Islam_in_Focus_text

le sinner wouki. It is also on the same basis, the Muslim believes
that God, the Forgiving and Merciful, granted Adam
pardon (2:35-37; 20:117-122). Hence, the Muslim cannot
possibly accept the doctrine that Adam with the whole hu-
man race had been condemned and unforgiven until Jesus
came to expiate for their sins. Consequently, the Muslim
cannot entertain the dramatic story of Jesus' death on the
cross just to do away with all human sins once and for all.
Here the reader must be cautioned against any wrong
conclusions. The Muslim does not believe in the crueifixion
of Jesus by his enemies because the basis of this doctrine of
crucifixion is contrary to Divine mercy and Justice as much
as it is to human logic and dignity. Such a disbelief in the
doctrine does not in any way lessen the Muslim's reverence
for Jesus, or degrade the high status of Jesus in Islam, or
even shake the Muslim's belief in Jesus as a distinguished
prophet of God. On the contrary, by rejecting this doctrine
the Muslim accepts Jesus but only with more esteem and
higher respect, and looks upon his original message as an es-
sential part of Islam. So let it be stated, again, that to be a
Muslim a person must accept and respect all the prophets of
God without any discrimination. The general status of Jesus
in islam will be further discussed in a later chapter.
1 1 . The
true Muslim believes that man must work out
his salvation through the Guidance of God. This means that
in order to attain salvation a person must combine Faith and
dD