A List of the Greater Sins

In this post I present an authentic tradition that concisely states a list of the greater sins. There is not much that is implicit in this tradition. However, after posting it, I will highlight a one point that may readily be overlooked.

Arabic Text:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَسَنِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ص قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‏ 

دَخَلَ عَمْرُو بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ وَ جَلَسَ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ - الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَ الْفَواحِشَ‏ (53:32) ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا أَسْكَتَكَ قَالَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ الْكَبَائِرَ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ يَا عَمْرُو أَكْبَرُ الْكَبَائِرِ الْإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ وَ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ(5:72)  وَ بَعْدَهُ الْإِيَاسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- إِنَّهُ لا يَيْأَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكافِرُونَ(12:87) ‏  ثُمَّ الْأَمْنُ لِمَكْرِ اللَّهِ- لِأَنَّ اللَّه‏ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- فَلا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخاسِرُونَ(7:99) ‏  وَ مِنْهَا عُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ الْعَاقَ‏ جَبَّاراً شَقِيًّا(19:32)  وَ قَتْلُ النَّفْسِ‏ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ‏ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ(6:151)  لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- فَجَزاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خالِداً فِيها(4:93)  إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ وَ قَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَةِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- لُعِنُوا فِي الدُّنْيا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ لَهُمْ‏ عَذابٌ عَظِيمٌ (24:23) ‏ وَ أَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- إِنَّما يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ‏ ناراً وَ سَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيراً(4:10)  وَ الْفِرَارُ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ مَنْ يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ‏ إِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفاً لِقِتالٍ‏ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزاً إِلى‏ فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ باءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ‏ وَ مَأْواهُ جَهَنَّمُ‏ وَ بِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ(8:16)  وَ أَكْلُ الرِّبَا لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبا لا يَقُومُونَ‏ إِلَّا كَما يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطانُ‏ مِنَ الْمَسِ‏(2:275)  وَ السِّحْرُ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَراهُ ما لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاقٍ(2:102) ‏  وَ الزِّنَا لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ مَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذلِكَ‏ يَلْقَ أَثاماً يُضاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ وَ يَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهاناً(25:68-69)  وَ الْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُ الْفَاجِرَةُ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُون‏ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ‏ وَ أَيْمانِهِمْ‏ ثَمَناً قَلِيلًا أُولئِكَ لا خَلاقَ لَهُمْ‏ فِي الْآخِرَةِ (3:77)  وَ الْغُلُولُ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ مَنْ يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِما غَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ(3:161)  وَ مَنْعُ الزَّكَاةِ الْمَفْرُوضَةِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- فَتُكْوى‏ بِها جِباهُهُمْ وَ جُنُوبُهُمْ وَ ظُهُورُهُمْ (9:35) ‏ وَ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ وَ كِتْمَانُ الشَّهَادَةِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ مَنْ يَكْتُمْها فَإِنَّهُ آثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ‏(2:283)  وَ شُرْبُ الْخَمْرِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ نَهَى عَنْهَا كَمَا نَهَى عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الْأَوْثَانِ وَ تَرْكُ الصَّلَاةِ مُتَعَمِّداً أَوْ شَيْئاً مِمَّا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ مَنْ تَرَكَ الصَّلَاةَ مُتَعَمِّداً فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِنْ ذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ وَ ذِمَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ نَقْضُ الْعَهْدِ وَ قَطِيعَةُ الرَّحِمِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- أُولئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ (13:25)  قَالَ فَخَرَجَ عَمْرٌو وَ لَهُ صُرَاخٌ مِنْ بُكَائِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ هَلَكَ مَنْ قَالَ بِرَأْيِهِ وَ نَازَعَكُمْ فِي الْفَضْلِ وَ الْعِلْمِ.

                                                                                                            

English Translation:

Narrated by a number of our companions from Ahmed Ibn Mohamed Ibn Khaled from Abdel Azim Ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani who said: Abu Ja’far (peace be upon him) said to me: I heard my father say that he heard Abi Moussa Ibn Ja’far (peace be upon him) say:

Amr Ibn Obeid entered onto Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him). Upon greeting him and sitting down, he [Amr Ibn Obeid] recited this verse: “Those who avoid the greater sins and shameful deeds...” (53:32) and he stopped. Abu Abdullah said to him, “Why did you stop?”

[Amr said:] “I desire to know the greater sins from the book of Allah, the Most Glorious and exalted.”

He [The Imam] replied: Yes, Amr; the greatest of the greater sins is worshiping other than Allah for He says: “Whosoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the Paradise.” (5:72)

Following that is despair in the spirit [Ruh] of God, for God the Most Glorious says: “Verily, no one despairs of God’s spirit but those who have no faith.” (12:87)

Following that is feeling secure from God’s plan for God the Most Glorious says: “No one feels secure from the plan of God but those who are doomed.” (7:99)

From among the greater sins is disobedience to parents for God pronounces the disobedient child “Overbearing and miserable.” (19:32)

The taking of a life “which Allah forbids except in justice;” (6:151) Verily God the Most Glorious says, “His recompense is hellfire forever...” (4:93) until the end of the verse.

Also, slandering a virtuous woman, for Allah the Glorious says, “They are damned in this world and the afterlife and for them is a great punishment.” (24:23) 

Stealing the wealth of orphans, for God the Most Glorious says, “Verily, they swallow into their stomachs fire and they shall burn in hellfire.” (4:10)

Fleeing during battle, for God the Most Glorious says, “He who turns his back on them on such a day, unless it be in stratagem of war or to retreat to a troop of his own, he draws on himself the wrath of Allah and his abode is hell, an evil refuge indeed.” (8:16)

Usury, for God the Most Glorious says, “Those who swallow usury cannot rise up save as he arises, whom the devil hath prostrated by (his) touch.” (2:275)

Witchcraft, for Allah the Most Glorious says, “And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter.” (2:102)

Adultery, because God the Glorious says, “Whosoever does so, the torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection and he will abide therein in disgrace.” (25:67-68)

Pledging God falsely for the sake of gain, for God the Most Glorious says, “Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter.” (3:77)

Embezzlement, for Allah the Glorious says, “Whosoever embezzles will bring what he embezzled with him on the Day of Resurrection.” (3:161)

Withholding the decreed Zakat (alms-giving), for Allah says, “And their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith.” (9:35)

False testimony and the withholding testimony, for Allah says, “Whosoever hides it, verily his heart is sinful.” (2:283)

Drinking wine, for Allah has forbidden it as He has forbidden the worship of idols, turning away from prayers intentionally, or other obligatory deeds which God has decreed. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said, “He who forsakes prayer intentionally is neither protected by God nor protected by Messenger of God.”

Breaking contracts and cutting the ties of the womb (kinship), for Allah the Most Glorious says, “Theirs is the curse and theirs the ill abode.” (13:25)

[At that point] Amr left, wailing and weeping, saying, “May he be doomed who dares compete with you [the Imam] in righteousness and in knowledge.”

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 285, Tradition #24

One important point that must not be overlooked is that in this tradition the words of the Messenger of God are perceived similarly to the word of God. Clearly, the reason cannot be that God has not emphasized the significance of prayers in the Quran. Rather, the point that the Imam is showing to us is that the words of the Messenger of God and the words of God must be perceived, similarly.

Here’s the list of the Greater Sins according to this tradition:

1. Polytheism
2. Despair
3. Feeling secure from God’s plans
4. Disobedience to Parents
5. Murder
6. Slandering a virtuous woman
7. Stealing the wealth of orphans
8. Fleeing from the battle
9. Usury
10. Witchcraft / Magic
11. Adultery
12. False Oaths
13. Embezzlement
14. Withholding the Alms-giving
15. False testimony
16. Withholding testimony
17. Drinking wine
18. Turning away from prayers intentionally
19. Turning away from other obligatory deeds intentionally
20. Breaking contracts
21. Cutting the ties of the womb