What
is sin? Any act of omission or commission which is against the commands of
Allah as detailed in the Holy Qur’an and
elaborately discussed by the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). In one
sentence, Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) said “Submit to the command of Allah
and do not go near the Prohibited”. Some sins are Greater and others are smaller
in gravity. All those acts which brings in the wrath of Allah and Hell fire is
prescribed are Greater Sins. Their number is more than forty. To refrain
from committing sins is more important than performing good deeds. The Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said “There is an angel who raises the call every night
saying ‘whoever engages in the prohibited acts, Allah does not accept any of
his deeds, obligatory or recommended’”.
In
other words, good deeds are accepted only if accompanied by piety.
Sin
is a barrier to the acceptance of invocation (duaa). Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) said “Allah communicated
to prophet Musa saying ‘My slave cannot achieve nearness to Me without three
things which I like: Practice piety in this world, abstain from sins and cry out of fear (of Me)’. Abstaining from Greater Sins causes the smaller
Sins to be overlooked as mentioned in Sura al-Nisa Ayah 31 “If you shun the
Greater Sins which are forbidden, we will do away with your Smaller Sins and
cause you to enter an honorable place”
A
person who commits a Greater Sin and does not repent for it is a transgressor. After death he is liable for Divine punishment. By
the Grace of Allah he may yet get salvation by the intercession (Shafa’ah) of
Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) and his Progeny (a.s.). The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s)
said “My intercession is especially for sinful ones among my followers. But
those who abstain from Greater Sins, for them there is no accounting (of
deeds)”
However,
intercession should not prompt one to commit sins.
Imam
Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) relates from Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) as “Death
occurs to a person in one of three ways: He is given the good news of everlasting
bounties or informed of the never ending retribution or he remains in a perpetual
state of terror or fear. Then, act (rightly) and obey the commandments of
Allah. Do not consider the Divine punishment to be trifle and certainly there
are such people who will not be able to receive our intercession till
after 300,000 years”. Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) said “All of you
(shias) shall enter Paradise by the intercession of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.)
or his successors on the Day of Judgment. But, by Allah I fear for you for
the Barzakh.” Barzakh is the grave. Its duration commences from the
time of death to the Day of Judgment.
Imam
Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) said “Our intercession is not for those who consider the
Prayers (Namaaz) as unimportant.”
It
happens, some times, that due to excessive involvement in sins and delay in
repentance, faith in religion is erased from the heart. There is no
intercession for such people. Sura al-Rome Ayah 10 “ Then evil was the end of
those who did evil, because they rejected the communications of Allah and used
to mock them.”
Imam
Jaffer al-Sadiq said “There is a white spot in every man’s heart. When he
commits a sin a black spot emerges from this. If he repents, the blackness goes
away but if he persists the blackness goes on increasing till it completely
surrounds the whiteness. When this happens, this man will not revert to
goodness.”
We
should cry for our past sins.Intercession should neither raise false hope nor
arrogance but the fear of Allah is necessary.
There
is a difference between a Shia and Mohib. Once a person asked Imam Ali (a.s.)
as to who is a Shia? Imam Ali(a.s.) replied “ Shias are those whose faces are
pale due to excessive worship and the fear of Allah, their backs are bent due
to prolong prayers, too much fasting causes their abdomen to touch their
backbones, their lips become dry by repeating endless invocations, and their
hearts are filled with fear of Allah.”
Sura
Baiyyana Ayah 7 “The righteously striving believers are the best of all
creatures.” The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said “O Ali, ‘Khairul Bareeya’
means you and your Shias. On the Day of Judgment, they would be satisfied with
what Allah has bestowed upon them and they shall be liked by Allah.”
One of the factors which prevent
Shia from committing sins is the Wilayat or love for Imam Ali (a.s.). The
natural consequence of love is to follow in to his foot-steps and avoid things
prohibited in Islam. There is tradition by Imam Ali al-Raza (a.s.) “Allah
says’ Wilayat of Ali Ibne Abu Talib is My fort, one who enters My fort is safe
from My wrath (Ghazab). Verbal claim of love of Imam Ali (a.s.) is insufficient
unless it follows by action.
The Infallible Imam Jafar
al-Sadiq (a.s.) had explained some of the Greater Sins as follows:
- The Greatest of the Greater Sins is “Shirk”, to
attribute partners with Allah. Sura al-Maida verse 72 “Certainly who ever
associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden to him the Garden
(Paradise).”
- To despair from Mercy of Allah. Sura al-Yousuf Ayah
87 “Surely non despairs from Allah’s Mercy except the unbelieving people.”
- Not fearing the retribution of Allah. Sura al-Araaf
Ayah 99 “But none feels secure from Allah’s plan except the people who
shall perish.”
- To disobey ones parents. Sura al-Maryam Ayah 14 “And
dutiful to his parents, and he was not insolent, disobedient.”
- To kill a believer.
Sura al-Nisa Ayah 93 “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his
punishment is Hell; he shall abide in it, and Allah will send His wrath on
him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement.”
- Slander a believing
man or a woman of adultery (or sodomy). Sura al-Noor Ayah 23 “Surely those
who accuse chaste believing woman, unaware (of the evil) are cursed in
this world and the hereafter, and they shall have a grievous
chastisement.”
- The usurpation of
an orphan’s property. Sura al-Nisa Ayah10 “(As for) those who swallow the
property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow the fire in to
their bellies and they shall enter burning fire.”
- To retreat from
Jihad (the Holy War). Sura al-Anfal Ayah 16 “And who ever shall turn his
back to them on that day-unless he turns aside for the sake of fighting or
withdraws to a company-then he, indeed becomes deserving of Allah’s wrath,
and his abode is Hell; and an evil destination shall it be.”
- To take interest.
Sura al-Baqara Ayah 275 “One who swallows down usury cannot arise except
as one whom Shaitan has prostrated by (his) touch does rise. This is
because they say, trading is only like usury; and Allah has allowed
trading and forbidden usury.”
- Magic. Sura al-Baqara
Ayah 102 “and certainly they know that he who bought it (the magic) should
have no share of good in the hereafter and evil was the price for which they
sold their souls; had they known
this.”
- Adultery
(fornication) Sura al-Furqan Ayahs 68 and 69 “And they who do not call
upon another god with Allah and do not slay a soul which Allah has
forbidden except in the requirements of justice and (who) do not commit
fornication. And he who does this shall find a requital of sin. The
punishment shall be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he
shall abide therein in abasement.”
- Taking a false
oath. Sura Al-Aale Imran Ayah 76 “(As for ) those who take a small price
for the covenant of Allah and their own oaths-Surely they shall have no
portion in the hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them, nor will He
look upon them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purify them, and
they shall have a painful chastisement.”
- Betrayal of trust
or to act unfaithfully. Sura al-Aale Imran Ayah 161 and 162 “And it is not
attributable that he should act unfaithfully; and he who acts unfaithfully
shall bring that in respect of which he acted unfaithfully on the Day of
Resurrection; then shall every soul be paid back fully what it has earned,
and they shall not be dealt unjustly. Is then he who follows the pleasure
of Allah like him who has made himself deserving of displeasure from
Allah, and his abode is Hell; and it is an evil destination.”
- Failure to pay
Zakat. Sura al-Tauba Ayah 34 “and (as for) those who hoard up gold and
silver and do not spend in Allah’s ways, announce to them a painful
chastisement.”
- To bear a false
witness. Sura al-Hajj Ayah 30 “…..and avoid false words.”
- To conceal
evidence. Sura al-Baqara Ayah 283 “…..and do not conceal testimony and
whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows what you
do.”
- Drinking of wine.
Sura al-Baqara Ayah 219 “They ask you about intoxicants and game of
chance. Say: In both of them there is Great Sin and means of profit for
men, and their sin is greater than their profit.”
- Willfully avoid
prayers. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s) said “One who willfully avoids prayers
is away from the protection of Allah and His Messenger”
- Breaking an oath.
Sura al-Baqara Ayah 27 “ Who break the covenant of Allah after its
confirmation and cut as under what Allah has ordered to be joined (that is
mutual relationship), and make mischief in the land; these it is that are
the losers.”
- To break ties with
the relatives. Sura al-Raad Ayah 25 “and cut asunder what Allah has
ordained to establish.”
Imam
Ali al-Raza (a.s.) wrote to the caliph Mamun enumerating the Greater Sins. The
list included additional sins as under:
Stealing,
Eating dead animals, pigs and blood, Homosexuality, Not acknowledging bounties
of Allah, Associating and cooperating with oppressors, Lying, Expenditures in
ways not permitted by Allah, Persist in committing Smaller Sins, To treat Smaller
Sins as trifle.
Source: Greater Sins by Ayatollah
sayyed Abdul Husayn Dasteghaib Shirazi
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