Bismillah [IslamCity] What is sin in Islam?
What is sin in Islam? by Muhammad Jamaal ad-Deen Abdul-Wahid The Holy Last Messenger (s.a.s.) said: Righteousness is good morality and sin is that which causes discomfort (or pinches) within your soul and which you dislike people to become informed of. [Sahih Muslim] Sin is that aspect in a Muslims life in which he or she makes effort to abstain from at all costs. Allah warns all of mankind that everything mankind does in this world will be put before us on Yawmul-Qiyaama (The Day of Resurrection) in Surah al-Zilzal: And he who does an atoms weight of good will see it. And he who does an atoms weight of evil will see it. [Holy Quran, 99:7-8] Allah also warns mankind that the one whose bad deeds (sins) are heavy will be in Hell, as can be found in Surah al-Qariah. A Muslims strife is to live the life of a believer and separate from the likeness of the sinner, as Allah differentiates the Mumin (believer) from the fasiq (sinner) in Surah As-Sajdah: Is he who is a believer like unto him who is a sinner? They are not alike! For those who believe and do righteous works, for them are Gardens of Retreat, a welcome (in reward) for what works they did. And as for those who do evil, their abode is the Fire. Whenever they wish to leave, they will be forced back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the torment of the Fire which you used to reject. [Holy Quran, 32:18-20] It is clear that one must steer away from sin and do righteous acts. However uncertainty arises in the mind when referring to the subject of sin such as 1.) the difference between a sin and a mistake, 2.) Shaytaans (Satan) role in the commission of a sin, 3.) if one becomes removed from Islam due to committing a sin, and 4.) the major sins. The purpose of this essay is to provide concise answers to such inquiries, inShaAllah. Question: What is the difference between sin and mistakes? What role does Shaytaan, the accursed one, play in sin? Fault means any action that takes place unintentionally and sin is with intention. For example, Shaytaan put such ideas into the heart of Hazrat Adam (a.s.) to approach the tree. Adam did it and as a result, Allah sent him to the earth. Similarly, Hazrat Yunus (Jonah) committed a fault and he adopted that way prohibited to him according to the instruction of Allah. Allah says in the Holy Quran that it was Shaytaan who put the idea into Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Yunus (a.s.), so there is no doubt that Shaytaan can put these ideas into the hearts of the Nabiyeen to divert their attention from the right way. But the mistakes they commit are only according to the Hikmat of Allah. These mistakes are below the standards of the Nabiyeen, so we can not point it out that they took place according to the Order of Allah. We must say Shaytaan is responsible. All the good things take place from the Kindness of Allah while all of the bad things are due to Shaytaan. The awliya are not free from this was-wâs (evil whispers), but if this was-wâs happens to any wali, as soon as he realizes it, he busies himself in tawba (repentance). But on the other hand, the common people, when they commit a sin, they do not realize it and they do not feel guilty about it. Note: Sins are of three types: Against Allah. Against brotherhood. Against humanity. In Hadith, Hazrat Anas (r.a.) narrated that Rasulullah (s.a.s.) said Shaytaan travels through the body like blood. Explanation by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim: Allah gave full power to Shaytaan to put evil ideas into the hearts of men. If a man does not act upon these ideas, he has passed the worldly examination and will get a high place in Jinnah (Heaven). When we say that the Shaytaan travels through the body like blood, it means not physically but according to his evil ideas or thinking there are things that travel like the human blood. In Hadith Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) related that the Nabi (s.a.s.) said: The was-wâs that enters the hearts of my ummah Allah has forgiven, as long as they dont act upon or voice it. [Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim agree on it] Tafsir (Commentary): Was-wâs is the bad intentions that enters ones heart. And those good intentions that enter ones heart is called ilham. The ilham wont be accepted unless it is accordance with the Holy Quran and Hadith. Bad thoughts by a person that is not related to aqeeda (belief), and doesnt act on them, for him is Maafoo (forgiveness). If vice versa is related to kufr (disbelief), then it will be kufr. And if related to dhal (straying away), then it will be dhalleen. For both of these situations, tawba is fardh (obligatory). If this intention is related to any actions and not aqaid (belief), and he keeps this intention in his heart, then he is a sinner. Question: Does the commission of sin remove one from Islam? Hazrat Anas bin Malik relates Rasulullah said that three things form the
Bismillah [IslamCity] What is sin in Islam?
What is sin in Islam? by Muhammad Jamaal ad-Deen ‘Abdul-Wahid The Holy Last Messenger (s.a.s.) said: “Righteousness is good morality and sin is that which causes discomfort (or pinches) within your soul and which you dislike people to become informed of.” [Sahih Muslim] Sin is that aspect in a Muslim’s life in which he or she makes effort to abstain from at all costs. Allah warns all of mankind that everything mankind does in this world will be put before us on Yawmul-Qiyaama (The Day of Resurrection) in Surah al-Zilzal: “And he who does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And he who does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” [Holy Qur’an, 99:7-8] Allah also warns mankind that the one whose bad deeds (sins) are heavy will be in Hell, as can be found in Surah al-Qari’ah. A Muslim’s strife is to live the life of a believer and separate from the likeness of the sinner, as Allah differentiates the Mu’min (believer) from the fasiq (sinner) in Surah As-Sajdah: “Is he who is a believer like unto him who is a sinner? They are not alike! For those who believe and do righteous works, for them are Gardens of Retreat, a welcome (in reward) for what works they did. And as for those who do evil, their abode is the Fire. Whenever they wish to leave, they will be forced back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the torment of the Fire which you used to reject.” [Holy Qur’an, 32:18-20] It is clear that one must steer away from sin and do righteous acts. However uncertainty arises in the mind when referring to the subject of sin such as 1.) the difference between a sin and a mistake, 2.) Shaytaan’s (Satan) role in the commission of a sin, 3.) if one becomes removed from Islam due to committing a sin, and 4.) the major sins. The purpose of this essay is to provide concise answers to such inquiries, inSha’Allah. Question: What is the difference between sin and mistakes? What role does Shaytaan, the accursed one, play in sin? Fault means any action that takes place unintentionally and sin is with intention. For example, Shaytaan put such ideas into the heart of Hazrat Adam (a.s.) to approach the tree. Adam did it and as a result, Allah sent him to the earth. Similarly, Hazrat Yunus (Jonah) committed a fault and he adopted that way prohibited to him according to the instruction of Allah. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an that it was Shaytaan who put the idea into Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Yunus (a.s.), so there is no doubt that Shaytaan can put these ideas into the hearts of the Nabiyeen to divert their attention from the right way. But the mistakes they commit are only according to the Hikmat of Allah. These mistakes are below the standards of the Nabiyeen, so we can not point it out that they took place according to the Order of Allah. We must say Shaytaan is responsible. All the good things take place from the Kindness of Allah while all of the bad things are due to Shaytaan. The awliya are not free from this was-wâs (evil whispers), but if this was-wâs happens to any wali, as soon as he realizes it, he busies himself in tawba (repentance). But on the other hand, the common people, when they commit a sin, they do not realize it and they do not feel guilty about it. Note: Sins are of three types: Against Allah. Against brotherhood. Against humanity. In Hadith, Hazrat Anas (r.a.) narrated that Rasulullah (s.a.s.) said Shaytaan travels through the body like blood. Explanation by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim: Allah gave full power to Shaytaan to put evil ideas into the hearts of men. If a man does not act upon these ideas, he has passed the worldly examination and will get a high place in Jinnah (Heaven). When we say that the Shaytaan travels through the body like blood, it means not physically but according to his evil ideas or thinking there are things that travel like the human blood. In Hadith Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) related that the Nabi (s.a.s.) said: “The was-wâs that enters the hearts of my ummah Allah has forgiven, as long as they don’t act upon or voice it.” [Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim agree on it] Tafsir (Commentary): Was-wâs is the bad intentions that enters one’s heart. And those good intentions that enter one’s heart is called ilham. The ilham won’t be accepted unless it is accordance with the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. Bad thoughts by a person that is not related to aqeeda (belief), and doesn’t act on them, for him is Maafoo (forgiveness). If vice versa is related to kufr (disbelief), then it will be kufr. And if related to dhal (straying away), then it will be dhalleen. For both of these situations, tawba is fardh (obligatory). If this intention is related to any actions and not aqa’id (belief), and he keeps this intention in his heart, then he is a sinner. Question: Does the commission of sin remove one from Islam? Hazrat Anas bin Malik relates Rasulullah said that three things form the foundation of Al-Islam. 1.) Whosoever says Laa ilaaha
