Original Innocence, Not Original Sin

The doctrine of original sin has profoundly shaped Christian thought on human nature, moral responsibility, salvation, and gender. This paper argues that inherited sin is neither logically necessary nor textually required. Drawing on the Qur’anic account of Adam, the concept of fitrah, and the teachings of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, it demonstrates that innocence—not sin—is original to humanity. The Qur’an presents Adam and his wife as morally responsible agents who err, repent, and are forgiven without transmitting guilt to their descendants. By contrast, the doctrine of original sin emerges primarily from Pauline reinterpretation rather than the Genesis narrative itself. The Qur’anic framework preserves divine justice, human dignity, and moral accountability without recourse to a fall-based anthropology.