Islamic views on sin

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Sin in Islam is an important term in Islamic ethics. Muslims see sin as anything that goes against
the commands of Allah (God), a breach of the laws and norms laid down by religion.
[1]
Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a state of being. It is believed that Allah weighs an
individuals good deeds and against his or her sins on the Day of Judgement and punishes those
individuals whose evil deeds outweigh their good deeds. These individuals are thought to be
sentenced to afterlife in the fires of jahannam (Hell).

The Quran describes these sins throughout the text and demonstrates that some sins are more
punishable than others. A clear distinction is made between major and minor sins (53:31-32),
indicating that if an individual stays away from the major sins, then he/she will be forgiven of the
minor sins.[1] Regardless, Islam teaches that God is merciful and individuals can be forgiven of
their sins if they repent.[1]
Islam recognizes two kinds of sin (khati'ah): dhanb, a fault or shortcoming which is to be
sanctioned; and ithm, a willful transgression which is to be punished.[2]
Contents
[hide]

1Semantic analysis of sin in the Qur'an

o

1.1Dhanb

1.2Ithm

1.3Khatiah

1.4Jurm

1.5Junah/Haraj

2Definition in Hadith

3Repentance of sin

4Major sins: Al-Kabirah

5Sins or actions that leads to sins

6See also

7References

Semantic analysis of sin in the Qur'an[edit]

Several different words are used in the Quran to describe sin
1) Dhanb 2) Ithm 3) Khatiah 4) Jurm 5) Junah/Haraj. By examining the choice of words in
Quranic verses used in connection with these terms, scholars have attempted to determine which
sins are associated with which terms.[3]

Dhanb[edit]
Dhanb (plural dhunub) is frequently applied to heinous sins committed against God. One of the
main examples of Dhanb in the Quran is of crying lies of Gods signs, or having excessive pride
that prevents an individual from believing the signs of God.[3]
For in God's sight are (all) his servants, (namely), those who say: 'Our Lord, we have indeed
believed: forgive us, then, our sins ("dhunub"), and save us from the agony of the Fire.'
Quran 3: 15-16[4]
This use of dhanb in the Quran exemplifies that this type of sin is punishable in the afterlife. In
fact, dhanb is considered a great sin and is often used in the Quran to contrast with sayyia,

which denotes a smaller sin.[3] The Quran states that if you avoid these great sins, your lesser
evil deeds or sayyiat will be forgiven.
If you avoid great sins (kabair or dhanb) which are forbidden you, We will remit from you your evil
deeds (sayyia).
Quran 4: 31 [3]

Ithm[edit]
Some scholars believe the basic meaning of ithm to be an unlawful deed that is committed
intentionally. This contrasts to dhanb in that dhanb can be both intentional and unintentional.
However, this definition is somewhat nebulous and the best description of the word is based on
the contextual situations.[3] In the Quran, ithm is found quite frequently in legislative descriptions.
For example, falsely accusing your own wife in order to gain money is constituted as
an ithm (Quran 4: 24/20). However, ithm is also used in connection with haram, or committing an
unlawful deed, a taboo, such as consuming food or drink that is forbidden by God:
They will ask thee about wine and maysir. Say, In both of them there is great sin (ithm) and also
some uses for men, but their sin is greater than their usefulness.
Quran 2: 168/173[3]
Ithm is also associated with what is considered the worst sin of all, shirk.[3] Shirk signifies the
accepting of a presence of other divinities at the side of God. [5] The Quran states that:
He who associates with God has surely forged a great sin (ithm).
Quran 4: 53/50 [3]
This association with shirk is noteworthy for shirk is considered unforgivable if not repented of.
God forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods to Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other
sins that this: one who joines other gods with God hath strayed far, far away.
Quran 4:116[4]

Khatiah[edit]
Khatiah is considered by many scholars to be a moral lapse or a mistake [6] This interpretation
has led some scholars to believe that Khatiah is a lesser sin than ithm; however, the
word Khatiah is frequently used in conjunction with ithm in the Quran.[3]
Whoso, having committed a khatiah or an ithm, throws it upon the innocent, has burdened
himself with calumny and an obvious sin (ithm).
Quran 4:112[3]
This Quranic verse indicates that khatiah is considered an ithm, a grave sin. In fact, the
word khatiah is associated with some of the most heinous religious sins in the Quran. [3] In one
Quranic verse this word is used to describe the sin of slaying ones own children for fear of
poverty. (Quran 17:33/31). Scholars believe that dhanb or ithm could be used in place
of khatiah in this instance;[3] however, the word choice indicates that khatiah is more than just a
moral lapse or mistake and is punishable.

Jurm[edit]
The word Jurum is often considered to be a synonym of dhanb for it is used to describe some of
the same sins: crying lies of God and not believing the signs of God.[3] In the Quran, the word
mostly appears in the form of mujrim, one who commits a jurm. These individuals are described
in the Quran as having arrogance towards the believers.

Behold, those who commit jurm used to laugh at those who believed, winking one at another
when they passed them by, and when they went back to their own fold, they returned jesting, and
when they saw them they used to say, Lo, these have indeed gone astray!
Quran 83: 29-32[3]

Junah/Haraj[edit]
Junah and Haraj have a similar meaning to that of ithm, a sin that warrants a punishment. In fact,
these words are used almost interchangeably with ithm in the same chapters in the Quran.
Like ithm, these words are found frequently in legislative portions of the Quran, particularly
relating to regulations regarding marriage and divorce.[3]
It is no sin (junah) for you that you offer proposal of marriage to women or keep it secret.
Quran 2:235[3]

Definition in Hadith[edit]
Sin is discussed extensively in the hadith, (the collection of Muhammad's sayings). It is reported
by An-Nawwas bin Sam'an:
"The Prophet (Muhammad) said, "Piety is good manner,and sin is that which creates doubt and
you do not like people to know it.""
Sahih Muslim, 32:6195,Sahih Muslim, 32:6196
Wabisah bin Mabad reported:
I went to Messenger of Allah (SAWS) and he asked me: Have you come to inquire about piety?
I replied in the affirmative. Then he said: Ask your heart regarding it. Piety is that which contents
the soul and comforts the heart, and sin is that which causes doubts and perturbs the heart, even
if people pronounce it lawful and give you verdicts on such matters again and again.
Ahmad and Ad-Darmi[7]
In Sunan al-Tirmidhi, a Hadith is narrated:
Allah's apostle said, "Every son of Adam sins, the best of the sinners are those who repent."
Sunan al-Tirmidhi,Hadith no. 2499
In Sahih Muslim, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and Abu Huraira narrated:
Allah's apostle said," By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would
sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin
and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them."
Sahih Muslim, 37:6621

Repentance of sin[edit]
See also: Repentance in Islam
According to Islam, one can be forgiven of sins through genuine tawbah (repentance) which
literally means "to return."
Ask your Lord for forgiveness, then turn back to Him.
Qur'an, sura 11, ayat 3[8]

Unlike the Catholic concept of atonement, tawbah does not entail

formal, eccelesiastical confession to a religious leader.[9] Like Protestantism, Islam allows
followers to repent directly to God. In addition, while Christianity and Islam considers humans as
prone to sin, Islam ultimately views them as responsible for their actions and refutes the Christian
concept of original sin.
For man's very soul incites him to evil unless my Lord shows mercy.
Qur'an, sura 12, ayat 53[10]
More so, in Islam Muslims are discouraged from confessing their sins and sharing the
wrongdoings of others. [11]
Also, according to Islam, Blood sacrifice cannot add to Divine Grace nor replace the necessity of
repentance. However, sacrifice is done to help the poor and to remember Abrahams willingness
to sacrifice his son at God's command.
It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah. it is your piety that reaches Him..."
Qur'an, sura 22, ayat 37[12]
When a human has violated another humans rights, huqq al-ibd, compensation is necessary
in order to show that one has made amends.
When a human has offended or disobeyed God, huqq Allh, penitence, remorse, and resolution
are necessary in order to show that one is sincere, and will not repeat the wrongdoing in the
future.
According to Shaddad ibn Aws:
Shall I not how to seek forgiveness? O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no God but You; for You
created me and I am Your servant; and I am upon Your covenant and Your promise as much as I
am able; I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done; I acknowledge Your favors upon
me and I recognize my sins, so forgive my sins; verily, none can forgive sins but You.
Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Number 3393, Hasan[13]
From a traditionalist perspective, sin is applied to an individuals actions. Through belief and good
works, an individual can remove his/her sin and attain Gods good favor. Classical legal scholar
Muhammad al-Shafi'i (767 820) derived this understanding from Quranic passages such as: [9]
But He will overlook the bad deeds of those who have faith, do good deeds, and believe in what
has been sent down to Muhammad the truth from their Lord and He will put them into a good
state.
Qur'an, sura 47, ayat 2[14]
From a modernist perspective, sin has also been applied to a group or communitys collective
behavior. Through public acknowledgement of wrongdoing, people can take responsibility for the
lack of morality within their society and enact social reform. Egyptian reformer Muhammad
Abduh (18491905) and his disciple Muhammad Rashd Rid (18651935) derived this
understanding from Quranic passages such as:[9]
Unless they repent, make amends, and declare the truth. I will certainly accept their repentance.
Qur'an, sura 2, ayat 160[15]
Other modern reformers, such as Sayyid Qutb, held that repentance involved a renewed, holistic
commitment to Islam, rather than admission of sin for the sake of being pardoned of punishment.
This understanding draws from classical Sufi thought, whereby one experiences a personality
transformation and his/her sinful impulses are replaced by virtue. [9] Qutb derived this
understanding from Quranic passages such as:

Those who repent, believe, and do good deeds: God will change the evil deeds of such people
into good ones.
Qur'an, sura 25 ayat 70[16]
Repentance for sin can be accomplished through acts such as, fasting, giving charity, sacrificing
an animal, and freeing a slave.[17] In addition, going on the hajj can serve as a form of
repentance.
According to Shaddad ibn Aws:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, The lesser pilgrimage unto the lesser
pilgrimage will expiate whatever sins were committed between them; and the accepted
pilgrimage has no reward other than Paradise.
Sahih Bukhari, Book 27, Number 1 [18]
However, regardless of one's outward deeds, God does not accept the forgiveness of those who
are insincere in their repentance and only do so in order to avoid jahannam.
It is not true repentance when people continue to do evil until death confronts them and then say,
Now I repent.
Qur'an, sura 4 ayat 18[19]

Major sins: Al-Kabirah[edit]

The most heinous sins in Islam are known as Al-Kabirah (Persian: ) which translates to the
great or majors one. While every sin is seen as an offense to Allah, the al-Kaba'ir are the gravest
of the offenses.[1] Allahs power is thought to be only eclipsed by his mercy and thus small sins are
tacitly understood to be forgiven after repentance. Not every sin is equal however and some are
thought to be more spiritually damning than others. The greatest of the sins described as alKaba'ir is the association of others with Allah or Shirk.[20] Scholar differ as to how many major sins
there are. In contrasting major sins with minor sins (al-sagha'ir), the eighthcentury Shafi'i scholar Al-Dhahabi found the hadith collections of Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim ibn
al-Hajjaj listed seven major sins, while the tradition from Abd Allah ibn Abbas stated that there
were closer to seventy major sins. [21]
Some of the major or al-Kaba'ir sins in Islam are as follows: [22]
1. Shirk (associating anything with Allah)
2. Despair of Allah's mercy
3. Teasing parents
4. Zina
5. Sodomy
6. Theft
7. Drinking Alcoholic beverage
8. Gambling
9. Backbiting (talking about a person who is not there)

10. Masturbation
11. Leaving the prayer
12. Zakat evasion
13. Witchcraft
14. Killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case
15. Consuming the property of an orphan
16. Devouring usury
17. Turning back when the army advances
18. False accusation of chaste women who are believers but indiscreet
It should be noted that these are only the opinion of particular scholars and do not wholly
represent Islam.
Although many of the ideas for what is unacceptable overlap, the seven major sins of Islam
differs from the seven deadly sins of Christianity. The Islamic sins refer more to specific
undesirable behavior rather than to the general negative characteristics or actions of the cardinal
Christian sins. Despite the similar names, the seven main sins in Islam are more comparable to
the Ten Commandments rather than the seven deadly sins. They both provide the bottom line for
believers in terms of what is acceptable behavior in the faith. The actions themselves differ most
of the major crimes in Islam relate to subservience to Allah. Any form of polytheism is seen to be
the most severe offense in the religion and all of the other transgressions are in some form of
association with Allah. Witchcraft, for example, is the taking on of supernatural powers in order to
make the practitioner a being above the normal human. This challenges the power of Allah as the
person in question has superseded their mortal position to become something greater and akin to
a god. The same can be said of murder, as ultimately the power to decide who shall live and die
is believed to belong solely to Allah. Life is thought to be a gift from Allah and the unjust taking of
life is a severe spiritual offense, as it is not only seen as morally wrong but also as an affront to
God.
In addition to what Muslim scholars agree are the principal seven sins, the idea exists that the
major sins extend far past the seven. These additional transgressions, potentially up to seventy,
are not universally settled upon nor are they explicitly stated in the Qur'an, however they are
thought to be implied by the text.[22] The supplementary sins as a whole lack the spiritual gravity of
the original seven and include things such as drinking alcohol and eavesdropping.

Sins or actions that leads to sins[edit]

Some actions are considered root of sins, some as mother of evils, some are called handiworks
of Devil

Egotism - root of sins (first sin in the Quran by shaytan)

Obscenity [1]

Not controlling the tongue - A huge amount of the sins are from the tongue.[2] It involves
back-biting, slandering, lying, obscenity, foul language, insulting, etc.
Alcoholism and intoxication. - mother of evil. Handiwork of Devil. Al-Quran, 5:90

Gambling - Handiwork of Devil. Al-Quran, 5:90

Dedication of stones - Handiwork of Devil. Al-Quran, 5:90

Divination of arrows - Handiwork of Devil. Al-Quran, 5:90

Difference of opinion, whether this is root of sins: Love of this world [3] [4]

See also[edit]

Islamic views on piety

Disappointment in Islamic view

References[edit]
1.

^ Jump up to:a b c d "Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Sin. Oxford University Press.

2.

Jump up^ Glasse, Cyril. The New Encyclopedia of Islam. Altamira. p. 431. In Islam sin is
divided into two categories. The first is that of dhanb, which is a fault or shortcoming, a limitation,
an inadvertencies, the consequence of which is a sanction rather than a punishment. Sin
as dhanb is distinguished from willful transgression (ithm), which is more serious and clearly incurs
punishment rather than sanction. ... The termkhati'ah is used in practice indiscriminately for both
concepts of sin.

3.

^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Ituzsu, Toshiko (1966). Ethico-Religious Concepts in the

Qur'an. Montreal: McGill University Press. pp. 193249.

4.

^ Jump up to:a b Ali, Adbullah Yusuf. The Holy Qur'an. p. 126.

5.

Jump up^ Brill Encyclopedia of Islam. Leiden Brill. 1997. pp. 484486.

6.

Jump up^ Brill Encyclopedia of Islam. Leiden Brill. 1997. pp. 110609.

7.

Jump up^ "40 Hadith: Nawawi: 27, English translation: Hadith 27". sunnah.com.
Retrieved 14 April 2015.

8.

Jump up^ Quran 11:3

9.

^ Jump up to:a b c d "Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Repentance. Oxford University Press.

10.

Jump up^ Quran 12:53

11.

Jump up^ "Sins: to hide or to make public". Islamic Etiquette. Islamic Etiquette.

12.

Jump up^ Quran 22:37

13.

Jump up^ Hadith, Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Number 3393

14.

Jump up^ Quran 47:2

15.

Jump up^ Quran 2:160

16.

Jump up^ Quran 25:70

17.

Jump up^ Mir, Mustansir (1987). Dictionary of Quranic Terms and Concepts. New York:
Garland Publishing.

18.

Jump up^ Hadith, Sahih Bukhari, Book 27, Number 1

19.

Jump up^ Quran 4:18

20.

Jump up^ Quran 4:36

21.

Jump up^ Siddiqui, Mona (2012). The Good Muslim: Reflections on Classical Islamic Law
and Theology. Cambridge University Press. p. 126.

22.

^ Jump up to:a b ISBN 1-56744-489-X The Major Sins Al-Kabirah By Muhammad bin
'Uthman Adh-Dhahabi, rendered into English by Mohammad Moinuddin Siddiqui

Categories:
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