Sins
‘O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful’” ~ [al-Zumar 39:53]
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Sin is an important concept in Islam that means to go against the commands of Allah or breaching the laws and norms laid down by religion.
Allah will weigh an individual's good deeds against their sins on the Day of Judgement and punish those individuals whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds.
The Quran describes these sins throughout the texts and demonstrates that some sins are more punishable than others in the hereafter.
A clear distinction is made between major sins (al-Kabirah) and minor sins (al-Sagha'ir)
Scholarly Views
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Sins may be divided into minor sins and major sins, according to the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the consensus of the early generations, and how they are regarded by scholars.
Once we know what major sins are, then we will know what minor sins are.
There are various scholarly views concerning the definition of major sins, after establishing the fact that they are not limited to the seven (mentioned in a well-known hadith).
One of the best definitions is that given by al-Qurtubi in al-Mufhim:
Every sin concerning which a text of the Qur’an or Sunnah, or scholarly consensus, states that it is a major sin or a grave sin, or mentioned a severe punishment for it, or decreed a hadd punishment for it, or denounced it in the strongest terms, is a major sin.
Based on that, one can check the texts and see where mention is made of a warning of punishment or curse, or a deed is described as evildoing, in the Quran and saheeh or hasan hadiths. We may add to that cases where the text of the Qur’an or the saheeh or hasan hadith state clearly that an act is a major sin.
Al-Haleemi said in al-Minhaaj: There is no sin but it is either minor or major. A minor sin may become a major sin when there is something to indicate that, and a major sin may become a faahishah (shameful, abhorrent deed) by the same token.
For example, killing a soul unlawfully is a major sin, but if someone kills an ascendant (parent or grandparent) or a descendant (child or grandchild) or a relative, or he kills someone in the Haram (sanctuary), or during the sacred months, then it is a faahishah. Zina (unlawful sex) is a major sin, but if it is with a neighbour’s wife or a mahram (close relative) or during the month of Ramadan, or in the Haram, then it is a faahishah.
Stealing less than the threshold amount [that is, less than the value of stolen goods at which the hadd punishment of amputating the hand becomes due] is a minor sin, but if the one from whom it is stolen possesses nothing else and losing it will lead to him becoming vulnerable, then it becomes a major sin.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the major sins mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith: is there a definition by which one may recognise them?
He replied:
The best of the views concerning this issue is that which was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and was mentioned by Abu ‘Ubaydah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others. It is the view that the minor sin is that for which no punishment is specified in this world or the hereafter. This is similar to what was said by those who say that it is a sin that is not subject to a hadd punishment in this world. And it is similar to what was said by those who say that any sin concerning which mention is made of a curse, divine wrath or warning of Hell is a major sin. And it is similar to what was said by those who say that the minor sin is that concerning which there is no hadd punishment in this world, and no warning of punishment in the hereafter – that is, a specific warning such as a warning of Hell, divine wrath or curse.
Similarly, every sin concerning which the doer is warned that he will not enter Paradise or even smell the fragrance of Paradise, or it was said concerning it that the one who does it is not one of us, or the one who does it is a wrongdoer – all of these are major sins.
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