Monday, June 29, 2020

Are we born good?

The Real Meaning of Original Sin - Lion's Roar
Islam teaches that every person is born Muslim.  In the Islamic doctrine of "original disposition" or fitra, it is thought that a person naturally inclines to their creator Allah and is born with a mind that naturally follows Islam.  It is the people around us--our family, friends and society--that overpower our innate tendency to follow Allah and cause us to sin.  Muslims are born sinless or into a state of "fitra" (c.f. Wikipedia).  This Islamic doctrine denies the Christian doctrine of Original Sin, the idea that we received sin from our parents at birth.

Let us look at the concept of fitra in context of the Islamic creation story.  In the Quran, the first man Adam was not created on earth but created in heaven, and then fell down to earth:
"Then, Satan caused them to slip from it, and brought them out of where they had been. And We said, “Go down, all of you, some of you the enemies of others; and on the earth there will be for you a dwelling place and enjoyment for a time.” " Quran 2:36, Usmani
Adam had sinned and this verse says that he was kicked out of God's sight.  But Adam learned some words through which he repented:
"Then ’Ādam learned certain words (to pray with) from his Lord; so, Allah accepted his repentance. No doubt, He is the Most-Relenting, the Very-Merciful."  Quran 2:37, Usmani
Even though Adam prayed and was forgiven, he still wasn't allowed back into Allah's abode.  Allah did send guidance to Adam:
We said, “Go down from here, all of you. Then, should some guidance come to you from Me, those who follow My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve."  Quran 2:38, Usmani
This verse says we need guidance to the righteous path to find the way back to Allah.  There are problems with this idea.  If we are born into a state of "fitra", why do we need a guide in order to bring us back to heaven?  Shouldn't every newborn start out in heaven?  Instead, every day in their daily prayers, Muslims recite Surah al Fatihah where they ask for guidance (see Quran 1:6).  

Even the prophet Muhammed prayed this surah.  So even Muhammad needed guidance.  How can this prophet be expected to guide us when he himself needs guidance?  Is Muhammed qualified to do this?
In the bigger picture, if man is born sinless, then why does the Hadith say that all men are sinners?:

Anas (RAA) narrated that Allah's Messenger () said:  “All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.”  Related by At·Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah with a strong chain of narrators.  Book 16, Hadith 41

Why does the Quran ascribe sinlessness only to Jesus (Quran 19:19-20)?

Is it that our family, friends and society really change our predisposition toward Allah?   Are people more powerful than God, that they can change our basic nature?  

As Christians, we believe we can do no such thing.  People are innately sinful.  People do not have the power to remove our faith, just as they don't have to power to give us faith.  The Holy Spirit can change someone's heart and take someone from the hellfire into the kingdom of God.  Jesus takes our sin and then we become righteous:

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

This is not because of anything I or another human does to us, but it is God's work.

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