Ruling on a believer who commits some sins
Question

                What is the situation of a believer who commits many sins during his life? Will Allaah forgive him or will he be punished? What is the extent of his punishment?
Praise be to Allah.
    If believers die believing in Allaah but having committed 
    sins less than major shirk that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, one 
    of two scenarios may apply: 

    1 – they repented from those sins during their lives. If they 
    repented sincerely, Allaah will accept that from them, and they will once 
    again become like those who did not commit any sin, and they will not be 
    punished for their sins in the Hereafter. Indeed, their Lord may honour them 
    and turn their bad deeds (sayi’aat) into good deeds (hasanaat). 

    2 – those who die without having repented from their sins, or 
    whose repentance was imperfect and did not meet the required conditions, or 
    their repentance was not accepted. What is proven in the verses of the 
    Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet, and on which the righteous salaf was 
    agreed is that these – the sinners among those who believe in Tawheed (the 
    oneness of Allaah) – fall into three categories: 

    The first category: People who 
    have many hasanaat (good deeds) to their credit, which outweigh these 
    sayi’aat (bad deeds). Allaah will forgive them for their bad deeds and admit 
    them to Paradise. The Fire will never touch them, as a kindness and blessing 
    from Allaah. According to a hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be 
    pleased with him), the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) said:  “Allaah will bring the believer close and will shelter him with 
    His screen, then He will say, ‘Do you remember such and such a sin? Do you 
    remember such and such a sin?’ and he will say, ‘Yes, O Lord,’ until He 
    makes him confess his sins and he thinks that he is doomed. Then [Allaah] 
    will say, ‘I concealed it for you in the world and I forgive you for it 
    today.’ Then he will be given the book of his good deeds (hasanaat). But as 
    for the kaafir and the hypocrite, the witnesses will say, ‘These are the 
    ones who lied against their Lord!’ No doubt! the curse of Allaah is upon the 
    zaalimoon (wrongdoers) [cf. Hood 11:18].’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2441; 
    Muslim, 2768). 

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “So as for those whose Scale (of good deeds) will be 
    heavy, they will be the successful (by entering Paradise)”[al-A’raaf 7:8]

    “Then as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be 
    heavy, 

    He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise)”[al-Qaari’ah 
    101:6-7]

    The second category: people 
    whose hasanaat and sayi’aat are equal, so their sayi’aat are enough to keep 
    them away from Paradise, but their hasanaat are enough to save them from 
    Hell. These are the people of al-A’raaf (a wall with elevated places) whom 
    Allaah says will stand between Paradise and Hell as long as Allaah wills, 
    then they will be granted permission to enter Paradise, as Allaah says after 
    telling us of the entrance of the people of Paradise to Paradise and the 
    people of Hell to Hell. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on 
    Al-A‘raaf (a wall with elevated places) will be men (whose good and evil 
    deeds would be equal in Scale), who would recognise all (of the Paradise and 
    Hell people), by their marks (the dwellers of Paradise by their white faces 
    and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces). And they will call out to 
    the dwellers of Paradise, ‘Salaamun ‘Alaykum’ (peace be on you), and at that 
    time they (men on Al-A‘raaf) will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but 
    they will hope to enter (it) with certainty.

    And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of 
    the Fire, they will say: ‘Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are 
    Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).’

     And the men on Al-A‘raaf (the wall) will call unto the 
    men whom they would recognise by their marks, saying: ‘Of what benefit to 
    you were your great numbers (and hoards of wealth), and your arrogance 
    (against Faith)?’

    Are they those, of whom you swore that Allaah would never 
    show them mercy. (Behold! It has been said to them): ‘Enter Paradise, no 
    fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve’”[al-A’raaf 7:46-39]

    The third category:  People who 
    will meet Allaah persisting in committing major sins and acts of immorality, 
    so their sayi’aat will outweigh their hasanaat. These are the ones who will 
    deserve to enter Hell in a manner commensurate with their sins. Some of them 
    will be seized by the Fire as far as their ankles, some up to mid-calf, some 
    up to their knees, and for some only the mark of sujood will be spared. 
    These are the ones whom Allaah will permit to be brought forth from the Fire 
    because of the intercession of the Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him). He, all the Prophets, the angels, the believers and 
    whoever else Allaah wishes to honour will intercede for them. Whoever among 
    these sinners has more faith and committed less sins will have a lighter 
    punishment and remain in Hell for a shorter period and will be brought forth 
    sooner. Those whose sins were greater and whose faith was weaker, will have 
    a greater punishment and will remain for longer. We ask Allaah to keep us 
    safe and sound from all evils. 

    This is the situation of the sinful believers in the 
    Hereafter. 

    With regard to this world, so long as they do not do anything 
    that would put them beyond the pale of Islam, then they are believers whose 
    faith is lacking, as the righteous salaf agreed, basing that on the verses 
    of the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet. These aayahs include: 

    “But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the 
    relatives) of the killed against blood money, then adhering to it with 
    fairness and payment of the blood money to the heir should be made in 
    fairness”

    [al-Baqarah 2:178 – interpretation of the meaning]

    So Allaah describes the killer as the brother of the heirs of 
    the victim. This brotherhood is the brotherhood of faith, which indicates 
    that the killer is not regarded as a kaafir, even though killing a believer 
    is one of the most serious of major sins. 

    And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall 
    to fighting, then make peace between them both. But if one of them outrages 
    against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which outrages 
    till it complies with the Command of Allaah. Then if it complies, then make 
    reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily, Allaah loves 
    those who are the equitable.

    The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic 
    religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allaah, 
    that you may receive mercy”[al-Hujuraat 49:9-10]

    So Allaah described each of the fighting parties as 
    believers, even though fighting is a major sin. Indeed, He described the 
    ones who reconcile between them as being their brothers, which indicates 
    that the one who commits a major sin which does not reach the degree of 
    shirk and kufr is still regarded as a believer and comes under the rulings 
    on believers, but he is lacking in faith. In this way the shar’i texts may 
    be reconciled and support one another. And Allaah knows best. 

    See A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 212; Sharh 
    al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/238.