Surah An Nisa Tafseer

إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَأيِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّيَاتِكُمْ

If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins),

meaning, if you avoid the major evil deeds that you were prohibited We will forgive you the minor evil deeds and will admit you into Paradise.

This is why Allah said,

وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلً كَرِيمًا

and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).

There are several Hadiths on the subject of this honorable Ayah.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman Al-Farisi said,

"The Prophet said to me, `Do you know what the day of Al-Jumu`ah is?'

I said, `It is the day during which Allah brought together the creation of your father (Adam).'

He said,

لكِنْ أَدْرِي مَا يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ لَا يَتَطَهَّرُ الرَّجُلُ فَيُحْسِنُ طُهُورَهُ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي الْجُمُعَةَ فَيُنْصِتُ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ الاْمَامُ صَلَتَهُ إِلاَّ كَانَ كَفَّارَةً لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ مَا اجْتُنِبَتِ الْمَقْتَلَة

I know what the day of Jumu`ah is. Anyone who takes a bath and cleans himself as much as he can and then proceeds for the Friday prayer and remains quiet until the Imam finishes the prayer, all his sins in between the present and the next Friday will be forgiven, as long as major sins were avoided."

Al-Bukhari recorded similar wording from Salman Al-Farisi.

The Seven Destructive Sins

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَات

Avoid the seven great destructive sins.

The people inquired, 'O Allah's Messenger! What are they?'

He said,

الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ

وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ

وَالسِّحْرُ

وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا

وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ

وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ

وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُوْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلَت

To join others in worship along with Allah,

to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause,

magic,

to consume Riba,

to consume an orphan's wealth,

to turn away from the enemy and flee from the battlefield when the battle begins, and

to accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything that would tarnish their chastity and are good believers.

Another Hadith that mentions False Witness

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

"The Messenger of Allah mentioned the major sins, or was asked about the major sins. He said,

الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْن

Associating others with Allah in worship, killing the life, and being undutiful to the parents.

He then said,

أَلَا أُنَبِّيُكُمْ بِأَكْبَرِ الْكَبَايِرِ

Should I tell you about the biggest of the major sins?

قَوْلُ الزُّورِ أَوْ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ

The false statement - or the false testimony."

Shu`bah - one of the narrators of the Hadith - said,

"Most likely, in my opinion, he said, `False testimony."'

The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith from Shu`bah from Anas.

Another Hadith In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah said that his father said,

"The Prophet said,

أَلَا أُنَبِّيُكُمْ بِأَكْبَرِ الْكَبَايِرِ

Should I inform you about the greatest of the great sins?

We said, `Yes, O Allah's Messenger!'

He said,

الاِشْرَاكُ بِاللهِ وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْن

To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one's parents.

He was reclining, then he sat up and said;

أَلَا وَشَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ أَلَا وَقَوْلُ الزُّور

And I warn you against false testimony and false speech.

and he continued repeating it until we wished that he would stop."

Another Hadith that mentions killing the Offspring

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,

"I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! What is the greatest sin?' (in one narration the biggest sin).'

He said,

أَنْ تَجْعَلَ للهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَك

To make a rival for Allah while He Alone created you.

I said, `Then.'

He said,

أَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَك

To kill your offspring for fear that he might share your food with you.

I said, `Then.'

He said,

أَنْ تُزَانِيَ حَلِيلَةَ جَارِك

To commit adultery with your neighbor's wife.

He then recited,

وَالَّذِينَ لَاا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا اخَرَ

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah), until,

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ

(Except those who repent)." (25:68-70)

Another Hadith from Abdullah bin `Amr Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Prophet said,

أَكْبَرُ الْكَبَايِرِ

الاِشْرَاكُ بِاللهِ

وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ أَوْ قَتْلُ النَّفْسِ شعبة الشاك

وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوس

The greatest sins are:

To join others in worship with Allah,

to be undutiful to one's parents -

or to take a life.

Shu`bah was uncertain of which one - (and the false oath).

Recorded by Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasai.

Another Hadith by Abdullah bin `Amr about Causing one's Parents to be Cursed

Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الْكَبَايِرِ أَنْ يَلْعَنَ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْه

Among the worst of the major sins is for a man to curse his own parents.

They said, "How can one curse his own parents?"

He said,

يَسُبُّ الرَّجُلُ أَبَا الرَّجُلِ فَيَسُبُّ أَبَاهُ وَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ فَيَسُبُّ أُمَّه

One curses another man's father, and that man curses his father in retaliation, or he curses someone's mother and that man curses his mother.

This is the wording of Muslim.

At-Tirmidhi said, "Sahih."

It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,

سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْر

Cursing a Muslim is a sin and fighting him is Kufr