Eman Sakina

Do you know what the seven major sins in Islam are? Every Muslim must know about these and avoid committing these To save themselves severe punishment. If you have ever committed any of these major sins in the past, repent sincerely to Allah and resolve to never return to it.

Friday Musings

Shirk

The greatest of these sins is shirk (associating others with Allah), which leads to doom with no hope of redemption, and if a person dies in this state he will abide in Hell for all eternity. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.”

“And indeed it has been revealed to you, O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), as it was to those (Allah’s messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.”

Witchcraft

Witchcraft involves shirk because it is worshipping the jinn and is seeking the help of the jinn to misguide people.

The practitioner of witchcraft is the one who deals with that which causes harm to people by means of the jinn and worshipping them instead of Allah. Sometimes he does things that harm them with words, deeds, and blowing on knots; sometimes he does that by causing illusions to such an extent that a thing may be seen as something other than what it really is, as Allah, may He be glorified, said concerning the sorcerers of Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning):

“…their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast. So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic.”

Killing

Killing a soul whom; Allah has forbidden us to kill. This is a serious crime of which Allah says:

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.”

Killing a soul, or murder, is one of the most serious of crimes, but it is a major sin of a lesser degree than shirk (associating others with Allah). It is a major sin like fornication/adultery, theft, and so on. The one who does that is not a disbeliever unless he regards it as permissible to do that. Hence Allah, may He be glorified, says concerning him:

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.”

Consuming Riba

Consuming riba refers to dealing with riba which Allah has prohibited. Allah says concerning it (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba.”

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba (from now onward) if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger.”

Consuming riba, (usury) like interests on bank loans or other explotative gains made in business or trade, is a major sin that is essential to avoid.

Consuming orphans’ wealth

The orphan is the one whose father died when he is small and has not yet reached puberty. What is required in the case of orphans is to treat them kindly, protect their wealth, make it grow, and handle it with proper care. The one who spoils the orphan’s wealth and consumes it unlawfully is subject to a stern warning because the orphan is weak and he has transgressed against him and consumed his wealth. This stern warning is addressed to him, but he is not a disbeliever; rather he is a sinner, so long as he does not regard that as permissible.

Fleeing from the battlefield

When the Muslims meet the disbelievers in battle, the one who flees and deserts his brothers on the day of battle, when the disbelievers march against the Muslims or the Muslims march against the disbelievers – the one who flees and deserts his brothers is subject to this stern warning (interpretation of the meaning):

“Unless it is a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)” [al-Anfal 8:16] that is, unless he is recruiting to prepare himself, bring his weapon and put on his armour in preparation for fighting, which does not do any harm, or he is moving from one detachment to another, or from one rank to another, or from one group to another, as part of a plan against the enemy.

Slandering chaste, innocent believing women

The one who slanders chaste women, which means accusing them of Zina (fornication or adultery) – by saying: So and So committed Zina, or So and So-called someone to commit Zina, but he is lying – this is one of the seven sins that doom one to Hell and for which one deserves to be given eighty lashes.

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Allah says: “And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes”.