Is the Human Death A Result of Adam's Sin? A Comparative Study of Quran and Bible on Death

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Islamic Education, Faculty of Islamic Education and Thought, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Muhammad Ali Shokouhi. Department of Islamic Art, Faculty of Art, & Department of Management, Faculty of Culture and Communication. Soore University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The story of the Original Sin that is Adam and Eve and their sin of eating from the Forbidden Fruit is mentioned in the Bible as well as the Quran. . Although there are some similarities in the narration of this event in these holy books, there are some nuances in some significant points. One of the significant differences is the consequences of Adam's Original Sin in eating the Forbidden Fruit. Traditional narratives of the Bible emphasize human death as one of these consequences. This belief has been considered one of Christian theology's fundamental assumptions. However, there is no narrative in the Quran. This paper discusses that human physical death is not necessarily the result of Adam's Sin, as narrated in Torah. Instead, the spiritual death that is considered a result of human sin is the consequence of Adam's Original Sin, like other human sins. Despite some Christian interpretations that completely changed the story, this study shows that the Torah's statement is entirely interpretable and reasonable. In this respect, the Quran has never mentioned anything about Adam and his progeny's physical and spiritual death. Instead, the Quran states that merciful God forgave his fault in eating the Forbidden Fruit, and God will never punish people for the sins of others; thus, sin is not hereditary.

Keywords

References

  1. * Holy Quran.

    * Torah.

    * Bible.

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Theosophia Islamica
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
December 2021
Pages 105-124

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