الرحيم الرحمن اهلل بسم
All praise is due to God alone, the Loving, the Kind, the Ever-Merciful, the All-Forgiving. May peace and
blessings be upon all of the Prophets and Messengers He sent forth to mankind to guide the way to eternal
salvation. To proceed;
The Path from Damnation
to Eternal Salvation
As this title indicates, this paper is intended to make clear for the reader the Islamic concept of Salvation
in Islam and the means to attain it. The intended audience of this paper is the Muslim and non-Muslim
alike and, given that the majority of my society is familiar with Christian concepts, I will do my best to
frame this discussion within those concepts while explaining them from an Islamic viewpoint. Toward
this end we will discuss the serious nature of sin, who carries the burden of sin, the Islamic equivalent to
being “Born Again”, the reality of Repentance, the keys to forgiveness and, what salvation may look like
from an Islamic perspective. Doing this, God willing, in a clear and concise manner.
While some of the themes of this paper are drawn from questions, conversations and classes, this paper is
not written as a response to any questions, nor as a rebuttal to any arguments. It is written purely from the
inspiration to make such information easily available for those who may seek after it; The entire purpose
of this paper is to make the topic of Salvation clear from an Islamic perspective.
Despite that being the stated intention, the title of this paper is “The Path from Damnation to Eternal
Salvation” so, it seems most fitting to begin with the topic of sin in Islam in order to lay a foundation. In
Islam there are several Arabic words used to denote the English “sin”. In this paper we will utilize “sin”
as a general term encompassing the various meanings. Ultimately, a sin entails the willful choosing to
disobey God. In light of this, for something to be considered a “sin” it must meet three conditions –
1.) There must be sanity and conscious awareness.
2.) There must be ability (as opposed to coercion or the like).
3.) A clear disobedience to the boundaries set by God.
If these three conditions are not met, the deed may be called “bad”, an error, even a crime – but it would
not be considered an actual sin.
We read in the Qur’an God’s guidance for us to pray, “Our Lord, do not take us to account for our
forgetfulness or our errors.” The fulfillment is promised through the Prophet’s ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص saying, “Indeed God1
has forgiven for me the mistakes done by my Ummah, that which they do out of forgetfulness and
whatever they are coerced to do.”2
In Islam, actual sins are also divided into two distinct categories – major and minor. The major sins are
those that have clear punishments associated with them, delineated by God, be it in this world or the
Hereafter. A minor sin is any deed which God has told us not to do but there is no specific punishment
directly associated with it. The reason this division becomes important for the muslim is that the major
sins demand repentance, while the minor sins are purified through doing good deeds, even a deed as
simple as asking for forgiveness.
Scholars have enumerated around 70 major sins however, all of these go back to around a dozen: the top
three are 1.) one does not ascribe parts, partners or equals with God, 2.) there is to be no disrespect toward
one’s parents, 3.) one is not to lie (which includes bearing false witness). After these initial three we have
Qur’an 2:2861
A prophetic narration verified as authentic (Saheeh) and found in the compilation of Ibn Majah2
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the rest, 4.) do not murder, 5.) do not steal, 6.) do not cheat, 7.) do not fornicate, 8.) do not commit
adultery, 9.) do not deal in Usury (interest of any kind), 10.) do not imbibe intoxicants, 11.) do not
gamble, 12.) do not eat carrion, pork or predators. These serve as a kind of archetype for the all other sins.
For example, when we look at “do not lie”, this includes all the sins of the tongue such as gossiping, tale
carrying, backbiting and slander.
All sins, whether major or minor have an impact on the heart of man. The Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص taught us that,
“Indeed, when the [human being] commits a sin, a black mark appears upon his heart; if he abandons the
sin, seeks forgiveness and repents, then his heart will be polished (of it). If he returns to the sin, the
blackness will increase until it overcomes his heart.” In this way, to sin is to create a veil over one’s3
heart, that is, creating a distance between one’s heart and God. The way to remove that is clearly stated,
leave the sin, seek forgiveness and repent.
As a consequence of this one may find a feeling of being distant from God – to the point of disbelief! –
deprivation of knowledge and understanding, a lack of blessing in one’s provisions, increased difficulties,
a feeling of darkness or heaviness within one’s self, an inability to worship and/or a desensitization
toward sin to such an extent that one finds it easier and easier to commit greater and greater wrongs until
it becomes as a normal act.
These are the effects experienced in this life. After death one experiences their reality to a far greater
extent. Sin is a cause for punishment in the grave and on the Day of Judgement; punishments that involve
physical and spiritual torment. Ultimately They may lead one to the Fire of Hell and the greatest
punishment of all, eternal distancing from God Almighty. Just as the greatest reward is to gaze upon God
in Paradise, the greatest punishment is to not have God’s attention given to you. Nothing is worse upon
the soul than that.
These are the costs of sins but, who pays that cost? The Qur’an makes this matter abundantly clear,
leaving no room for ambiguity – “God does not take any soul to task for more than it can bear. For it is
whatever it has earned and against it is whatever it has earned.” And, “No soul burdened with sin will4
bear the burden of another.” And, “No soul burdened with sin shall bear the burden of another and, if a5
sin-burdened soul cries out for help with its burden, none of it will be carried – even by near kin.”6
similarly we read, “Whoever does righteous good deeds, it is for the benefit of their own soul, while,
whoever does wrong, it is against his own soul.”7
This is made so clear in the Qur’an that we are told that, on the Day of Judgement, when the matter is
decided, the people will seek to blame Satan and he will respond to them, “It was God who gave you a
promise of Truth. I too promised but I failed in my promise to you, betraying you. I had no authority over
you except to call you but it was you who listened to my call so reproach me not! But reproach your own
souls. I cannot respond to your cries for aid nor can you respond to mine. What is more, I reject your
associating me with God and for themselves wrongdoers is a grievous punishment.”8
This prophetic narration is verified as sound (Hassan) and is found in the collection of Imam At-Tirmidhi.3
Qur’an 2:2864
Qur’an 6:1645
Qur’an 35:186
Qur’an 41:467
Qur’an 14:228
2
There is a seeming caveat to this but it is by way of detailed nuance and not “contradiction”. The Prophet
ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص said, “whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to those who follow it without detracting
from their reward at all. And, whoever calls to misguidance will have sin upon him similar to those who
follow it without detracting from their sin at all.” This narration informs us that the one who calls to sin9
will have an equal burden placed upon his souls as the one who listens and follows his call but this is not
him bearing the sin of others. They still bear their own burdens. Every act done as a consequence of that
caller, however, is an extension of their own wrongs which they must bear for themselves.
The question now becomes, “What then is the way forward?” In Christianity there is this (sometimes
misunderstood) concept of being “Born Again”. The richer meaning of this term, removing the Christian
dogma from it, is that it entails a “conversion experience” where one not only repents from their sins but
sets out on a new path, a path of guidance and righteousness. Added to this, some may say there needs to
be a proclamation of faith and/or a baptism. This is critical to understand when it comes to Christianity, as
it is through that “conversion experience” that one attains salvation.
While we do not share certain terms (such as being “Born Again”) with Christianity, the concept is far
from foreign to Islam. In fact, in Islam we uphold the same exact concept and share in the expectation of
its fruits. This expectation includes a spiritual renewal, a transformed way of living, a reduced bondage to
our lower selves (egos), a supporting help from God and, ultimately, eternal salvation. The effects should
be witnessed in one’s words, deeds and character. This entire concept is summed up in the term “Hijra”
(migration). Here we are not speaking of the migration from one land to another but the migration of the
soul from darkness to light, from misguidance to guidance, from disobedience to obedience, from
transgression to faithfulness, from sinfulness to piety, from ignorance to knowledge and understanding.
I would contend that the means in Islam is the same means in Christianity, a “conversion experience”
where one not only repents from their sins but sets out on a new path, a path of guidance and
righteousness – and we would certainly encourage one to renew their declaration of faith (Shahadah) and
even make a purificatory bath (Ghusl).
The key to all of this in Islam is repentance (Tawbah). For the Muslim, sincere repentance consists of
three conditions. All three conditions must be met for the repentance to be considered “complete” and,
without all three, one might say it is not a true repentance at all. To not only understand these three
conditions but to make them memorable we will use the allusion of Imam Ghazali’s (may Allah have
mercy upon him) likening it to “rectifying one’s past, present and future”.
As for rectifying the past, this entails recognition of one’s errors, taking full responsibility for them, and
having regret for having done them. Regret is the first condition of sincere repentance and the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص
taught that regret is the essence of repentance.
As for the rectification of the present, in many cases, this is the hardest of the three. It entails that one
cease the wrongdoing immediately and fully. This is often difficult due to the time, money, emotions,
reputation and sometimes, even security, invested in the sin. Despite the difficulty, this is the second
condition.
As for rectifying the future, it is that one intends to never return to that sin again. Here we often warn
people that God is All-Seeing, All-Hearing and All-Knowing – you cannot fool God and, in trying to do
so, you only fool yourself. This intending never to return is the third condition, and it is not ‘conditional’.
What I mean by this is, one can not say “I intend to never return to this again” with one side of your heart
while the other side is planning when one may return to it or what that might look like.
This prophetic narration is vigorously authenticated and found in the collection of Imam Muslim9
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With that said, if one fully turns away from their sins, turning back to God sincerely (the very meaning of
repentance), God will forgive them. This is a promise from God as we will see as we continue. For now, I
wanted to add an additional note for clarification – the human being in this world is ever susceptible to
falling into error. Repentance is not a guarantee that one will never sin in general nor repeat a specific
wrong for which they have repented. However, if, after sincerely repenting (including intending to never
return to it again), they fall into the sin again, this does NOT effect their previous repentance. That was
forgiven for them (God willing) and their “new” sin is separate from that which they had previously done.
In this way, their previous repentance remains intact and their new sin demands of them a new, separate
repentance. It is due to this, and in this way, that the human is never free from the need to repent
regardless of how pious they may be. Indeed, repentance is part of the ongoing efforts of those who seek
righteousness…those who would be “Born Again” (if we can use that term here)…about whom the
Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص has said, “The one who truly repents is like one who with no sin at all.”10
Here, we arrive at a question -“What about the one who hopes in the forgiveness of God but does not
fulfill the conditions of sincere repentance?”. In Islam, turning to God in repentance and seeking
forgiveness of Him is two separate matters. Perhaps you noticed that nowhere in the conditions was
“confess your sins an ask God to forgive you”. Sincere repentance is more an action of the heart than of
the limbs. With the exception of stopping the wrong action immediately, the entirety of sincere repentance
is an internal reality. in many cases, even the cessation of sin is more internal than external. It is a turning
of one’s heart away from other than God and directing it to Him fully.
Seeking forgiveness (Istighfar), on the other hand, is the beseeching God of His forgiveness. It entails
actually supplicating to Him. We are clearly promised throughout the Qur’an and within numerous
Prophetic Narrations that, if a person seeks forgiveness of God, God will grant His forgiveness. Perhaps
from the most beautiful and encompassing of these Prophetic Narrations is the Prophet’s ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص saying, “God
the Transcendent, has said, ‘O’ Children of Adam, as long as you call upon Me, hoping in Me -I will
forgive whatever you have done and I will not mind. O’ Children of Adam, were your sins to reach the
loftiest of clouds, and then you sought forgiveness of me, I would forgive you. O’ Children of Adam,
were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and were you to then meet Me, not having
associated any partner to Me, I will present you forgiveness the like thereof”.” This last word, “the like11
there of” means that however much sin you were to have, God would present forgiveness equal to it, thus
wiping it away completely.
This narration is addressed to all of humanity without qualification and, in it, we find the four keys to
attaining God’s forgiveness according to Islam. The very first key is hope! The second key is to
supplicate, calling out to God. The third key is, in those supplications, specifically ask for forgiveness for
one’s wrongs. The fourth and final key is that one abstains from the greatest of sins, associating parts,
partners or equals with God. If one does this, it demands swift and sincere repentance as we read in the
Qur’an (about the one who dies upon sin), “Verily! God does NOT forgive that any associate be ascribed
to Him. Yet, He forgives whatever He wills other than that. Whoever ascribes partners to God has
certainly invented a tremendous sin.”12
So we must ask, “Are there any assurances of forgiveness if we ‘simply’ seek forgiveness? Is this
enough?”. As mentioned, the answer to this is well established in the Qur’an where we read, “Yet he who
does evil or [otherwise] wrongs himself, then seeks God’s forgiveness, they will find God Forgiving,
This Prophetic Narration is verified as sound and found in the collection of Ibn Majah10
This Prophetic Narrations is rigorously authenticated and found in the collection of Imam At-Tirmidhi.11
Qur’an 4:48 and this is repeated in 4:116 with the final words being, “Whoever ascribes partners to God has12
gone a far going astray.”
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Merciful.” And, “Say: ‘O’ My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of God’s13
mercy. Indeed, God forgives all sins! Verily, He is the One Who is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’.”14
In these verses we are reminded of some of the names of God. God repeatedly reminds mankind in the
Qur’an that He is the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem), that He is the
Loving and Kind (Al-Wadood, Al-Kareem), that He is All-Forgiving and Ever-Forgiving (Al-Ghafaar, Al-
Ghaafir), that He is the One Who Relents (At-Tawwaab- accepting the repentance of those who turn to
Him) and the One Who Pardons (Al-Afuwu – the One Who loves to pardon the guilty). In Islam we
understand that God gives mankind opportunity after opportunity to purify themselves of sins. From the
simplest of ways is found in the words of the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص, “Be mindfully aware of God wherever you may
be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed, it will wipe it away, and behave in the best of ways
toward others.”15
Ultimately, we trust in the words of God as we read in the Qur’an, ““O’ you who believe! Turn back to
God with a sincere repentance that He may remit from you your sins and enter you into Gardens beneath
which rivers flow.”16
This, then, brings us directly to the overarching subject of Salvation. Much like “sin”, in Islam there are
multiple terms used to express “Salvation”. Some of those terms which are often used in this regard
include Maghfirah (a deliverance from sin), Fawz (ultimate success in the Hereafter) and Tawfiq (which
entails aid, support and strengthening along the wayfaring of one’s soul in this life and the Next ), Falah
(Ultimate felicity and holistic success), and Najah (which is a rescuing from peril, a literal “salvation”).
In light of the various words used to describe this term, a detailed “definition” of the concept of
“Salvation” in Islam would include – a restored relationship with God and an aid and support in living
upon one’s covenant with Him. Along with this, in this life one would find a strength to continue toward
success and, on the Day of Judgement, a forgiveness from one’s wrongs, a pardoning from guilt, and an
easy reckoning. The outcome is that, despite our sinfulness, we are delivered from the greatest of all
punishments, separation from God. Ultimately and for eternity it means admittance into Paradise, a
“proximity” to God and the joy of gazing upon Him.
To make it abundantly clear and simple, Salvation in Islam is that one is graced with God’s Mercy rather
than His Justice…in this life and the Next.
The means by which one exposes themselves to this grace is made abundantly clear by God and His
Messenger ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص. The Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص stated in no uncertain terms, “”Whoever bears witness that there is
nothing worthy of worship other than God alone; and that Muhammed is His Servant and Messenger; and
that Jesus, the son of Mary, is a Servant and a Messenger of God, His Word and a Spirit from Him; and
they declare that heaven is a reality and that hell is a reality – they shall attain paradise.”17
The understanding of this Prophetic Narration is that if a person bears witness to these realities and lives
accordingly, with all of its implications, they be graced with the Mercy of God and His pleasure, being
entered into the Gardens of Bliss.
Qur’an 4:11013
Qur’an 39:5314
This Prophetic Narration is verified as sound and found in the collection of Imam At-Tirmidhi.15
Qur’an 66:816
This Prophetic Narration is vigorously authenticated and found in the collection of Imam Al-Bukhari.17
5
A critical point here is that the narration mentions the affirmation of belief and did not mention actions.
This is found again and again in Prophetic Narrations such as when the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص said, “God has made
Paradise incumbent upon the one who testifies that there in no deity but God.” What is more, the18
Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص clearly stated, “No one will enter Paradise by his deeds alone, nor will you be rescued from
the Fire of Hell, not even myself, except by the Mercy of God.”19
It is in light of this that we believe that a person finds Salvation in faith alone. For the Muslim, however,
faith is a conviction in the heart, declared upon the tongue and manifested upon the limbs. It is not just a
belief, thought or feeling. It is a certainty rooted in the heart (hopefully based upon reason) that bears its
fruits in our words, deeds and character. In this understanding, it is inconceivable for a person to have
faith while their words, deeds and character are contrary to that .20
This is why we find belief and righteous good deeds continually connected, one to the other, in the
Qur’an. Again and again we read that those who believe and do righteous good deeds “will have Gardens
beneath which rivers flow” , “shall have a reward from their Lord” , We shall admit to the Gardens” ,21 22 23
“God promises them forgiveness and a great reward” , “The Most Merciful bestows upon the love” ,24 25
“their Lord will enter them into His mercy” , “they will have a reward unending” , and so many other26 27
verses such as these. Ultimately we read, “Verily, those who have believe and do righteous good deeds – it
is they who are the best of all creatures. Their reward with God is gardens of perpetual bliss, through
which running waters flow, therein to abide forever; well-pleased is God with them, and they are well-
pleased with Him. This is for those who have awe of their Lord.”28
The role of good deeds is not necessarily a determining factor of attaining God’s grace. Good deeds are
the means by which the faith one claims in their heart is exemplified. A person cannot claim the tree they
This Prophetic Narration is of the highest standard of authenticity being mass transmitted in every generation.18
One can find it in the collections of Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim.
This Prophetic Narration is rigorously authenticated and found in the collection of Imam Muslim.19
While we are not a people who rely upon the Isra’iliyaat (including the Bible), there is a corresponding20
passage in the Book of James which reads,
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says they have faith but does not have works? Can his faith save
him?…You believe that God is ONE, you do well – but the demons also believe this and they shudder! Foolish
man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?…for just as the body without the spirit is dead,
so also, faith without works is dead.”
This an abridgment of is James 1:14-26.
Qur’an 2:25,8221
Qur’an 2:6222
Qur’an 4:12223
Qur’an 5:924
Qur’an 19:9625
Qur’an 45:3026
Qur’an 95:627
Qur’an 98:7,828
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have in their yard is an apple tree if it continues to produce pears. But, ultimately, Salvation is by grace
alone and our deeds serve as a determinant in the portion of reward we attain. This is as we read from
Hasan Al-Basri , “God the Exalted, will say to His servants on the Day of Resurrection, ‘O Servant of29
Mine, enter the Garden by My mercy, and it is divided between you according to your deeds’.”30
It is in this way that, in Islam, there is an inward and an outward reality. The inward reality is faith in God
and sincerity sincerity to Him. The outward reality is the adherence to Prophetic model as best as one is
able. This is the meaning of “Islam” – to surrender to God’s providential care (the inward) and to submit
to His guidance (the outward). This is the essence of the declaration of faith – “There is none worthy of
worship but God Alone (the inward), and Muhammad ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص is His Messenger (the outward). The inward is a
secret between the individual and God. The outward is the manner by which we interact with the world.
This is the universal message every single Prophet was sent with – believe and be upright. Affirm God’s
absolute singularity and do NOT associate with Him parts, partners or equals; and strive to be upright,
governing yourself upon the guidance of God.
I do not seek to belabor this topic any further. I have already gone beyond the length I had intended and
hoped for. In doing so, I hope that the reader has attained a clear understanding of the serious nature of
sin, who it is that carries the burden of a sin, the meaning of “Hijra”, the reality of Repentance, the keys to
forgiveness, what salvation is in Islam and, most importantly, how to attain it. There is so much that can
be added to this work. Truly, this could serve as an outline for an entire book. But we will suffice with this
and leave the reader with a single selection from the Qur’an which we believe summarizes the matter
fully. God promises,
َتَاب مَن َّ إِال
صَالِحًا ً عَمَال َ وَعَمِل َ وَآمَن
ٍحَسَنَات ْ سَيِّئَاتِهِم َُّ اهلل ُ يُبَدِّل َ فَأُولَٰئِك
رَّحِيمًا غَفُورًا َُّ اهلل َ وَكَان
صَالِحًا َ وَعَمِل َ تَاب وَمَن
مَتَابًا َِّ اهلل إِلَى ُ يَتُوب ُ فَإِنَّه
َ
الزُّور َ يَشْهَدُون َ ال َ وَالَّذِين
كِرَامًا مَرُّوا ِ بِاللَّغْو مَرُّوا وَإِذَا
ْرَبِّهِم ِ بِآيَات ذُكِّرُوا إِذَا َ وَالَّذِين
وَعُمْيَانًا صُمًّا عَلَيْهَا يَخِرُّوا ْ لَم
َيَقُولُون َ وَالَّذِين
ٍُأَعْني َ قُرَّة وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا أَزْوَاجِنَا ْ مِن لَنَا ْ هَب رَبَّنَا
إِمَامًا َ لِلْمُتَّقِني وَاجْعَلْنَا
Al-Hasan Al-Basri (d.110 AH) was one of the greatest scholars amongst the students of the companions (the29
Tabi’een). He was born in Medinah and raised amongst the family of the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص before becoming a preacher
in Basra. His level of knowledge, righteousness and piety are well known and he never narrated a mursal
narration unless he had heard it from at least four different sources. And God knows best.
This is found at the end of the fourth counsel of Imam Al-Ghazali in his book, “Dear Beloved Son” (Ayyuha-l-30
Walad).
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صَبَرُوا بِمَا َ الْغُرْفَة َ يُجْزَوْن َ أُولَٰئِك
وَسَالَمًا ً تَحِيَّة فِيهَا َ وَيُلَقَّوْن
وَمُقَامًا مُسْتَقَرًّا ْ حَسُنَت فِيهَا َ خَالِدِين
“Yet, those who turn back to God in repentance,
And they believe and do righteous good deeds,
For them, God will transform their wrong actions into good deeds
Indeed God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
And whoever Repents and does what is right,
He has turned to God in a true repentance.
And those who never bear witness to what is false,
and whenever they pass by frivolity, they pass on with dignity;
And whoever, when they are reminded of the signs of their Lord,
do not fall deaf and blind there at;
And those who pray:
‘O’ our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes,
and cause us to be foremost among those who are consciously aware of You”.
Indeed, those who do this will be rewarded a high station for their patient endurance,
and will be met therein with a greeting of welcome and peace,
Therein to abide forever,
How goodly is it as an abode and how lofty a station.”
(25:70-76)
—-
We end asking God that he guide us and every reader far from the many pathways to damnation and enter
us upon the straight path to His eternal salvation. May He accept this work and make it of benefit to us all
in this life and the Hereafter. We acknowledge our inability and neediness before Him and seek His aid,
support and acceptance and, in the end, every success is with Him alone.
Glorified is our lord, the Lord of Majesty, over everything that is associated with Him. May the best
benedictions and peace be upon His Messengers. And all praise is due to the Lord of the worlds.
Wm. Halim Breiannis
1/21/2026
(8/2/1447)
Baltimore, MD
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