Islam teaches the Muslims to worship Allah and that they must be kind to everyone. It also tells them of the extremely evil acts. These actions are called as major sins. They may damage the person's faith, and offend others. Understanding them helps us to make the right choices at home, in the workplace and online.
There is plenty of warning in the Quran and Hadiths regarding the major sins. Hadith tells us what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said and did. There are more serious sins than others. Muslims are forbidden from doing all the sins. Withdrawing from major sins Allah will forgive small ones. We find this promise in Quran 4:31.
The Prophet Al'Amees spoke about seven sins that are very harmful. He mentioned them in the book of Sahih al-Bukhari 2766. These seven sins are not all the major sins in Islam. Other passages from the Quran and Hadith counsel us against grievous misdeeds.
Shirk is the worst sin. Shirk is to worship someone or something other than Allah. There is a group of people who pray to idols. Others worship a man as a god. Islam instructs us to worship Allah and His Prophet alone. Quran 31:13 has this verse in which Luqman advises his son against shirk. The core of Islam is to believe in one God.
Another serious sin is Sihr. It is also known as witchcraft. It is capable of using spells and other incantations that are not supposed to be performed. Others attempt to hurt or control other people through using it. The Prophet urged the Muslims to refrain from it. The Muslims should take refuge in the name of Allah, through the practice of prayer and dua.
Murder is also a great sin. Quran 17:33 condemns 'unlawful killing'. Murder takes the life of one person, and hurts many others. No killing because of hate and revenge. Islam has taught to respect human life. It also helps us to discipline our anger.
Riba is also a great sin. It contains prohibited interest on loans. The lender may request additional funds as the price of a loan. One type of "usury. In the Quran, God has made it permissible to engage in trade and prohibited riba (interest) based business; Q. 2:275. Earning of money should be done by Muslims through lawful work and fair trade. If they are unsure of a loan they should seek advice from a trusted scholar.
The Prophet also prohibited taking of the wealth of an orphan. Orphan - a young child of a deceased father. The kid can have cash or property of his or her own. It is the responsibility of the adult caring for the child to safeguard this wealth. They have to abide by the Islamic codes of conduct in its usage. They are not to eat it themselves. The verse in the Quran 4:10 has a strong warning against this sin.
Another sin is to flee in battle. It is not being permitted to withdraw the fight, without good reason. It doesn't deny that there is evil fear. It does not deny that there is evil fear. There are some exceptions in Quran 8:16. A soldier can be instructed to change his position to pursue a battle plan. they can also transfer to the same troops.
The 7th sin is claiming against a believing woman. This is to purposefully label them as having engaged in sex outside of marriage while they haven't. This lies can defame an individual. They may also cause harm to an entire family. These accusations are warned against in the Quran 24:4. A Muslim should safeguard the dignity of others and not spread rumours.
The other major sins include being harsh with one's parents. The Prophet warns about it strongly in Sahih al-Bukhari - vol 4 at #2654. Parents need to be treated with kindness, patience and care. We don't agree with them, but we should speak in a respectful manner. Quran 17:23 tells us to honour our parents. It's important to take time to be with them, even when life is packed with hectic activities.
Another big sin, besides lying as a witness, is to tell lies there. A person who sees or hears something and tells it to others. They must give a true account of the event. A lying witness can cause a man's destruction. This is something the Prophet highly rebuked in the same Hadith. It is important to tell the truth, even if it is hard to say.
It is also a serious sin to refuse to pray, intentionally, every day. Quran 19:59 is a warning about individuals who forgot to pray and indulged themselves in desires. It is recommended for Muslims to offer prayers on an everyday basis. When life is busy, they can set a reminder. They can keep up their daily schedule based on prayer times too.
Another great sin is Zina. It means having sex outside a valid marriage. Muslims are commanded to avoid it and avoid what results in it in Quran 17:32. Islam emphasizes that marriage is an honorable status for people, establishes boundaries and safeguards trust among husband and wife.
Drinking alcoholic beverages and gambling are also big sins. As Muslims, we are told not to associate with them in Quran 5:90. Drinking makes people think about things in a negative way and can cause poor decisions to be made. Gambling is a way that you can waste money. It can leave a family homeless and destitute. Muslims should play in a safe manner and enjoy themselves.
It is a daily challenge not to commit the big sins. Wisdom can be found in good friends. So can learning Quran and asking questions, when we are not sure. We should also become aware of the things that tempt us into sin. We might be tempted to sin in one way or another in some places or online accounts. We can distance ourselves from them and make changes to our bad habits.
What is someone to do when a major sin is done? Islam instructs us to turn repent. Repentance is to return to Allah. One has to cease from the sin and be truly repentant. They must make a conscious choice not to involve themselves. In Quran 3:135, it is said that people who seek forgiveness and don't do any wrongful act, will be praised.
If a sin hurts another person, it is also necessary to make things right. Theft is wrong, and compels restitution. A person that gives false testimony should correct it. In Sahih al-Bukhari (2449), the Prophet (saws) encouraged people to rectify any wrong they might have done to others before the Day of Judgement.
No one to despair of Allah's mercy. Allah commands His servants not to be deterred from receiving His favor and mercy in Quran 39:53. He is ready to receive the grateful ones who repent of their sin. An individual who has committed really bad things may change his/her ways. They should repent and make sincere efforts to change.
Learning about major sins should lead us to examine our own actions. It should also make us more careful with other people's rights. We can worship Allah, speak truthfully, earn honestly, and treat people with kindness. Each day gives us another chance to choose a better path.