According to a sahih hadith recounted by the two Shaykhs, al-Bukhari and Muslim, in as-Sahihayn, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated: “Avoid the seven major sins in islam that doom a person to Hell.” This hadith explained the seven sins that condemn a person to Hell. “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” we asked. “Associating others with Allah (shirk); witchcraft; killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden us to kill, except in cases dictated by Islamic law; consuming the wealth of orphans; consuming riba; escaping from the battlefield; and slandering chaste, innocent women,” he continued.
- Shirk
Shirk, or equating others with Allah, is the biggest of all major sins in islam. It brings about doom with no chance of salvation, and if a person dies in this position, he will spend all of eternity in Hell. Allah, may He be honored, states (meaning interpretation):
“Truly, Allah has forbidden Paradise to anyone who teams up with him in worship, and the Fire will be his home.” Additionally, there are no aides for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers). [Al-Maidah 5:72]
Actually, as it was revealed to those who came before you (Allah’s agents), it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad, may Allah glorify and keep him): “If you join others in devout Allah, (then) definitely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be between the losers.” [az-Zumar 39:65]
keeping the Mosques of Allah (i.e., praying and worshiping Allah there, getting care of their neatness and structure, etc.) is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, admirers, pagans, and those who do not trust in the Oneness of Allah), while they testify against their own incredulous selves. Such people’s struggles are utterly futile, and they will burn in perdition. [Tawbah 9:17]
- The practice of witchcraft
Because witchcraft worships the jinn and enlists their assistance in deceiving people, it entails shirk.
Witchcraft is the practice of dealing with things that hurt people by using the jinn and worshiping them rather than Allah. He occasionally causes people harm through words, actions, and blowing on knots; other times, he creates illusions to the point where something is perceived as something other than what it truly is, as Allah, may He be exalted, stated about the Pharaoh’s magicians (meaning interpretation):
“He thought their sticks and ropes moved quickly because of their magic.” [Ta-Ha 20:66]
“Consequently, they displayed great magic when they threw,charming the people’s eyes and planting fear in them.” [Al-A’raf 7:116]
They on occasion accomplish this by fabricating illusions, which make things emerge different from what they in fact are. Thus, a stick or rope could be mistaken for a snake, a stone for an egg, a person for being different from who they really are, and so on. Such a person is considered a disbeliever, and the ruler of the Muslims is required to put the witchcraft practitioner to death if this is shown in court.
- Murder
killing a person, something Allah forbids us from doing. According to Allah’s understanding, this is a grave offense.
“And whoever purposely kills a believer will be rewarded with Hell to spend timelessness there, and Allah’s wrath and plague will be upon him, and a severe punishment is in shop for him.” [an-Nisa 4:93]
killing is one of the most terrible major sins in islam, yet it is a lower important sin than shirk, which is the union of other people with Allah. It is a serious sin, much like adultery or fornication, stealing, and so on. Unless he thinks it acceptable, the person who does such is not an unbeliever. Thus, in mention to him, Allah, may He be elevated, says:
If he believes that a penalty is acceptable, he will remain in it infinitely; if he does not, he will stay in it for a considerable amount of time, but it will eventually stop. The evildoer’ (Muslims’) periodin Hell will be long, but it will come to an end. “There will be no end to the disbelievers’ stay. “Avoid the seven sins that doom a person to Hell,” the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) advised. “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” we asked. “Witchcraft; killing a soul that Allah has forbidden us to kill, except in cases dictated by Islamic law; associating others with Allah (shirk);” he continued.
In cases where there is a valid reason to execute the criminal, such as in cases of banditry, where the criminal attempts to harm travelers by stealing their wealth on the road, beating them, or killing them, he is to be executed because of his great evil. In other cases, Islamic law dictates that the previously married adulterer must be executed by stoning; the person who kills another, when both are of equal standing, must also be executed.
- Eating riba
Consuming riba is the term used to describe handling riba, which is forbidden by Allah. Regarding it (the meaning interpreted), Allah, may He be praised and adored, says:
“Allah has prohibited Riba and allowed trading.” [chapter 2r 2:275]
“O ye who have faith! If you are (really) believers, then fear Allah and give up what is left (due to you) from Riba (from now on). And if you don’t, then accept Allah’s and His Messenger’s warning of battle. [part 2 2:278]
Eating riba is a serious sin that must be avoided.
consuming the fortune of orphans
The public whose father passed away when he was still a child and had not yet achieved puberty is known as an parentless. In the case of orphans, it is essential to show them kindness, protect their riches, allow it to expand, and handle it with the suitable care. A severe warning is given to the person who embezzles the orphan’s riches and eats it illegally since the orphan is weak and the person has violated the law by consuming the orphan’s fortune. He is the target of this severe warning, yet as long as he does not consider that to be acceptable, he is a sinner rather than a disbeliever.
- Running away from combat
The following harsh warning (interpretation of the meaning) applies to the Muslim who flees and deserts his brothers on the day of battle, when the disbelievers march against the Muslims or the Muslims march against the disbelievers: “unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)” [al-Anfal 8:16].
This means that he must avoid recruiting to prepare himself, bring his weapon, and put on his armor in preparation for fighting, which does not cause any harm, or moving from one detachment to another, or from one rank to another, or from one group to another, as part of a plan against the enemy.
- Discrediting chaste, gullible, and devout women
As Allah, may He be elevated, states (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who blame chaste women, and generate not four witnesses, flog them with eighty streak” [an-Nur 24:4], blaming them of zina (fornication or adultery) by saying: So and So devoted zina, or So and So called somebody to commit zina, but he is lying, is one of the seven major sins in islam that criticize one to Hell and for which one merits to be given eighty lashes. The text is mentioned to women since such claims are typically made against women, even though defaming chaste women is a critical sin, just like defaming chaste men. However, the punishment for slandering a chaste man by charging him of zina is to provide four witnesses or face eighty whip.
