Notis: Det följande är en reproduktion av artiklen "Why do they not study the Quran carefully?" i Juni-upplagan 2001 av Submitters Perspective, den månatliga bulletinen av United Submitters International.

Part II

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 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)

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)

Therefore, you shall devote your worship absolutely to God ALONE, even if the disbelievers dislike it. (40:14)

This is to say that those who worship God Alone follow only the instructions and teaching from one consistent source, the Quran Alone.

God cites the example of a man who deals with disputing partners (Hadith), compared to a man who deals with only one consistent source (Quran). Are they the same? Praise be to God; most of them do not know. (39:29)

5. Heavens and Earth Created in 6 Days. (7:54)

Your Lord is the one God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days,* then assumed all authority... (7:54)

He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days… (11:7)

He is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, in six days, then assumed all authority…. (25:59)

Say, “You disbelieve in the One who created the earth in two days, and you set up idols to rank with Him, though He is Lord of the universe.” He placed on it stabilizers (mountains), made it productive, and He calculated its provisions in four days, to satisfy the needs of all its inhabitants. Then He turned to the sky, when it was still gas, and said to it, and to the earth, “Come into existence, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.” Thus, He completed the seven universes in two days, and set up the laws for every universe. And we adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and placed guards around it. Such is the design of the Almighty, the Omniscient. (41:9-12)

Repeatedly, Quran maintained its consistency that the heavens and the earth were created in six days. It was only when God willed to break it down for us as to how He did it, that we see in 41:9-12 that the earth together with the seven universes were created in two days. Then it took an additional four days to calculate the provisions for all the creatures on earth. This is to teach us that there is life only on the planet earth.

There is not a creature on earth whose provision is not guaranteed by God. And He knows its course and its final destiny. All are recorded in a profound record. (11:6)

It takes divine control for the insincere not to appreciate the awesome wisdom in the Quran.

We thus control the minds of the guilty. Consequently they cannot believe in him. This has been the system since the past generations. (15:12-13).

Quite interestingly too, the people who wrote to claim that they have found contradictions in the Quran, could not do the simple kindergarten type of arithmetic to save themselves from the shame of exposing their ignorance and arrogance. All they had to do was to add 2 + 4 = 6 noting that the 4 days calculations of provisions by the angels for all the creatures on earth was part of the process of creation (re: 41:9-12).

It should be no surprise to us that these same people are members of those who believe that God created the earth in six days but got tired and took a rest on the seventh day (Sunday). In response to this nonsense, the Most Gracious answers:

We have created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them in six days, and no fatigue touched us. (50:38)

But we know from the Quran that not all people try to discredit or distort God’s words. There are those who take heed and reflect on God’s revelations:

They are not all the same; among the followers of the scripture, there are those who are righteous. They recite God's revelations through the night, and they fall prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, they advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and they hasten to do righteous works. These are the righteous. (3:113-114)

Sheyhu Adam