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Major and Minor Sins in Islam
Major and Minor Sins in Islam
Sinful Acts According to Qur'an and Hadith
How can a Muslim differentiate between major and minor sins? What acts are regarded as sinful in Islam?
In Islam, a sin is defined as any act which contradicts the commandments or Will of Allah (the One God, the Creator). Some sins are regarded as major, while others are considered minor. What are the differences between the two?
Major Sins in Islam
Some scholars assert that there are seven major sins, based on the following narration (hadith) by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Avoid the seven noxious things: associating anything with Allah, magic, killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Other scholars cite evidence that major sins are actually much greater in number. They define major sins as acts which are expressly forbidden in the Qu'an or by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or for which there is a hadd punishment under Islamic law. (A hadd punishment is a punishment specified by Allah in the Qur'an.)
Under this definition, the list of major sins includes (but is not limited to) the following acts:
Minor Sins in Islam
Minor sins are acts which are displeasing to Allah but for which no specific punishment or severe warning has been issued. In this case, a Muslim's conscience and heart help him to know that an act is sinful. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which wavers in your heart and which you do not want people to know about." (Muslim)
Minor sins are not, however, to be taken lightly, as disobeying Allah is always a serious matter. Allah says: “You counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great.” (Al-Noor 24:15)
Minor sins can easily lead someone to commit a major sin, and repeatedly committing a minor sin will change its status to that of a major sin. Furthermore, habitual sinning causes a Muslim to lose faith and disregard the commandments of Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah says: “Nay, their hearts have been sealed by the sins they have accumulated.” (Al-Mutaffifeen: 14).
Forgiveness and Expiation
Scholars agree that while good deeds and extra acts of worship help expiate minor sins, they won't compensate for major sins. Instead, a Muslim must make sincere repentance for major sins by showing genuine remorse, praying for Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness, and avoiding that sin in the future.
Only a person who avoids major sins will have good deeds such as charity, praying, or fasting accepted as expiation for minor sins. Allah says: “If you shun the great sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with your small sins and cause you to enter an honorable place of entering.” (Qur'an 4: 31)
Shirk, however, is the one sin which Allah will not forgive. "Verily, Allah forgives not that partners be set up with Him (in worship) but He forgives other than that to whom He pleases; and whoever sets up partners with Allah (in worship), he has indeed invented an enormous wrong" (Qur'an 4:48)
Remembrance of Allah
A Muslim should strive at all times to remember Allah, as this helps him refrain from sins of the tongue, heart, mind and hands. As Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid advises "The Muslim should not look at how small or great the sin is, rather he should look at the greatness and might of the One Whom he is disobeying."
Sinful Acts According to Qur'an and Hadith
How can a Muslim differentiate between major and minor sins? What acts are regarded as sinful in Islam?
In Islam, a sin is defined as any act which contradicts the commandments or Will of Allah (the One God, the Creator). Some sins are regarded as major, while others are considered minor. What are the differences between the two?
Major Sins in Islam
Some scholars assert that there are seven major sins, based on the following narration (hadith) by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Avoid the seven noxious things: associating anything with Allah, magic, killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Other scholars cite evidence that major sins are actually much greater in number. They define major sins as acts which are expressly forbidden in the Qu'an or by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or for which there is a hadd punishment under Islamic law. (A hadd punishment is a punishment specified by Allah in the Qur'an.)
Under this definition, the list of major sins includes (but is not limited to) the following acts:
- Worshiping others, or associating partners with Allah (shirk)
- Believing in superstition, fortune telling and astrology
- Using magic or sorcery
- Committing murder
- Committing suicide
- Bearing false witness
- Committing adultery or fornication
- Cheating, stealing, and lying
- Charging or paying interest or usury (riba)
- Consuming pork or alcohol
- Consuming the wealth of an orphan
- Not fasting Ramadan
- Not observing daily prayers
- Not paying zakat (annual charity)
- Gambling
- Oppression and unjust leadership
- Bribery, betraying trusts and breaking contracts
- Backbiting and slandering
- Breaking the ties of kinship
- Disobeying or not honoring one's parents
Minor Sins in Islam
Minor sins are acts which are displeasing to Allah but for which no specific punishment or severe warning has been issued. In this case, a Muslim's conscience and heart help him to know that an act is sinful. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which wavers in your heart and which you do not want people to know about." (Muslim)
Minor sins are not, however, to be taken lightly, as disobeying Allah is always a serious matter. Allah says: “You counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great.” (Al-Noor 24:15)
Minor sins can easily lead someone to commit a major sin, and repeatedly committing a minor sin will change its status to that of a major sin. Furthermore, habitual sinning causes a Muslim to lose faith and disregard the commandments of Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah says: “Nay, their hearts have been sealed by the sins they have accumulated.” (Al-Mutaffifeen: 14).
Forgiveness and Expiation
Scholars agree that while good deeds and extra acts of worship help expiate minor sins, they won't compensate for major sins. Instead, a Muslim must make sincere repentance for major sins by showing genuine remorse, praying for Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness, and avoiding that sin in the future.
Only a person who avoids major sins will have good deeds such as charity, praying, or fasting accepted as expiation for minor sins. Allah says: “If you shun the great sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with your small sins and cause you to enter an honorable place of entering.” (Qur'an 4: 31)
Shirk, however, is the one sin which Allah will not forgive. "Verily, Allah forgives not that partners be set up with Him (in worship) but He forgives other than that to whom He pleases; and whoever sets up partners with Allah (in worship), he has indeed invented an enormous wrong" (Qur'an 4:48)
Remembrance of Allah
A Muslim should strive at all times to remember Allah, as this helps him refrain from sins of the tongue, heart, mind and hands. As Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid advises "The Muslim should not look at how small or great the sin is, rather he should look at the greatness and might of the One Whom he is disobeying."
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES AGAINST ISLAM
TEN MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED BY CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES AGAINST ISLAM
by Dr. Zakir Naik
1. QUR’AN PLAGIARIZED FROM THE BIBLE :
Question
Is it not true that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has copied the Qur’an from the Bible?
Answer
Many critics allege that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) himself was not the author of the Qur’an but he learnt it and/or plagiarised (copied or adapted) it from other human sources or from previous scriptures or revelations.
1. MUHUMMAD LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM A ROMAN BLACKSMITH WHO WAS A CHRISTIAN
Some Pagans accused the Prophet of learning the Qur’an from a Roman Blacksmith, who was a Christian staying at the outskirts of Makkah. The Prophet very often used to go and watch him do his work. A revelation of the Qur’an was sufficient to dismiss this charge - the Qur’an says in Surah An-Nahl chapter 16 verse 103:
"We know indeed that they say, ‘It is a man that teaches him,’ The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear."
[Al-Qur’an 16:103]
How could a person whose mother tongue was foreign and could hardly speak little but of poor broken Arabic be the source of the Qur’an which is pure, eloquent, fine Arabic? To believe that the blacksmith taught the Prophet the Qur’an is some what similar to believing that a Chinese immigrant to England, who did not know proper English, taught Shakespeare.
2. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) LEARNT FROM WARAQA - THE RELATIVE OF KHADIJAH (RA)
Muhummad’s (pbuh) contacts with the Jewish and Christian Scholars were very limited. The most prominent Christian known to him was an old blind man called Waraqa ibn-Naufal who was a relative of the Prophet’s first wife Khadijah (r.a.). Although of Arab descent, he was a convert to Christianity and was very well versed with the New Testament. The Prophet only met him twice, first when Waraqa was worshipping at the Kaaba (before the Prophetic Mission) and he kissed the Prophet’s forehead affectionately; the second occasion was when the Prophet went to meet Waraqa after receiving the first revelation. Waraqa died three years later and the revelation continued for about 23 years. It is ridiculous to assume that Waraqa was the source of the contents of the Qur’an.
3. PROPHET’S RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS
It is true that the Prophet did have religious discussions with the Jews and Christians but they took place in Madinah more than 13 years after the revelation of the Qur’an had started. The allegation that these Jews and Christians were the source is perverse, since in these discussions Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was performing the roles of a teacher and of a preacher while inviting them to embrace Islam and pointing out that they had deviated from their true teachings of Monotheism. Several of these Jews and Christians later embraced Islam.
4. THE PROPHET LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM THOSE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS THAT HE MET OUTSIDE ARABIA
All historical records available show that Muhummad (pbuh) had made only three trips outside Makkah before his Prophethood:
At the age of 9 he accompanied his mother to Madinah.
Between the age of 9 and 12, he accompanied his uncle Abu-Talib on a business trip to Syria.
At the age of 25 he led Khadija’s Caravan to Syria.
It is highly imaginary to assume that the Qur’an resulted from the occasional chats and meetings with the Christians or Jews from any of the above three trips.
5. LOGICAL GROUNDS TO PROVE THAT THE PROPHET DID NOT LEARN THE QUR’AN FROM JEWS OR CHRISTIANS
The day-to-day life of the Prophet was an open book for all to see. In fact a revelation came asking people to give the Prophet (pbuh) privacy in his own home. If the Prophet had been meeting people who told him what to say as a revelation from God, this would not have been hidden for very long.
The extremely prominent Quraish nobles who followed the Prophet and accepted Islam were wise and intelligent men who would have easily noticed anything suspicious about the way in which the Prophet brought the revelations to them - more so since the Prophetic mission lasted 23 years.
The enemies of the Prophet kept a close watch on him in order to find proof for their claim that he was a liar - they could not point out even a single instance when the Prophet may have had a secret rendezvous with particular Jews and Christians.
It is inconceivable that any human author of the Qur’an would have accepted a situation in which
he received no credit whatsoever for originating the Qur’an.
Thus, historically and logically it cannot be established that there was a human source for the Qur’an.
6. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) WAS AN ILLITERATE
The theory that Muhummad (pbuh) authored the Qur’an or copied from other sources can be disproved by the single historical fact that he was illiterate.
Allah testifies Himself in the Qur’an
by Dr. Zakir Naik
1. QUR’AN PLAGIARIZED FROM THE BIBLE :
Question
Is it not true that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has copied the Qur’an from the Bible?
Answer
Many critics allege that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) himself was not the author of the Qur’an but he learnt it and/or plagiarised (copied or adapted) it from other human sources or from previous scriptures or revelations.
1. MUHUMMAD LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM A ROMAN BLACKSMITH WHO WAS A CHRISTIAN
Some Pagans accused the Prophet of learning the Qur’an from a Roman Blacksmith, who was a Christian staying at the outskirts of Makkah. The Prophet very often used to go and watch him do his work. A revelation of the Qur’an was sufficient to dismiss this charge - the Qur’an says in Surah An-Nahl chapter 16 verse 103:
"We know indeed that they say, ‘It is a man that teaches him,’ The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear."
[Al-Qur’an 16:103]
How could a person whose mother tongue was foreign and could hardly speak little but of poor broken Arabic be the source of the Qur’an which is pure, eloquent, fine Arabic? To believe that the blacksmith taught the Prophet the Qur’an is some what similar to believing that a Chinese immigrant to England, who did not know proper English, taught Shakespeare.
2. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) LEARNT FROM WARAQA - THE RELATIVE OF KHADIJAH (RA)
Muhummad’s (pbuh) contacts with the Jewish and Christian Scholars were very limited. The most prominent Christian known to him was an old blind man called Waraqa ibn-Naufal who was a relative of the Prophet’s first wife Khadijah (r.a.). Although of Arab descent, he was a convert to Christianity and was very well versed with the New Testament. The Prophet only met him twice, first when Waraqa was worshipping at the Kaaba (before the Prophetic Mission) and he kissed the Prophet’s forehead affectionately; the second occasion was when the Prophet went to meet Waraqa after receiving the first revelation. Waraqa died three years later and the revelation continued for about 23 years. It is ridiculous to assume that Waraqa was the source of the contents of the Qur’an.
3. PROPHET’S RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS
It is true that the Prophet did have religious discussions with the Jews and Christians but they took place in Madinah more than 13 years after the revelation of the Qur’an had started. The allegation that these Jews and Christians were the source is perverse, since in these discussions Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was performing the roles of a teacher and of a preacher while inviting them to embrace Islam and pointing out that they had deviated from their true teachings of Monotheism. Several of these Jews and Christians later embraced Islam.
4. THE PROPHET LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM THOSE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS THAT HE MET OUTSIDE ARABIA
All historical records available show that Muhummad (pbuh) had made only three trips outside Makkah before his Prophethood:
At the age of 9 he accompanied his mother to Madinah.
Between the age of 9 and 12, he accompanied his uncle Abu-Talib on a business trip to Syria.
At the age of 25 he led Khadija’s Caravan to Syria.
It is highly imaginary to assume that the Qur’an resulted from the occasional chats and meetings with the Christians or Jews from any of the above three trips.
5. LOGICAL GROUNDS TO PROVE THAT THE PROPHET DID NOT LEARN THE QUR’AN FROM JEWS OR CHRISTIANS
The day-to-day life of the Prophet was an open book for all to see. In fact a revelation came asking people to give the Prophet (pbuh) privacy in his own home. If the Prophet had been meeting people who told him what to say as a revelation from God, this would not have been hidden for very long.
The extremely prominent Quraish nobles who followed the Prophet and accepted Islam were wise and intelligent men who would have easily noticed anything suspicious about the way in which the Prophet brought the revelations to them - more so since the Prophetic mission lasted 23 years.
The enemies of the Prophet kept a close watch on him in order to find proof for their claim that he was a liar - they could not point out even a single instance when the Prophet may have had a secret rendezvous with particular Jews and Christians.
It is inconceivable that any human author of the Qur’an would have accepted a situation in which
he received no credit whatsoever for originating the Qur’an.Thus, historically and logically it cannot be established that there was a human source for the Qur’an.
6. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) WAS AN ILLITERATE
The theory that Muhummad (pbuh) authored the Qur’an or copied from other sources can be disproved by the single historical fact that he was illiterate.
Allah testifies Himself in the Qur’an
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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