Are Greater And Smaller Relative Terms?

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Question: Some people say that the greater and smaller sins are comparable (ratio) that is it is possible a sin is greater but in comparison to another sin it would be considered small. For example, theft is a greater sin but in comparison to intentional murder it is considered small. From the aspect of their comparability all the sins are eligible for forgiveness and remission. Because the Holy Qur’an says:

“If you shun the greater sins we shall do away with your small sins.”

Thus every sin that is shunned keeping in view a greater one will be forgiven but there is no sin greater than polytheism that if one shuns it one could be forgiven his polytheism.
On the basis of this one who has not made a partner to Allah will have all his in forgiven.

Answer: In the reply to the previous the reply to this question has also become clear. Because as mentioned above the classification of sins into small and great is an absolute clarification which is divided into two on the basis that some are those which are promised divine punishment or prohibited emphatically and some are not.

They have not been classified due to their magnitude or on the basis of conjecture. And the captioned ayat discusses this point and the conclusion derived from it is that if a Muslim refrains from one class of sins that is the greater sins, the Almighty Allah will forgive their sins of the second class, that are called Sayyat or Saghaer – that is smaller.

And there are two separate limits of the two different classes of sins and none of them can overlap. Therefore, shunning the greater sins cannot cause the other greater sins to be forgiven. It can only help in forgiveness of smaller sins, (In the background we should also remember that repeating smaller sins make them into greater sins).

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

What Are ‘Smaller’ And ‘Greater Sins’?

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Question: How can we differentiate between ‘Smaller’ and ‘Greater sins’?

Answer: Actually the source of judging the Smaller and Greater sins are the verses of the Holy Qur’an from whom is the following:

“If you shun the great sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with you small sins…”1

Now let us see what is the scale of determining whether a sin is small or big

Our scholars say that every sin, be it small or big is a great sin in itself.

But the scale of finding whether a sin is small or big is not that it should be inspected with relation to the Divine realm. Because from the aspect of such investigation it is all ‘great’ even though this division of sins is done to compare between themselves. According to which there are two kinds of sins, ‘Greater’ and ‘Smaller.’

Now we should see what is the scale of differentiating the two? There are many techniques to discriminate the two of them and the most famous of them according to scholars is that every sin regarding which the Holy Qur’an has promised punishment is greater sin. For example, murder. Regarding which the Holy Qur’an says:

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is hell; he shall abide in it…”2

Some scholars have added another condition also that greater sin is that for which punishment is promised or it is emphatically prohibited. Because there are many sins which are not promised punishment but they are emphatically and repeatedly prohibited.

For example if we consider that only the following sentence has arrived for usury that those who take usury have made a declaration of war against Allah. Then this alone is a sign that usury is a greater sin. And if in other ayats and traditions if the usurers had not been promised hell, even its emphatic and repeated prohibited shows that it is a greater sin.

From this aspect the magnitude of sins is not relative. Their limits are different. It can never be that a sin is smaller as well as greater. Because if it is promised punishment of if its performance is emphatically prohibited, it would be a greater sin, otherwise it is smaller.

  • 1. Surah Nisa 4:31
  • 2. Surah Nisa 4:93

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

Does The Prophet Also Seek Counsel?

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Question: When the Holy Prophet (S) was in contact with the Almighty Allah, why did he need to seek counsel from his companions in martial and social affairs? The Almighty Allah has commanded to him in the 38th ayat of Surah Shura that in this matter it is necessary for him to seek advice and counsel. When he was the most wise and knowledgeable of all. Why did the almighty command him to seek counsel?

Answer: These types of questions are replied to in the Holy Qur’an. Then it is said that:

“Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent exemplar.”1

Thus the aim of Counsel was education and training and the Holy Prophet (S) sought the advice of his companions thus giving them practical lesson so that after him they would sit together to discuss difficult matters and after consultation may search for the solution of difficult matters.

Also when the most intelligent and accomplished person did not refrain from consulting his companions and family from the experience and advice of other the followers of his religion must take him as an exemplar and act in the same way for solving difficulties. And they must not decide according to their personal whims and fancies. (It is obvious that consultation can only be in the matters regarding whom no absolute command is issued from the Almighty).

  • 1. Surah Ahzab 33:21

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

Would There Be Interrogation On The Day of Qiyamat?

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Question: It is mentioned in Surah Rahman that:

“So on that day neither man nor Jinni shall be asked about his sin.”1

Though in numerous other ayats we read that the sinners will be questioned on that day.

Answer: As testified by the very next ayat of this Surah here the statement that the sinners will not be questioned means that they will not be questioned verbally so that they could reply with their tongue like they do in this world. Rather their deeds will be exposed from their faces themselves. And their hands, legs and other physical organs will explain about all their deeds and actions.

In the same Surah after two ayats it is mentioned that the sinners will be recognized from their faces. In Surah Yasin also it is said that:

“On that day We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned.”2

Therefore if in the captioned ayat it is said they shall not be questioned, it means that there will not be oral interrogation. But other witnesses that are the physical parts will give the replies.

  • 1. Surah Rahman 55:39
  • 2. Surah Yasin 36:65

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

Should We Laugh Less And Weep More?

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Question: What is the meaning of the ayat:
“Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much…”1

Does it mean that the Almighty Allah has commended us to laugh less and weep more? Though weeping more is not allowed by any jurist, secondly when laughing is caused by happiness and bestowed pleasure to the body and soul, then why be refrain from it?

Answer: Those who have explained the meaning of this ayat have not reflected upon the context. The above ayat of those ayats of Surah Tawbahh in which there is discussion regarding the covenant breakers, hypocrites and the rules of Islamic Jihad. Before this is the ayat: Those who were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah’ apostle and they were averse from striving in Allah’s way with their property and their persons and said:

Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat. Would that they understood (it).

Immediately after this is the ayat that:

Those who have behaved in this way must as the consequence of their deeds laugh little and weep more.

The gist of the discussion is that the last part of this ayat and the preceding and the succeeding ayat in the same way the sentence Then laugh… begins with ‘Then’ which shows the connection with the previous verse. All this clearly shows that this ayat is concerned with the hypocrites and the covenant breakers and it does not contain any command for the common people.

And the last words show that their laughing less and weeping more is a punishment of their deeds. It indicates towards the fact that if they understood it, that what punishments they will get, they would laugh less and weep more and they will not get comfort from grief and sorrow, even for a moment.

  • 1. Surah Tawbahh 9:82

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

How Did Yusuf (a.s.) Allow That His Brother Should Be Falsely Implicated For Theft?

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Question: When Yusuf (a.s.) wanted to keep his brother in Misr he had a valuable measure bowl kept in the baggage of his brother. Then a person went into the Caravan and shouted: O People of the Caravan! You are thieves! Why did Yusuf (a.s.) act in this way that his brothers who had come in the Caravan of Palestine should be implicated for theft? While false allegation and accusation is a sin and it is Haraam?

Answer: In the ayat that mentions this part of the incident is as follows:

“So when he furnished them with their provisions, (someone) placed the drinking cup in his brother’s bag. Then a crier cried out: O Caravan! You are most surely thieves.”1

The apparent words of the ayat say that Yusuf (a.s.) had the cup placed in his brother’s bag and then he had them accused of some other theft. This is the point worth nothing.

Now the question remains why Yusuf (a.s.) did this? As obvious from the 76th ayat he had no other solution for retaining his brother. Neither in those days of famine the laws of Misr allowed that anyone could be retained there for no reason at all.

Nor his other brothers were prepared to leave his younger brother in Misr. And as many commentators have written Yusuf (a.s.) had already told his brother. The 69th ayat shows that he already introduced himself to his brother in a confidential meeting and it is possible that he had informed him of this plan also. Therefore, from the point of view of Yusuf (a.s.) there was no difficulty in this matter became his brother had also agreed on this idea.

Another thing is that Yusuf (a.s.) did not blame his brother. He neither lied nor made false accusation. Rather it was the officials who thought that there had been a theft, checked the baggage and accused Yusuf’s brother and detained him. Since Yusuf’s brother had already known the plan he remained quiet. The ayat does not speak of anything contrary or that this incident was witnessed by Yusuf (a.s.).

  • 1. Surah Yusuf 12:70

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

What Is The Meaning of The Words: Everything Will Be Destroyed Except His Face?

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Question: Is the human soul annihilated? If you say that it is incorporeal the ayat says that except for Allah everything can be annihilated. How can you explain this?

Answer: We should remember that the word ‘destroy’ in the ayat is not in the meaning of getting completely annihilated because not only the human soul, the human body is also not destroyed completely. And after breaking up it remains in the earth in other substances. On the day of judgment he would be raised from there.

Thus whether we consider soul incorporeal or not it is not absolutely destroyable and annihilated. And neither is the human body is totally destroyed. Rather the word ‘Halaak’ in the ayat denotes the disintegration of the organs and the destruction of the face. Thus this destruction is that the connection between the body and soul is severed. And the previous physical parts are disintegrated. Though soul and body remain separate and exist in some other forms.

Many ayats that are revered in connection with the destruction of the past communities prove the above statement. For example the Almighty Allah destroyed the People of Aad and Thamud and did not spare anyone and in the same way He destroyed the People of Nuh.

Obviously in those ayats, Aad, Thamud and People of Nuh were destroyed in the sense that they died and the connection between their bodies and their souls was severed. Therefore they ayat: “Everything will be destroyed except His face” means that all the living and non-living things disintegrate and their style undergoes a change and it is only the Purified Being of Allah which is beyond every type of change and transformation.

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

Is The Following Ayat In Contravention of The Infallibility of The Holy Prophet (S)?

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Question: If the Prophet of Islam (S) and other Prophets (a.s.) are free from sins what does the following ayat implies when it mentions the forgiveness of their sins?

Verily We have granted you a manifest Victory: That Allah may forgive you your faults of the past and those to follow; fulfill His favor on you; and guide you on the straight Way.”1

Answer: First of all we must bear in mind that the founders of movement and revolutionaries who take steps against the prevailing trends and try reform the society and destroy the evils present in it they start facing oppositions, allegations, baseless accusations and false implications. Allegation is one of the attacks that are employed in the backward societies and its aim is to defame these personalities.

The Holy Prophet (S) was not exempted from this system. He also had to face the opposition and allegations of Quraysh. The person who was regarded truthful and trustworthy yesterday began to be called a magician, a soothsayer and heretic as soon he raised his call for religion.

The Almighty Allah has quoted the allegations of the infidels of Quraysh. It is a confirmed fact that if such allegations are not effective on most people it creates some extent doubts in the minds of some simple and ignorant persons regarding the truthfulness and claim of the Holy Prophet (S). And it can be said that a group of people continue to remain in doubts and denial for a period of time.

In those conditions how is it possible that those allegations should be explained and justified so that the truth is unveiled for the people?

The only effective method is that the Ulul Azm and progressive people who are the standard bearers of socialism and the ideal goal. If he succeeds and achieves his aim and people see the benefits of his mission with their own eyes, all the allegations and accusations are falsified before everyone and in place of allegations many good titles take its place and they are the embodiments of greatness, spirituality and power. And if the circumstances are opposed to this the allegations remain in the minds of some people for a long time. And they prove effective on many people.

The same thing is applicable to the Prophet of Islam (S). He began a progressive program and with many brilliant laws he stepped into the field of contest which were beneficial for the common people but were going against the ruling class.

He used to inform of his future successes in his programs and in the light of divine help and the steadfastness of his companions he surmounted his difficulties. At last the capital of polytheism and the center of false accusations fell into the hands of the Muslims. And Mecca was conquered in the form of a manifest victory.

This success which became the cause that Quraysh with all their power should come under the rule and control of Islam. It also had another great consequence in its fold and it was that when this valiant warrior earned victory in this battle and the people saw the best result of his efforts clearly and he took his spiritual mission to completion, in the light of this success the falsehood mongers and allegation makers were rendered speechless.

They could not call him mad and insane or magician and soothsayer in face of his obvious achievements. Because anyone having such spiritual or mental defects could not create such a revolution.

Therefore in the ayat mentioned above “Zanb” are those same false allegations which were present in the minds of the simplistic people of Mecca. And this success had false accusations and these allegations were removed from the personality of this savior. Obviously if the same conditions had continued that were before the conquest of Mecca and the Holy Prophet (S) had not been able to achieve success in the contest, the allegations would have remained as they were.

This explanation is testified by two things:

1. The ayat clearly says that We have created the conquest of Mecca so that your sins may be forgiven due to it.

2. If the forgiveness of sins is the invalidation of false allegations and accusations as we have explained in detail above, that the relation between the conquest of Mecca and the forgiveness of sins is proved valid. Because this conquest had sealed the tongues of people regarding the repetitions of allegations and then no question remained for anyone to accuse the Holy Prophet (S), and if they had implied legal mistakes and disobedience then how can they be forgiven by military conquest and apparent victory, but it is seeking of forgiveness and repenting.

3. The clear meaning of the ayat is that this victory has brought into existence causes for the forgiveness of the past and future sins and this sentence could bear these meanings only. That due to this victory all the allegations and accusations that had been heaped were now rendered ineffective. But if you take it in the sense of actual sins you cannot explain how the future sins could be forgiven in advance.

  • 1. Surah Fath 48:1-2

Son of Nuh (a.s.) In The Holy Qur’an

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question7Question: Hazrat Nuh (a.s.) was commanded by the Almighty to build an ark and Allah informed him that water would spread all over the surface of the earth and the infidels will drown, but his women and sons will remain safe. One of his sons Canaan, did not care for his teachings our account of his idolatry and did not board the ark. At last he drowned in the flood. During this Hazrat Nuh (a.s.) supplicated his Lord and said:

My Lord! Surely my son is of my family, and Thy promise is surely true…1

The Almighty Allah addressed him in the following four sentences: What is the aim of those sentences?

1. He is not of your family — why?

2. He is the doer of other than good deeds — why?

3. Ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge — why?

4. I admonish you lest you may be of the ignorant.2

Question: What was Nuh (a.s.) ignorant of?

Answer: The first sentence “He is not of your family” does not denote that he is not your biological son because it was absolutely true that he was the biological son of Nuh (a.s.) and was born from his loins. Rather the implication is that he is not your spiritual son.

Because the son has to be like the father physically as well as spiritually. But the son of Nuh (a.s.) was not so. Because his spiritual relationship with his father had been severed. The second sentence implies that he did not have a good character because his character was so unrighteous that he was evil personified.

And in the third sentence when it is said: Do not ask Me of that which you do not know. It implies that one should derive conclusions from that which one does not know.

Now as for the fourth point: What Nuh (a.s.) was ignorant of?

And the Almighty Allah had informed him of this. It was that he was thinking that the Almighty had promised that He would save his son unconditionally but later he realized that this promise was for those people who had not severed their spiritual relationship with Nuh (a.s.).

  • 1. Surah Hud 11:45
  • 2. Surah Hud 11:46

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

Why is Charity Compared To An Ear Having 700 Grains?

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clouds-grain-natureQuestion: It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah:

“The parable of those who spend their property in the way of Allah is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears (with) hundred grains in every ear…”(2:261)

In spite of the fact that we have inquired of the agricultural scientists that if we have a piece of land which is prepared from every aspect. It is irrigated properly and birds also do not pick up its grain and the seed is also not destroyed in it and no trouble descends on it and the soil is also of a good quality and all the conditions of growing a crop on it is fulfilled then how much wheat can be produced from a stalk of wheat?

They replied: thirty or at the most forty and nothing more than this seen till now.

Thus how does the Almighty say that it is like the ear which gives 700 grains whereas if Allah had desired He could have given more.

Answer: Two points have to be kept in mind in the reply to this question.

Firstly the above quoted ayat does not mention wheat or any other grain, rather the word Habb – grain is used. And that the one posing the question has given the examples of wheat, which is such a derivation that is not even mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. Thus if we find a grain whose one grain gives seven hundred grains it would be sufficient to justify the above ayat.

If by chance there are some seeds, one of which is Maize if it is planted at fixed place it is possible that one grain would produce seven grains (7 ears of hundred grain’s each, i.e. or more could be obtained.)

It is said that Bajra also produces many grains.1

Secondly even if for the sake of argument we consider the above ayat there is another possibility and it is that when two things are compared to each other. There is a distinction of the compared thing which is not in the thing with which it is compared though from the aspect of the actual topic of discussion there is similarity in it.

For example it is said:(His face is like the moon which does not set) or he is a sun that never sets or he is tall as the date palm, though we know that moon always sets and there is sunset also and there is no tree on the earth that walks.

Therefore such comparisons imply that for example his face is fresh and luminous like the moon and only the difference is that there is decline for the moon but that person has no decline or his body has the qualities of tall stature of a date palm but his distinction is that he can walk and the date palm cannot walk. Many such kinds of examples are found in literature.

In addition to poetic examples the Qur’an itself has such comparisons and similes. For example when the Holy Qur’an gives the examples of pure and best things it says it is like a tree that bears fruits.2

Although there is not tree that bears fruits all the year round or even if there is such a tree would be very rare. Thus the implication is that this tree of goodness has a distinction over all the other trees and it is that there is no autumn for this tree and neither is there any restriction on it for bearing fruits.

The Holy Qur’an also gives the examples of the light of Allah and says:

His light is as a niche in which is a lamp…3

In the same ayat He says:

… the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touches it not.

Though any oil, however pure it may be, does not light up without fire. Actually it is a distinction which is given as a simile.

The ayat regarding which question is posed in that too the growth of the seed of Charity seventy fold is a distinction which the seed of Charity has over all the seeds of the word.

  • 1. In Tafseer Minhajus Sadiqeen this reply is indicated under the commentary of the above ayat
  • 2. Surah Ibrahim 15:25
  • 3. Surah Nur 24:35

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani