"Mistakes"

Submitted by Lactantius Jr ( (United Kingdom), Sep 26, 2006 at 07:38

Thank you Ahmed for your comment about the Pope's humanness and his ‘mistake,' a condition we all share, the Bible calling it not a ‘mistake,' but sin, which is something much more serious, the Bible saying "that all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." Romans 3:23 going on to present God's remedy, saying that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus."

Romans 6:23 telling us why Jesus came, "Here is a true saying, worthy of full acceptance by all people, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15 and He does, and He will, for all who will accept His rescue, the Bible saying, "For He is able to save to the uttermost all those who come to God through Him." Hebrews 7:25 and He can do this because He was completely sinless. In the Bible there are numerous proofs of His sinlessness, such as:- "For our sake he made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5. 21 "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin." Hebrews 4:15 "You know that He appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. "1 John 3:5 "He committed no sin, no guile was found on His lips." 1 Peter 2:22 The Lord Jesus Christ was never commanded to pray for forgiveness because He was faultless.

We also never find Him praying for any faults, wrongs and sins such as the Qur'an attributes in the verses quoted later, to Muhammad. Jesus never wronged His soul, nor was He blameworthy. Instead, the Qur'an emphasizes that he was entirely without sin and was faultless. We can therefore conclude by saying that the Qur'an teaches that of all men, the Lord Jesus Christ alone was sinless. Compare and contrast Him with a man who in the night's stillness, far from the crowd and alone with the thoughts of his heart, prays confessing the truth he knows within his soul: "Oh Allah, I acknowledge and confess before you, all my sins, please forgive them, as no one can forgive sins except you. Forgive my mistakes, those done intentionally, or out of my ignorance, with or without seriousness. Oh Allah, forgive my sins and my ignorance, forgive my sins of the past and of the future, which I did openly or secretly. Forgive the wrong I have done, jokingly or seriously. I seek your protection from all the evil I have done. Wash away my sins, and cleanse my heart, from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be long distance between me and my sins, as you made the East and West far from each other." That prayer expressed a heart which understood the depth of sin in its soul. It acknowledges a nature within that is bent towards sin. And it reflects the desire to cleanse that depth of sin. We hear in that prayer, a man's struggle with sin.

He asks forgiveness for his past and future sins, because he knows that as a normal man, he is going to sin. It is inevitable. He asks for forgiveness for things he has done intentionally, and unintentionally. He asks forgiveness for mistakes and sins, those done intentionally or unintentionally. He knows that the sins he committed are "evil", and confesses that to Allah. He does not make light of his sins. The sins he committed are "filth" in Allah's eyes. That man who prayed that prayer was Muhammad. It is a synthesis of his personal prayers found in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8: #s 335, 379, 407, and 408, Muhammad knew clearly he was a sinner; thus he makes his confession public. Over and over again he stated he was a sinner. The Qur'an he recited identifies him as a sinner. Surah's 40:55, 48:2, and 47:19: "Therefore have patience; Allah's promise is surely true. Implore forgiveness for your sins, and celebrate the praise of your Lord evening and morning." Surah 40:55 "... so that Allah may forgive you your past and future sins, and perfect His goodness to you; ..." Surah 48:2 "So know (O Muhammad) that there is no Allah save Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy sin and for believing men and believing women. Allah knoweth (both) your place of turmoil and your place of rest." Surah 47:19 The Qur'anic word used in these verses for sin is "dhanb", or "thanb", depending on how one transliterates the word. It is used many times in the Quran.

The Hughes Encyclopedic Dictionary of Islam defines the word as "a sin or a crime, or the charge of such". Clearly, the Qur'an identifies Muhammad as a sinner. It is definitely applied to Muhammad. "Dhanb" is translated as sin, crime, & fault. How does Allah deal with people who have committed dhanb? Allah - Obliterates them, Destroys them, puts them in hellfire, gives them a grievous penalty, calls them to account, hits them with a violent tornado, hits them with a mighty blast, has the earth swallow them up, drowns them in water, punishes them and puts them in the agony of fire. Allah does all this to people who commit "dhanb".

Does this sound like something Allah passes over as a minor "stumbling", "mistake", or "act of forgetfulness"? Of course not! It sounds like Allah is severely punishing people for their "dhanb". It sounds like Allah is really serious about it. Don't you agree ? and remember, Muhammad committed "dhanb". Muhammad was told to ask forgiveness for his "dhanb". And Muhammad taught in the Qur'an that forgiveness of "dhanb" was required to get into Paradise. Otherwise, a person with unforgiven "dhanb" ends up in hell. Compare and contrast Muhammad the spotted sinner, with the spotless Lord Jesus Christ, who was without sin of any kind.

It is a simple matter to prove from the Qur'an and the Bible, that the Lord Jesus Christ was absolutely without sin throughout His life. When the angel appeared to Mary, the Qur'an says that he told her "I am only a messenger of thy Lord that I may bestow on thee a faultless son" Surah 19.19 The Arabic word for "faultless", zakiyya, implies that he was totally without sin. The Bible teaches that "the wages of sin is death.............." Romans 6:23, but the Lord Jesus Christ, being completely sinless, although dying on the Cross, didn't stay dead, absolutely fittingly for a sinless Saviour "Who came into the world to save sinners" 1 Timothy 1:15 He "has done death to death," being resurrected to eternal life, because the grave couldn't hold Him, and death couldn't handle Him.

According to Christian and Islamic teachings, Jesus was pure and sinless. Although Christianity's and Islam's teachings on the sinful nature of man differ, a close examination of Muhammad's actions and personal prayers, show that he exactly fits the Christian definition of "sinner". Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. Muhammad did not know this. Instead of finding true forgiveness, deep in his heart, Muhammad lived in fear of his upcoming torment in the grave, but we don't have to live with that fear, because "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 That's the deal. No messing.

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