The difference between major sins and minor sins
Question

                Can you explain to me the difference between major sins and minor sins?
Praise be to Allah.
	Ibn al-Qayyim 
	(may Allah have mercy on him) said: Sins may be divided into minor sins and 
	major sins, according to the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the consensus 
	of the early generations, and how they are regarded by scholars. End quote.

	Madaarij as-Saalikeen 
	(1/315)

	Once we know 
	what major sins are, then we will know what minor sins are.

	There are 
	various scholarly views concerning the definition of major sins, after 
	establishing the fact that they are not limited to the seven (mentioned in a 
	well-known hadith).

	Al-Haafiz said:

	It was said that 
	the major sin is that for which the doer is subject to a warning of 
	punishment in a text of the Qur’an or Sunnah.

	Ibn ‘Abd 
	as-Salaam said: I have not come across any definition of major sin that 
	could be completely free of some flaws. The best is to define it as any sin 
	that could indicate that the level of negligence of the one who commits it 
	is like the level of negligence of one who commits the least of the major 
	sins mentioned in the texts. Some defined it as any sin that is accompanied 
	by a warning of punishment or being cursed.

	Ibn as-Salaah 
	said: Major sins have indications such as: the stipulation of hadd 
	punishments for such acts; a warning of punishment in Hell and the like in 
	the Qur’an or Sunnah; a description of the doer as an evildoer; and mention 
	of a curse upon the one who does it.

	Ismaa‘eel 
	al-Qaadi narrated, with a sound chain of narration from al-Hasan al-Basri, 
	that the latter said: Every deed concerning which Allah, may He be exalted, 
	warned the doer of Hell is a major sin.

	One of the best 
	definitions is that given by al-Qurtubi in al-Mufhim: Every sin 
	concerning which a text of the Qur’an or Sunnah, or scholarly consensus, 
	states that it is a major sin or a grave sin, or mentioned a severe 
	punishment for it, or decreed a hadd punishment for it, or denounced it in 
	the strongest terms, is a major sin.

	Based on that, 
	one can check the texts and see where mention is made of a warning of 
	punishment or curse, or a deed is described as evildoing, in the Quran and 
	saheeh or hasan hadiths. We may add to that cases where the text of the 
	Qur’an or the saheeh or hasan hadith state clearly that an act is a major 
	sin. Al-Haleemi said in al-Minhaaj: There is no sin but it is either 
	minor or major. A minor sin may become a major sin when there is something 
	to indicate that, and a major sin may become a faahishah (shameful, 
	abhorrent deed) by the same token. For example, killing a soul unlawfully is 
	a major sin, but if someone kills an ascendant (parent or grandparent) or a 
	descendant (child or grandchild) or a relative, or he kills someone in the 
	Haram (sanctuary), or during the sacred months, then it is a faahishah. Zina 
	(unlawful sex) is a major sin, but if it is with a neighbour’s wife or a 
	mahram (close relative) or during the month of Ramadan, or in the Haram, 
	then it is a faahishah.

	Stealing less 
	than the threshold amount [that is, less than the value of stolen goods at 
	which the hadd punishment of amputating the hand becomes due] is a minor 
	sin, but if the one from whom it is stolen possesses nothing else and losing 
	it will lead to him becoming vulnerable, then it becomes a major sin.

	End quote from 
	al-Haafiz.

	See: Tafseer 
	Ibn Katheer (2/285-286].

	Shaykh al-Islam 
	Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the major sins 
	mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith: is there a definition by which one may 
	recognise them?

	He replied:

	The best of the 
	views concerning this issue is that which was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and 
	was mentioned by Abu ‘Ubaydah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others. It is the view 
	that the minor sin is that for which no punishment is specified in this 
	world or the hereafter. This is similar to what was said by those who say 
	that it is a sin that is not subject to a hadd punishment in this world. And 
	it is similar to what was said by those who say that any sin concerning 
	which mention is made of a curse, divine wrath or warning of Hell is a major 
	sin. And it is similar to what was said by those who say that the minor sin 
	is that concerning which there is no hadd punishment in this world, and no 
	warning of punishment in the hereafter – that is, a specific warning such as 
	a warning of Hell, divine wrath or curse.

	Similarly, every 
	sin concerning which the doer is warned that he will not enter Paradise or 
	even smell the fragrance of Paradise, or it was said concerning it that the 
	one who does it is not one of us, or the one who does it is a wrongdoer – 
	all of these are major sins. End quote.

	Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa 
	(11/650-652). See also Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (11/658-659); Madaarij 
	As-Saalikeen by Ibn al-Qayyim (1/315-327)

	There is a 
	report which appears to limit the major sins to seven:

	Al-Bukhaari 
	(2767) and Muslim (89) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with 
	him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: 
	“Avoid the seven sins that doom a person to Hell.” It was said: What are 
	they, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Associating others with Allah (shirk); 
	witchcraft (sihr); killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden us to 
	kill, except in cases dictated by Islamic law; consuming riba; consuming 
	orphans’ wealth; fleeing from the battlefield; and slandering chaste, 
	innocent women.”

	At-Tabaraani 
	narrated in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat (5709) from Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (may 
	Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings 
	and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The major sins are seven: associating 
	others with Allah (shirk); killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden us 
	to kill, except in cases dictated by Islamic law; slandering chaste women; 
	fleeing from the battlefield; consuming riba; consuming orphans’ wealth; and 
	going back to living in the desert like Bedouin after having migrated (hijrah).”

	Classed as hasan 
	by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘ (4606)

	But this is not 
	intended to limit the number of major sins to seven.

	Al-Haafiz said 
	in al-Fath:

	At-Tabari 
	narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that it was said to him: The major sins are seven. 
	He said: They are more than seven plus seven. According to another report 
	from him: They are closer to seventy. According to another report: They are 
	closer to seven hundred. His words may be interpreted as emphasising that 
	the hadith is not to be understood literally as meaning that there are only 
	seven. End quote.

	There are three 
	points to which we should pay attention and be aware of:

	Firstly: 
	

	Persisting in a 
	minor sin may make it a major sin.

	Al-Qaraafi said: 
	A minor sin does not undermine a person’s integrity or make him an evildoer, 
	unless he persists in it, in which case it becomes a major sin.… There is no 
	minor sin if one persists in it, and there is no major sin if it is followed 
	by prayer for forgiveness, as the early generations said… What they mean by 
	prayer for forgiveness is repentance fulfilling all the necessary 
	conditions, not asking for forgiveness whilst persisting in the sin and not 
	intending to give it up. End quote.

	Al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah 
	(34/156)

	Ibn al-Qayyim 
	(may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	Persisting in a 
	minor sin may incur a burden of sin equivalent to a major sin or even more. 
	End quote.

	Ighaathat al-Lahfaan 
	(2/151)

	Shaykh Ibn 
	‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	If a person 
	persists in a minor sin and that becomes his habit, then it becomes a major 
	sin because of persisting in it, not because of the deed in and of itself. 
	Talking to a woman on the phone for the purpose of pleasure is haraam, but 
	it is not a major sin. However, if a person persists in doing that and it 
	becomes his main focus to call these women and talk to them, then it becomes 
	a major sin. Persisting in a minor sin makes it a major sin because of 
	persisting in it, because persisting in a minor sin indicates that one is 
	heedless of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, or that one does not 
	care about the prohibitions of Allah. End quote.

	Liqa’ al-Baab 
	al-Maftooh 
	(5/172)

	Secondly:

	Thinking lightly 
	of minor sins leads to doom. Ahmad (3808) narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn 
	Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah 
	(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Beware of these sins that 
	are regarded as insignificant, for they will accumulate until they destroy a 
	man.”

	The Messenger of 
	Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave a likeness of such 
	deeds: the likeness of “people who stopped to camp in the wilderness, and 
	they wanted to prepare some food, so one man went and brought a stick, and 
	another man brought a stick, until they had gathered a huge pile and lit a 
	fire, and whatever they put in the pot was cooked as a result.”

	Classed as 
	saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Targheeb (2470).

	See also the 
	answer to question no. 22422.

	Avoiding major 
	sins is an expiation for minor sins.

	No one is free 
	of sin in his daily life, whether that sin has to do with the relationship 
	between him and his Lord, or between him and other people. So let him strive 
	to purify his record constantly, and let him know that if he keeps away from 
	sins that could lead to doom, major sins and sins that could doom a person 
	to hell, Allah may forgive him for small faults other than that. Allah, may 
	He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

	“If 
	you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from 
	you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise)”

	[an-Nisa’ 4:31]

	“Those 
	who avoid great sins) and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) 
	except the small faults, verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness”
	[an-Najm 53:32].

	Al-Haafiz Ibn 
	Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	Al-Khattaabi 
	said: What is meant by small faults is what Allah, may He be exalted, 
	mentioned in the verse “Those 
	who avoid great sins) and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) 
	except the small faults”; 
	this is what is overlooked. In the other verse He said: “If 
	you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from 
	you your (small) sins”. 
	From the two verses we understand that the small faults are minor sins, and 
	that they may be remitted or expiated if one avoids major sins.

	End quote.

	And Allah knows 
	best.