Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 22
22. And if man can conquer evil, there is no room for vicarious atonement. On the contrary, the effort of pure nature and repentance, meriting as a result, the mercy of God, are sufficient for attainment of salvation. A close study of the above verses shows that: (1) The hope expressed by Satan signifies that according to the Holy Quran belief in the wickedness of man is a belief ascribable to Satan. Islam not only rejects this belief but describes it as Satanic; and even Satan does not say that he would corrupt all mankind; he only says that he would corrupt most of the human race. (2) Secondly, the Holy Quran says that Allah told Satan to try and that He would not stop him from doing so. That. He made man with the aim that he should combat him (the. Satan) and should try to activate goodness in himself. He (God), however, told Satan that he would be able to influence man only through an external agency, for, in his constitution. He had made him pure. . SIN AND HEREDITY. Christianity claims that sin is inherent in man and has been transmitted to human progeny through heredity. If it is true, the impulse to follow Satan should originate in the human heart. But Islam declares that human heart is pure; in fact it declares that even the heart of the man who goes over to Satan is pure: و استفزز من استطعت منهم بصوتك وأجلب عليهم بخیلک ورجلك وشاركهم في الاموال و الاولاد ، وما يعدهم الشيطان الا غرورا - ان عبادي ليس لك عليهم سلطان . i. e. , Beguile them with thy voice and bear on them with thy