Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 158
Islam as the Ultimate Goal of Religious Teachings 157 their wrongdoings, just as the present and past generations will respectively be held accountable for theirs. In terms of God’s wrath and punishment, each generation is isolated from the other. The sins of a previous age will not be transferred to the present age, nor will the sins of the present age be transferred to the next. This beautiful definition of justice is not found in Pauline Christianity, as practised by many today. Whereas Jesus taught that each man would bear his own cross, Pauline Christians believe that each subsequent generation will be laden with the sins of all previous ones. Allah also says in the Quran: Then there came after them descendants who neglected Prayer, and followed their evil desires. So they will meet with destruction, (S u rah Maryam; Ch. 19: V. 60) If the progeny of pious people choose to neglect their prayer and follow their evil desires, then the piety of their forefathers will avail them naught. Just as one generation will not be punished for the sins of previous generations, man of a subsequent era will not be rewarded for the good deeds of the people of the past.