Appearance
Great and Small Sins and Expiation of Evil
“If you avoid great sins which you are forbidden, We will expiate from you your (small) sins and admit you to a noble abode” ().
This Qur’anic verse clearly categorizes sins into two distinct types: great sins and small sins. This distinction is critical to understanding the framework of human morality and divine justice in Islamic tradition. The explanation in Tafsīr al-Mīzān provides valuable insight into the theological and moral dimensions of this categorization, based on divine justice, mercy, and human accountability. Furthermore, his response to various interpretations of what constitutes such sins illuminates subtleties in understanding their implications.
The verse explicitly affirms that some sins are categorized as “great” (kabāʾir) while others as “small” (ṣaghāʾir). As clarified by ‘Allāmah, great sins are those accompanied by severe divine warnings or threats of punishment. For example, actions such as murder, theft, fornication, consuming the wealth of orphans, and showing arrogance in defiance of God’s commands are considered great sins due to their significant impact on individuals, communities, and their explicit opposition to God’s will.
Small sins, on the other hand, represent minor transgressions or lapses that do not attract such severe warnings. These are described in the Qur’an as sayyiʾāt. While such lapses reflect human imperfection, they remain forgivable under divine mercy as long as individuals remain conscious of them and seek repentance. However, as emphasized by ‘Allāmah, this division into great and small sins is relative and not absolute. Certain conditions can elevate a small sin into a great one, highlighting the fluid and contextual nature of sinfulness within Islam.
‘Allāmah illustrates that a small sin can take on the character of a great sin when compounded by factors such as arrogance, persistence, and disregard for divine commands. For instance, committing a minor sin with heedlessness or in a manner that shows arrogance toward God magnifies its severity. Similarly, habitual repetition of small sins without repentance may harden the heart, leading to spiritual decay and making such sins significant obstacles on the path to God. Thus, sins cannot merely be gauged by external actions but must also consider the internal state—intentions, attitudes, and spiritual contexts.
Conversely, the severity of even a great sin may be mitigated by positive factors such as ignorance, weakness, or sincere repentance. A person who, due to ignorance or overwhelming desire, commits a grave sin but responds with genuine remorse and rectification mitigates its impact. This highlights the profound interplay of intention, circumstance, and repentance in determining the magnitude of human actions.
The divine assurance in this verse—“If you avoid great sins which you are forbidden, We will expiate from you your (small) sins”—reflects a profound balance between God’s justice and mercy. By refraining from major sins, believers earn spiritual purification that compensates for their inevitable human lapses in minor matters. This conditional forgiveness highlights the Qur’an’s practical and empathetic approach to human fragility, ensuring that believers are not overwhelmed with despair over their imperfections.
‘Allāmah emphasizes that God’s conditional forgiveness arises from His wisdom in dealing with His servants. Were God to hold every minor fault or error accountable, human beings would likely despair, eroding their hopes and ultimately their spiritual resolve. This highlights the Qur’anic principle that God does not impose burdens beyond human capacity, promoting a realistic understanding of righteousness: “God does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability” ().
Avoiding major sins thus emerges not only as an act of obedience but as a profound devotional practice that demonstrates reverence for God and ensures the health of the believer’s soul. The believer’s sincere effort to abstain from great sins fosters a spiritual relationship that aligns hope, fear, and accountability.
‘Allāmah addresses several interpretations regarding what constitutes a great sin. One predominant view suggests that any sin explicitly accompanied by a divine threat of punishment qualifies as a great sin. However, he observes that this view, while encompassing clear and severe transgressions like shirk (associating partners with God) or murder, does not fully account for external variables like context or internal factors such as motives.
Another view analyzed highlights indifference to divine commands as the hallmark of a great sin. This perspective, endorsed by scholars like Imām al-Haramayn, argues that sins committed with a rebellious disposition imply defiance toward God, rendering them major transgressions. While recognizing the merit of this interpretation, ‘Allāmah warns that arrogance and indifference alone cannot be regarded as the only decisive criteria. Some acts, such as incest or the killing of an innocent person, remain intrinsically grave, regardless of the arrogance or intention involved. Therefore, acts can be categorically great because of their inherent severity, though exacerbating factors like arrogance aggravate the disobedience further.
Additionally, the views of al-Ghazālī, who suggested that avoidance of great sins leads to expiation of minor sins through the struggle inherent in restraint, receive particular attention. Through meticulous commentary, ‘Allāmah diverges slightly from al-Ghazālī, suggesting that while inner struggles are undoubtedly pivotal and can bring about forgiveness, the Qur’an’s emphasis lies broader—on both the conscious avoidance of major sins and the intentional pursuit of good deeds, coupled with repentance for lesser lapses. Hence, the spiritual dynamics of forgiveness extend beyond mere negation and involve volitional growth toward greater morality.
The dual categorization of sins reflects divine justice by maintaining accountability for actions while also integrating divine grace to encourage spiritual progression. Believers are reminded that small sins, while less severe in isolation, are not to be trivialized. Persisting in minor lapses without remorse may lead to cumulative spiritual harm, corrupting the heart and diverting the soul from the straight path. In this way, the interplay of justice and mercy is calibrated to human nature.
‘Allāmah discusses the imprint of sin on the soul. Both great and small sins leave spiritual blemishes, creating darkness that opposes faith and piety. By avoiding great sins, believers shield themselves from weighty sources of such darkness, while small transgressions find expiation through divine mercy and the compensatory effects of righteous deeds. This purification is both a spiritual healing and a pathway to reinvigorate faith.
Practically, the verse calls for a balanced approach to faith and action. While believers must exert effort to avoid great sins, they are also encouraged to remain mindful of minor transgressions. Avoidance of great sins, identified through clear Qur’anic prohibitions and Prophetic teachings, fosters an awareness of moral boundaries, instilling vigilance and accountability. Simultaneously, divine leniency toward small sins ensures that believers do not wallow in despair or develop an overly harsh view of human effort.
This framework allows for realistic moral expectations while emphasizing continuous effort and sincerity. It reassures the believer with hope while demanding vigilance against arrogance, heedlessness, or complacency.
‘Allāmah points out that divine forgiveness is conditional upon both effort and sincerity. Avoidance of great sins is a tangible effort, while repentance remains essential for the forgiveness of all sins, big or small. This reciprocal relationship between divine grace and human initiative integrates seamlessly into the Islamic understanding of justice and guides believers toward spiritual development without expecting perfection.
The verse concludes with an assurance of entry into “a noble abode.” This noble abode signifies paradise, attainable by balancing submission, vigilance, and repentance. For believers, avoiding great sins and sincerely striving for God’s pleasure paves the way toward celestial rewards, embodying the infinite mercy of the Almighty.
Verse of the Qur’an encapsulates a profound understanding of human actions, accountability, sin, and divine grace. Through his commentary, ‘Allāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī elucidates the nuanced theological, spiritual, and psychological aspects of this verse. By categorizing sins into great and small, the Qur’an outlines a framework where believers are encouraged to strive against transgression, remain hopeful with divine mercy, and constantly refine their moral and spiritual character. The Qur’anic balance of justice and mercy, as articulated through the conditions of this verse, illustrates an exquisite divine system that motivates human effort while offering assurance of forgiveness, making the path to salvation accessible, achievable, and motivating. This profound harmony between divine grace and human responsibility remains an enduring principle of Islamic teachings on morality and spirituality.
The classification of great sins (kabāʾir) is grounded in their strong prohibition, either through explicit warnings or the threat of punishment by fire in the Qur’an or the traditions. This aligns with the explanation found in al-Kāfī, where it is stated, “Great (sins) are those for which God has imposed the punishment of fire,” as well as the views presented in Man lā yaḥḍuruhu al-faqīh and Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī. These sources emphasize that such threats may be explicit or inferred, deriving from either the Qur’an or the prophetic traditions. This comprehensive definition helps clarify the severity of kabāʾir and their distinction from lesser sins. ↩︎
The term al-Sayyiʾah, often associated with sinful acts or evil consequences, highlights the layered understanding of sin in the Qur’anic context. Its application can range from misfortunes and punishments resulting from disobedience to all-encompassing categories of sins. For example, al-Sayyiʾah refers to misfortunes in “And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself” (). It also denotes the adverse consequences of sin in “So the evil (consequences) of what they earned” (). More precisely, al-Sayyiʾah can encompass all sins—great and small—as in “And the recompense of evil is punishment like it” (). However, it is sometimes specifically applied to small, forgivable sins, such as in “If you avoid great sins which you are forbidden, We will expiate from you your (small) sins” (). Sins committed with arrogance, indifference, or carelessness amplify their gravity, transforming even minor lapses into major ones with significant spiritual and moral repercussions, such as reliance on intercession while dismissing repentance and divine accountability. ↩︎
For example, intercession is an established concept, but as previously discussed, it is ineffective for those who show contempt for divine commands or trivialize repentance and remorse. Relying on intercession as a justification for committing sins demonstrates a profound disregard for God’s decrees. Such an attitude constitutes a grave sin that ultimately nullifies any potential for intercession, closing all its avenues. ↩︎
The distinction drawn here reflects an important nuance in Islamic ethics regarding the gravity of sins. While arrogance and defiance amplify transgressions by showcasing a deliberate rebellion against divine authority, some actions are inherently grave due to their intrinsic moral and societal consequences, irrespective of the sinner’s disposition. ↩︎
The concept of expiation in Islamic theology not only reflects an individual’s inner struggles and restraint but also aligns with the broader Qur’anic principle of balance between divine justice (ʿadl) and mercy (raḥmah). While al-Ghazālī emphasizes the intrinsic purifying impact of avoiding great sins through self-restraint, coupled with the expiation of minor errors, the Qur’an consistently m that sincere repentance (tawbah) and intentional efforts toward righteousness amplify one’s standing before God. This dual emphasis suggests that forgiveness is not passive but requires active moral striving. Furthermore, the Qur’anic framework portrays good deeds as having a ripple effect—both as expiation and as a manifestation of spiritual growth—implying that morality is not merely about the avoidance of transgressions but about cultivating an overarching disposition of divine consciousness (taqwa) and ethical refinement. This integration of avoidance, repentance, and pursuit of good elevates the believer from a reactive to a proactive moral trajectory. ↩︎
The following verse supports this view: Sūrah Hud (), which states:“Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” This verse aligns with the idea that the compensatory effects of righteous deeds serve as a form of purification for small transgressions. It highlights the transformative dynamic between sin, repentance, and good deeds, illustrating how actions of faith and piety reinvigorate the soul and cleanse it from spiritual blemishes. ↩︎
See the discussion on “Reality of Repentance” in this book. ↩︎