How many grave sins are there?

Question: How many grave sins are there?

Answer: There are different methods to recognize the graver sin and we indicate towards two of these methods.

1. Every action the doer of which has been promised by Allah punishment and chastisement in the Holy Quran. (Whether, it is clearly stated or indicated or it may be emphatic prohibited again and again). It is a graver sin.

2. Through the correct and authentic traditions that have reached us from the great leaders of Islam and in which the grave sins are clearly enumerated. For example the letter Imam Ali Ibn Moosa ar-Rida (a.s.) had written to Mamoon the Abbasid Caliph. In the letter he has mentioned the number of grave sins. And in the same way is the tradition narrated by Amash from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.). There is mention of many grave sins in this tradition. And the same is the condition of other traditions.

Now we shall describe a greater part of the grave sins which are mentioned in verses or traditions and pray to the Almighty Allah that He may give us the guidance to shun all these sins.

1. Murder 2. Adultery 3. Wine 4. Leaving Prayer 5. Usurping the property of orphans 6. Fleeing the battlefield 7. Interest taking 8. Gambling 9. Oppression 10. Sodomy
11. Helping the oppressors 12. Supporting the oppressor 13. Denying the rights of people 14. Fighting the saints of Allah 15. Lying 16. Betrayal of trust. 17. Hurting the parents. 18. Accusing pure people falsely 19. Backbiting 20. Carelessness of the Anger and Punishment of Allah 21. Carelessness about performing the Hajj 22. Squandering and over spending 23. Pork 24. Blood 25. Eating dead meat 26. Eating the flesh of animal which is slaughtered without reciting the name of Allah 27. Despair from mercy of Allah 28. Weighing less. 29. Repeating light sins 30. Breaking off relations 31. Non payment of Zakah 32. Breaking of covenant 33. Concealing Testimony 34. False swearing.

The above-mentioned sins are a major portion of grave sins though according to the view of many scholars they are not limited to these.

What is lying for a hidden wisdom?

Question: What is the command in Islam for lying for hidden wisdom? And did the Prophets and great leaders lie in this manner?

Answer: Falsehood in itself is a very evil deed. And it is the root of most of our present difficulties and problems. Some of the sayings of the Holy Imams (a.s.) that have reached us mention that lying is the key to all sins.

But in spite of this in some special circumstances it is possible that if one speaks the truth there would be a great mischief and discord. If he does not state the truth the fire of mischief cools down. For example when there is serious enmity between two and each of them speaks ill of the other in his absence we are also listening and we know that the questions we are being asked, if we give the truthful replies of the same and reveal the ill speaking of that person the fire of mischief and discord will flame up and it is possible that as a result of this there is a great loss. Then obviously in such circumstances it would be wrong to speak the truth. And no intelligent person can say that in those conditions also we must speak the truth. It is an understood rational law that when the loss of something is greater than its benefit, we must refrain from it.

The Islamic rules also support this command and in such exceptional circumstances it allows lying.

However, two important points must be kept in mind here. First of all this topic has very exceptional aspects. And except for the above stated conditions lying is not permitted and it must not be that some people take the excuse of lying for hidden wisdom, without any sufficient cause or for personal gains resort to lying and thus commit this illegal act. And say that it was some hidden wisdom.

Secondly, Islam gives such great importance to the subject of lying that in such a condition when it is really necessary that one could lie, it has commanded Toriya. And this decree is well known among our jurisprudents and scholars.

Toriya means that when circumstances demand instead of lying we say a sentence which the listener can interpret in his way. While the aim of the speaker is something else. For example if someone asks us that such and such person has spoken such evil about me and we reply in the negative while we actually imply that he has not said in those words, even though he has said the same things in other words. Even though the hearer may imagine that the other person has not said anything.

And if the religious leaders in needful circumstances that is, for saving life and property of people and controversies that are created between them and for prevention of mischief and discord if they have spoken words, which are based on lying for hidden wisdom, then certainly they fall under the category of Toriya which cannot be considered as lying.

This point is worth remembering that in circumstances when the duty of man is Toriya or lying for hidden wisdom, if he tells the truth, he is a sinner. In the same way he is responsible for the mischief that is created in this way.

Obviously there is no scope of Toriya or lying for hidden wisdom in the explanation or interpretation of the verses of Holy Quran. That is as a rule there is no such need as for as verses and Islamic laws are concerned.

Is it allowed to give physical punishment for women?

Question: Is it true Quran has allowed punishing a woman physically if she does not fulfill conjugal rights?

Answer: There is no doubt that for social security of woman Islam has performed many important services. And it has a great right upon them. So much so that western scholars or Orientalists who do not have any favorable opinion about Islam, for example Crame Brenton, John Christopher and Robert Lee Wolfe have written in their books and clearly confessed that the Islamic movement has played an effective role in reforming the conditions of woman and the Holy Quran has also laid down emphatic laws in this regard. Whose two examples are the following two verses:

Firstly,

… and treat them kindly… [Surah Nisa 4:19]

Secondly,

…they are an apparel for you and you are an apparel for them. [Surah Baqarah 2:187]

In the sayings of the leaders of Islam so much emphasis is laid on kindness to women that it is said that you must not even speak to them in nasty manner.

In the same way the women are also made responsible that they must deal with husbands with utmost love and in good natured way.

As far as a light physical punishment for woman who are not prepared to fulfill the conjugal right. Regarding this it is the clear command of Holy Quran that the husband should first rebuke and advise her, then he must sleep away from her and suspend physical relations with. Till the time if none of these actions are effective in this condition he can give the woman a light physical punishment. And it is obvious that this step is purely in special cases and actually it is like an operation of a sick person. That it is needed under special circumstances. Till the time the husband also refrains from fulfilling conjugal rights and there is no other method to compel him except through physical force. Then Islamic government has the right to give him physical punishment.

This point is also worth remembering that according to the view of psychologists some women always like to get hurt and sometimes due to some cause it becomes intense and shown in psychological disorder. In such cases a light physical punishment cures their sickness.

It must also be remembered that the punishment mentioned should be such that the body is not injured or bruised.