WHAT IS SIN?

Sin is an act against Allah’s Commands communicated to the humanity through His Messengers and Divine Scriptures. Whoever follows the Guidance of the Prophets will be rewarded everlasting life in Paradise and the ones who disobeyed the Prophets will be punished in the Hell for ever.

Sins are mainly divided into “Greater” and “Minor” sins. The Greater sins are either expressly mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an as Greater or a person who commits such sins are guaranteed his entry into the Hell by the Glorious Qur’an and the Traditions. For example, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: All those sins are Greater (the doer of which) is promised the Hell Fire.” Similarly, any sin is clearly greater than a sin specified as Greater in the Glorious Qur’an and the Traditions, is also a Greater sin. For example unlawfully killing of a person is a sin. Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 191: “And the (spreading of) mischief is Greater than murder.”

  The word “Taqwa” means to abstain or safeguard. The Infallible Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said about Taqwa as: “Submit to the Command of Allah and do not go near the prohibited.” One should endeavor to fulfill all the Commands of Allah and abstain from prohibited things. The obligatory Commands are those which, if not carried out, invite the Wrath of Allah. The importance of abstaining from the prohibited may be realized from the following traditions:

The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “There is an angel of Allah who raises the call every night from “Bait-ul-Muqaddas” “Whoever partakes of the prohibited things, Allah does not accept any of his deeds. Even if you stand for prayers and fast till you resemble a dried stick, Allah will not accept any of your deeds till you have piety to guard against the evil deeds.”

The Infallible Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “To refrain from eating a single morsel of haram is, near Allah, more valued than the performance of two thousand rak’at of recommended prayer. To forgo a single dirham of prohibited money is equal near Allah, to seventy accepted Hajj. Strive more to perform good deeds. However, if you cannot perform a good act (at least) do not disobey (the Commands of Allah).”

Prophet Musa passed through one of his followers in prostration. After sometime, when he returned, he found the man still in prostration. Allah revealed to Prophet Musa: “Even if this man prostrates for Me till his head get detached from his neck, I will not accept his deeds, till he abstains from that which I dislike and does that which pleases Me. Sins hinder the supplication from acceptance.”

Abstaining from sins is the basis of religion. Hence, refrain from sins in order to become the most pious worshipper. Allah says: “Allah accepts the good deeds only from the pious people.”  Hence, if one succeeds in remaining aloof from sins, then even if our good deeds are paltry, they would be accepted by our Lord.

Hence, it is necessary to dread sinful acts and to be ever cautious of the vices. The good deeds must be performed in such a way so as to emulate as close as possible to the high ideals of our Ahlul Bayt (a.s.)

Sulayman bin Khalid says: “I asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) regarding Ayah 23 of Surah al-Furqa’n which is “And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust.”, the Imam said: “By Allah, even if their deeds are as white as Egyptian cotton, but if they find sin and lewdness they do not abstain from it.” In other words, their good deeds are scattered like dust due to the lack of piety, and hence are of no value.

The Infallible Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Allah revealed to Prophet Musa (a.s.), “Verily, My slave cannot achieve nearness to Me without the three things which I like.” On inquiry from Prophet Musa (a.s.), Allah said: “O! Musa those three things are: To practice piety in this world, to abstain from sins and to weep due to My fear. One who practices piety in this world will get Paradise. One who weeps due to My fear will be accorded such a high position that no one else will be able to reach it. The deeds of all the creatures shall be accounted. But one who abstains from that which I have forbidden, then accounting of his deeds will not be carried out; he would be admitted to Heaven directly.

Sources used:

The Glorious Qur’an, Greater Sins by Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Abdul Husayn Dasteghaib (r.a.), Sibtayn.com