3. No One Can Carry Another Person’s
Sin (35:18)
I want you not me to bear my sin and your sin, then
you end up with the dwellers of hell, such is the requital for the
transgressors. (5:29)
They will be held responsible for their sins on
the day of resurrection all of them, in addition to sins of all
those whom they misled by their ignorance. What a miserable load.
(16:25)
Those who disbelieved said to those who believed,
“If you follow our way, we will be responsible for your sins.”
Not true; they cannot bear any of their sins. They are liars. In
fact they will carry their own sins in addition to loads of other
people’s sins for which they were responsible … (29:12-13)
No soul can carry the sins of another soul. If a
soul that is loaded with sins, implores another to bear part of
its load, no other soul can carry any part of it, even if they were
related … (35:18)
No sinner will bear the sins of anyone else... (17:15).
A casual reader of the Quran may conclude from these verses that
there seems to be some discrepancies in the way the verses relate.
But there are no contradictions whatsoever. The point made in the
verses is this: We are absolutely responsible for only our own sins,
which are incurred by our direct acts. Others cannot transfer their
sins to us, in order to have theirs erased or even reduced. Nor
can we inherit sins from our relatives or the ancestors. It is explained
beautifully in 35:18 that even if we
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were related, we cannot carry part of
their sins. But we may incur the sins of people if we cause them
to be misled.
4. God Alone vs. God and His messenger (4:59)
O you who believe, you shall obey God and you shall
obey the messenger, and those in charge among you. If you dispute
in any matter, you shall refer it to God and the messenger, if you
believe in God and the Last Day. This is better for you and provides
you with the best solution. (4:59).
Anyone who disobeys God and His messenger will abide
in the fire of hell forever. (72:23)
Did they not know that any one who opposes God and
His messenger has incurred the fire of hell forever! This is the
worst humiliation. (9:63)
Never would a human being whom God blessed with the
scripture and prophethood say to the people, “Idolize me beside
God.” Instead, (he would say), “Devote yourselves absolutely
to your Lord alone according to the scripture you preach and the
teaching you learn. (3:79)
Nor would he command you to idolize the angels and
the prophets as lords. Would he exhort you to disbelieve after becoming
submitters? (3:80)
Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion
of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the
people by God. Such creation of God will never change. This is the
perfect religion, but most people do not know. (30:30)
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You shall submit to Him,
reverence Him, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and - whatever
you do - do not ever fall into idol worship. (30:31)
A careful and objective student of the Quran would have no problem
in reconciling the verses cited above. There are numerous other
verses like these in the Quran, where God told us to obey Him and
obey the messenger. In fact when it comes to the act of worship
and devotion, God told us it should be exclusively to Him Alone.
He specifically issued the following order through prophet Muhammad
in the Quran:
The places of worship belong to God; do not call
on anyone else beside God. (72:18)
Obeying the messenger, therefore means upholding the message or
carrying out the orders the messenger was sent with, the messenger
being an instrument God used for His message. But does God need
a partner such as Muhammad, Jesus, Mary or some saints, in order
to be commemorated and worshipped? Never!
Say, “In whose hand is all sovereignty over
all things, and He is the only one who can provide help, but needs
no help, if you know?” (23:88)
If you disbelieve, God does not need anyone. But
He dislikes to see His servants make the wrong decision. If you
decide to be appreciative, He is pleased for you. No soul bears
the sins of any other soul… (39:7)
Cont'd on Page 3
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