Will causing a sin make a person a sinner?
"Whenever a person is murdered unjustly, there is a share from the burden of the crime on the first son of Adam for he was the first to start the tradition of murdering." (Bukhari, Janaiz 33; Musnad, 1/383, 430, 433) – How should we understand the hadith above and the verse in the Quran below: "Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another´s burdens"? – Is the meaning of the hadith contradictory to the meaning of the verse?
Dear Brother / Sister,
The rule “Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another´s burdens” existing in the Quran is a clear principle of Islam. Nobody will share the crime of another person without a reason and will not bear his sin.
It is emphasized in the hadith above that if a person causes a crime to be committed even if indirectly, he will share the sin of that crime. For, as the rule “the one who causes something is like the one who does it” denotes, a person who causes something good will have his share from it and a person who causes something bad will have his share from it.
What is meant in the hadith is not bearing the sin of a person but being punished due to causing a sin to be committed. As a matter of fact, The following is stated in another hadith:
“A person who starts a good thing in Islam is given rewards. The same rewards of those who do the same thing are also given to him. However, their rewards are not decreased. A person who starts a bad thing in Islam is given sins. The same sins of those who do the same thing are also given to him. However, their sins are not decreased.” (Muslim, Ilm, 15)
Questions on Islam
- There is a hadith that is narrated as follows: "An illegitimate child is the evilest of the three evils." How should this narration be interpreted under the light of the verse, "No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another"?
- Why does Habil (Abel) want his brother Qabil (Cain) to go to Hell?
- How is Islams perception of justice?
- How did Islam prevent genocides and vendettas?
- What is the importance that Islam gives to justice?
- What is the importance that Islam gives to justice?
- A Muslim cannot be a terrorist; a terrorist cannot be a real Muslim
- What do you think about the tragedy of September 11 and the consequent attempt of associating other terrorist attacks in the world with the religion of Islam?
- In some books, it is written that the auspiciousness of sinners influence the people around them. Does Allah hold people responsible for the sins of other people?
- What is the importance given to justice by Islam?
