A man once asked Abû Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, ‘What is al-taqwâ?” He replied, “Have you ever taken a path filled with thorns?” The man replied, “I have.” Abû Hurayrah asked him, “What did you do?” He replied, “When I saw a thorn I would dodge it or pass over it or behind it.” Abû Hurayrah said, “That is al-taqwâ.” [Al-Baihaqî, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabîr p351.]
Taqwa is to always be cautious and careful from falling into what Allah has made forbidden. The Muttaqi is like a horse with reigns, every time he wants to go forward to something forbidden he pulls himself back.
There are Scholars who compiled books on Major Sins, and this book is one of the best books on the topic. We should learn about the major sins and ask Allah to help us stay away from them. When studying this Book, you will find that we commit some of the major sins daily, and if you do not repent from major sins, you will enter the Hellfire.
What are the types of sins? The Scholars divided sins into two categories:
1) Minor Sins
2) Major Sins
Major sins are either:
a) Prohibitions (like killing, adultery, etc.)
b) or Leaving Obligations (such as abandoning prayer, not giving Zakat, etc.)
They are also further divided into:
a) Sins of the Heart (like pride, envy, etc.)
b) Sins of the Body
And:
a) The Right of Allah (like Shirk)
b) The Right of People (like Stealing)
Who is Imam ad-Dhahabi رحمه الله? Imam Ad-Dhahabi رحمه الله was born in Damascus, Syria in the year 673AH. He travelled to many places, such as Egypt, in search of knowledge. He died in 748AH.
Authors Introduction
All praise to Allah for faith in Him, His Books, His Messengers, His Angels, and His Decrees. And may the Salat of Allah be upon His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, and helpers; a continuous Salat which will permit for us Dar al-Qarar (The Abode of Settlement [i.e. Paradise]) in his proximity.
The Author رحمه الله began his Book praising Allah for the pillars of الإيمان (Faith). Because if you establish your faith correctly, you will not fall into major sins. The more faith you have, the further away you will be from major sins.
This is a beneficial Book on the Major Sins, both concise and in detail, may Allah provide us with the avoidance of them by His mercy.
We should know the major sins and invoke Allah to help us avoid them.
Once, Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه was making Tawaf around the Ka'bah asking Allah to protect him from killing, stealing, drinking wine, etc. After he finished, the man who was next to him asked him why - when he is Abu Hurayrah, the companion of the Prophet ﷺ. He replied that if Allah did make him avoid it, how would he have avoided it?
Never feel secure from falling into the major sins, because that's a means of falling into it.
Allah said in Surah an-Nisa [4:31]: "If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise)." So Allah has taken upon Himself, by this text, to enter the one who avoids the major sins into Paradise.
And Allah said in Surah ash-Shura [42:37]: "And those who avoid the greater sins, and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), and when they are angry, they forgive."
Major Sins can have something in it which increases it into a Faahishah.
E.g. A person commits adultery, which is a major sin. A person commits adultery with one of his Mahram, it is a Faahishah.
E.g. A person breaks his fast during Ramadan, this is a major sin. A person breaks his fast in Ramadan with alcohol; this is a Faahishah.
And Allah said in Surah an-Najm [58:32]: "Those who avoid great sins and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) except the small faults, verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you from the earth (Adam), and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keep his duty to Him [i.e. those who are Al-Muttaqun (pious)]"
Allah keeps telling us to avoid the major sins, which means do not even come close to it or to the means which lead to it.
And the Prophet ﷺ said, "The five daily prayers, and one Friday prayer to another, are an expiation for what is between them; as long as you do not commit the major sins." [Muslim]
So it is incumbent upon us to look for the Major Sins in order that the Muslim may avoid it, and we find that the Scholars have differed in this regard:
Some say they are 7, using the following Hadith as evidence:
"Avoid the seven sins that doom one to Hell." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what are they?" He said: "Associating others with Allah (Shirk), magic, killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden killing, except in cases dictated by Islamic law, consuming Riba, consuming the property of orphans, fleeing on the day of the march (to battlefield), and slandering chaste women who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers." [Agreed upon]
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما said, "They are closer to 70 (in number) than they are to 7." [And in another narration: 700]
Definition of Major Sins
And Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما has spoken the truth. The Hadeeth is not meant to be an enumeration of the Major Sins. What it is aims at, and what the proofs establish, is that whoever commits a sin from these great sins:
1) From that which has a prescribed legal punishment in this Dunya; like killing, adultery, stealing
2) Or a threat of punishment or anger in the Hereafter
3) Or its doer has been cursed on the tongue of the Prophet ﷺ
Then it is of the Major Sins without a doubt, along with acknowledging that some of the major sins are greater than others. Did you not see that the Prophet ﷺ counted Shirk as one of the Major Sins, while the one who commits it will abide in Hell eternally and will never be forgiven. Allah said in Surah an-Nisa [4:48]: "Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." And in Surah Al-Maa'idah [5:82]: "...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 wrong-doers) there are no helpers." One should thus combine all the texts.
"Allah's Messenger ﷺ said thrice, "Shall I not inform you of the biggest of the great sins?" We said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger" He said, "To join partners in worship with Allah: to be undutiful to one's parents." The Prophet ﷺ sat up after he had been reclining and added, "And I warn you against giving forged statement and a false witness; I warn you against giving a forged statement and a false witness." The Prophet ﷺ kept on saying that warning till we thought that he would not stop." [Agreed upon]
So the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that giving a false testimony is one of the greatest major sins, while it is not mentioned in the Hadeeth about the 7 destructive sins (and similarly undutifulness to ones parents).
In this Book, Imam Ad-Dhahabi رحمه الله mentioned 76 Major Sins.
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