The Major Sins (al-Kaba’ir)

The major sins are those acts that God Has forbidden and threatened to punish severely if they are committed. God wills that they be avoided:

If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry. (4:31)

Scholars differ in this regard. Some say there are seven major sins, and support themselves with the following hadith: “Avoid the seven noxious things” – and after having said this, the Messenger mentioned them: “Associating anything with God as a partner, magic, killing one whom God has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming an orphan’s property, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet.”

However, this hadith does not limit the major sins only to those mentioned. Rather, it points to the type of sins that fall into the category of “major” without excluding others, such as violating the parents’ rights, adultery and fornication, consuming alcohol, gambling, and theft, all of which are also included in this category.

• Unbelief in any of the essentials requiring belief
  
• Hypocrisy
  
• Neglecting any pillar of Islam (i.e., the prescribed prayers, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan, and Hajj)
  
• Violating the parents’ rights
  
• Murder
  
• Practicing magic
  
• Adultery, fornication, and homosexuality
  
• Theft and usurpation
  
• Consuming alcohol
  
• Gambling
  
• Dealing with usury and interest
  
• Slandering innocent people, especially chaste women
  
• Fleeing the battlefield
  
• Wrongfully consuming an orphan’s property
  
• Lying
  
• Backbiting
  
• Gossiping
  
• Mocking others
  
• Spying and ill-suspicion
  
• Abandoning relatives
  
• Wrongdoing and injustice
  
• Fraud and cheating
  
• Violating other people’s rights
  
• Pride and arrogance
  
• Bearing false witness and taking a false oath
  
• Oppression
  
• Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully
  
• Giving short weight or measure
  
• Committing suicide
  
• Giving and accepting bribes
  
• Showingoff
  
• Learning about Islam for the sake of this world
  
• Betraying a trust
  
• Recounting favors
  
• Listening to private conversations
  
• Breaking one’s promise
  
• Fortune-telling and believing in fortune-tellers
  
• Making idols and engaging in idolatrous practices
  
• Trading in unlawful things
  
• Displaying overbearing conduct toward one’s spouse, servant, children, weak people, and animals
  
• Offending neighbors
  
• Offending and abusing Muslims
  
• Wearing silk and gold (men only)
  
• Sacrificing an animal in the name of that which is not God
  
• Knowingly ascribing one’s paternity to one who is not his or her real father.
  

Muslims must try not to commit any sins. Moreover, when they do so, they must repent immediately and seek God’s forgiveness. Scholars say that any sin, no matter how small, is great so long as it is committed with ease and indifference, without repentance, and without seeking God’s forgiveness, while any major sin, no matter how great, is not great so long as it is avoided as much as possible and the one who commits it repents and seeks God’s forgiveness.

Related Items:

• Choosing the right way
• Dressing
• Ikhlas (Sincerity or Purity of Intention)
• Islam's view of woman and the First Sin
• Tawba (Repentance), Inaba (Sincere Penitence), and Awba (Turning to God in Contrition)