Thesis Summary
Shahrur separates sin, bad deed, and offense in order to make moral responsibility a matter of degrees. Sins related to God’s right are subject to forgiveness, bad deeds are expiated through reform, while offense is tied to insistence and failure to repent.
Foundational Atoms
- sin, bad deed, and offense
- Sins concerning God’s right are subject to forgiveness
- Bad deeds are expiated through reform
- Polytheism is unforgivable when accompanied by insistence
- Good deeds erase bad deeds through repentance
Place of Support within the Book
This distinction appears in the middle section of Islam and Humanity within the discussion of offense, sin, and expiation.
Limits of the Reading
This presentation combines more than one distinction found in the text, so it remains a structured interpretation rather than a literal quotation of a single passage.