Greater sin......7

Breaking up relations

The seventh Greater Sin is Qat’a ar-Rahm, the breaking up of relations with one’s kith and kin. This is clearly verified by Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) as well as Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.), Imam ‘Ali ar-Riďa (a.s.) and Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s.). The Qur’an has also decreed Hell-fire and the curse of Allah (S.w.T.) upon those who cut off ties with their relatives.

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says:

“Beware of those who cut off relations because I have found them cursed thrice in the Qur’an.”

1) Whoever break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land, these it is that are the losers. (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:27)

In the Qur’anic terminology when the word Khāsir (loser) is used it denotes the one who is to be in loss, or rather the one who is cursed.

Greater Sin...3 (Despondence)

In the tradition from Imam Riďa (a.s.) where he has listed the Greater Sins, despondence is mentioned after despair (Yās). Qunut (despondence) is described as the condition where one’s heart loses hope of Allah (S.w.T.)’s Mercy and that person does not even dislike the hopelessness. According to the religious scholars the difference between Yās and Qunut is that the term ‘Yās’ is used in general cases and ‘Qunut’ in special cases. It means that ‘Yās’ describes the internal condition of one’s heart. When this internal hopelessness intensifies to a degree whereby its effect becomes manifest outwardly and seem obvious to the common people, it is called ‘Qunut’.

In short whoever expresses hopelessness by his speech or actions is actually a victim of ‘Qunut’.

Huzzin Azeem

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ ﴿41:30﴾

نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ ﴿41:31﴾

نُزُلًا مِنْ غَفُورٍ رَحِيمٍ ﴿41:32﴾

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿41:33﴾

وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ ﴿41:34﴾

وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ ﴿41:35﴾

(41:31) We are your companions in this world and in the Hereafter. There you shall have all that you desire and all what you will ask for.

(41:32) This is by way of hospitality from Him Who is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

(41:33) And who is fairer in speech than he who calls to Allah and acts righteously and says: “I am a Muslim”?

(41:34) (O Prophet), good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is good, and you will see that he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom friend (of yours). 

Surah Al-Fatehah

Surah Al-Fathiha

From: Towards Understanding the Quran by Abul Ala Maududi

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ 

(1:1) In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate1

1 One of the many practices taught by Islam is that its followers should begin their activities in the name of God. This principle, if consciously and earnestly followed, will necessarily yield three beneficial results. First, one will be able to restrain oneself from many misdeed, since the habit of pronouncing the name of God is bound to make one wonder when about to commit some offence how such an act can be reconciled with the saying of God's holy name. Second, if a man pronounces the name of God before starting good and legitimate tasks, this act will ensue that both his starting point and his mental orientation are sound. Third - and this is the most important benefit - when a man begins something by pronouncing God's name, he will enjoy God's support and succour; God will bless his efforts and protect him from the machinations and temptation of Satan. For whenever man turns to God, God turns to him as well.

Surah Luqman 31:12-19

Allah Subhanahu wa T'ala says in the Holy Quran:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ

يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِير

 (31:12) We had bestowed wisdom on Luqman that he may be grateful to Allah. Whoever is grateful, his gratefulness is for his own good, and whoever is ungrateful, then Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient and Self-Praiseworthy.

(31:13) Remember the time when Luqman was admonishing his son, saying, "My son, join not another as an associate with God: the truth is that joining associates (with God) is a grave iniquity."

(31:14) And the fact is that We have Ourself enjoined on man to recognize the rights of his parents: his mother bore him in her womb with weakness upon weakness and his weaning took two years. That is why We admonished him to the effect: "Give thanks to me and to your parents: to Me you have to return.

Prophet Muhammad(s) Some Great Character

Allah T’ala says in the Quran, Surah Al-Qalam (68:04):

“wa innaka la 'alaa khuluqin adheem”
And most definitely you (Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) are upon a very great and powerful disposition, character and mannerism.

A few ayaat earlier, Allah told His Messenger (s.a.a.w.) that he is not crazy, as his enemies try to defame him. For him is a reward from Allah T’ala without limit. And most definitely he is upon a great character.
Remember that the disbelievers of Makkah wanted to defame and character assassinate the Messenger of Allah. They would say evil things about the Messenger of Allah;
i.e. they would say he breaks up a son from his father (i.e. a son may leave his father’s religion), and they would say that he does not obey his tribes’ leaders (who called to polytheism) etc.

Greatness of Allah T'ala

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described the greatness of Allaah in the most beautiful way:

·         “He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms.

·         He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life.

·         He raises and lowers people’s status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges.

·         His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things.

·         He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night. The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him…

Cleanliness is ...

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Cleanliness is half of faith, and [saying] 'Praise be to God' fills the scale, and [saying] 'Glory be to God' and 'Praise be to God' fill up what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof [of one's faith], and patience is a brightness, and the Qur'an is a proof for or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, some setting themselves free and others destroying themselves.'(Narrated by Muslim)

Ibn al-Qayyim on the Greatness of Allah T'ala

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described the greatness of Allaah in the most beautiful way:

·         “He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms.

·         He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life.

·         He raises and lowers people’s status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges.

·         His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things.

·         He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night. The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him…

Muhammad (s.a.a.w.)....The prophet.

One in every five persons on this earth firmly believes that the Prophet Muhammad is the last Messenger of God. He was a Muslim and there are more than 1.3 billion such Muslims today. [Editor's Note: 1.6 billion as of 2010]

Not only individuals but entire countries take pride in declaring their allegiance to him. There are 54 such Muslim states today, ranging from those as large as Indonesia and Bangladesh, with populations of 200 and 125 million respectively, to those as tiny as the Maldives or Brunei with populations of 230,000 and 260,000. Even in non-Muslim countries, large Muslim populations constitute significant minorities; as much as 120 million in India and 20 million in China. Indeed, within the last half century, Islam, the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad, has become the second largest religion in most European countries, as also in America and Canada. 

Black and white, red and yellow, followers of the Prophet Muhammad come from all human races. Whether in Asia or Europe, Africa or America, in every nook and cranny of this globe, you are sure to find Muslims. They live in the most advanced, sprawling megalopolis as well as in the most primitive nomadic tent, village, hamlet, and even in the bush.