The Enormities, al kabair
The terms for sin are ithm, dhanb, sayi’at, fujuur, and fahishat. The terms for good are tayyib, khair, or birr. The terms for evil are batil, khabeeth, and sharr. Good and evil can be absolute or relative. Human fitra can tell the difference between god and evil in most situations but there are gray areas that require guidance by revelation. Sinning can arise from inner tendency to evil, external promptings by shaitan, or an interaction between the two. Sins can be minor, saghair, or major enormities, kabair. The Prophet mentioned 7 major sins: shirk; sihr; qatl; riba; eating the orphan’s property, fleeing from the battle-field, and falsely accusing chaste women, qadhf al muhswanaat. Imam Shams al Din al Dhahabi (d. 748 AH) listed 70 major sins. Ibn Hajar al Haytami (d. 807H) published a longer list of 440 enormities.
Classification of Common Sins
Common sins can be classified in groups based on the potential of preventing them: sins of ‘aqidat, sins of the heart, sins of the tongue, and the sin of oppression, dhulm. There are 3 basic sins of aqidat: kufr, shirk, and nifaaq. Sins of the heart are kibr, takabbur, ‘ujb, hiqd, hasad, ghurur, shahwat, suu’u al dhann, and sukhriyyah. Sins of the tongue are ghaibat, namimat, kadhb, alqaab, laghw, lamz, and hamz. Dhulm is the sin of transgression and oppression. It is violating an individual in his person, his wealth, his rights, or his honor. Dhulm could be physical, psychological or rights violation. It could be directed at an individual, a group of individuals or the whole community. The term dhulm could also apply to situations in which there is transgression against the environment and irreversible destruction of the eco-system. There are cases in which dhulm is directed at the self, dhulm al nafs.
Punishment, ‘Iqaab
Sinners can be punished on earth or in the hereafter. Punishment on earth may be individual or communal. It may be direct or through the agency of other humans. Execution of legal punishments expiates further punishment in the hereafter. The Qur’an has told us stories of individuals and communities who were punished for their sins on earth such as Pharaoh, people of Yunus, People of Hud, people of Nuh, people of Salih, people of Lut, Banu Israil, and people of the elephant. Allah’s communal punishments continue even today but people are not conscious of them. Civil wars, natural disasters, epidemic diseases are punishments for sins of some individuals in the community. Communal punishments do not distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. The innocent are punished for their failure to stand up to evil and stop it or migrating to another country. Sinners will be punished in the hereafter. The Qur’an has described the punishment of the hereafter as great, painful, severe, and demeaning.
Repentance, Taubat
Forgiveness follows taubat from sins. Allah is happy with the taubat of His servants. Allah will accept taubat from a human until the moment of death. Taubat can be accepted from the murtadd, and the murderer. Regret, nadam is a form of taubat. Taubat is a form of self-cleansing from evils that is followed by reform. Allah enjoins humans to repent. The Prophet used to make taubat many times a day. Acceptance of taubat will continue until the last day. Taubat nasuhat is one that is not followed by any additional sin. We can tell that taubat was accepted if the person desists and does not return to the sin. Taubat must be early. The person must give up the sin after taubat. Taubat must be accompanied by regret and remorse
Forgiveness, Ghufran
It is Allah’s mercy that there is forgiveness of sins. Allah can forgive instead of punishing. Allah’s forgiveness is very wide in scope. All sins except shirk can be forgiven. Allah can also forgive transgression, dhulm. The time of forgiveness is the hereafter. Allah promised humans His forgiveness. However it is in His will to forgive or not forgive. Allah forgave prophets such as Adam, Ibrahim, Daud, Sulaiman, Muhammad, Musa, and Nuh. He also forgave many other normal humans. Humans are encouraged to hasten in seeking forgiveness. Forgiveness is sought fm Allah only. It is He alone who can forgive. The following are reasons for getting forgiveness from Allah: iman, taqwah, taubah, jihad, khashiat, ta’at, afwu, ‘amal salih. There three main reasons for withholding forgiveness are shirk, kufr, nifaq.