THE GREATER SINS

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 Holy Prophet (s.a.w.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 Lesser 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 Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said “There is an angel who raises the call every night saying ‘whoever partakes of the prohibited things, 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 revealed 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 weep due to fear (of Me)’”. Abstaining from Greater Sins causes the Lesser Sins to be overlooked as mentioned in Sura al-Nisa verse 31 “If you shun the Greater Sins which are forbidden, we will do away with your Lesser 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’at) of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and his Progeny (a.s.). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.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 Amiral Momineen (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 Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) or his successors on the Day of Judgment. But, by Allah I fear for you 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 verse 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.”

Hence, we should weep for our past sins specially those sins that we remember.

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 verse 7 “(As for) those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men.” The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.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 a 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 a tradition by Imam Ali al-Raza (a.s.) “Allah says’ Wilayat of Ali Ibne Abi Talib is My fort. Then 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.

Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) had explained some of the Greater Sins as follows:

1. 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).”
2. To despair from Mercy of Allah. Sura al-Yousuf verse 87 “Surely non despairs from Allah’s Mercy except the unbelieving people.”
3. Not fearing the retribution of Allah. Sura al-Araaf verse 99 “But none feels secure from Allah’s plan except the people who shall perish.”
4. To disobey ones parents. Sura al-Maryam verse 14 “And dutiful to his parents, and he was not insolent, disobedient.”
5. To kill a believer. Sura al-Nisa verse 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.”
6. Slander a believing man or a woman of adultery (or sodomy). Sura al-Noor verse 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.”
7. The usurpation of an orphan’s property. Sura al-Nisa verse 10 “(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.”
8. To retreat from Jihad (the Holy War). Sura al-Anfal verse 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.”
9. To take interest. Sura al-Baqara verse 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.”
10. Magic. Sura al-Baqara verse 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 but known this.”
11. Adultery (fornication) Sura al-Furqan verses 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.”
12. Taking a false oath. Sura Al-Aale Imran verse 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.”
13. Betrayal of trust or to act unfaithfully. Sura al-Aale Imran verse 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.”
14. Failure to pay Zakat. Sura al-Tauba verse 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.”
15. To bear a false witness. Sura al-Hajj verse 30 “…..and avoid false words.”
16. Do not conceal evidence. Sura al-Baqara verse 283 “…..and do not conceal testimony and whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows what you do.”
17. Drinking of wine. Sura al-Baqara verse 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.”
18. 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”
19. Breaking an oath. Sura al-Baqara verse 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.”
20. To break ties with the relatives. Sura al-Raad verse 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 Lesser Sins, To treat Lesser Sins as trifle.

SURA AL-QADR

                                This sura was revealed on The Holy Prophet (s) in Makkah.

           Bismillah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem

              Inna Anzalnaho Fi Lailatul Qadre Wa Ma Adraaka Ma Lailatul Qadr Lailatul Qadre

           Khairum Min Alfe Shaher Tanazzalul Malaikatu War Ruhu Fiha Beizne Rabbehim Min

                                 Kulle Amrin Salamun Hiya Hatta Matla’il Fajr

                               In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

                        Surely, We sent it (The Qur’an) down on the night of Honor.

                         And what makes you know what the Night of Honor is?

                            The Night of Honor is better than a thousand nights.

        The Angels and the Spirit descend on descend therein by their Lord’s leave of every affair.

                                        Peace! It is still the rising of the dawn.

Allah says in Sura Al-Baqara verse 185 “Ramazaan is the month in which was sent the Qur’an” which conveys the notion that the whole Qur’an was descended in this month.

The first verse of Sura al-Qadr contains two pronouns; one is “it” referring to Qur’an and the other “we” relates to Almighty Himself. Together with these two pronouns the very fact that it was revealed on the Night of Honor manifests the importance of The Holy Qur’an.

The revelation was of two kinds: one was that the whole Qur’an came down, at once, in one night on the heart of the Holy Prophet(s) or, the Bait-ul-Mamoor, or from the “Preserved Tablet” or “Lauh-e-Mahfooz”. The second kind of revelation was the Holy Qur’an came down in portions, gradually, during the life time of the Holy Prophet(s).

This explanation is further supported by the fact that the two different Arabic words like “Inzaal” and “Tanzeel” have been used in the Noble Qur’an. Inzaal has a broad meaning and here it implies “bringing down all at once” while Tanzeel implies bringing down gradually.

The Night of Honor is better than thousand nights which is about eighty years. It is reported that the Holy Prophet(s) said “one of the members of the Israelites had spent one thousand months wearing his fighting dress on and prepared to fight on the path of Allah”

On hearing this, the companions wished if they could also do the same. Hence this verse was revealed.

The word “tanazzala” is a future term showing continuity and hence the Night of Honor

comes every year. About the meaning of word “Ruh” Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) said

“Gibraeel is one of the angels and “Ruh” is greater than the angels. Has Allah, the Exalted, not said “The Angels and the Spirit descended”. The objective for the descend is to proportionate and assign the fates and to bring any blessings and goodness on that night.

Sura Al-Dukhan verse 3 and 4 reads “that We have revealed the Qur’an on a blessed night to warn mankind. On this night, every absolute command coming from Us becomes distinguishable.” Other traditions corroborate to this fact that every human’s sustenance, life span and other important events for the next year are decided by Allah on this night. This does not in any way obstructs an individual’s independence of actions as it is reflected by his purity of intentions, knowledge, faith etc. Qazaa-o-Qadr has already been discussed in a separate article.The fact that the angels and the Ruh descends every year points to the existence of an infallible on the earth till the last day of this universe. 

The last verse of the sura which says “Peace! It is till the rising of the dawn” It is a night on which both the Qur’an has descended and worship and vigilance is equal to a thousand months.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) when asked as to which night was the Night of Honor, replied “How do we not know it, whereas angels go round us therein”

There are narrations that on that night the destinies and affairs of men are determined; sustenance, death and other affairs are made distinct and clear. It is called the Night of Honor:

1. Because it is very important.
2. Also because the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Grand Apostle of Allah by means of His Grand Angel.
3. A person who keeps vigil on that night obtains a grand rank.

As to the question that which night is the Night of Honor, it is suggested as 1^st, 17^th, 19^th,

21^st, 23^rd, 27^th and 29^th of Ramazaan. Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) suggested to be 21^st or 23^rd.

Virtues of reciting Sura al-Qadr:

The Holy Prophet(s) said “He who recites Sura al-Qadr will be rewarded like the one who has fasted the whole month of Ramazaan and has kept vigil the night of the Qadr.

Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said “He who recites Sura al-Qadr loudly and openly like a person who fights in the Holy War on the path of Allah and he who recites hiddenly like a person who swims in his own blood for the sake of Allah.”

Allah has kept his love obscured in different prayers, obligatory or recommended, so that people will turn towards them. He has kept hidden His Wrath in sins so that people will abstain from disobedience and committing sins. He has kept his friends secret so that people will respect every one. He has kept acceptance of prayers in different supplications so that people will rush towards prayers. He has kept hidden His Isme Aazam in Asma-ul-Husna so that people will recite all names of Allah. Allah’s names has been mentioned in Duaa-e-Jaushan-e-Kabeer which contains His one thousand names. And lastly, He has kept the time of death secret from people so that they should always be prepared for it.

Is it possible to have one Night of Honor in different cities? The answer to this question will be clear by studying what is night. At any moment, half of the globe is in darkness and because the earth is moving on its axis and completes one revolution in 24 hours. Hence, the Night of Honor may be one complete revolution during which time every part of the earth will be in darkness.