The major sins are those acts which have been forbidden by Allah in the Quran and by His Messenger (SAW) in the Sunnah (a practice of the Prophet), and which have been made clear by the actions of the first righteous generation of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet (SAW). Allah Most High says in His Glorious Book:
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا
“If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry.” (Surah Al-Nisa 4:31)
In Islam, sin is defined as “any act a person chooses to take that is against the commands of Allah”. When a person sins even once, it is like a black dot is placed on his heart. Major sins lead a person to rebellion and fisq but it is not possible to describe such a believer as fasiq and fair. When a person does a deed that is contrary to divine orders, his belief exists.
كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
“No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.” (Surah Al-Mutaffifin, 83:14).
The religion Islam classifies sins according to the severity of their consequences on individuals and society. According to Islam, the major sins are those which are forbidden by Allah Almighty and His Messenger Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Hidden shirk (polytheism) and fornication of the eyes are also among major sins.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى
“Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, Only (falling into) small faults–verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness.” (Surah An-Najm, 53:32)
Major sins might be one of the reasons due to which Allah Almighty does not accept our dua. It is very important for a believer to avoid major sins because they are the reason for severe punishments and Allah has guaranteed Paradise to those who avoid them.
Great Shirk: worshipping beings other than Allah (proof all over the Quran):
- Forging statements concerning Allah or forging Hadith. (al-Zumar: 60)
- Consuming forbidden wealth or taking it by any means. (2: 188)
- Cutting off the ties of relationships. (Muhammad: 22)
- Misappropriating something from the booty. (3:161)
- Committing adultery or fornication. (al-Isra: 30)
- Being arrogant, boastful, vain. (al-Nahl: 23)
- Not performing the Prayers. (Maryam: 59)
- Slandering innocent women. (al-Nur: 23)
- Withholding the Zakat (Charity). (3: 180)
- Devouring the wealth of orphans. (4:10)
- Giving false testimony. (al-Furqan: 72)
- Disobeying one’s parents. (al-Isra: 23)
- Fleeing from the battle. (al-Anfal: 16)
- Drinking alcoholic beverages (5: 90)
- Committing highway robbery. (5: 33)
- Taking or paying interest. (2: 275)
- Committing murder. (Furqan; 68)
- Performing Sorcery. (2: 102)
- Gambling. (5: 90)
- Stealing. (5:38)
- Committing suicide. (4: 29)
Being a perpetual liar. (3: 61) - Engaging in bribery. (2: 188)
- Breaching trusts. (al-Anfal: 27)
- Acting for a show. (al-Moon: 4-6)
- Denying predestination. (al-Qamar: 49)
- Being deceitful or deceptive. (Fatir: 43)
- Reminding people of one’s kindness. (2: 27)
- Eating carrion, blood or pork meat. (al-Anam: 145)
- Ruling by laws other than the laws of Islam. (5: 44)
- Harming others by manipulating one’s bequests. (4: 12)
- Not measuring the weights properly. (al-Mutafafifeen: 1-3)
- Thinking that one is safe from Allah’s planning. (al-Araf: 99)
- Wrongdoing, deception or oppression on the part of the ruler. (al-Shura: 42)
A real believer tries to avoid all sins whether major or minor. However, a believer should not approach sins, especially major sins because the responsibility and results of the major sins are more serious. Those who commit major or minor sins are not regarded as apostates except for the sins related to faith and accepting haram and halal unless they regard the sins they commit as permissible.
وَالَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا هُمْ يَغْفِرُونَ
“Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, and forgive when they are angry.” (Surah Al-Shura 42:37)
Below mentioned are some major sins that we all should know about and avoid:
- To believe that Allah has any partner or colleague in His Divinity; to worship someone besides Allah.
- To lose hope in the mercy of Allah; to believe that Allah would not save him on the day of judgment.
- To have no fear of Allah; to think that Allah would not punish him for his sins.
- To misbehave with parents; disobeying them or injuring their feeling.
- To kill someone unjustly, i.e. without permission of sharia.
- To slander a married woman, accusing her of adultery.
- To eat an orphan’s money or property unlawfully and unjustly.
- To flee from jihad (religious war).
- To use or eat a thing or money obtained as interest.
- To swear falsely by name of Allah.
- To neglect prayer (Salat) or any other wajib thing.
- To withhold zakat.
- To give false evidence.
- To hide (i.e. not to give) true evidence.
- To drink intoxicant, liquor.
- Breach of promise.
- To misbehave with blood relatives; not doing good to them.
- To migrate to a place where there might be a danger to religion or to its observance – i.e. where one would not be able to follow the rules of sharia without hindrance.
- Theft or robbery.
- Rejection or denial of what Allah has revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w.a).
- To tell a lie; even more grievous is a lie against or about Allah, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) or the Imams (a.s.).
- To eat meat etc., of a dead animal, or one not slaughtered according to the rules of sharia.
- To drink or eat blood.
- To repeat small sins.
- Not giving any Importance to hajj.
- Fighting against the Friends of Allah.
- Fornication and/or adultery.
- Homosexuality (whether between males or females).
- Magic, witchcraft.
- To eat pork, lard or any part of a pig.
- Gambling.
- Pride.
- Envy, (i.e. had).
- Extravagance
- To eat from, or use unlawful earnings; for example, a piece of a dead body, or liquor, or of gambling devices; money received in a bribe or by prostitution.
- Taking bribes for giving judgment.
- Not giving full weight or measure to the customer; to sell things with short weight or measure.
- To hoard foodstuff, i.e., not selling it even when there is a shortage in the market – waiting for the prices to go higher.
- To help the oppressors and unjust persons or groups; to incline towards them or to work for them.
- Not paying wajib huquq (except when one is in straitened condition).
- Music – and it is the sound which is prolonged with a variation of tune and crescendo, as is understood by irreligious people. (That is: Music is that sound which irreligious people accept as music).
- Using instruments of music; listening to instrumental music.
- Ghibat: Backbiting a mu’min by words, signs or actions. That is: To mention or disclose any existing physical defect, family disgrace, religious or moral shortcoming or any such defect which the mu’min concerned does not like the people to know; it makes no difference whether that mention is made by words, or actions or signs.
- Tuhmat: To falsely accuse a mu’min of something which is not found in him or he has not done. It is a more heinous sin than Ghibat.
- To abuse, insult or disgrace a mu’min in any other way.
- To create enmity and mischief between the believers by conveying one’s words to the other.
- To act as a pimp; to work as a go-between to gather two persons for unlawful sexual intercourse.
- To adulterate merchandise, to make it impure or poorer in quality by adding something of less value; to pass on imitations as genuine Items.
- To do a good deed to show to the people.
- To treat a Sin lightly because “the most grievous sin is that which the doer treats lightly”
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى
“Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, Only (falling into) small faults–verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness.” (Surah An-Najm, 53:32)
Those who commit sins should try to be saved from their faults because they are sinful believers. So, at first, they should regret and return to faith from major sins which are regarded like polytheism and blasphemy; they should repent from other major sins and should not commit them again.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives [what] other than that for whom He wills. And whoever associates partners with Allah then surely he lost (the) way, straying far away.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:116)
Major Sins in Islam:
- Shirk is considered the major sin that is associating anything with Allah Almighty
- Misbehave with parents, disobeying them or hurting their feelings
- Not fasting in the month of Ramadan without any valid reason
- Dealing unjustly with the property of an orphan
- Running away from the battlefield
- Involvement in Riba or Interest
- Not performing the prayer
- Involvement in Adultery
- Sodomy (Homosexuality)
- Practising black magic
- Drinking wine or alcohol
- Pride and arrogance
- Murder
- Not paying Zakat
- Gambling
- Committing suicide
- Breach of promise
- Robbery or theft
- Gambling
- Envy (Hasad)
- Cursing
- Repeating of small sins
- Slandering chaste women
- Backbiting and slandering
- Swear falsely by name of Allah
- To eat pork, lard or any part of a pig
- Offending and abusing other Muslims
- Eating from or using unlawful earnings
- To lose hope in the mercy of Allah Almighty
- Selling things with short weight or measure
- To think that Allah (SWT) would not punish him/her for his sins
- To create enmity and mischief between the believers by conveying one’s words to the other
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53)
Major sins are among the basic principles that are necessary to be known by believers concerning the issues like a creed, belief, worshipping or the everyday issues and that are haram to do and obligatory to abandon. May Almighty Allah guide us to fulfil His commands and keep us away from committing all kinds of sins whether major or minor! Ameen
