Major Sins – Part 3

We begin by praising Allah we praise Him and we seek His helping me ask for his forgiveness. And we take refuge with Allah from the evil of ourselves and from the evil consequence of our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, no one can misguide. But whomsoever Allah leaves to go astray, no one can guide and testify that Allah alone is worthy of worship and that Mohammed sallu alayhi Salaam is suffering and His Messenger Welcome back, brothers and sisters to our next session concerning this important vitally important topic of the major sins and in in the last episode we talked about the proof and evidences from Quran and from the saying of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that

show that there is a gradation of sins and there are things that Allah Subhana Allah, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam identified as being major sins. And also we learned that the prayers, the five daily prayers, the Juma to Juma and Ramadan, to the Ramadan, all of those things, expiate the sins, the minuses, so clearly we find that there are such a thing as major sins. Now the question remains, how do we know what the major sins are? Now that's something that is discussed by the Imam. In his book, he mentions that, of course, those things that are the major sins are known, because

they are mentioned by Allah Subhana Allah in the Quran, or by the prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam or they were understood to be major sins by the early generation of the Muslims. Now, essentially, the criterion through which by which we can know what is a major sin are number one, if there is a Hadoop or had punishment, so if there is a prescribed punishment, in the Quran, or in the Sunnah, for a particular crime, then that is clearly one of the major sins. So that's one criteria, anything that has a had punishment attached to it is a major sin. The second criterion is, if there is a specific punishment, or a threat of punishment in the area. So if there is any deed, or if there is

any sin, and this sin in the Quran is accompanied with a specific threat of punishment in the next life or similarly in the summer, if there is a specific threat of punishment, then that is also considered to be a major sin.

The third criterion is the curse of Allah. If any deal or action has been mentioned, that the person who does this will the person who does that or the person who abandons this, because some sins could be actually abandoning actions. Not all sins are things that you do some sins are actually things that you don't do. So if Allah subhanaw taala has mentioned along with this, the curse of Allah, then that is also considered to be a major sin. And what is the curse of all like, it's worth mentioning very briefly, the curse of Allah, the learn of Allah Subhana Allah the curse of Allah means that when Allah's mercy has been removed from something, and that thing is cursed, may Allah

protect us from that. So however, imagine Allah's mercy is taken away from you. So certainly that is definitely a major sin. The fourth criterion for something to be considered to be a major sin is, if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned that the person who commits the sin is not from amongst us, or the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, negated Eman from a person who commits that particular sin. So there are some things where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said they are not from us, the people who do this and they are not from us, the people who do that or that the prophets of Allah

AlLahi wa sallam said, the people who do this are not the people of Yemen. So, if there is such a threat from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam,

then that is also an indication that thing is a major sin. And also the fifth

indication that something is a major sin is when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, I am free of anyone who has done such and such things. So, if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, I am free from or I have nothing to do with the person who has done this or who has done that, then that is also considered to be a major sin. So, my brothers and sisters, this is the criterion that the scholars have put together in order to distinguish the major sins from those less major sins. And we should really be aware of them, and we will be discussing them and we'll be going through them because it is so, so important that we keep away from these sins. And a topic that I

will be discussing before we get into the main issue and going through those sins is what are some of the harmful effects of the sin. So we want to talk about that the harmful effects of the sins because it's very important to know and to understand how sin and disobedience to Allah subhanaw, taala and rebelliousness against a loss of heartless commands. How does it affect us? So we're going to be talking about that. But just before we do that, let's talk about the number. Is there a specific number can we put a definite number on the major sins? Well, some people actually say that there are seven major sins and they do that based upon the saying of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi

wasallam. And he said, avoid seven noxious or Seven Deadly things. So from this, they infer that there are only actually seven major sins and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned what they are. And the first one he mentioned, is shook, associating anything without loss of hello to Allah. And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned magic, and then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned, killing someone whom Allah subhanaw taala has declared in violence without a just cause. And also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury and running away from the battlefield when the army is

advancing and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet, and this hadith was collected by both Bukhari and Muslim. So some scholars use that as the basis to say, well, these are the seven major sins. And that's all there are, are just those seven makes sense based upon what the prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, avoid the seven noxious things, the seven poisonous things. However, Abdullah, even above us, he said, 70 is closer to the number. So actually, it's not seven, it's more like 70 and we can explain that quite easily. By understanding the headies does not say there are only seven things. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam only mentioned seven things,

but he did not exclude the fact there are many, many other things that one should avoid. And as you will see, over the overcoming series, the next coming series, it will be very clear that there are also other sayings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, where he warned us very severely against doing many other types of sins apart from those ones that have been mentioned. And in some instances, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was asked what are the worst sins and what are the worst things that a person could do? And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned things apart from these seven that we have here. So 70 is more close to the number. And of course as

we have mentioned, there is a gradation amongst them. So some of those things are worse than others, and some of them are more severe than others. So even amongst the major sins, there is a type of gradation there is a type of level of severity in that regard. So my brothers and sisters, that is the discussion there that we have been having about the major sins. Now what I wanted to do and I what I wanted to touch upon also, which I think is very interesting and very useful.

potent is the issue. And I wanted to revisit the issue and to remind ourselves about the issue that in our Deen in Islam, we find that Allah subhanaw taala has prohibited us from sins for a reason. When Allah has told us to do something, where Allah subhanaw taala has told us to avoid something that is from his wisdom, he has not just told us, don't do this, and don't do that. And you should do this and usually do that just to make our life difficult and just to put us under test, and just to put us under trial and tribulation, absolutely not. You should not think that about Allah subhanaw taala. That is not what he has given to this a mother of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa

sallam note for this ummah, Allah subhanaw taala has told us to leave something because that thing is harmful for us, either individually or collectively, either physically, mentally or spiritually. And if Allah subhanaw taala has told us to do something, it's because that thing is good for us. And it is beneficial for us, either mentally, spiritually, physically, individually or collectively. There is a very, very important point that I need to mention very important brothers and sisters, and this is very relevant in understanding this whole issue of sin. And what is sin. Not every sin is completely evil. Let me repeat that.

Not every sin is completely evil. In fact, it is very important to understand that some of the things that Allah subhanaw taala has prohibited us from actually have some benefits in it. And I'm going to take as an example, a topic that we're going to be visiting later on in the series. Let's take the example of alcohol, almost a penalty. He mentions in

the example of alcohol, and that's inserted Bukhara in the 200 and 19th, ayah. Let's read it, have a look at it, see what it says here, they ask you or Mohammed concerning alcoholic drink, and gambling as to things alcoholic drink and gambling. And so Allah told the prophet to say in them is great sin and some benefits for men in them is great sin and some benefits for men. So I'm just going to pause here to explain something important. This ayah This means that Allah subhanaw taala is recognizing that there is some benefits in gambling, and there is some benefits in alcohol. What is the benefit? Well, the benefit may be that in buying and selling, if I sell alcohol, there is money that I can

make from it. So there's some benefit from that. And from that money, I could buy food, I could buy things, I can do things with that money. So that is the benefits. According to some, and we're going to talk about this, I don't want to go into it too deeply now, but according to some medical research, some research has indicated that in drinking a very small amount of red wine every day, that there may be some health benefits. So there is some research that suggests that and we could accept that because Allah subhanaw taala, he says,

He says in the Quran, that there is some benefit for mankind. But then Allah goes on to say, but the sin of them is greater than their benefits, the sin of them is greater than their benefit. And this establishes a hugely important principle. And this is what is called a Muslim. Muslim means that benefits indeed, some scholars said that the whole of the religion is based upon Muslim, whatever Allah Subhana Allah has prohibited us from he has prohibited us from that thing, he has made that thing a sin, because the evil of it outweighs any Muslim. With the example of alcohol it's very, very clear that there is a small benefit. Yes, as Allah subhanaw taala says that, but the benefit is

so small, so insignificant, so small, that the evil Far Far, far far outweighs any small benefit that they may be. And so brothers and sisters, this is actually the reality with everything in the religion of Islam. everything you can think of has some benefits and has somehow there

Always harm, and there is always benefit. In fact, I talked to many students of knowledge, and I actually challenged them, and I put this forward to them, find me anything, there's nothing you can think of that either contains some harm, or some benefits. So however bad it is, you will find that there's some possible benefit in it. And however good it is, you'll find that it contains some possible harm. So it doesn't mean that because something is a sin, it's necessarily pure evil, as we may think, like that, no, actually, there may be something that is a sin that has benefits. And there may be something that is a good deed, and it has harm in it, but always in the good deed, the

good will be so much more than whatever little heart there may be. And in the evil deed,

the evils is so much more than whatever good there is. So this is the Sharia, this is the whole of our beautiful religion is directing us towards the Muslim, Allah is always guiding us to where is the most benefits, and keeping us away from where is the most harm. Now there is something very important that needs to be understood by all of us, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam. And especially because today there is a very dangerous type of thinking that is taking place amongst some people who claim to be Muslim. And they are putting forward a very, very dangerous idea, and the dangerous idea that they are putting forward. And the dangerous thing that they are claiming is

that we look at the Muslim and that is what decides what is halal and what is haram. Whereas actually, it is very important to understand. It's the other way around the sherea decides, Allah decides the Quran, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that is what teaches us, where is the Muslim? The Sharia teaches us it's not that you look for a Muslim, and you say, oh, there's some benefit in that, therefore it must be allowed in Islam. Even if we find a hadith or a verse of the Quran that prohibits it, no, no, no, but we can find some benefit. No, that is not the way that we should think a tool This is the opposite. Because this is not within our knowledge, brothers and

sisters is very important to understand. Our minds have very, very feeble, our understanding is very limited. Our intellect is very limited, even with all the available science and technology, still, our knowledge is so limited. But Allah subhanaw taala, his wisdom is perfect, his knowledge is complete, he is the all Knower of everything. And that is why always the occult is below the knuckle. knuckle means the text, the text, the core, and the headache is on top, because that is from Allah subhanaw taala that is from Allah has perfect knowledge, and perfect wisdom, and perfect guidance. So we always have to subdue our intellect, underneath the revelation is something very,

very important that needs to be understood in this whole concept and this whole issue of the sins, and where is the benefit? And where is the harm? Because our objective, my dear brothers and sisters is to maximize the benefits and minimize the harm. And we do that by following the guidance that Allah Subhana Allah has given to us. And I want us throughout this series to please always keep this in mind to please keep this in mind to keep reminding ourselves about this very, very important issue. that everything is based upon obedience to Allah subhana wa. And this is why you find the saying of the believers, the saying is submit Allah what we hear, and we obey, when we know

something is from Allah. When we know something is from the messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. It is impossible it is not possible for someone who believes in Allah and the Last Day. But once Allah and His Messenger have decided upon a matter, that they would have any choice about it, it's not possible. So once we know that something is from Allah, once we know something is from the messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. That is it for us as believers that that's the criteria. Our criterion is the revelation. If in addition to that Allah blesses us and guides us to understand the wisdom and the benefits of this particular

prohibition, or Allah guides us to understand the wisdom and the benefit of this particular action that Allah subhanaw taala has ordered us to do, then Alhamdulillah This is all the better, this is all the better for us. And then that is guidance upon guidance that is light upon light. But we shouldn't imagine, we shouldn't imagine we shouldn't be confused into thinking that, well, I will only leave this thing when I understand and when my intellect agrees, and comprehends The reason, or I'll only do this good thing, when my intellect and when my reason, comprehends why this is beneficial for me. No. You see, the truly intelligent person knows and understands. But Allah is the

most wise, and that we should surrender ourselves to Allah subhanaw taala. This is what the truly intelligent person will understand. And that's something by the way, you always, nearly all of you have experienced in your life. When you go to the doctor, and the doctor tells you what you have this disease and you have that problem and you need to take this pill 99% of us have no idea what is this disease that he's talking about? or What is this pill that he is asking us to take? Yet we surrender, we submit ourselves to the doctor, we do what He tells us to do, because we trust his knowledge we trust is wisdom, we trust this understanding, we trust this experience. If that is the

case, with a human being a doctor who of course can make mistakes. How much more should that be the case with

Allah who never makes mistakes, who is completely and perfectly and utterly wise. So my dear brothers and sisters, please keep this in mind as we're going through this series of lectures about the sins and we're exploring this whole issue and understanding that number one, not every sin is entirely evil, there may be some benefits in something that is a sin but always the harm is one benefit. And not every good deed and not everything that Allah has allowed for us means that it is totally good without any harm. But Allah has allowed it for us or ordered us to do it. Because the good is much much more than what any harm there is. An Allah is the most wise and his guidance is

the best guidance. So we should obey Allah and we should obey the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and that is the path that is clear. And that is the path that is straight. And if we follow that way Alhamdulillah we will have the success in this life and we will have the success in life to come. And remember brothers and sisters, the door of repentance is always open. We can always repent to Allah and seek forgiveness from him. Until next time, Salaam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh