The holy bible is mentioning what the lord is telling the wicked in the Day of
Judgment “'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for
the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41)

“The angels will come forth, .., and will cast them ( i.e. casting the wicked ) into
the furnace of fire.. (Matthew 13:49)

This is about the sin punishment which is the spiritual, moral & eternal death from
the christian point of view, now we will shift to the sin punishment from the islamic
point of view

Part two

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 The punishment of sin in Islam

Islam admits that the punishment of sin is:

1) The spiritual death: (expelling form the paradise)

Ta-Ha chapter (Surat Ta-Ha):” Then Satan whispered to him, saying "O Adam! Shall
I lead you to the Tree of eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away (never
ends)?” Then they both ate of the tree, and so their private parts appeared to them,
and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering.
Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he went astray, Allah said:” Get you down from
it (the paradise), all of you, together” here God spoke to Adam & Eve who are two
by saying all of you ( meaning pleural ( more than two in Arabic))

Imam Al-Bidawy explained this saying “he was speaking to them by saying all of
you as they are the origin of the mankind, so as if they are the whole mankind,

Imam Al-Nasfy clarified what was also mentioned on the cow chapter (Surat Al-
Baqarah)} about the expelling of Adam:” Get you down from it.., some of you are an
enemy to some others.” saying: although he was speaking to Adam & Eve, , he was
telling them all of you ( not both of you), meaning Adam & Eve& their offspring as
they are the origin of the mankind, so as if they are the whole mankind (Imam Al-
Nasfy tafsir( exegesis part 1)

From this we can see that, the punishment of sin is the spiritual death & also:

2) The moral death (which is the disgrace & infamy):

The punishment of sin includes also the disgrace & infamy which is correlated with
the sinner in this world also, in this the quran said in: The Groups (Surat Az-Zumar)
"So Allah made them to taste the disgrace in the present life, but greater is the
torment of the Hereafter “

The great scholar Sheikh Abdullah yousef Ali commented on this verse saying: the
sin usually results into disgrace & infamy in this world, but the greatest punishment is
in the thereafter (English translation of the meaning of the noble quran page 1188)

From this we see the punishment of sin is the disgrace & infamy,
Now we will mention the testimony of the quran on the eternal death in the
following:

3) The eternal death (i.e. casting in the hell)

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“Whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the Fire of
Hell, he shall dwell therein forever." the jinn chapter (Surat Al-jinn) 23,

From this verse it is obvious that whosoever disobeys God, he will be punished by
the Fire of Hell, we have seen before in:

Ta-Ha chapter (Surat Ta-Ha) “ Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he went astray”
so as Adam disobeyed his lord so the verdict he got is casting in the Fire of Hell &
so on with everyone who sins as it will be explained from the following verse :”

“Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire
“The cow chapter (Surat Al-Baqarah) 81

In the previous chapter we have seen that the whole mankind had sinned so deserved
the fire of the hell as will be explained from the following verse Mary Chapter( Surat
Maryam) 71:” There is not one of you but will pass over it (i.e. Hell) this is with
your Lord; a decree which must be accomplished”

From that it is obvious that Adam & his offspring as they sinned they deserved the
fire of hell which is the eternal death besides, the spiritual death &the moral death

As we see this is the common ground between the christian creed & the Islamic creed

Summary of the second Chapter (the punishment)

Subject In the Christianity In Islam

{God is a righteous judge} Verily, Allah enjoins justice,
God is fair ruler (Psalm 7:11) (the Bee chapter (Surat An-
Nahl)
And Allah judges, there is
none to put back His
Judgement, (the thunder
chapter (Surat Ar-Rad)

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The punishment of “God sent him forth from the “Get you down from it (the
sin Garden of Eden” (genesis 3) paradise), all of you “{Ta-
Ha chapter(Surat Ta-Ha)}
1) The spiritual “so death passed to all men,
death: (expelling because all sinned”(Romans meaning the two of them &
form the paradise) 5) their offspring ,( Imam Al-
Nasfy)

Righteousness exalts a nation, " Allah made them to taste

2)The moral death but sin is a disgrace to any the disgrace in the present
(the disgrace) people”(Proverbs 14:34) life, but greater is the
torment of the Hereafter”
The disgrace of Samson the (The company chapter
gigantic (Surat Az-Zumar) 26 )

“the sin usually results into

disgrace & infamy in this
world, but the greatest
punishment is in the
thereafter” (Sheikh
Abdullah yousef)

'Depart from me, you cursed, “Whosoever disobeys

3) casting in the hell into the eternal fire” Allah and His Messenger,
( Matthew 25:41) then verily, for him is the
Fire of Hell, he shall dwell
“And shall cast them into the therein forever”{ the jinn
furnace of fire: there shall be chapter (Surat Al-jinn)}
the weeping and the gnashing
of teeth.” (Matthew 13:42) “Whosoever earns evil and
his sin has surrounded him,
they are dwellers of the
Fire,”{ the cow chapter
(Surat Al-Baqarah)}

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 Chapter three
The gift of forgiveness
Part one: the forgiveness in the Christianity
Part two: the forgiveness in the Islam

Part one

the forgiveness in the Christianity

As we have seen in the previous chapter the attitude of God, the fair ruler, towards
the sinners, as he judge them with the severe punishment which is the spiritual, moral
& eternal death
That’s as regards God’s fairness, but we have to put into consideration also that one
of the characters of God is the mercy, so what is the act of mercy?
Isn’t the forgiveness one of the acts of mercy? Of course it is.
So it’s an act of God’s mercy to grant the sinner the forgiveness, that’s what we
will clarify in the following:

First; God is merciful & forgiver:

The mercy is one of the characters of God; this was clarified in the holy bible in
many verses of these: “the lord is a merciful and gracious God, , forgiving iniquity
and disobedience and sin” (Exodus 34:6, 7)

This means that God is showing his mercy for the sinners & forgiving them from the
punishment they deserve because of their sins, so he has to save them from the
death sentence
That’s what we will speak about in the next point:

Second; The salvation of Adam & his offspring:

The holy bible explains that the salvation is one of the acts of God’s mercy saying
that God “according to his mercy, he saved us” (Titus 3:5), this salvation has to
include:

1) The return of Adam & his offspring to the paradise:

As the verdict was to expel Adam & his offspring from the paradise, but because of
God’s mercy & forgiveness Adam has to be allowed to return once again to the
paradise, so the Christ said to the right thief who was crucified with him:” Truly I
tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)

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The holy revelation is saying through Apostle John: “To him who overcomes I will
give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.”(Revelation 2:7)
From that it is obvious that God through his mercy allowed the mankind to return
back to the paradise

2) The salvation from hell

Also as the verdict was to cast Adam & his offspring in the fire of hell eternally, but
the forgiveness necessitates God’ salvation from that fire & giving them eternal
happy life, so the holy bible says:” For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

This is the Christian creed regarding the forgiveness of Adam & his offspring who
are the whole mankind, the forgiveness as we explained include lifting the death
sentence over them & allowing them to return to the lost paradise & the kingdom of
heaven

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 Part two
The forgiveness in Islam
We have seen that the forgiveness in Christianity is based on God being Most
Merciful & Oft-Forgiving & through his mercy he saved Adam & his offspring from
the death so he opened to them to the door of paradise & saved them from the fire of
hell, Islam attested that:

First; God is All merciful & forgiver

The Groups chapter (Surat Az-zumar) 53:“Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful”.

Imam Al-Ghazaly said about God’s mercy” God’s mercy is plenary & inclusive,
being inclusive as it includes the world & afterlife (Al-Maksed Al-Asna, the
explanation of the nice names attributed to God page 23)

Imam Al-Ghazaly said also about God being the Oft-Forgiving’ the forgiving is the
one revealing the bright aspect & covering the ugly one and the sins are among the
ugly things that need to be covered, so he covered them by sending the screening
over them here in the world & bypassing the punishment in the afterlife (Al-Maksed
Al-Asna, the explanation of the nice Names attributed to God page 66)

We have seen here from what we have extracted the forgiving mercy character of
Almighty God, we will see how this forgiving mercy necessitates the salvation of
man from the punishments he deserves

Second: The salvation of Adam & his offspring:

Actually Islam attested that God’s forgiving mercy had made possible for the man to
return back to the paradise as we will see from the following:

1) The return of Adam & his offspring to the paradise:

The Rank chapter (Surat As-Saff) 12:“He will forgive your sins, and admit you into
Gardens under which rivers flow “here he clarifies that the return of Adam to the
paradise from which he was expelled is from the act of forgiveness “

2) The salvation from the fire of hell:

The Family of Imran chapter (Surat Aal-Imran) 103:” You were on the brink of a pit
of Fire, and He saved you from it.”

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Imam Al-Nasfy explains this saying: they were about to fall in a pit of Fire of hell
and He saved you from it” {Al-Nasfy exegesis (tafsir) part 1}

What a forgiving mercy that forgave man & returned him back to what he was before
committing the sin

Summary of the Third Chapter ( the forgiveness)

Subject In the Christianity In Islam

1)-God is merciful & the lord is a merciful and Allah forgives all sins.
forgiver: gracious God, forgiving Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving,
iniquity and disobedience Most Merciful”( The
and sin” (Exodus 34:6, 7) Groups chapter (Surat Az-
zumar) 53)

“ God’s mercy is plenary

& inclusive, including
those who deserve & those
who don’t’ (Imam Al-
Ghazaly)

2-The salvation of Adam & Today you will be with “He will forgive your
his offspring: me in Paradise." (Luke sins, and admit you into
23:43) Gardens under which
The return of Adam & his rivers flow”( The Rank
offspring to the paradise “For the wages of sin is chapter (Surat As-Saff)12)
death; but the free gift of
The salvation from the fire God is eternal life” “You were on the brink of
of hell (Romans 6:23) a pit of Fire, and He saved
you from it.”( The Family
of Imran chapter (Surat
Aal-Imran) 103 )

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 Finally
We have seen in that part how God created Adam in a state of purity & righteousness,
but when he sinned enticed by Satan, he fell from the eternal life & was expelled
from the paradise of blissfulness; he deserved the death sentence according to God’s
fair judgment, but God in his deep love & plenary of mercy wanted to forgive Adam
& his offspring from their sins & lift their punishment
That’s not an easy matter, as how can God after he announced an adjudgment of
punishment to cancel it?, and he is plenary in his fairness, so if he forgave Adam the
sinner ,that will be unfair & how it will be then if he also negated his adjudgment!
On the other side, if he didn’t grant Adam & his offspring an amnesty, so where is
his mercy?
So as we see there is a gave problem demanding a wise solution for syncretizing
between his fairness & mercy

That’s our main subject in the second part of this series, as we’ll declare the wise
solution which was set forth by the plenary God’s wisdom, supported by the holy
bible verse& we will mention also the Islamic point of view.

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