QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM

Hello.

I have to ask a question about Islam. I am not Muslim and do not know the answer to a question I was asked so I am asking it here.

If a Muslim does something wrong can he be forgiven by God/Allah? I have tried to research but only find the punishment that person can be given by other men. Can the person only be forgiven by Allah if he confesses the sin to men? Or can he be forgiven by Allah if other men never know about the sin?

I am from a Christian background so I can only think of the answer in those terms and do not know what the Islamic answer is.

Thank you

Piccasso wrote: If a Muslim does something wrong can he be forgiven by God/Allah? I have tried to research but only find the punishment that person can be given by other men. Can the person only be forgiven by Allah if he confesses the sin to men? Or can he be forgiven by Allah if other men never know about the sin?

O my dear brother Piccasso, here are few of my views about your question: In Islam, we have two kinds of rights over an individual to comply. Rights of the God (haqooq Allah) on the individual such as regular worships and all its associated obligations. Second, is the Rights of other individuals around him (haqooq Ibad) such as living in a society for example promises he made to his friend/s, or his honesty in his livelihood etc. It is believed that, if a person tries to ask forgiveness to God, God may forgive him for his negiligences owed towards His worship i.e. negligence of "haqooq Allah", but not of those committed against "haqooq Ibad". For this, i.e. violations against "haqooq Ibad", an individual must ask forgiveness to that individual to whom he had wronged. Hence, in Islam, though all sins are against God, but God has made it clear that if someone has done wrong to this brother/society, only that brother/society can forgive him. So, the Islamic laws are made to ensure that people behave responsibly in dealing among each other.

There is no concept of "confession" to priests in Islam as seen in some denominations of Christianity. An individual is fully responsible for all his actions as there there is no escape gate untill or unless one sincerely repents for his wrong doings; repent to God for all his wrongs in his worship obligations "haqooq Allah", and ask forgiveness to those individuals to whom he had wronged towards their rights "haqooq Ibad".

For us as Muslims, since no one knows when he will die, therefore, repentance must done as soon as the fault is realised. There is no specific 40 years limit; not at least that I read about anywhere.

Kindly do let me know if you need further clarification or any thing else. peace.

http://www.submission.org/teresa.html

I do not find this in other places I searched so this is his opinion or not a standard belief.

Dear Brother Piccasso!

I think brother Ahmed has quite clearly answered your question. But I would just like to add that the mercy is not only limited for Muslims alone or the God/Allah does not belong to Muslims alone. He is creator and sustainer of all that exist. So anyone who seek mercy with a real and sincere heart will definately be forgiven by Allah:

6:54. And when those who believe in Our communications come to you, say: Peace be on you, your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if any one of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful.

4:31. If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with your small sins and cause you to enter an honorable place of entering.

39:53. Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.

4:48. Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He Will; and whoever associates anything with Allah, he devises indeed a tremendous sin

There are lot of things that Muslims practice that has nothing to do with Islam. Like in Indo-Pakistan most Muslims prostrate in front of the graves of Sufis and saints (this is an unforgiveable sin and means associating partners with God). So Islam is not to be judged by what Muslims do or believe but what is told in Quran and by Prophet Muhammad. This 40 year concept is nowhere given in Quran, Hadith to my knowledge is also deviod of any such concept.

If such a person is dead or can't be found then something on his behalf should be given in charity to some poor or needy and the forgiveness should be seeked from Allah. Even if the other man was bad, we can not take the legal action or punish him at our own. The punishment has to be routed through state or court of law.

Shams Zaman