Major Sins & True Repentance

Mapping the three major sins in Surah al-Furqan, ayat 68, with the three definitions of الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ

Holy Quran 25:68

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وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا

And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. 

Holy Quran 25:69

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يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا

Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated -

The three sins listed in Q25:68 are: 

1) committing shirk 

2) killing of a Nafs forbidden to kill

3) committing zina  

Mapping them to the الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ ayaat: 

1) Shirk 

Holy Quran 12:40

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مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. Legislation is not but for Allah. He has commanded that you worship not except Him. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.

Allah is the only ilah, the only God. Joining partners with him is the greatest sin, the ultimate Zulm one can commit. 

2) Killing a Nafs forbidden to kill 

Holy Quran 9:36

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إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].

Allah has declared killing any Nafs without right a grave sin. Moreover, Allah has declared the life of believers sacred. During the sacred months, fighting is forbidden. However, fitna must be contained. Therefore, he has charged the believers to collectively fight against the disbelievers, as they fight against them. More on this at: Wronging the Nafs - II (The Forbidden & The Sacred) 

 

3) Zina 

Holy Quran 30:30

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فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.

Allah has separated us into families. He has made our lineages and appointed our in-laws (Q25:54). Allah has created from our Nafs, our mates, for us, so that we find tranquility in them (Q30:21). 

AlDeen AlQayim (الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ) is generally translated as the correct religion. I understand it to literally mean the standing laws of recompense. Allah, the Malik of the Day of Recompense (Q1:4), will recompense us when we will all stand before him on the Day of Recompense. 

Allah, Ar-Rahman, has granted us this life to repent from our sinfulness, and has kept the door of repentance (taubah) open for whoever wishes to truly repent. 

After listing the three major sins in Q25:68, the next few ayaat define True Repentance 

Holy Quran 25:70

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إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

Holy Quran 25:71

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وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا

And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance.

Last updated on: January 25, 2022 

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