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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
Paradiseby 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. |
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