The Doctrine of Original Sin

The Doctrine of Original Sin

By
Br. Khalid Sayfullah

"Say
(O Muhammad): 'O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)!
Exceed not the limits in your religion (by believing in something)
other than the truth, and do not follow the vain desires of people
who went astray in times gone by, and who misled many, and strayed
(themselves) from the Right Path.'" [Qur'an 5:77]

The
doctrine of original sin is one of the tenets of Christianity
which was established in the 5th century A.D., under the influence
of Augustine, by the Roman Catholic church. It must be understood
from the beginning that this doctrine, is at best, only a theory!

Christians
believe this theory to be a Bible doctrine. They reason that,
since theologians and preachers teach this doctrine, then it must
be true! This theory is not a Bible doctrine and nowhere in the
Bible can there be found verses which give credence to it! Where,
in the Bible, is it written that , "All men are guilty and
condemnable for the depraved nature with which they are born"?

The
fact that mankind has the boldness to propagate this (and other)
theories as 'Bible truths', whilst being warned by God not to
tamper with His Holy Word, by neither adding to or taking away
from it, is surely one of mankind's greatest crimes!

"You
must not add anything to my charge (to command, assign responsibility
to), nor take anything away from it." (Deuteronomy, chapter
3, verse 4.)

"Verily,
We did send down the Tauraat (to Musa), therein was guidance and
light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's
Will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests (too judged
the Jews by the Tauraat after those Prophets) for to them was
entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses
thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear Me (O Jews) and sell
not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge
by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers." [Qur'an
5:44]

Church
history records that from the 2nd and 3rd century A.C. onwards,
both the practices and doctrines of Christ were increasingly corrupted
by heathen philosophies complete with their pagan superstitions
and sense of morality. This influence was extensive. On the one
hand there was unrestrained sexual lust, and on the other extremes
in asceticism; the veneration and worship of saints, relics, images,
and pictures; the development of a priesthood with priestly rituals
and ceremonies; magical and spiritual powers ascribed to water,
sacred words, and signs; water baptism for the remission of sins;
and the baptism of infants. Heathen mythology was introduced and
branded 'Christianity'!

Many
of the early theologians were converts from heathenism, who wedded
their pagan philosophical concepts to Christianity. These were
educated men who gave the concepts of their heathen beliefs to
Christianity, thereby corrupting the purity of the teachings of
Jesus. They believed, especially Augustine, that unbaptised infants
are damned because of inherited sin and guilt, and that saints
and martyrs could intercede in our favour.

It
was from this soil of religious ignorance and superstition that
the Augustinian theory of original sin arose. The Augustinian
theory declares that since all of mankind is descended from Adam,
then on that basis the morality of Adam was transferred to his
descendants, and therefore, all of mankind is intrinsically corrupt.

In
the Bible of today we can find nothing to substantiate the doctrine
of the original sin, infact we are able to find denial of such
a doctrine!

"Fathers
shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for
their fathers; a man shall be put to death only for his own sin."
(Deuteronomy, chapter 24, verse 16.)

"It
is the soul that sins, and no other, that shall die; a son shall
not share a father's guilt, nor a father his son's. The righteous
man shall reap the fruit of his own righteousness, and the wicked
man the fruit of his own wickedness." (Ezekiel, chapter 18,
verse 20.)

Allah
explains in Al Qur'an:

"Say:
'Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of
all things? No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only),
and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then
unto your Lord is your return, so He will tell you that wherein
you have been differing.'" [Qur'an 6:164].

Insha'Allah,
we as Muslims are able to continue with our Da'wah towards those
who are misled and misguided and Insha'Allah, those who mislead
and deceive bear the burden of their own sin.