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alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāʾira l-ʾithmi wa-l-fawāḥisha ʾillā l-lamama ʾinna rabbaka wāsiʿu l-maghfirati huwa ʾaʿlamu bikum ʾidh ʾanshaʾakum mina l-ʾarḍi wa-ʾidh ʾantum ʾajinnatun fī buṭūni ʾummahātikum fa-lā tuzakkū ʾanfusakum huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-mani ttaqā
Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, apart from [minor and occasional] lapses. Indeed your Lord is expansive in [His] forgiveness. He knows you best since [the time] He produced you from the earth and since you were foetuses in the bellies of your mothers. So do not flaunt your piety: He knows best those who are Godwary.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Najm - Verse 32
32. Those who avoid great sins and vices except the inadvertently committed sins, indeed your Lord is of Great Forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you from the earth and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. Therefore, ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah.
Following the promise given as to the Recompense and Reward for deeds, the blessed Verse in question is saying that God Almighty bestows further Favors upon those who have refrained from committing grave sins. Abstention from committing grave sins leads to Forgiving their lesser sins. It is worthy of note that persistence in committing lesser sins turns them into grave sins. The Arabic word kaba’ir is the plural for of kabira
("grave sin")
and fawahish is the pluralized form of fahisha. The latter is applied to a sin whose vice is obvious to everyone, e.g. fornication. The Arabic word ithm originally denotes an act that makes man turn away from doing righteous good deeds. According to Raghib's Mufradat, the word lamam designates coming close to committing sins and the word is applied to lesser sins. It is worthy of note that different senses have been attested for the Arabic word lamam in Usul Kafi15 and lexicographic and exegetic sources, including:
An inadvertently committed sin which is not repeated. An intended but unfulfilled sin. A sin which is followed by repentance and apology. A sin for which there is no warning against its Recompense. A sin without specified bounds. The point is that disobedience against Divine Commands is something gross but all sins do not rest on the same degree. Some sins, e.g. lying and backbiting, are grosser and entail more severe Recompense. Furthermore, the time, place, intention, knowledge, and ignorance at the time of committing sins and persistence in committing them or failing to do so impact the nature of committed sins.
The issue of grave and lesser sins is recurrently attested in the Holy Qur’an16. According to the Holy Qur’an all human deeds are being recorded:
("all lesser and greater [issues] are recorded")
as are all grave and lesser sins and the record of human deeds shall be unrolled on the Day of Resurrection;
("We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open," 17 ).
It shall be at the time that a cry shall be heard:
("Woe unto us! What is this book in which all our greater and lesser deeds are recorded in it," 18 ).
Grave sins are enumerated by Imam Ridha (as) as the following:
1. Murder
2. Fornication
3. Theft
4. Drinking wine
5. Parents' dissatisfaction and curse as to disinheritance (‘aq)
6. Consumption of blood
7. Eating pork
8. Eating what is slaughtered in any name other than that of God Almighty
9. Usury
10. Bribery
11. Gambling
12. Dealing in fraud by selling deficiently
13. Accusing chaste women
14. Sodomy
15. Perjury
16. Desperation of Divine Mercy
17. Regarding himself saved from Divine torment
18. Bearing assistance to and reliance on tyrants
19. False oath
20. Mortification of property and rights of others
21. Lying
22. Arrogance
23. Prodigality and extravagance
24. Dissipation and squandering
25. Treason and betrayal
26. Deficiency in performing pilgrimage rites
27. Animosity against friends of God Almighty
28. Engaging in libidinous pleasures
29. Persistence in committing sins.19
Disbelief, polytheism, and failing to establish prayers are also mentioned as grave sins in a number of traditions. Qur’anic Verses and sound traditions have been mentioned in relevant sources, but they were not mentioned herein for the sake of brevity.20 It is narrated from Imam Baqir (as) that regarding:
"Do not consider yourselves pure"
he said:
"Do not take pride in establishing prayer, paying alms, taking fast, and invoking God Almighty since God knows best the God fearing." 21
Imam Sadiq (as) was inquired:
"Is it lawful if one praises himself?"
He replied:
"If some emergency arises, there is no problem in doing the same."
It is also narrated that a Jew came unto the Messenger of Allah (S) and bragged about the miracles worked by Prophet Moses (as). The Noble Prophet said:
"It is unbefitting to praise oneself, but for your information, I say unto you that Prophet Adam (as) for repentance, Prophet Noah (as) for being saved from drowning, Prophet Abraham (as) for deliverance from fire, and Prophet Moses (as) for being saved from God Almighty, swore to God on the right of the family of Muhammad (S).
O Jew! Had Moses (as) seen me, he would have believed in me. Imam Mahdi (as) is my descendant for whose assistance Jesus (as) descends from the heaven and established prayer behind him." 22
Following an enumeration of grave sins, the blessed Verse in question treats of Divine Mercy and other Attributes. Addressing His Messenger (S), God Almighty says that His Forgiving is so great that He forgives lesser sins because of abstention from committing grave ones and He forgives the latter by repentance. His pre-eternal Omniscience encompasses everything. He created man from earth. He knows him best when he is a fetus in his mother's womb. He is All-Aware of man's inner and outer states.
Thus, the blessed Verse says:
"He knows you well when he created you from the earth and when you were fetuses in your mother's wombs. Therefore, ascribe no purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him."
There is no need to conceal your defects, pretend to have faith, or be vain, since God Almighty knows best one who fears Him and possesses virtues. Finally, it is also worthy of note that certain acts lead to turning lesser sins to grave ones, including persistence in committing the former, underestimation of committing sins, being happy when committing them, committing sins out of disobedience, vanity in expectation of Divine respites, committing sins in public, committing sins by prominent figures.
The consequences of committing sins may also be enumerated in passing:
1. Callousness
2. Deprivation of Divine Bounties
3. Rejection of invocations
4. Changes in daily provision and sustenance
5. Deprivation from certain prayers, like night prayer
6. Sudden afflictions
7. Lack of rainfall
8. Destruction of one's house
9. Disgrace and humility
10. Brevity of lifetime
11. Earthquake
12. Grief and ailment
13. Conquest of the villainous.
There are Qur’anic Verses and traditions regarding each of the above. It is also mentioned in traditions that the friend of the Noble Prophet (S) is one who obeys God Almighty even if he is no relation to him and the Noble Prophet's (S) enemy is one who disobeys God Almighty even if he happens to be his relation.23
Footnotes