Major Sins & Sincere Repentance (9)

CHAPTER TWO: CONT'D

Carrying out Injustice

     The Holy Qur'an says in Su’rat An-Nisaa' (Chapter 4 Verse 58), "Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer (58)." (Study the Noble (Qur'an — Word-for-Word).

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُكُمۡ أَن تُؤَدُّواْ ٱلۡأَمَـٰنَـٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمۡتُم بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ أَن تَحۡكُمُواْ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦۤ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرً۬ا (58)

     It has been reported in a tradition that the Prophet, peace be on him said, "I am merely a human being and you bring me your disputes. It is possible that some of you will be more impressive in argument than others, so that I may give judgment in favour of one from what I hear. Beware that if I award to someone what belongs to one's brother, I will have assigned to him a lump of Fire." (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ‌ۚ إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَا‌ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْ‌ۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا (135)

     The gravity of the sin is even more when the lives of dependants of a man are at stake. Unfortunately this sin is committed all the time at work, without realizing its consequences on the Day of Judgement!

Repentance of Injustice

     This is a sin which affects people's welfare. Before one could ask for God's forgiveness, one has to obtain forgiveness from those who suffered the injustice where possible.

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Disobeying or Neglecting One's Parents

     There is a common saying which says "Al-Jannah (Paradise) is under your (plural) mothers' feet." This saying is sufficient to show how important it is for one to take care of one's parents. It also says in the Qur'an Su'rat Luqman (Chapter 31 verses 14-15),"And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents; His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years — give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination (14). But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I will tell you what you used to do (15)." (Study the Noble Qur'an — Word-for-Word).

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ (14﴾ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖوَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿15﴾

     Abu Huraira reported that a man asked the Prophet, Allah's peace be upon him, “Who is the most deserving of my care and loyalty? He replied, "Your mother". He asked him, "Who is next?" The Prophet answered, "Your mother." He then asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet answered, "Your mother," He asked who came next? And the Prophet replied, "Your father" (Bukhari and Muslim). According to the Hadith, one's mother and father are the first most important people to us, and between the two, the mother deserves the most care and loyalty. It also says in Su'rat Al-Isra’ (Chapter 17 Verses 23-24), "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect. Nor shout at them, but address to them in terms of honour (23). And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young (24)." (Study the Noble Qur'an - Word-for-Word).

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ﴿23﴾ وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا (24)

     It follows from the above explanation that a person will not enter Jannah (Paradise) if he neglects his parents. Those people who incur their parents‘ wrath and are disowned by them have got to obtain their forgiveness before they can be pardoned by God, irrespective of whether they have been living a pious life or not.

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Magic or witchcraft

     Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "Whoever approaches a fortune-teller and consult his guidance about something, will not have his prayer accepted for forty nights" (Muslim).

     Consulting a fortune-teller is similar to ‘Shirk’ (Associating someone with God) since, instead of seeking Allah's help, one approaches a fortune-teller for guidance. What is even worse is when people use witchcraft to harm others or to get an advantage of a competitive situation over others. Ali bin Abi Talib, said, "A fortune-teller is a magician and a magician is an unbeliever."

Repentance of Practicing Witchcraft

     If you want to repent from practising witchcraft or from consulting fortune-tellers, you have to follow the same procedure of stopping the practice, regretting and asking forgiveness from any people you have caused harm to, and finally ask for God's forgiveness.

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Consuming Alcoholic Drinks and Narcotics

     Alcoholic drinks were forbidden in stages to enable the young Muslims abandon it with ease. Apparently, the Prophet's companions were not feeling easy regarding intoxicants, and so they started questioning him in various ways on the prohibition. This is when the first authoritative admonition concerning intoxicating drinks and gambling was revealed in the Qur'an in Su'rat Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2 Verse 219). "They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: ‘in them is a great sin and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.‘ -------- (219)." (Study the Noble Qur'an — Word-for-Word).

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ .... ﴿219﴾

 The matter was left merely as an expression of disapproval at first. This was a preliminary step towards preparing the minds of people for the acceptance of the prohibition. Later on came the prohibition in the performance of prayers when in a state of intoxication. It says in Su'rat An-Nisaa’ (Chapter 4 Verse 43), "O you who believe! Approach not As-SaIa't (the prayer) when you are in drunken state until you know (the meaning) of what you utter ------------- (43)." (Study the Noble Qur'an — Word-for-Word).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ...(43)

 

     Apparently people were still conducting prayers while under the influence of alcohol, until when a total ban on its use was made. This total prohibition was revealed in Su'rat Al-Ma'idah) Chapter 5 Verses 90-91), "O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansa'ab and Al- AzIa'am (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaita'n's (Satan's) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful (90). Shaita'an (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-SaIa't (the prayer). S0, will you then abstain? (91)." (Study the Noble Qur'an — Word—for- Word).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (90﴾ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ ﴿91﴾

     For obvious reasons, the prohibition of alcoholic drinks and other intoxicants became so severe that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said "Truly Allah has cursed 'Khamr' (alcohol) and has cursed the one that produces it, the one for whom it is produced, the one that drinks it, the one that serves it, the one that carries it, the one for whom it is carried, the one that sells it, the one that earns from the sale of it, the one who buys it and the one from whom it is bought." The Prophet also said' "That which intoxicates in a large quantity, a small amount is haram (sinful) as well." (Tirmidhi, Abu Daud and Ibn Majah).

Repentance of Consuming Alcoholic Drinks and Narcotics

     Consuming intoxicants is basically a sin directly between one and one's own God. In this sense, the repenting and asking God's forgiveness would be all that is required of the sinner. However, as people say, ‘intoxicants are the mother of all evil‘. As such, you are bound to commit other sins after consuming intoxicants. In this case, you will be required to make repentance according to the requirements of any particular sin you committed affecting others as explained in the previous paragraphs.

 Reference:

Major Sins & Sincere Repentance, by Abdullah Amor Al-Marhuby, pg: 136-148.