A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| KiD |
| 04/24/02 at 15:40:58 |
| [wlm] Hi, I am new here but I have a question............ ??? What are the worst sins you can possibly do and the least? :o I have done many sins, and I try to stop and become more faithful, and I have, but just to know what were the worst sins that I have done...... ::) If somebody could give me a list or a reply to me please do....... :) |
| 04/24/02 at 15:59:01 |
| jannah |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Laila |
| 04/24/02 at 16:51:47 |
| [slm] I'm not too sure what counts as the "least" of the sins, but as far as Allah(swt) is concerned, the worst (and unforgiveable) is the association of "partners" with Allah(swt), such as saying Jesus(pbuh) is God. Does this help? [wlm] :-)Laila |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Abu_Hamza |
| 04/25/02 at 13:38:49 |
The Major Sins ([i]Al-Kabaa'ir[/i]) The major sins are those acts which have been forbidden by Allah in the Quran and by His Messenger (SAW) in the Sunnah (practise of the Prophet), and which have been made clear by the actions of of the first righteous generation of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet (SAW). Allah Most High says in His Glorious Book: If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry. (al-Nisa 4:31) Thus by this verse, Allah Most High has guaranteed the Garden of Paradise to those who avoid the major sins. And Allah Most High also says: Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, and forgive when they are angry (al-Shra 42:37) Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness. (Al-Najm 53:32) The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "The five [daily] prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided." It is therefore very important to determine exactly what the greatest vices, technically called "the major sins" (Kaba'ir), are, in order that Muslims should avoid them. There is some difference of opinion among scholars in this regard. Some say these major sins are seven, and in support of their position they quote the tradition: "Avoid the seven noxious things - associating anything with Allah; magic; killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim) 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said: "Seventy is closer po their number than seven," and indeed that is correct. The above tradition does not limit the major sins to those mentioned in it. Rather, it points to the type of sins which fall into the category of "major." These include those crimes which call for a prescribed punishment (HADD; plural, HUDUD), such as theft, fornication or adultery (ZINA), and murder; those prohibited acts for which a warning of a severe punishment in the Next is given in the Qur'an or the tradition; and also those deeds which are cursed by our Prophet (SAW). These are all major sins. Of course, there is a gradation among them, since some are more serious than others. We see that the Prophet (SAW) has included SHIRK (associating someone or something with Allah) among them, and from the text of the Qur'an we know that a person who commits SHIRK will not his sin be forgiven and will remain in Hell forever. Allah Most High says: Surely, Allah does not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills. (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116) 01. Associating anything with Allah 02. Murder 03. Practising magic 04. Not Praying 05. Not paying Zakat 06. Not fasting on a Day of Ramadan without excuse 07. Not performing Hajj, while being able to do so 08. Disrespect to parents 09. Abandoning relatives 10. Fornication and Adultery 11. Homosexuality(sodomy) 12. Interest(Riba) 13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan 14. Lying about Allah and His Messenger 15. Running away from the battlefield 16. A leader's deceiving his people and being unjust to them 17. Pride and arrogance 18. Bearing false witness 19. Drinking Khamr (wine) 20. Gambling 21. Slandering chaste women 22. Stealing from the spoils of war 23. Stealing 24. Highway Robbery 25. Taking false oath 26. Oppression 27. Illegal gain 28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully 29. Committing suicide 30. Frequent lying 31. Judging unjustly 32. Giving and Accepting bribes 33. Woman's imitating man and man's imitating woman 34. Being cuckold 35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband 36. Not protecting oneself from urine 37. Showing-off 38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world and concealing that knowledge 39. Bertrayal of trust 40. Recounting favours 41. Denying Allah's Decree 42. Listening (to) people's private conversations 43. Carrying tales 44. Cursing 45. Breaking contracts 46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers 47. A woman's bad conduct towards her husband 48. Making statues and pictures 49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort when an affliction befalls 50. Treating others unjustly 51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals 52. Offending one's neighbour 53. Offending and abusing Muslims 54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude toward them 55. Trailing one's garment in pride 56. Men's wearing silk and gold 57. A slave's running away from his master 58. Slaughtering an animal which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allah 59. To knowingly ascribe one's paternity to a father other than one's own 60. Arguing and disputing violently 61. Witholding excess water 62. Giving short weight or measure 63. Feeling secure from Allah's Plan 64. Offending Allah's righteous friends 65. Not praying in congregation but praying alone without an excuse 66. Persistently missing Friday Prayers without any excuse 67. Unsurping the rights of the heir through bequests 68. Deceiving and plotting evil 69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims 70. Cursing or insulting any of the Companiions of Allah's Messenger Source: The Major Sins Al-Kaba'r By Muhammad bin 'Uthman Adh-Dhahabi, rendered into English by Mohammad Moinuddin Siddiqui |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Chris |
| 04/30/02 at 12:35:40 |
| Hi, could you elaborte on a few of them? 3) How can one practice magic? 7) how 'able' is 'able'? 11) Islam is against homosexuals? They did not choose to be homosexual, its how God made them. 16) I quite agree. Now convice saddam hussian of that 18) ? 22+23) why not just say stealing? 33+35+36) ? 38+43) ? 46) is that not magic? 47) what about a mans bad conduct towards his wife 52+53+54) why not just offending people? 57) ENSLAVING A PERSON AGAINST THEIR WILL IS THE THIRD-WORST CRIME A HUMAN CAN COMMIT! Does Islam sathion slavery? 61-64) ? 65) Deists prey on their own Please could you elaborte on these Thanks C |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| se7en |
| 05/01/02 at 13:37:53 |
| [quote]11) Islam is against homosexuals? They did not choose to be homosexual, its how God made them. [/quote] I'm sure brother Abu_Hamza will be able to answer your questions thoroughly, but I just wanted to comment on this. There has been no substantiated evidence that shows that some people are born with a genetic propensity towards homosexuality. From what I remember the 'gay gene' theory was without conclusive evidence. However, even if this were the case, simply having an *inclination* towards something does not make it permissible. A person can have inclinations towards all sorts of things, but a Muslim - one who acknowledges that Allah is his/her Lord and Islam is true - struggles against those inclinations that do not harmonize with what Allah in His infinite mercy and wisdom has prescribed. |
| 05/01/02 at 23:37:04 |
| se7en |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Abu_Hamza |
| 05/01/02 at 19:58:33 |
| Hi Chris, I begin this with a prayer to Allah (swt) that He guides us all to the Straight Path, those who sincerely seek it as well as those who do not! For they who do not simply do not know any better. I want to make a request to you as you read this post. That is, if you have written these questions out of sincere curiosity, or because you truly want to understand the Deen (way of life) of Islam better in order to see if it is indeed something that makes sense and is the True Path, then I once again pray to Allah (swt) that He guides you to that which you are seeking. However, if the purpose of you posting such questions (and others that have been posted at various occasions in different threads) is - and I'm not saying it *is*, Allah knows best about the intentions of people - to mock this Deen (way of life) then I would advise you that you do not waste your time in doing so. Mocking something which is perfect does not take away from its beauty, but only makes a fool out of him/her who publicly performs this act. Here are some answers, in case you do seek the Truth sincerely: [quote]3) How can one practice magic?[/quote] According to the scholars of Islam, men are capable of performing siHr [magic] by utilising creatures known as jinn. These creatures are a third type of creation of Allah (swt) - apart form the angels and the human beings - that are made of fire and are normally invisible to the human race. It has been proven from the authentic sayings of Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] that the jinn possess certain abilities that men do not, due to their composition and powers that have been bestowed to them by their Creator and ours - Allah (swt). Some men may befriend one or two of these jinn by performing acts of favor to them, and then utilize their help to perform acts that would seem unusual to other human beings. And thus, we would call these acts "magic." Please note that the acts of illusion that are performed by entertainers like David Copperfield are not the kind of magic that is referred to here (siHr in Arabic). The acts of David Copperfield and others like him are simply tricks that fool the eye. There is nothing special about them in the sense that they do not violate the normal laws of physics. Sihr, on the other hand, would be something that would violate these laws. Examples of such acts can be someone travelling in a milli-second from Texas to California, or someone flying in the air freely without any strings attached to him/her, etc. These acts of sihr, magic, are what constitute one of the major sins in Islam, as the list points out. [quote]7) how 'able' is 'able'?[/quote] "Able" means able both financially and physically. It also means that one must have the means to travel to Makkah. For women, it also means that they must have a mahram (husband, father, son, brother, uncle, etc.) accompanying them to Makkah. Etc. As to the exact amount of finances that makes it incumbent for a person to perform Hajj, I do not know it off hand. Being physically able means that one must be healthy enough to endure the difficulties of the journey. [quote]11) Islam is against homosexuals? They did not choose to be homosexual, its how God made them.[/quote] I think se7en answered this question pretty well. Walhamdulillah. [quote]16) I quite agree. Now convice saddam hussian of that[/quote] Saddam Hussein listens more to President Bush and Colin Powell than he does to you and me. Now the question is, who do President Bush and Colin Powell listen to? Talk to that person to give them the message :) [quote]18) ?[/quote] In other words, perjury. [quote]22+23) why not just say stealing?[/quote] Some people do not understand that taking from the spoils of war things that have not been allocated to them by the commander-in-chief (or whoever the leader of the army or the state is) constitutes stealing. In some civilizations, spoils of war are free to take. More like a first-come first-serve thing where whoever gets there hands on the spoils first, it's theres. Islam allocates the booty pretty systematically. And the state has a lot of say in who gets how much from the booty. Therefore, in order to put emphasis on the act of going against these allocations, it has been given its own category. And Allah knows best. [quote]33+35+36) ?[/quote] I'm not sure what's unclear about 33. In order to understand 35, you have to first understand the way divorce works in Islam. If a man and woman are divorced from each other, they cannot get married to each other again! The only exception to this general rule is if they marry someone else after their first divorce, and *then* after consummating the other marriage, they decide to get married to each other again (their 2nd spouse dies, or they divorce them also, etc.) So #35 is saying that if someone marries for a second time simply because they wanna marry their ex, but cannot, because they haven't married someone else yet, then this is a great sin. Marriage is not a game! You don't marry someone simply so that you can divorce them tomorrow and then marry your first ex the day after. #36: In Islam, we are supposed to properly clean ourselves after relieving ourselves. All this is saying is that if we neglect this act of purification after using the bathroom, it's a great sin. [quote]38+43) ?[/quote] 38: What is meant here is mainly religious knowledge, although it may also apply to other kinds of knowledge. What it is saying is that the purpose for which we should acquire knowledge in this world should not be something selfish like fame or money. What drives a Muslim to do any good act is to attain the pleasure of Allah (swt) by being a better Muslim, a better human being, and by acquiring a skill in order to serve humanity. Many people today, unfortunately, learn knowledge so that they can sit in a gathering and show off in front of others. Some people gain knowledge so that they can be given high posts in different institutions and thus they may gain fame among people or make a lot of money to live a luxurious life. These things are not what drive a Muslim to gain knowledge. Indeed, these motivations can lead one to Hell, and this is what the list is saying. 43: In other words, gossip. [quote]46) is that not magic?[/quote] No it is not, as it should be clear from my explanation of magic. Sometimes fortune-tellers do come into the category of magicians, because they often use jinn for help in their work as well. In that case, a person who may not himself practice magic, but goes to a fortune-teller to seek their help with something, is also sinful. He is not practicing the evil himself, but asking someone else (the fortune-teller) to help him by practicing that evil. So, they are too different things, but both constitute sin. [quote]47) what about a mans bad conduct towards his wife[/quote] That is also a sin, of course, as it is clear from many sayings of the Prophet [saw], including his last words on his death bed and in his farewell sermon. [quote]52+53+54) why not just offending people?[/quote] That would be a general statement, and it would be true. However, I think the author of this article is simply putting emphasis on Muslims and neighbors because of the abundance of ahaadith (sayings of the Prophet) that talk about not offending them both. There are sayings of the Prophet [saw] that talk about treating the neighbors well. There are other ahadith that talk aobut the importance of treating other believing men and women well. And then there are ahadith that talk about treating the masses well. From specific to general. Specificity breeds emphasis. [quote]57) ENSLAVING A PERSON AGAINST THEIR WILL IS THE THIRD-WORST CRIME A HUMAN CAN COMMIT! Does Islam sathion slavery?[/quote] What does "sathion" mean? [quote]61-64) ?[/quote] Withholding excess water. Think about the importance of water in a deser environment, and this would make more sense. Giving short weight or measure. In other words, cheating people in a business transaction. Feeling secure from Allah's plan. In other words, having false/extended hope. Allah's righteous friends is a bad translation of the Arabic word awliyaa'. These are basically people who have reached a really high status in the Sight of Allah because of their devotion in obedience and piety. Offending these righteous servants of Allah is a great sin. [quote]65) Deists prey on their own[/quote] That's interesting. I didn't know deists prayed. Why do they pray? Don't they believe that God does not interfere with our lives after He creates us and puts us on earth? What would be the purpose of prayer if God does not care about us? Just some thoughts. Anyway, Muslims pray both alone and in congretation. The obligatory prayers should be prayed in congregation by men. All other prayers are actually encouraged to be offered alone. I hope these are of help. And Allah knows best. Once again, your questions about Islam are always welcome on this board, insha Allah, especially if they are asked in a polite way and with sincerity. Take care. |
| 05/01/02 at 23:58:35 |
| Abu_Hamza |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| se7en |
| 05/01/02 at 23:47:05 |
| [quote]What does "sathion" mean?[/quote] I don't know what sathion means either, but I found this excellent article on [url=http://www.twf.org/Library/Slavery.html]the wisdom fund website[/url] about slavery and Islam: [color=black] Slavery in Islam [i]The Quran: [/i] O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. -- 49:13 [i]Prophet Muhammad, 570--632 AD: [/i] . . . yield obedience to my successor, although he may be an Abyssinian slave. He will not enter paradise who behaveth ill to his slaves. The companions said, "O Apostle of God! Have you not told us, that there will be a great many slaves and orphans amongst your disciples?" He said, "Yes; then be kind to them as your own children, and give them to eat of what you eat yourselves. The slaves that say their prayers are your brothers." [The first call to prayer at the Quba mosque built by Prophet Muhammad was given in 622 by Bilal -- a black slave freed by the Prophet. The Supreme Court of the United States declared in 1857 that the slave Dred Scott could not sue for his freedom because he was not a person, but property.] [i]Annemarie Schimmel, Islam: An Introduction: [/i] Slavery was not abolished by the Koran, but believers are constantly admonished to treat their slaves well. In case of illness a slave has to be looked after and well cared for. To manumit [free] a slave is higly meritorious; the slave can ransom himself by paying some of the money he has earned while conducting his own business. Only children of slaves or non-Muslim prisoners of war can become slaves, never a freeborn Muslim; therefore slavery is theoretically doomed to disappear with the expansion of Islam. The entire history of Islam proves that slaves could occupy any office, and many former military slaves, usually recruited from among the Central Asian Turks, became military leaders and often even rulers as in eastern Iran, India (the Slave Dynasty of Delhi), and medieval Egypt (the Mamluks). Eunuchs too served in important capacities, not only as the guardians of the women's quarters, but also in high administrative and military positions. -- p. 67 [i]Roger Du Pasquier, Unveiling Islam: [/i] To answer this question, it should first be remarked that Islam has tolerated slavery but has never approved of it, and that all its teachings and prescriptions in this regard lead to its alleviation as far as possible in the short term, and, in the longer term, conduce to its progressive suppression. To abolish it would have been impossible in a world in which it was generally practiced by all the states which bordered on the new Muslim empire, and in which the idea of challenging the principle itself had not occurred to anyone. It was the custom to enslave prisoners of war -- when these were not simply massacred -- and the Islamic state would have put itself at a grave disadvantage vis-a-vis its enemies had it not reciprocated to some extent. By guaranteeing them humane treatment, and various possibilities of subsequently releasing themselves, it ensured that a good number of combatants in the opposing armies preferred captivity at the hands of Muslims to death on the field of battle. It should be very clearly underlined that the slavery once practiced in the Muslim world cannot be compared to the fkrm it had assumed -- for instance -- in the Roman Empire. Islamic legislation subjected slaveowners to a set of precise obligations, first among which was the slave's right to life, for, according to a hadith, 'Whoever kills his slave shall be killed by us'. In consequence, the murder of a slave was punished like that of a free man. There are many other hadiths which define Islam's true attitude in this regard. The Prophet said: 'Your slaves are your brethren; therefore whoever has a brother who depends upon him must feed and clothe him in the way he feeds and clothes himself; and should not impose upon him tasks which exceed his capacity; should you ask them to do such things, then you are obliged to help them.' The Sharia takes this injunction, among many others, into account when defining the responsibilities and duties of slaveholders. There is another teaching which enjoins respect for the human dignity of slaves: 'Let none of you say, "This man, or this woman, is my slave". He must rather say: "This is my man, and this my woman."' Putting into relief the provisional character of social ties and the authority exercised by slaveowners over their slaves, the Prophet said: 'It is true that God has made you their masters, but, had He so wished, He could equally well have made you their slaves.' To manumit a slave has always been regarded as one of the most meritorious of all acts, and many passages of the Qur'an recommend or even require it, particularly as a means of expiation for serious faults. Traditional legislation lays down the methods of voluntary liberation of slaves by their masters (itq), and there were very many Muslims who observed these, especially at the end of their lives, so as not to die and appear before God without having given full freedom to the human beings placed in their power during their earthly lives. Additionally, slaves had the ability to enfranchise themselves at their own initiative, without waiting passively for the goodwill of their masters: the procedure known as mukataba allowed them to buy their own freedom with sums which they saved from their work, and which the state frequently augmented with advances -- a measure which the slaveowner had no right to oppose. In contrast to the situation under Roman law, slaves were not deprived of the legal ability to exercise their rights and to appeal to a judge against their masters in all cases of illegal treatment. Besides domestic slavery, which was generally imbued with a patriarchal character, there also existed a form of military slavery, which was frequently employed by princes in need of recruits, especially for their personal guards. This situation had the effect of conferring an often considerable influence and power on men of servile condition or origin, and some of these became the founders of great and illustrious dynasties such as the Tulunids and Mamlukes of Egypt. The object of a prosperous commercial sector, which under the Abbasid Empire was often the speciality of non-Muslims, particularly Byzantine and Venetian Christians, and Jews, slavery gradually declined in importance until, at the beginning of the present century, it was confined to a few survivals which have now disappeared entirely. Thanks to the strict traditional controls which have always regulated the practice, it would be difficult to deny that social conditions were remarkably humane during the great periods of Muslim civilization, and that these, moreover, were in conformity with the 'egalitarian' spirit of Islam, which, in a hadith, teaches that 'the blackest of Abyssinians' is superior to most noble of Quraishiytes, if he has more faith. -- p. 104 - 107 [i]Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi, Slavery From Islamic and Christian Perspectives: [/i] Among all the religions it was only Islam that attacked the very foundations of this evil. -- preface [/color] |
| 05/01/02 at 23:51:23 |
| se7en |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Anonymous |
| 05/02/02 at 03:41:27 |
| Chris, On question 11, God say's in the Qur'an about homosexuals: [Qur'an - 027.AN-NAML.54. (We also sent) Lüt (as a messenger): behold, he said to his people, "Do ye do what is indecent though ye see (its iniquity)? "Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant!" ] It is not appropriate to say that God created them like that....we are all on this earth as a test and God has given us a mind to choose between right and wrong. And at the end of the day, even though we may not know which path we are going to go down, God knows. On the question of slavery, this was not introduced by Islam, it first appeared when wars took place on this earth. History shows us that various methods were used to deal with prisoners of war, e.g. executed, set free with/without ranson and enslaved. Slavery was rife among the Arabs from among the days of ignorance (pre-Islam). Abolishing it completely after Islam would have caused chaos, this had to be a gradual process. In the Islamic wars that took place, slaves/captives were distributed as part of the booty among soldiers, they were given the 'right of ownership' by the Head of the Islamic State. Once Islamic Law (Shariat) makes something lawful, we have to accept it as lawful, whether it appeals to our taste or not and whether we know its underlying wisdom or not. God says in the Qur'an that man has been given a very small portion of knowledge, thus some laws are beyond our puny comprehension and we leave them with God. The prophet (peace be upon him) enjoined his followers to treat slaves with kindness, gently and above all to regard them as members of the family. Islam encouraged freeing of slaves; Volume 1, Book 2, Number 29 (Bukhari): Narrated Al-Ma'rur: At Ar-Rabadha I met Abu Dhar who was wearing a cloak, and his slave, too, was wearing a similar one. I asked about the reason for it. He replied, "I abused a person by calling his mother with bad names." The Prophet said to me, 'O Abu Dhar! Did you abuse him by calling his mother with bad names You still have some characteristics of ignorance. Your slaves are your brothers and Allah has put them under your command. So whoever has a brother under his command should feed him of what he eats and dress him of what he wears. Do not ask them (slaves) to do things beyond their capacity (power) and if you do so, then help them.' " Volume 3, Book 46, Number 693 (Bukhari): Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah will save all the parts of his body from the (Hell) Fire as he has freed the body-parts of the slave." Said bin Marjana said that he narrated that Hadith to 'Ali bin Al-Husain and he freed his slave for whom 'Abdullah bin Ja'far had offered him ten thousand Dirhams or one-thousand Dinars. There is no prevalence of lawful slavery in the Islamic world today and would be difficult to implement because of its stringent conditions. For example, the prisoners have to be captured in 'Jihaad' (holy war). After possession of a slave there are a number of laws that affect the master and slave - there is hardly any Islamic country today that can abide by these conditions. I hope I have answered your questions to some extent. [Qur'an - 028 AL-QASAS 60. The (material) things which ye are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter thereof; but that which is with Allah is better and more enduring: will ye not then be wise? ] Anonymous. |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| BUSHRA |
| 05/02/02 at 05:28:58 |
| [quote author=Chris link=board=madrasa;num=1019677258;start=0#3 date=04/30/02 at 12:35:40]Hi, could you elaborte on a few of them? 47) what about a mans bad conduct towards his wife [/quote] [slm] That is already covered in sin 51 "overbearing conduct towards one wife , the servant, the weak and animals" BUSHRA :-) |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Chris |
| 05/03/02 at 17:41:00 |
| Hi, I rarely pray - the saying careful what you wish for, you might get it, having impressed itself upon me - but I understand what you want and I hope that it happens. I am writing these questions in the hope of understanding why Islam is the way it is, while it has much to recomend it, some parts of it are not very nice. I hope to understand Islam better before I die. (which seems morbid, but death is the only certinity in life). I do not try to mock, though I understand that some of my questions may seem like mocking. If I do cause offense, please tell me and I'll try not to do it again. Feel free to inquire about my beliefs if you wish. What you say about the Jinn is interestingly similer to Scottish tales of Fairies (the realy old ones, not the disney ones), the ones which warn against having anything to do with them at all. That probition then is basically against trading with supernatual enties then? Relating to 7) I now understand the sin, but I don't understand it. Any women is a potental equal of a man (and vice-versa) and I have seen no evidence that surgests that Muslim girls are stupider than other girls. I think I've known enough to be resonably sure of that. By personal observation, I believe that they are also more faithful than Muslim men. I see n reason why one cannot go to Mecca on her own. The question of the origin of homosexuaily is still unknown. However, people are called to face God alone, therefore I will not stop anyone doing anything - no matter my personal opions - unless it threatens me or anyone else. Regarding Saddan Hussian, I personly think the West's gone sqiumish. Insted of bombing inncoent people, kill him directly. If you object to this, remenber he's killed hundreads of MUSLIMs as well as others. Does 33 mean women dressing in mens clothing and vice-versa? Personly, I think that Muslim should all wear Burqas. If the men have to wear them as well, it might stop them forcing them on the women. I've never heard of anyone marring, devoicing and then re-marring, but first time for everything, <shug>. Regarding 38, what about collecting knowledge for the benifit of humanity? I meant sanction, as in allowing it to take place, and I lost a lot of respect for Islam when I read that. [quote]Allah's righteous friends is a bad translation of the Arabic word awliyaa'. These are basically people who have reached a really high status in the Sight of Allah because of their devotion in obedience and piety. Offending these righteous servants of Allah is a great sin. [/quote] How should I recognise them? One offshoot of Christanity believe that true belivers will developt a invisible cross on their foreheads, visible only to other belivers, but I know of no corasponding islamic symbol. Desists come in many different stripes. Some pray, some don't. Thank you for making me feel welcome. Take care Chris |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| sofia |
| 05/03/02 at 23:47:07 |
| As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah, peace - #35 This holds true only after the third divorce from the same spouse. Mainly to discourage "hasty" decision-making concerning divorce; as mentioned, marriage is a serious issue in Islam. The process of divorce in Islam is to encourage reconciliation whenever possible. A husband and wife can return to one another after the second divorce; but once the third divorce is made then re-marriage is pretty much irrevocable unless the wife gets married to another person. Her marriage to another spouse should be a real marriage with the intention to have a better chance for a happier life. If even this new marriage collapses, then she can remarry her previous husband (who she was divorced from three times already) if she chooses to. There are a lot of regulations for marriage and divorce in Islam in which the aim is to establish fairness and equity among the partners. "A divorce is only permissible twice: after that, the parties should either hold together on equitable terms, or separate with kindness…So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably, for the third time), he cannot, after that, remarry her until after she has married another husband and he has divorced her. In that case there is no blame on either of them if they reunite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. Such are the limits ordained by Allah which He makes plain to those who understand." [Translation of the Qur'aan 2:239-230] #33: ------------------------------------ From http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/Q_LP/ch2s2pre.htm#Concerning Woman's Imitating Man and Vice Versa Concerning Woman's Imitating Man and Vice Versa The Prophet (peace be on him) declared that a woman should not wear a man's clothing nor a man a woman's. He cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men. (Reported by al-Bukhari and others.) Aspects of such imitation include the manner of speaking, walking, dressing, moving and so on. The evil of such conduct, which affects both the life of the individual and of society, is that it constitutes a rebellion against the natural ordering of things. According to this natural order, there are men and there are women, and each of the two sexes has its own distinctive characteristics. However, if men become effeminate and women masculinized, this natural order will be reversed and will disintegrate. Among those who are cursed by Allah and His angels, both in this world and in the Hereafter, the Prophet (peace be on him) has mentioned the man whom Allah has made a male but who becomes effeminate by imitating women, and a woman whom Allah has made a female but who becomes masculinized by imitating men. (Reported by al-Tabarani.) -------------------------------- See, Islam is big on the concept that a man and woman are equal AND not the same. Meaning, the colors red and blue are equally primary colors. Yet, we cannot say they are the same in every aspect. Doesn't make one color better or worse than the other. This idea is huge, especially within the Western context, in which women are increasingly being constrained to act and behave like men or act and behave like a "piece of meat" in order to "get ahead". Islam says, just be a woman, goshdarnnit, that doesn't make you any less or more than a man. Manhood does not constitute a hegemony or exclusive possession of intelligence, aptitude, etc. That concept is so humorous to me (sorry, no offense to anyone!). #7 As mentioned, this has more to do with one's refusal to make Hajj, while having all of the means to do so. It should be said that the Hajj of a women is encouraged and rewarded the same way as a man's. Actually, during the time of the Prophet (s), a woman asked what women could do to get the reward of men who were at that time, defending Islam from the enemies of Islam. While many women participated in and accompanied others during war at the time of the Prophet, (Nusaybah, I believe, is said to have defended the Prophet during a battle quite valiantly) most women stayed behind to "hold down the fort" at home. Women are not obligated to perform this type of jihaad. The Prophet (s) answered that women should perform Hajj to earn the same reward as those who could participate in fighting for Islam. The provision of having a mahrem to accompany her during Hajj is generally agreed upon by most scholars (although a minority opinion agrees to a party of women being sufficient if there is no mahrem and she fulfills the same requirements as anyone else, but this may only be for 'Umrah, Allahu'alim). This is for her protection, rather than to deter her from making the pilgrimage. Used to be a time when making Hajj was a great hardship for anyone (still is; those who returned alive acquired the title "Hajji"), so makes logical sense to me to travel in a group. God knows best. #57 I would be offended by the whole "slavery" issue if I only understood slavery within the context of what occurred in the U.S. not very long ago. Very offended. But after learning a bit about what the deal with slavery is within Islam, I realized I couldn't make that similitude. Over 1400 years ago, the Prophet said: "Your slaves are your brethren; therefore whoever has a brother who depends upon him must feed and clothe him in the way he feeds and clothes himself; and should not impose upon him tasks which exceed his capacity; should you ask them to do such things, then you are obliged to help them." Either in his deathbed or in his last sermon, he also warned the Muslims to be just to their servants. There is no other ideology that handles the issue of slavery the way Islam does. Specifically, the equalizing of "slave" and "master" made it much easier for a former slave (as mentioned, in Islam, freeing a slave raises one a degree or two in the eyes of Allah) to assimilate into society, rather than remain marginalized. The following article explains this and other surprising elements in regards to "slavery" within the context of Islam (I really think even the vocabulary doesn't fit, with the connotations it has today). The second part gets to the essence of it. http://saif_w.tripod.com/questions/slavery/islam_slavery_gulen.htm #47 Looks as though #51 compliments this. A woman who has to bear an unjust husband has the right to divorce him. "The most perfect believer is one who is the best in courtesy and amiable manners, and the best among you people is one who is most kind and courteous to their wives." - Prophet Muhammad (s), Tirmidhi, chapter on the obligations of a man to his wife. "I am writing these questions in the hope of understanding why Islam is the way it is, while it has much to recomend it, some parts of it are not very nice." Hmm...begs the obvious question: Such as......? Feel free to let it all hang out...but not too free, otherwise, Abu Hamza may just reprimand you. Kidding, I don't think the regulars here are that mean. Allahu'alim, God knows best. |
| 05/04/02 at 00:00:11 |
| sofia |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Chris |
| 05/04/02 at 11:34:11 |
| I'll wait for him to reply before saying much else. <Grin> thanks Chris |
| [Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Abu_Hamza |
| 05/04/02 at 15:58:26 |
| Hi Chris, I want to thank you for your patience. Sorry if my reply is a bit delayed. I had a huge project due Friday which I got caught into. [quote author=Chris link=board=madrasa;num=1019677258;start=0#9 date=05/03/02 at 17:41:00]Hi, I rarely pray - the saying careful what you wish for, you might get it, having impressed itself upon me - but I understand what you want and I hope that it happens.[/quote] Ameen. [quote]I am writing these questions in the hope of understanding why Islam is the way it is, while it has much to recomend it, some parts of it are not very nice. I hope to understand Islam better before I die. (which seems morbid, but death is the only certinity in life). [/quote] If that is your intent, I commend and admire you for your inquisition and open-mindedness, and I pray to Allah (swt) to let you see Islam that way it *is* and not the way that others (including some malinformed, unpracticing Muslims unfortunately) make it out to be. [quote]I do not try to mock[/quote] Your courtesy is well-appreciated. Thanks. [quote]What you say about the Jinn is interestingly similer to Scottish tales of Fairies (the realy old ones, not the disney ones), the ones which warn against having anything to do with them at all. That probition then is basically against trading with supernatual enties then?[/quote] I wouldn't say all supernatural entities, but the prohibition is for seeking aid from the Jinns in particular. One reason why this prohibition has been made is because the Jinn always ask for such favors in return from the men that seek help from them that constitute acts of disobedience to Allah (swt). The fact of the matter is that men can only seek help from the Jinn that are themselves evil and disobedient to Allah (swt) (we also believe that Jinn are similar to men in that they have a free will, and thus there are good and bad among them), because those that are righteous among them realize their limits, and they are forbidden from intervening into our world. And Allah knows best. [quote]Relating to 7) I now understand the sin, but I don't understand it. Any women is a potental equal of a man (and vice-versa) and I have seen no evidence that surgests that Muslim girls are stupider than other girls. I think I've known enough to be resonably sure of that. By personal observation, I believe that they are also more faithful than Muslim men. I see n reason why one cannot go to Mecca on her own. [/quote] I think Sofia covered this in her post pretty well. [quote]However, people are called to face God alone, therefore I will not stop anyone doing anything - no matter my personal opions - unless it threatens me or anyone else. [/quote] So you're saying that the act of homosexuality performed openly is not going to affect you or others in society? I disagree. This act - and similarly the acts of fornication, adultery, etc - is a vice that eventually affects the entire society at large. All of these acts are not limited to the couple that performs them. This is the reason why they are all frowned upon by the overwhelmning majority of the human race! It's only recently that people have begun to "accept" homosexuality as simply a way of life chosen by the couple. The majority of mankind would disagree with you, including all the major world religions. When you say "I will not stop anyone from doing anything", I agree with that sentiment and also disagree. I will not forcefully stop the person, but I *will* tell them that what they 're doing is wrong, and why it's wrong. If I'm living in a society that legally bans this practice, I will also notify the authorities. I will not take the law into my own hands, but the citizens of any country have to abide by the laws that they have pledged to uphold. If there is no such law banning homosexuality, then I won't do anything, but I would still talk to them and tell them that what they are doing is wrong and they will have to be answerable for it in front of God. Why involve myself in other people's business? Two reasons. First, the reason it became my business was because the person who is committing this act made it public. If he had not made it public, I wouldn't have found out about it in the first place. Second, on the Day of Judgment, when this person is brought forth before Allah (swt) and punished for his act, he will make the excuse in front of the Lord that I was not told about this. Nobody told me that I will be punished for this. And then God will ask him, there were people who lived around you who knew about this, didn't they warn you about this? And the person will reply in the negative. And then guess who is going to get whacked! I seek refuge in Allah from being punished for not warning others of matters which He gave me knowledge. You see, the thing that Islam puts so much emphasis on is for us not to be selfish people. It is *not* enough for us to live a pious life in the confines of our homes and forget about the others. Our duty, as Muslims, is also to tell others about what God wants from them. This, of course, doesn't mean that we go and preach like missionaries. But this doesn't mean that we just keep it all to ourselves either. "You are the best of people evolved for mankind. You enjoin what is good, you forbid what is evil, and you believe in Allah (swt)." (Qur'an) [quote]Regarding Saddan Hussian, I personly think the West's gone sqiumish. Insted of bombing inncoent people, kill him directly. If you object to this, [/quote] No Muslim with a sane mind would object to that! [quote]Does 33 mean women dressing in mens clothing and vice-versa? Personly, I think that Muslim should all wear Burqas. If the men have to wear them as well, it might stop them forcing them on the women.[/quote] I admit that there are men in the Muslim world who impose things on the women of their household. Even though these things may be required by Islam, the women should be educated so that they perform these obligations from their own heart rather than having the men impose it on them from the outside. More importantly though, the men need to look into themselves and ask the question if *they* are doing what is asked of them by Allah (swt) before pointing their fingers at others, women in this case. I also admit that there is a general lack of knowledge in the Muslim world, and people don't know Islam any more. There are exceptions to many rulings. There is also flexibility and difference of opinon among scholars on many issues. Covering is one of them. If a woman chooses not to veil her face and hands, because she believe this to be the correct opinion of the scholars, then she should not be forced to cover her face. Because her action is within the confines of Islamic law. The only thing that can be forced upon the woman by the *state* (not by the mob in any case) is unIslamic acts done publicly. Uncovering on the streets completely would be one example of this. But again, the state needs to focus more on teaching the people why they need to cover, and less on picking people off the streets and putting them into jails because two pieces of hair showed from her forelock! [quote]Regarding 38, what about collecting knowledge for the benifit of humanity?[/quote] I talked about this in my first post. Here it is again: [quote]What drives a Muslim to do any good act is to attain the pleasure of Allah (SubHana Wa Ta`ala) by being a better Muslim, a better human being, [color=red]and by acquiring a skill in order to serve humanity.[/color][/quote] [quote]I meant sanction, as in allowing it to take place, and I lost a lot of respect for Islam when I read that. [/quote] What sofia has said about slavery has to be understood, otherwise you will continue to look at "slavery" in Islam as the same kind of slavery that we are used to seeing in the books of the US history. This is a detailed topic, and insha Allah someone can address it in another post. se7en and sofia have already posted some stuff on it though that would be good to look into I think. [quote]How should I recognise them? One offshoot of Christanity believe that true belivers will developt a invisible cross on their foreheads, visible only to other belivers, but I know of no corasponding islamic symbol.[/quote] They are recognized more with their acts, and not so much with their appearances. They are the most beautiful of people in the way that they behave, the way they carry themselves, the deep closeness they feel with their Lord, and the great care and compassion they have for humanity. [quote]Thank you for making me feel welcome.[/quote] You, and any other non-Muslims sincerely wishing to learn more about Islam, are always welcome on this board insha Allah. Take care. Abu Hamza |
| 05/04/02 at 16:19:13 |
| Abu_Hamza |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Chris |
| 05/09/02 at 14:43:09 |
| Hi, again, sorry about MY late reply, but I was busy with exams. A Muslim friend of mine pointed out that as long as there were exams, there would always be prayer in piblic schools. I can't fault the logic. [quote]When you say "I will not stop anyone from doing anything", I agree with that sentiment and also disagree. I will not forcefully stop the person, but I *will* tell them that what they 're doing is wrong, and why it's wrong. [/quote] I don't agree with you there - imagine this. Suppose I hate Islam and I see praying Muslims. Following your logic I should beate then and tell them that what they are doing is wrong. But doing that would be wrong in itself. I should not interfere because it is not right to judge them. Thats God's job, as he is the only one who reaily knows everything. Nor can I judge cases of Blasfemy - what was all the fuss about the Satanic Verses anyway? I simply don't know enough to judge. I've never seen a Jinn - or a fairy - so I don't know how to make deals with them. I enjoy this discussion a great deal, please can we contine it? Ah well, back to revising. Peace Chris |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Abu_Hamza |
| 05/09/02 at 15:13:32 |
| Hi Chris, [quote]Hi, again, sorry about MY late reply, but I was busy with exams.[/quote] It's ok. No problem at all. I just finished my exams yesterday, alhamdulillah (thank God) :) [quote]A Muslim friend of mine pointed out that as long as there were exams, there would always be prayer in piblic schools. I can't fault the logic. [/quote] That's funny :) [quote]I don't agree with you there - imagine this. Suppose I hate Islam and I see praying Muslims. Following your logic I should beate then and tell them that what they are doing is wrong. [/quote] Maybe that's a typo, but did you type "beat them" ?? If that's what you meant, that's not what I said did I? I didn't say that we should go around beating homosexuals. Just go back quickly and read that part of the post again. Maybe you misread something. Ok, let's work with the example that you gave and perhaps it would make the point clearer insha Allah. If you hate Islam and you see praying Muslims, what you should do is to tell them in a very nice, polite way that they are following a path which is not correct. That perhaps they should consider another path which consists of such and such and such and such. And then you leave it at that. Leave them to make the decision. The choice remains with them. There is no force. There is no harshness from your side. But what you have to do is to fulfill *your* obligation, which is to share the truth with them that someone else (God ?) has shown you! What you *don't* do is interrupt the Muslims while they are praying, for example, and shout in the mosque ... "y'all are all going to HELL, you're praying to Satan" ... etc. etc. You get the point :) [color=green]Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful words of admonition; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance (Quran 16:125) [/color] Wisdom includes knowing when to talk, how to talk, how much to talk, and who to talk to. But wisdom does not necessarily mean to remain silent. Still following the example you gave, if I was in your place, I would wait for the Muslims to finish their prayer, invite some of them over to dinner, and then have a calm, intellectual conversation with them at dinner about the True Path to God. And then ... if they refuse to listen to what I have to say, then that's their choice. The Qur'an says at another place in Chapter 2: [color=green]Let there be no compulsion (or force) in religion; surely Truth stands out clear from Error ... (2:256)[/color] Speaking along the same lines, it's interesting that Islam does not have a true concept of "conversion" like in other religions. We don't go around "converting" people. The concept in Islam is that of [i]da'wah[/i]. That's an arabic word which means "invitation." And that's exactly what we do. We "invite" people to consider the Truth as we would invite them to a banquet. If someone RSVP's and says "sorry, but I'm not interested" we don't down hunting for them! If we did that, that wouldn't be an invitation would it? But what we can NOT do is just sit there quietly and watch Allah's laws, which we truly and sincerely believe to be Divine, being violated left and right. We have to *inform* the people. We have to *send out* the invitations. And then ... leave the rest to the people, and to Allah. And surely Truth stands clear from Error. For those who have intellect and a sincere, open heart. Take care. And I wish you all the best in your exams :) P.S. Salman Rushdie is an entirely different topic which we can probably address some other time or in a different thread. |
| 05/09/02 at 15:15:07 |
| Abu_Hamza |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Abu_Hamza |
| 05/09/02 at 15:30:37 |
| [slm] I just realized that my above post, although it's correct (insha Allah), it's not really complete. What I've done above is mainly responded with the assumption that we are talking about me dealing with people "as an individual." So as far as me dealing with homosexuals is concerned on an individual basis, that's what I should do. However, things change a bit when we talk on the level of the society. I did go into this a bit in my earlier post, but homosexuality is an act which affects the *society* as a whole, if it's practiced openly. And because there are repurcussions on the health of the society because of this act, the legal authorities have to get involved. Thus, in an Islamic government system, such practices (along with fornication, adultery, etc.) would be outlawed, and proper measures would be taken against violators. Your example about Muslims praying in mosques is different from homosexuality because it does not have the same kind of detrimental effect on the society at large. If a few people choose to believe in something and practice that belief in a religious temple/church etc, then that's their right. And that right is guaranteed by the US consitution as well as the Islamic sharee'ah [law] (although interestingly enough, most major world religions did not guarantee these rights in their lands until about 300 years ago). And their beliefs, although wrong, generally do not cause discord among the civilians of the society. Homosexuality, however, is an act. It's an act which affects the society in a negative way if performed openly, and thus cannot be regarded as similar to that example. And because it has this effect on the society, the legal authorities have to get involved, because ... isn't that what they're there for? |
| Re: What are the worst and least sins you can do? |
|---|
| Chris |
| 05/12/02 at 06:20:52 |
| Hi, I meant berate (shout at them, tell them off), not beat them up. I am not in the habit of beating people because I don't like their religion. I'm not sure that homosexulity is detimental to society. What happens behind closed doors and covered windows cannot affect me. If the law says its wrong, it will only drive it underground. The same goes for underaged and unmarried sex. Its going to happen anyway, therefore we (as responcible citizens) should try to help and advise, REGARDLESS of our own personal feelings. Thousends of New Yorkers would say that Islam IS harmful to society. My own veiws are more moderate. The law is there to protect people from hurt and pain, not from their own desires. Hope you did ok with your exams, I've got one tomorrow so I'd better get back to revising. Take Care Chris |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |