Conversation : Allah Forgives All Sins

Conversation🗣️

The following is an account of a real conversation between AJ and another person. All personal information has been omitted.

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{إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا} [الزمر: 53]

Allah Forgives All Sins

Y: I love many aspects of Islam and I believe it is the most truthful religion however; there is a barrier that keeps me away from it.
AJ: In that case, I hope that you will be able to overcome that

Y: Why does God put a characteristic in me that I can’t control, yet I am not allowed to act upon it forever? For heterosexuals, there is marriage for coping with desire, but for people like me, the only choice is death.
AJ: We should know that Islam is a lifestyle and revelation sets certain boundaries for our behavior. If nothing in it conflicted with our desires and ideas, we would have all guided ourselves to salvation and never would have been in need of revelation.

Allah says in the Quran:

﴿ ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ ﴾[سورة النجم 32-32]

“Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him”. (53:32 translated)

Y: Yes, this verse is so beautiful but Allah wants me dead.
AJ: Let‟s not jump to conclusions, my friend. My advice for you is to focus on your beliefs about the Quran being the final revelation from our Creator and the Prophet Mohammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as the final messenger as objectively as possible and separate this consideration from any anxiety or reservations you may have about practicing Islam and how you imagine that your life may change. If you can come to a definite conclusion that the Quran is what it claims to be (a guide to lead each of us on our own straight path to salvation) and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ____________was what he claimed to be (the last messenger from God to receive revelation), then you can move on to implementing whatever you learn from them and gradually adjusting your lifestyle with consistency based on firm belief. Is this clear so far?

Y: I believe in the Quran and this is why I gave myself a second chance. In the Quran, there is nothing mentioned which commands Muslims to kill people like me. There is only a general condemnation. The one thing that prevents me from fully believing in Islam is the Prophet’s saying: kill the doer and the one to whom it is being done to.

AJ: Ok, we can discuss. First, let us consider the following translated verses from the Quran and hadith:

﴿ وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (80) إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ (81) وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ (82) فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ (83) وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴾[سورة الأعراف 80-84]

“And [consider] Lot, when he said to his people, „Do you commit such immorality no one has preceded you with from all the worlds? Indeed, you express your desires with men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds.‟ And the answer of his people was only that they said, „Drive them out of your town; indeed, these are people who purify themselves‟. Then, We saved him and his family, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind, and We rained down on them a rain [of stones], so see what was the end of the criminals”. (Quran 7:80-84)

We can understand from the Quran that homosexual intercourse is considered a major sin. As for the hadith – in it we find the text “whoever you find”, which means that the same standards in the Islamic penal code for convicting a heterosexual couple of adultery or fornication would apply here, specifically that there should be 4 witnesses to the act of penetration.

While both of these texts carry the meaning that this act is a sin, the hadith has other implications such as:

1- Those committing this act in privacy are not subject to any worldly punishment or prosecution, and no one is claiming to be free from sin in their private lives.

2- Committing this act in public in such a manner that can be witnessed in this way indicates that the homosexual couple is, in effect, making a social statement such as a call to that type of lifestyle etc…

3- Any punishment for homosexuality is considered to be a deterrent for those considering homosexuality or advocating for it.

Y: I want to comment.
AJ: sure, go ahead.

Y: Heterosexuals have a 100% halal path. I don’t.
AJ: I disagree; heterosexuals are also prone to transgression

Y: I am listening
AJ: Currently, their only halal path is marriage but many people disobey Allah and have sex outside of marriage. Similar to the last point I brought up, only those doing so brazenly in public would be subject to prosecution according to shariah law. If society has reached this point, then some measures are called for anyway.

Y: My point is heterosexuals can do it if they are married. I can’t because the religion doesn’t even believe that I shall get married.
AJ: Never say never.

Y: I don’t understand.
AJ: What I am saying is that anything is possible for Allah to make happen, including that you may get married to a woman.

Y: Is it halal to act upon my desires privately?
AJ: No, it is not, but that should not take away from your objective evaluation of the Quran and Islam as a religion.

Y: Whoever this woman that I will marry is will have to give up a big part of the marital life, which is the nikah [intercourse], since I won’t be able to provide that.
AJ: Let‟s not get ahead of ourselves. I suggest that we focus on the main issue, which is your position regarding the Quran and Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. After we are clear on this, we will know how to proceed. So, what would you say your position is currently?

Y: I feel nothing but love towards Allah and the Quran in everything but this one topic; it is an exception. I would have loved to just ditch that part and become a full believer but it doesn’t make sense to me. Most Muslim scholars tell me to fake being a heterosexual, compare me to other sexual orientations or tell me to be fully devoted and just get over it. Until now, I am not a Muslim. I don’t pray.
AJ: Ok, now we are getting clearer. Please allow me to share some thoughts…

Y: Go ahead.
AJ: Do not think that you are the only person who has personal issues that need to be resolved in order for your lifestyle to be in accordance with Islam. Islam is not a “club for the pure”; it is a way of life for those who are coming to terms with their own mortality and relationship with the Creator and a methodology for each of us to find our own paths to salvation. Many people have issues with addiction, fornication, listening to harmful music, bad friends, being married to non-Muslims, oppressing others etc… The truth is that none of these issues would stop a person from being a Muslim if they only believe that they should try to live as Allah wants. Even if they can‟t envision how to proceed, at least they have taken the first step by proclaiming their faith in Allah and His Messenger. We ask Him for guidance and the answers to our issues, because we don’t have them ourselves and, to illustrate the point, I would like to share some quotes from Islamic texts...

Y: Sure
AJ:

﴿ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا ﴾[سورة النساء 48-48]

“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin” (Quran 4:48).

Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, „A man came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two deeds that make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?‟ He said: „Whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise, and whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter Hell.‟ 2

Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: „Jibreel appeared to me at the side of the Harrah26 and said, „Give your ummah the glad tidings that whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise.3 ‟ I said, „O Jibreel, even if he steals and has illegal sexual intercourse?‟ He said: „Yes.‟ I said: „Even if he steals and has illegal sexual intercourse?‟ He said: „Yes.‟ I said: „Even if he steals and has illegal sexual intercourse?‟ He said: „Yes, and even if he drinks alcohol.”4

Y: The last hadith – I wasn’t aware of it. Thank you so much – this is what I was looking for.
AJ: One more… Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “A man asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgment) saying, „When will the Hour be?‟ The Prophet said, „What have you prepared for it?‟ The man said, „Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Messenger.‟ The Prophet said, „You will be with those whom you love.‟ We had never been so happy as we were on hearing that saying of the Prophet.”5 We do not have the answers, my friend, Allah has the answers. All we have is a decision to purify our hearts from selfish intentions.

Y: This is just amazing. Thank you. May Allah bless you
AJ: My pleasure

Y: I had this monster vision of Allah and Islam but, by those hadiths, it doesn’t appear to be true.
AJ: Islam is a religion of balance; while we do fear the consequences of coming up short or our selfish natures destroying us, we also hope for the mercy of Allah and know that we have the chance for salvation. Therefore, I would like to invite you to begin navigating your life from a position of faith that Allah knows best for us and that he will guide us out of His mercy and wisdom, even if we cannot see how that would be possible or where it would start from.

Consider what Allah says in chapter 65 of the Quran:

﴿ .. وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا (2) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْرًا ﴾[سورة الطلاق 2-3]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a decree. (65:2-3)

Y: I will consider myself a Muslim from now on because He puts everyone in Heaven if they believe that He is the creator. May I ask a question? It is a horrible one but I wish I could.
AJ: Feel free.

Y: I heard that masturbation is halal for people who aren’t married to cope with their sexual desires; it that true? If so, can I just inhibit my sexual desire by doing such an act and continue practicing Islam, or will it still be a major sin?
AJ: While masturbation may seem to be the lesser or some evils, it is certainly not a part of anyone‟s ideal lifestyle. As for whether it is forbidden or not in Islam, it is understood to be less-than-ideal and this is what concerns us. As you may know, the prophetic advice on the subject is to either get married or fast regularly. It is up to each person to use their discretion at all times based on knowledge and pray for Allah to guide us to what is best for us, even if it is not what we presently prefer. We pray for Allah to make us prefer it if it is best for us.

Y: I am ready to accept Islam now.
AJ: Say, “I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His messenger – Ash Hadu An La Ilahah Illa Allah Wa Ash Hadu Ana Muhammad Rasul Allah”

Y: I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His messenger – Ash Hadu An La Ilahah Illa Allah Wa Ash Hadu Ana Muhammad Rasul Allah.
AJ: Welcome and congratulations on the best decision of your life.

Y: May Allah bless you
AJ: May Allah bless you too

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1- narrated by al-Tirmidhi, hadith #1456, Abu Dawood, hadith # 4462, and Ibn Maajah, hadith #2561

25 Sahih Muslim, hadith #135

2- Al-Harrah is a volcanic field northeast of the City of Madinah.

3- Authors note – the promise of entering paradise does not free a person from the responsibility of doing

everything he or she can to avoid entering hellfire before entering paradise. Consider the following hadith: It was

narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah

be upon him) said: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of Hell enter Hell, Allah will say:

‘Whoever had a mustard-seed’s weight of faith in his heart, bring him out.’ So they will bring him out, and they will

come out like burned skeletons, and they will turn into charcoal. They will be thrown into the River of Life, then

they will grow like seeds growing in the silt left by a flood.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith # 6192, Sahih Muslim, hadith184)

4- Sahih AlBukhari, hadith #6933, Sahih Muslim, hadith #1659

5- Sahih AlBukhari, hadith #3688