No problem at all. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert though, but happy to help if I can.

1) Sins are transgressions against God and they can also be against other people and/or against ourselves. They are judged differently depending on their severity. Not all sins are alike. Hence some are more easily forgiven than others. Some people are punished for certain transgressions in this life, and so there is no need to punish them twice. So there are many factors at play here.

2) Good deeds do not justify the bad but they can erase them. But again, it depends on the nature of the sin. For example, the context of the verse which states that good deeds wipe away the bad concerned a young man who had kissed a young woman. He felt guilty because they were not married. The Prophet (pbuh) informed him that because he was remorseful and because he had prayed to God, then good deeds wipe away the bad.

3) As for whether Muslims are confident or assured in whether they will attain Paradise, Muslims are required to persevere throughout their lives, and have hope in the Mercy of God. No one can say for sure that they will be in Paradise (or in Hell, for that matter) as those things are left to God who will judge all of our deeds. We have hope in His mercy, while doing good deeds and treating His creation in the best manner.

This article on God’s Name Al-Muqsit might also shed more light on this matter: http://www.virtualmosque.com/islam-studies/islam-101/belief-and-worship/according-to-your-circumstance-allah-al-muqsit-the-equitable/

One question was out of context. I heard that one good deed is multiplied 10 times, while one bad deed is judged just as it was in real life. Is that true?

If you would indulge me further, I would love to make sure I understand by asking more questions for clarity. Sorry if I’m bothering you with so many questions. But is seems like you know your Muslim faith well.

Is not sinning against your neighbor also sinning against God? When you sin in any way, shape or form, are you not transgressing against God directly since it is God’s moral character/ law that you disobey?

Also. Am I right in assuming from the scripture quoted that good deeds can justify the bad? And that one good deed is multiplied 10 times, while one bad deed is judged just as it was in real life?

How does one have assurance that you’ve done enough good to justify the bad and the good deeds will not run out before justice is fulfilled?

How much confidence do you have in Allah rewarding you paradise?

Am I right in assuming that in the case of Allah, your sin against an infinite God isn’t deserving infinite punishment?

I really appreciate your time, Jinan.

Thanks for your comment. I think the difference here is in the nature of the transgression. God is more likely to forgive transgressions against Himself rather than transgression against other people. And even transgressions against people carry different weights.

If you gave charity, and your intentions were mixed (you wanted to do it for noble purposes but you also wanted some of the attention), the fact that your intention is not pure doesn’t harm anybody. The person in need will receive his or her charity. Or if you drink alcohol in your own house and you don’t hurt anybody, your transgression is against yourself and against God. If He punishes you, He is exercising His justice. But He may choose to forgo it, because His Mercy encompasses all things. That is for Him to decide, and in His decision is both justice and mercy.

Just like if someone stole from me or even assaulted me, I can choose to press charges or I can choose not to. No one would blame me for pressing charges, but it is also my decision to forgo pressing charges.

When it comes to God judging our actions against our fellow creation, that’s when we have to be extra careful. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked his companions:

“Do you know who is bankrupt?” They said, “The one without money or goods is bankrupt.” The Prophet said, “Verily, the bankrupt of my nation are those who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and charity, but also with insults, slander, consuming wealth, shedding blood, and beating others. The oppressed will each be given from his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before justice is fulfilled, then their sins will be cast upon him and he will be thrown into the Hellfire.” (Found in the collection of Muslim)

Moreover, different transgression carry different weights. Your example about Joe Blow abducting a little girl and abusing her is one of the worst crimes. But if Joe Blow lied to his brother to get out of meeting up with him, I think we can both agree that those two sins are not equal. The example about it not mattering whether a murderer lived an otherwise upstanding life ignores that even in domestic courts, the murderer could get out early if his behavior was outstanding and remorseful while in prison.

The point of knowing God’s justice is to rest assured that no oppressor will get away with His ill deeds; and for us to hold ourselves to account and work on improving ourselves.

How can Allah show himself to be perfect in upholding justice if he lets anyone into paradise? It is good for God to be merciful and forgiving but if He is to look past your transgressions, even the smallest, isn’t that an injustice?

A just God cannot allow sin, any sin, to go unpunished. The law, by its very nature, demands satisfaction. The law demands perfection, but this is something we cannot fulfill. None of us are perfect. I would even argue that it is impossible for us to do one perfect deed, which would include having perfect motives. Every good act, if it is going to be a perfect act, must be done for the glory of God alone. Because we are selfish individuals, this is impossible. Nevertheless, for the sake of the argument, let us suppose that it was possible for us to accumulate more good works than bad works. This still does not tip the scales in our favor. A murderer may be perfect in every area of his life from birth until death except for the fact that he committed murder. Yet in the eyes of the law, the murderer is still guilty and must pay for his crime. A lifetime of goodness does not cancel out one single transgression. The law requires that we live perfectly from start to finish. This includes loving God with all our hearts and loving others as ourselves in every thing we think, say, and do. Sin is anything that comes short of this standard. A just God cannot say, “Well, you’re close enough.” Justice requires perfection, and any sin requires a penalty. This is the nature of the law.

If God, as the Lawgiver and Judge, overlooks even the slightest transgression, then He becomes unjust. Any injustice in God makes Him a sinner. For instance, if your little girl was abducted and abused, with all the forensic evidence, including DNA and eye witnesses, pointing to Mr. Joe Blow as the perpetrator, it would be unjust for the Judge to dismiss the case because Mr. Joe Blow has been an outstanding citizen and a good father. It would make no difference even if Mr. Joe Blow were deeply and sincerely apologetic. If justice is going to be served, then Mr. Joe Blow must pay. Thus, is it just for the Judge to let Mr. Joe Blow walk away as if he had done nothing? If you loved your little girl, then it is only reasonable to assume that you would not be content with the Judge releasing her murderer as if he was innocent.

Thoughts?