The concept of sin (Dhambi or Ma’siyah) in Islam

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Qur’an says: If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into paradise]. “Suratul Nisa Ayat 31 (Qur’an 4 verse 31)”.

Literarily, Sin is a transgressive act that violates a moral, social, or divine law. It drives narrative conflict, with characters grappling with guilt, consequences, or the human condition.

In Islam, sin (known as dhamb or ma’siyah) is any (transgression) deliberate action, speech, or intention that violates the laws and commands of Allah SWT.  The one who commits it will be held accountable and is liable to its consequences, sometimes only in this world and other times in both worlds.

Something we may consider is that a sin that seems small may be huge in the sight of Allah SWT.

Allah SWT says in the Quran: “Taking it lightly while it is (extremely) serious in the sight of Allah”    (Surah An-Nur, 24:15).

Sin is an acquired, personal deviation from humanity’s natural state of innocence (fitrah). It requires free will and intentionality, and no one bears the burden of another’s sins.

Abiding by the moral scale of Islam, it is not a sin that man is imperfect or fallible. This is part of his nature as a finite limited creature. But it is a sin if he has the ways and means of relative perfection and chooses not to seek it. A sin is any act that:  

1. Is deliberate.

2. Defies the unequivocal law of Allah SWT,

3. Violates the rights of Allah SWT or the right of man,

4. Is harmful to the soul or body and

 5. Is normally avoidable.

Sins however are categorized into two forms, major sins and minor sins. The Qur’an says: Those who avoid great sins and indecencies, and when they are angry even they forgive. Surah Ash-Shura Verse 37.

Major sins are considered as all what is forbidden by Allah SWT and his Messenger SAW in the Qur’an and the sunnah in addition to what is narrated on the authority of the early Muslims. Allah SWT promises whoever avoids the major sins to expiate his minor sins. The Prophet (SAW) said, “The five prescribed Prayers, and from one Friday Prayer to another and from Ramadan to another entail forgiveness for what is between them as long as you do not commit the major sins.” [Muslim, Tirimidhi, ibn Khurayamah and Ahmed]. Therefore, we are obliged to learn about what the major sins are, so that Muslim may avoid them. Scholars of Islamic theology are of different opinions about the numbers of the major sins. It is argued that they are only seven owing to the Prophet’s SAW saying: “Avoid the seven heinous sins: Worshipping others with Allah SWT, Sorcery, Taking a life which Allah SWT has made sacred except in the course of justice, Devouring usury, Appropriating the property of the orphan, Fleeing from the battlefield, and Charging believing women, Unmindful though innocent with adultery.” [Bukhari and Muslim]. 

Ibn Abbas holds that they are likely counted as seventy not seven. That is a good point of view because enumeration in not intended in the Hadith;

Any sin entailing either a threat of punishment in the hereafter explicitly mentioned by the Qur’an or Hadith, a prescribed legal penalty (Hadd), or being accursed by Allah SWT or His Messenger SAW is called a Major Sin. Also, we have to note that some major sins are most heinous than another. This is because Prophet SAW has enlisted SHIRIK (Worshipping others with Allah SWT) though a polytheist will suffer eternal torture in Fire and will never be forgiven.

Allah SWT says: Allah forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him, but HE forgiveth whom HE pleaseth other sins than this. (Surah An-Nisa verse 116).

The worst major sin is Shirk [Ascribing Associates To Allah SWT]

It is of two kinds:

To hold that Allah SWT has an equal, whereas HE SWT has created you, and to worship another with HIM, whether it be a stone, tree, sun, moon, prophet, sheikh, star, angel or other. This is the greatest shirik mentioned by Allah SWT in the (Surah An-Nisa verse 116) as quoted above.

False worship is indeed the highest wrongdoing. (Suratul Luqman verse 13).

“Whoever joins other gods with Allah; Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire will be his above”. [Suratul Al-Ma’idah verse 72].

The Quranic verses concerning this are very numerous. It is being absolutely certain that whoever ascribes associates to Allah SWT and dies in such a state is one of Hell’s inhabitants. Just as whoever believes in Allah SWT and  dies as a believer is one of the inhabitants of Paradise, even if he should be punished first.

The Prophet SAW said: “Shall I tell you of the worst major sins? Worshipping others with Allah SWT, showing disrespect to parents, giving a false statement, and testifying to the truth of a falsehood.” And he kept repeating it until we were telling ourselves (out of sympathy for him because of the strain of repeating it), if only he would be silent.” “Avoid the seven heinous sins.” And he mentioned ascribing associates to Allah SWT.

Ostentation

Allah SWT says: “Whoever expect to meet his Lord, let him work righteous, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.” [Suratul Khaf verse 110]. i.e. does not show off in good works. The Prophet SAW says: “Beware of the lesser shirik.?” He said, “Showing off in good works. Allah SWT say when recompensing the mankind for their deeds: Go to those whom you showed off to in the world to see how they could recompense you.” Also, the Messenger of Allah SWT says: “If anybody associates something with Me, I am not affected. If anyone associates somebody with Me, in anyway, I reject him and his act of associating”

In another narration, The Prophet SAW said, “A person who does some good work in order to boast will have his faults exposed by Allah SWT and a person whose motive in doing some good deed is to show it. Allah the Most High will treat his as a hypocrite”.  Also, The Prophet SAW said, “There may be a faster who does not gain from his fasting but hunger and thirst.”

Thus, the one who shows off in good works will have no value but the people’s saying that he did good and he will not be rewarded in the hereafter.

Allah SWT says, “And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did [in this life], and We shall make such deed as floating dust scattered about.” Suratul Furqan verse 23.

The Messenger of Allah SAW said, “On the day of judgment some groups of people will be brought near Paradise. Having smelt its fragrance, and seen palaces and blessings therein, they will hear a call saying “Take them away, it is not for them”. Accordingly, they return so sorrowful that no one could have such feeling. They will call upon Allah, “O Lord were we entered into the Hell-Fire before seeing what You have prepared for Your Friends, it would have been better.” Then Allah will say, “That is what I want. When you were alone you defied Me with grievous sins, but when you meet people you showed off in good works, You only refrain [from things] for their sake. Hence, today, I will severely torment you in addition to depriving you from My bountiful reward”. It was related that a man asked the Messenger of Allah SAW “How can I be redeemed? The Prophet SAW said, “If you do not deceive Allah” The man asked, How is Allah deceived?” He SAW replied, “When you do something which Allah and His Messenger commanded you to do but you intend other than pleasing Allah SWT. Beware of ostentation, it is the lesser shirik [polytheism]; On the day of judgement, the ostentations will be called by four names: O Ostentations, O traitors, O corrupt, O loser; what you did is wasted and your reward is nullified. We will not reward you, go and get your reward from whomever you acted to deceive?”. A wise man was asked, “Who is the sincere one? He SAW replied, “It is he who hides his good deeds as he does with his bad deeds.” Someone asked, “What is the good of sincerity?” He SAW said, “When you dislike to be praised by people.” [Musnad Ahmad]

May Allah SWT let us be away from sins and forgive us our transgressions known and unknown, aamin.