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A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of this work is Shamsuddin Muhammad Bin Uthman Al-Turkmani, Al Fariqi, Al Damishqi,Al Safi’i. He is known by the name of Al-Dhahabi.Al-Dhahabi was born in Damascus in the year 673 H/1274 A.C. He acquired his vast knowledge of theQur’an and the tradition from the scholars of Syria, Egypt and Hijaz, traveling far and wide for this purpose. In one of his books, he listed more than one thousand three hundred scholars, including all thegreat and famous scholars of his time, from whom he benefited directly and by reading their works.Al-Dhahabi carried out many scholarly duties in Damascus. When, in the year 741 H, he lost hiseyesight, he stopped writing and confined himself to teaching until his death in the year 784 H/1348A.C., at the age of 74 according to the solar calendar.Al-Dhahabi left behind him more than ninety scholarly works in the sciences of the tradition, history, biography and various other subjects. According to his introduction to the present book,

THE MAJOR SINS

, he wrote it for the benefit of the students of the Qur’an. However, over the centuries, this work has been found beneficial for the generality of Muslims. May

Allah

grant him his blessings and eternalreward.

A NOTE ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

Dr. Mohammed Moinuddin Siddiqui was born in Hyderabad, Deccan – India, in 1928. He learnedArabic and Persian, which forced an integral part of the curriculum, during his early years at publicschool in the former Muslim state.In 1948 Dr. Siddiqui migrated to Pakistan 5 years later, he obtained a scholarship for graduate study inthe United States in his chosen field, Statistics. Later the US was to become his permanent home, with periods of sojourn in Turkey, Jordan and Kuwait.During the years of the emerging Muslim presence in North America, Dr. Siddiqui took an active partin the Muslim Students Association of the US and Canada (later to became the Islamic Society of NorthAmerica). He also became known as a translator of works from Arabic. These include Milestones andthe Islamic Concept and its Characteristics by the late Sayyid Qutb, and the Permissible and theProhibited in Islam by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.We ask

Allah

to accept the translation of the work into English from us and make it a means of guidingfor its readers to a virtuous life.In The Name of

Allah

, the Compassionate, The Merciful

Page 1

WHAT IS A MAJOR SIN ?

Praise be to

Allah

, the Lord of the worlds, and blessings and safe-keeping be granted to our belovedProphet Muhammad, the Chief of the Messengers of

Allah

and the Guide of

Allah

’s fear, and peaceand blessings be granted to his family and his Companions.The subject matter of this book concerns the major sins and prohibited acts.

THE MAJOR SINS

The major sins are those acts, which have been forbidden by

Allah

in the Qur'an and by His Messenger (SAW) in the Sunna (practice of the Prophet), and which have been made clear by the actions of thefirst righteous generation of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet (SAW).

Allah

Most High says inHis Glorious Book: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. (al-Nisa 4:31)Thus, by this verse

Allah

Most High has guaranteed the Garden of Paradise to those who avoid themajor sins. And

Allah

Most High also says : Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, andforgive when they are angry. (al-Shura 42:37)Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness. (Al-Najm 53:32)The Messenger of

Allah

(SAW) said “The Five daily prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan toRamadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have beenavoided”. It is therefore very important to determine exactly what the greatest vices, technically called“

The Major Sins

”

(Kaba’ir),

are in order the Muslims should avoid them.There is some difference of opinion among scholars in this regard. Some say these major sins areseven, and in support of their position they quote the tradition “Avoid the seven noxious things” andafter having said this, the Prophet (SAW) mentioned them “Associating anything with

Allah

; magic,killing one whom

Allah

has declared inviolate without a just cause, consuming the property of anorphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet”. (Bukhari & Muslim). Abdullah Ibn Abbas said “ Seventy is closer to their number than seven” and indeed that is correct. Theabove tradition does not limit the major sins to those mentioned in it. Rather, it points to the type of sins, which fall into the category of “Major”. These include those crimes which call for a prescribed punishment (Hadd : plurnal, Hudu), such as theft, fornication or adultery (Zina), and murder; those prohibited acts for which a warning of a severe punishment in the next is given in the Qur'an or thetradition; and also those deeds which are cursed by our Prophet (SAW). These all are Major Sins.

Page 2

Of course, there is gradation among them, since some are more serious than others. We see the Prophet(SAW) has included Shirk (associating something or someone with

Allah

) among them, and from thetext of the Qur'an we know that a person who commits Shirk his sin will not be forgiven and willremain in Hell forever.

Allah

Most High says “Surely

Allah

does not forgive associating anything withHim, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills. (Al-Nisa 4:48 and 116).

Page 3