Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Avoid the seven destructive sins” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, what are they?” He said: “Associating partners with Allah; magic (sorcery); killing a person whose killing Allah has prohibited except by legal right; consuming usury; devouring the property of an orphan; fleeing from the battlefield; and slandering chaste, innocent, and believing women.”
“Avoid the seven destructive sins
Explanation
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands his Ummah to shun seven ruinous crimes and sins. When asked about them, he outlined them as the following: First: associating partners with Allah by taking anyone or anything as a peer and equal to Him and by devoting any act of worship to other than Allah Almighty. He began with polytheism because it is the gravest sin. Second: magic, which includes knots, incantations, treatments, and making smoke, affects the bewitched person's body, causing him to die or fall ill, or it causes separation between husband and wife. It is the work of the devil and mostly cannot be performed except through polytheism and pleasing the evil spirits by doing any of the things they like. Third: killing a person whose killing Allah has prohibited except by a legal cause implemented by the ruler. Fourth: consuming usury by taking it or any other form of benefit. Fifth: encroaching upon the property of a child whose father died before he reaches puberty. Sixth: fleeing the battle with the disbelievers. Seventh: accusing chaste and noble women of adultery, as well as accusing men.
Lessons
- Major sins are not limited to seven, but these seven are singled out due to their graveness and danger.
- It is permissible to kill a person in legal retribution, for apostasy, or for committing adultery after getting married, with this being carried out by the legitimate ruler.
Topics
Related hadiths
- Verily, the reward of deeds depends on intentions, and each person will be rewarded according to what he intendedAuthentic
- Verily, the lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clearAuthentic
- O people, indeed, Allah is good and does not accept except what is good. Indeed, Allah has commanded the believers with what he commanded the messengersAuthentic
- None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himselfAuthentic
- Indeed, Allah has enjoined Ihsān (kindness/excellence) in all thingsAuthentic
- Verily, some of what reached people from the speech of the early prophets: If you feel no shame, then do whatever you wishAuthentic