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Al-Ghazzali on repentance m. S. Stern distributed By apt books, inc


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IS ALIKE WHETHER OR NOT YOU FOREWARN THEM, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE 253

Do not be deluded by the word `faith'. We say the verse pertains to the unbeliever. Since it has been explained to you that faith is of some seventy varieties, and that 'the adulterer does not fornicate being a believer',254 he then who is barred from faith which is bough and branch, will be barred, in the end, from that faith which is the root. Just as the man who, bereft of limbs, which are the branches, will be led to final death of that spirit (ruh) which is the root. But the root has no continuity without the branch, [9] nor has the branch existence without

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the root. There is no difference between the root and the branch except in one point: the existence and continuity of the branch requires the exis­tence of the root while the existence of the root does not require the exis­tence of the branch. The continuity of the root, then, lies in the branch, and the branch draws its existence from the root.



Likewise the revealed discipline and the disciplines of practical religion are as inseparable as the root and branch. Neither can dispense with the other even though one of them has a primary status and the other is secondary. If the disciplines of practical religion have not become a stimu­lus to action, their non-existence is preferable to their existence. If they have not carried out their intended function, they turn into a support for the case against their student. Therefore, the chastisement of the learned but immoral is greater than that of the immoral ignoramus, as can be seen from the Traditions we cited in the Book of Knowledge 255

On the Universality of the Obligation of Repentance, no one being free of it

Know that the actual text of the Koran has already indicated this: BELIEVERS, TURN TO GOD [in repentance], HAPLY YOU MAY PROSPER 256 Thus He made the address universal (i.e., He addressed all believers). The light of the mind257 also advises so, as the meaning of repentance is the retreat from the road which leads away from God and draws [man] nigh unto Satan. That is conceived only by one endowed with reason.

The natural disposition of the intellect is fulfilled only after the full­ness of the instincts of desire, anger and the rest of the negative quali­ties which are Satan's instruments for the enticement of man.

For the perfection of the intellect comes at the age of about forty; its foundation becomes complete only at puberty and its rudiments appear at the age of seven.

The passions are the soldiers of Satan, and the minds those of the angels. When they come together combat is, of necessity, joined between them, as one does not yield to the other, they being adversaries.

The strife between them is like the struggle between night and day, light and darkness. Whenever the one gains ascendancy, the other is, necessarily, roused. If the desires mature during childhood or adoles­cence, before the perfection of the intellect, then the satanic forces have preceded and mastered the situation. Familiarity and intimacy with Satan befall the heart, no doubt, as usual requisites of the desires. This over­comes man and makes it difficult to abstain therefrom. Then the intellect,

which is God's troop and force, emerges to save, gradually, those favoured by God, from the hands of His enemies. But if the mind is not strong and perfected, the kingdom of the heart is surrendered to Satan, and the Evil One carried out his promises: I SHALL VERILY MASTER HIS PROGENY, SAVE A FEW 258 But if the intellect is perfected and strengthened, its first occupation is to suppress the satanic forces by breaking the appetites and habits and by forcefully reverting the natural disposition to acts of worship. Only this is the meaning of repentance. It is the return, from that road whose guide is lust and whose sentry is Satan, to God's path.

In every human being passion prevails over intellect; the impulse which is a device of Satan prevails over the impulse which is an instrument of the angels. Prophet or fool, every human being must abandon the steps taken to promote desire. On no account should you suppose that this is peculiar to Adam. It has been said:

Do not suppose that only 'Hind [shows] treachery
as a personal temper.
Every songstress is like Hind.

Rather, it is an eternal rule, the fate of humankind which no decree can alter so long as there is no variance in the immutable divine order.

Consequently, anyone who has come of age as an ignorant unbeliever must repent his ignorance and unbelief. If he has come of age as a Mus­lim, following his parents; yet negligent of the real meaning of Islam, he must repent his negligence by a [growihg] comprehension of the mean­ing of Islam. Indeed, his parents' Islam is of no avail to him so long as he himself does not turn Muslim. If he has pnderstood that, then he must turn from his practice and propensity for following the desires, without anyone to divert him, and turn toward the pattern of the divinely set limits in prevention, release, absolution and renunciation. This is of the hardest varieties of repentance, and it is the ruin of most, as they fail therein. All this is retreat and repentance. It points to [the fact] that repentance is an individual duty of every person. It is unimaginable that anybody can be exempt from it, as Adam was not either. The constitu­tion of the progeny cannot accommodate that which. the original consti­tution of the progenitor could not.

As for the explanation of the constancy and universality of this obli­gation, it is [l0] that no man is free from sins by his limbs; for even the prophets were not free of them, as is mentioned in the Koran and Traditions about the sins of the prophets: how the prophets bemdfined

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and repented them. If a man, in some cases, is free of sin by commis­sion, he is not free of thinking about sin in his mind. If he is free, some­times, from such thought, he is not free of satanic temptation by instigation of sporadic thoughts distracting from invoking God's name. But even if he is free therefrom, he would not be free of heedlessness and shortcoming in the knowledge of God, His attributes and acts. All this is an imperfection which has its causes. Abandonment of its causes, by taking to their opposites, is a turning from a path to one leading in the opposite direction. The intent of repentance is [such a] turning.



Freedom from this imperfection, in humans is inconceivable but they differ as to the extent of imperfection. Yet, basically there is no escape from it. That is why the Prophet said: `Verily my heart is beclouded so that I beg forgiveness of God seventy times in a day.'a God there­fore honoured him, as it says: THAT GOD MAY FORGIVE YOU THAT WHICH HAS PRECEDED OF SIN AND THAT WHICH SHALL FOLLOW 259 If such was the case of the Prophet, what could another person expect?

Perhaps you would assert:

It is obvious that the concerns and thoughts that overtake the heart are a blemish, and that perfection consists of freedom from them; further, that the defective cognition of the essence of God's sublimity is a deficiency, and as cognition grows, so does perfection increase; that the transition from the sphere of deficiency toward perfection is also a turning away and that turning away is repentance. These, however, are virtues not [religious] precepts. You have made a statement on the obligatoriness of repentance under all conditions. Yet, repentance of these matters is not obligatory, as the attainment of perfection is not obliga­tory under Islamic law. What then is intended by your statement: 'Repent­ance is obligatory under all conditions'?

Know, as it has already been stated, that basically, by his very nature, man cannot but follow his desires. The meaning of repentance is not merely their abandonment. Rather, full repentance includes the correc­tion of that which has passed. From each desire that a man pursues, a darkness rises onto his heart, as a dark spot is picked up from man's breath by the surface of a polished mirror. If the darkness of the desires accumulates, it forms a stain, as the gathering vapour of breath becomes dross on the surface260 of the mirror. As the Koran said: NO INDEED, BUT THAT WHICH THEY WERE EARNING HAS RUSTED UPON

THEIR HEARTS261

When the rust collects it becomes characteristic and it is imprinted

onto the heart like the dross on the surface of the mirror when the dross

accumulates over a long time, becomes immersed in the iron and cor­

rupts it: the metal will not take further polishing, and becomes imprinted

with the slag.

In correcting [the results] of following the appetites it is not enough

to abandon them in the future. It is necessary to wipe out those stains that impressed themselves upon the heart. Likewise, the future elimina­tion of breath and vapor that darken the mirror's surface will not suffice for clear reflection in the mirror, as long as no effort was made to wipe out the stain that had imprinted itself in the mirror.

Just as darkness will arise onto the heart from [the commission] of sins and [the pursuit of] appetites, so a light will arise upon it from (acts ofJ obedience and abstention from the appetites. The darkness of sin will; then, be eradicated by the light of obedience. This is alluded to in the Prophet's saying: 'Follow an evil deed with a good deed, to wipe it out.'° Consequently, in any given situation, man will not be free of the need to eliminate from his heart the traces of evil by pursuit of pious deeds, the influence of [the good] contravening the effects of those evil deeds. This [refers to] a heart which has first had its purity and clarity, and then became dark due to obstructive factors. As for the initial burnishing, it is a protracted affair, because polishing to remove rust from the mirror is unlike the initial work of producing the mirror. Such operations are long lasting, never ceasing at all. All this applies to repentance.

As for your statement that this cannot be called obligatory, but is rather a virtue and search for perfection, know, then, that [the term] 'obliga­tory' has two meanings. One of them is: that which falls within the terms of a legal decision and which applies to all the people. It is the measure with which, if all mankind were to observe it, the world would not be destroyed. If all men were truly bent on fearing God, they would aban­don [the pursuit] of livelihood and would forsake the world totally. That would lead to the total nullity of piety. For whenever livelihood is impaired, no one has the leisure for piety. Rather, occupation in weav­ing [11] and cultivation and [baking] bread absorbs everyone's262 life totally, according to his needs. From this point.6f view none of these stages (i.e., of freedom from sinful thought anti the quest forperfec­tion) is obligatory.

The second [meaning of] the obligatory is that which is essential for attaining the sought after proximity to God-And the good abode among the righteous. Repentance from all we havrmentioned [of sins] is neces-

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sary to attain it- As it is said: [Cultic] purity (tahdra) is obligatory for a voluntary prayer for anybody who desires it. Indeed, he will not come by it without that purity. On the other hand, for him who is satisfied with the omission of and preclusion from the virtue of voluntary serv­ice, purity, on its account, is not obligatory.

This [conforms to] what has been said: The eye, ear, hand and leg are a requisite for the existence of man. That is to say, it is a requisite for him who desires to be a complete man, enjoying his humanity and seeking thereby to attain to the noblest rank in this world. But he who is content with basic life and is satisfied to be like meat on the block and like a cast off rag, [finds] that for such a life the eye, hand and foot are not requisite. The root of the obligations, which enter the general mandate, bring one merely to the root of salvation. The root of salva­tion is like the root of life. The bliss beyond the root of salvation which shapes263 life flows through the limbs and tools by which life perfection26" is being prepared. It is this that the prophets, the saints, and the scholars sought, each according to his rank. That was their aspira­tion, their quest, and it is for this that they totally rejected the pleasures of this world.

Jesus came to rest his head on a stone to sleep. Satan then came to him and said: `Were you not [resolved] to forsake this world for the next?' Jesus answered: `Yes. What now?' Satan said: `Your use of this rock as a pillow is a worldly enjoyment. Why do you not place your head on the ground?' Jesus cast away the stone, and placed his head on the ground. His casting off of the rock was [in] penance of that [worldly] enjoyment. Are you, then, of the opinion that Jesus did not know that placing [one's] head on the ground is not, by general mandate, considered obligatory?

Do you further think that our Prophet Muhammad, when the design on the garment he had on distracted him from his prayer until he removed the garment;° or when the lace of his shoe, which was new, distracted him until he replaced it with an old one,b did not know that such is not obligatory, according to the revelation he brought to all mankind?265 And, if he knew that, why did he repent through abstention from his deeds? Was that not because he saw [the amenities] acting upon his heart [in such a way as to] prevent him from reaching the good state which had been promised him?

And Abu Bakr, after he had drunk some milk and was informed that it was improper, inserting his finger in his throat, gagging almost to the point of death, so as to, bring [the milk] up. Do you think that he was

so unaware of the rule of [Islamic] law by which anything eaten [of

improper food] through ignorance [of its state], is not [an object of] guilt,

and the food need not, according to jurisprudential mandate, be evacu­

ated? Then why did he repent his drinking, by attempting, to the best

of his ability, to empty his stomach of it? Was it not the conscience

embedded within him which informed him that the general mandate is

one thing and that the gravity of the path to the next world is [another]

known only by the righteous?

Contemplate the state of these who, of God's creation, are most cog­

nizant of God, of His path, of His scheme and of the hiding places of

the Deluder. Beware lest the life of this world should delude you even once. Beware, beware a million times of the Deluder's guile concerning God. These are mysteries. He, who sniffs them out early, knows that the need of sincere repentance with every breath, clings to the man who is a pilgrim (salik) on God's path, even if he live as long as Noah. He also. knows that this (repentance) is obligatory forthwith and with no delay.

Indeed, Abu Sulayman ad-Dariini266 has spoken truthfully when he said: If the sensible man cried in what is left of his life only over what he missed in breach of piety, this would be apt to grieve him unto death. How is it then for him who faces the remainder of his life with [behaviour] similar to that of his past ignorance? He said this because if the sensible man possessed a precious gem and it was lost senselessly, certainly he would cry over it; if its loss were the cause of his own destruction, his weeping would be yet greater. Each hour of life, nay each breath, is a precious stone for which there is no substitute or exchange; it is benefi­cial for it is leading you to eternal bliss and saving you from endless misery. Which gem267 is more precious than this? If you have lost it through negligence, you have suffered patent damage and if you have expended it in sin [12] then you have already perished repugnantly. If you do not weep over this sin it is because of your ignorance. Your mis­fortune through ignorance is greater than any other. Ignorance, however, is a calamity in which the one stricken is unaware of his misfortune.

Indeed, heedless slumber intervenes between man and his perception. Men are asleep, but when they die they awaken. At that time to every wretch his destitution is revealed, and to every afflicted person his mis­fortune. Yet correction is already out of their reach.

One of the mystics has said: If the Angel of Death appeared to a man and informed him, `there remains one hour to your life, and you cannot be reprieved for even one moment,' the man would experience such

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sorrow and grief, that if the whole world were all his, he would [be ready to] leave it for another hour to be added, just to enable him to seek God's pleasure and correct his own remissness. He will, however, find no way to accomplish this. This is the first meaning to appear from the divine word: AND A BARRIER IS SET BETWEEN THEM AND THAT WHICH THEY DESIRE 268 Further, this is indicated by the words: ... BEFORE DEATH COMES UNTO ONE OF YOU AND HE SAYS; 0 MY LORD! IF ONLY THOU WOULDST REPRIEVE ME, AWHILE, SO THAT I MIGHT MAKE FREE WILL OFFERING AND BE AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS. BUT GOD REPRIEVES NO SOUL WHEN ITS TERM IS ENDED 269

It has been said that the meaning of the 'awhile' that the man requests [according to the verse], is that when the matter is disclosed to him, man says: '0 Angel of Death, grant me an additional day, to plead to be excused by God, repent and provide a good record for my soul.' But the Angel replies: 'The days have come to an end, there is, then, not [a] day.' The man: 'Then reprieve me for an hour.' The Angel: 'The hours have lapsed; no hour!'

The gate of repentance is then closed to man, he gags, breathes heav­ily in his bitter regret. He suffers the agony of despair about correction, and bitter sorrow over the waste of his lifetime. The very foundation of his faith will be [surely] shaken under these blows.

When a man dies in God's grace, his soul expires with the words of the creed, and that [is to be considered] the good end. If he, God forbid, is doomed to wretchedness, he expires in doubt and confusion, and that is a bad end. In this regard it is said: BUT GOD SHALL NOT TURN TOWARDS THOSE WHO DO EVIL DEEDS UNTIL, WHEN ONE OF THEM IS VISITED BY DEATH, HE SAYS, 'INDEED NOW I REPENT.'270 And, again, GOD SHALL TURN ONLY TOWARDS THOSE WHO DO EVIL IN IGNORANCE, THEN SHORTLY

REPENT 271

'Shortly' refers to temporal proximity to the offense, so that he repent it and erase any trace of it through good works, substituting such for [the bad] before a stain beyond removal can collect upon the heart. Of this the Prophet has said: Follow an evil deed with a good deed, [may

one] eliminate the other.

Of this, again, Lugmiin272 said to his son: 'My son, do hot delay repentance for death comes suddenly. He who has put off the effort to repentance finds himself between the two great perils: one of them being that darkness,brought on by his sins, will collect upon his heart until

it becomes deeply embedded grime beyond elimination; the other that sickness or death may befall him swiftly, without permitting time to engage in correction.' That is why Tradition has it that 'most of the cries from those consigned to hellfire result from procrastination.'' It is this that accounts for perdition. Blackening of the heart is cash while purg­ing it by obedient action is credit, until death snatches man, and he brings before God an impaired heart. But only he is saved who brings before God a sound heart.

The heart is a trust left by God with man. So is a lifetime. So are the other means of worship. he who breaches this trust and does not make amends is in sore peril.

A mystic has said: Indeed, God has entrusted273 to man, through inspiration, two secrets. Firstly, when man exits his mother's womb God says to him: 'My servant, I have brought you into the world clean and pure, and have consigned you life and entrusted it to you. Heed how you keep this trust safe, and consider how you shall encounter Me [later].' Secondly, at the time of death He says: 'Man, what have you done with my trust? Have you kept it safe until you found Me under the covenant, so that I find you faithful? Or, have you forfeited it, so that I meet you with claim and punishment?' This is alluded to in the verse:.. . FULFILL MY COVENANT AND I SHALL FULFILL YOUR COVENANT ,274 and in the verse:... AND WHO PROTECT THEIR TRUSTS AND COVENANT 275
[13] Upon Accumulation of its Requisites, Repentance is surely accepted

If you have understood the concept of 'acceptance you will not doubt that every correct repentance is accepted. Those who contemplate through the illumination derived from the lights of the Koran know that every sound heart is received well by God, is enjoying in the next world near­ness to God, and its master, through his immortal eye, is prepared to perceive God's countenance. They also know that, originally, the heart was created sound, every creature being bom with such a .nature. This soundness, however, eludes man because of a murkiness which over­comes the surface of his heart from the pollution and darkness of sins.

They are aware that the fire of regret [can] burn this pollution, and that the light of good deeds [can] obliterate the darkness of evil from the heart's surface, and that the darkness of transgressions has no power against the light of pious acts, just as the gloom of night is helpless in the face of the light of day; nay, just as the turbidity of filth cannot exist

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with the whiteness of soap, and as a king would not accept a dirty gar­ment as his attire, so God does not admit a darkened heart into His prox­imity. And, just as the use of a garment for vile labor will soil it, and, certainly, to clean it one needs to wash it with soap and warm water, so exposure of the heart to the desires fouls it, and to clean, purge and purify it, one needs to wash it in the flow of tears and the burning of regret. Every clean and pure heart is well received, just as every clean garment is. The purification and cleansing, however, are up to you.

As for acceptance (gabul), it is freely granted as irrevocably preor­dained. This is termed 'prosperity' in the verse: PROSPEROUS IS HE

WHO PURIFIES IT276

He who does not know, strictly speaking, with a perception greater and clearer than that achieved through eyesight, that the heart is affected contrarily by sins and good deeds, using for the former, the metaphor 'darkness' (zaldm) [as it is used also for ignorance] and for the latter, the metaphor 'illumination' (nur) [as used also for knowledge]; and that between illumination and darkness there exists a necessary unbridge­able contradiction; then he is as one to whom only the husk of religion was left with nothing attached save appellations. His heart is in a dense wrap [barred] from the essence of religion, nay even from his own essence and attributes. But he who is ignorant of himself, surely is yet more ignorant of another. I refer, in this, to his heart. Since knowledge of another [lies] within his heart, how can he have [such] knowledge when of his own heart he has no knowledge?

He who fancies that repentance could be sound yet not accepted is like him who imagines that the sun will rise but the darkness persist, or that a garment will be laundered with soap but the dirt will persist. Unless it be that lengthy accumulation of filth penetrated into the inter­stices of the garment and spoiled it so that the soap will lack the strength to extricate it. Likewise the accumulation of sins may become stained and imprinted upon the heart. Such a heart cannot return and repent.

Certainly, at times, a man says, with his tongue, 'I have repented.' Yet, that is like the fuller saying, with his tongue [alone], 'I have cleaned the garment.' But this will never clean the garment so long as he does not change the disposition of the garment by use of something effective against the filth277 ingrained in it. In this case repentance is fundamen­tally impossible. This is not rare but rather prevailing among all those creatures who devote themselves to this world and completely renounce God.

This explanation of the acceptance of repentance should be sufficient

for men of discernment. But we shall support it by quoting verses, tra­ditions and sayings of the Companions, for any reflection not attested to by the Book and the [apostolic] tradition (sunna) is not reliable.

The Koran says: IT IS HE WHO ACCEPTS REPENTANCE FROM HIS SERVANTS, AND PARDONS EVIL DEEDS 278 He also said: FORGIVER OF SINS, ACCEPTER OF REPENTANCE 279 Of such verses there are many more.

The Prophet said: 'God rejoices in the repentance of [even] one of you.... Joy is behind acceptance, and it points to acceptance, and more than that.' The Prophet also said: 'Indeed, God extends His hand with repentance until morning to him who sins at night, and to him who sins during the day He extends His hand until nightfall.'a Extension of the hand amounts to a call for repentance and the [attribute of] seeker is behind [the attribute of] accepter. Many are the receivers who do not seek but one does not seek unless he is [willing to] accept.

The Prophet said: 'If you sinned until it reached the heaven, then repented, surely God would turn unto you.'b He also said: 'Indeed a man can commit a sin [14] and enter paradise with it.' He was asked: 'How can this be, 0 Apostle of God?' He replied: 'He will direct his attention to repent it, fleeing [from sin] until he enters paradise.' The Prophet said: 'The expiation of sin is repentance.'d And: 'He who repents of sin is like one who has never sinned.'

It is related that an Abyssinian [came before the Prophet and] said: '0 Apostle of God, I used to commit vile deeds, do I have [a chance] of repentance?T 'Yes,' replied [the Prophet]. [The Abyssinian] turned away and then returned saying: '0 Apostle of God, did He see me when I committed them?' Again, 'yes.' [At this point] the man uttered a shout with which his soul departed.e

It is related that when God damned Iblis, the devil asked for a reprieve. God, then, granted him a stay until the Day of Resurrection. [Iblis] said: 'By Your glory, may I not leave the heart of the son of Adam so long as he lives.' [To this] God replied: 'By My glory and majesty, may I not bar repentance from [man] so long as he lives.'f

The Prophet said: 'Good works remove evil as water [washes away] dirt.9

The traditions in this matter are too numerous to mention.280

As for the sayings of the Companions:

Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab281 said: God's revealed word, . INDEED HE IS FORGIVING OF THOSE THAT RETURN,282 [refers] to man: he sins, repents, sins and repents again.

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Al-Fudayl283 said: God has said: 'Announce to the sinners that if they

repent I will accept their penitence. Caution the righteous that if I applied

to them My justice, I would punish them.'

Talq b. Habib said: God's claims [upon man] are greater than man's

capability; yet repent day and night.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar284 said:285 If a man bears in mind an offense he

perpetrated, then is afraid in his heart on account of that offense, then

that sin is erased from the [celestial] Register.

It is related that one of the prophets of the Children of Israel sinned.

God, then, revealed to him: 'By My glory, if indeed you do it again,

I shall chastise you.' The prophet replied: '0 my God, Thou art Thou

and I am I. By Your majesty, if You do not grant me immunity I will

surely do it again.' Thereupon God granted him immunity.

One said: If a man sins and does not cease to regret it until he enters paradise, Iblis says: 'Would that I had not plunged him into sin.'

Habib b. Thabit said: A man is confronted with his sins on the Day of Resurrection. Then he passes by a sin and says, 'Verily, I was afraid of it.' That man is forgiven.

It is recounted that a man asked Ibn Mas'ad286 about a sin he com­mitted: did he have a chance of repentance? Ibn Mas'5d turned away from him, then turned back and saw tears flowing from his eyes. Ibn Mas'ud said to the man: 'Indeed paradise has eight gates which open and close but the gate of repentance, guarded by a special angel, does not close; do [repent], and do not despair.'

'Abd ar-Rahman b. Abi-l-Qasim said: 'I conferred with 'Abd ar-Rahim287 about the repentance of an unbeliever and God's saying: IF THEY CEASE [151 WHAT HAS ALREADY PASSED WILL BE FORGIVEN THEM.'288 And he said: 'I indeed expect that a Muslim will be better off with God. Yet, I have learnt that the repentance of a Muslim is like a [second and new] adoption of Islam after the original adherence thereto.'

'Abdullah b. Salam289 said: 'I would not report to you except of a [duly] charged prophet or a revealed book. Indeed, when a man sins, then feels remorse because of it for as long as a twinkle of an eye, the sin falls away from him quicker than the twinkling of an eye.'

'Umar29D said: 'Sit among the contrite. Indeed, they are the most deli­cate of hearts.'

One said: 'I know when God will forgive me.' 'When?' it was queried. 'When He restores me to His grace.'

Another said: 'I am more afraid of being deprived of repentance, than

of being denied forgiveness. That is to say, forgiveness is certainly among the requisites and results of repentance.'

It is related: There, was, among the Children of Israel, a young man who had served God for twenty years, then defied God for [yet another] twenty years. Afterwards he gazed in a mirror and saw a gray hair in his beard. This grieved him and he said, 'My God, I obeyed You for twenty years, and disobeyed [another] twenty. If I return would you accept me?' He then heard a voice, although he saw no one: 'You loved Us and We loved you; you abandoned Us and We abandoned you; you defied Us but We granted you time; if you return, We will accept you.'

Dhu-l-Nun al-Misri291 said: 'God has servants who grew trees of sins that were like guardians of the soul. They watered the trees with the water of repentance; the trees then produced regret and sadness. They became possessed without madness and idiotic without faltering or mute­ness. They are the profound, the eloquent, [those] that knew God and His Apostle. They drank from the cup of purity and achieved endurance (sabr) throughout tribulation. They they lost their hearts in the spiritual world and their thoughts roamed among the palaces veiling [God's] omnipotence. They sought shelter under the portico of regret, and read the ledger of sin. Then they were seized with anguish until they reached the height of asceticism on the ladder of piety. They found sweet the bitter [taste] of abandoning this world, and found supple the coarse bed, until they seized the thread of salvation and the grip of security. Their spirits roamed freely in the heights until they attained the gardens of pleasure. They plunged into the sea of life; filled in the trenches of anxiety and forded the bridges of passion until they descended to the courtyard of knowledge. They drank from the stream of wisdom; traveled on the ship of sagacity, and set sail, under the breeze of salvation, on the sea of security, until they reached the gardens of comfort, the source of glory and nobility.'

This is sufficient to demonstrate that all true repentance is certainly accepted.

Should you say:

Are you saying what the Mu'tazila have taught that the acceptance of repentance is obligatory upon God?

To this I reply:

In what I have mentioned of the necessity of God's acceptance of repentance I intend only what is intended by him who says: Indeed, when a garment is cleansed with soap, the dirt needs must vanish; When the thirsty [man] drinks water the thirst needs must cease; When he is, for

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awhile, denied water, thirst needs must result; if the thirst continues, death must [follow]. There is nothing in this of what the Mu'tazila intended by [the concept of] obligation [as regards] God['s actions]. I would rather say; God created obedience as an atonement for sin, and good as an antidote to evil, as He created water as a remedy of thirst. His omnipotence is sufficient for the opposite should it have been His pleasure. There is, then, no obligation upon God but what His eternal Will has anticipated must, certainly, come to exist.

You might assert:

Every penitent doubts the acceptance of his repentance, while he who drinks water is certain of the abatement of thirst. Why then does [the penitent] doubt?

To this I say:

His doubt [with regard to the] acceptability [of his repentance] is like the doubt regarding the presence of the conditions of health. Repentance has delicate [requisite] props and conditions as will [later] be mentioned. The presence of all its requisites cannot be ascertained as if it were the case of one who doubts a laxative he took, i.e, will it work? That, because of his doubt in getting the requisites for relief by the medication in the given case, time, manner of mixing and preparing the remedy, and the potency of [its various component] drugs. Such and the like lead to fear even after repentance and, certainly, necessitate doubt of its acceptabil­ity, as will be seen, God willing, from the discussion of the requisites of penitence.
[16] THE SECOND PILLAR: THE CONTEXT OF REPENTANCE BEING SINS: VENIAL AND MORTAL

Repentance is the abandonment of sin. But it is impossible to abandon a thing unless is it perceived. Now since repentance is obligatory, it fol­lows that anything, without which it cannot be achieved, must [also] be obligatory. Sin consists of anything which varies from God's [expressed] command by omission or commission.

A detailed exposition of this calls for an explanation of the whole range of Obligations. Such is not our intent. Yet, we shall indicate their general principles and the interconnections of their constituent parts. God is the one who in His mercy helps to [reach] what is correct.

On the Division of Sin in Relation to the Qualities of Man

[First Division:]

Man possesses many qualities and characteristics, as explained in the

Book of the Wonders and Dangers of the Heart 2 The stimuli of sin, however, are limited to four qualities: of supremacy, of delivery, of bestiality,. and of predacity.

Such is the case, for man's substance is molded of different ingre­dients, each one resulting in a [different] effect, just as sugar, vinegar and saffron exert, in oxymel, different influences.

The bent for the supremacy qualities, encourages such traits as pres­tige; glory; power, love of praise, appreciation and wealth; the desire for perpetuate life; and quest for superiority over all until it seems that man wishes to say, 'I AM YOUR LORD, THE MOST HIGH.'293 From these some of the greatest sins result, of which men are heedless, and which they do not reckon as sins. yet they are the great ravagers which are the source of most transgressions, as we have detailed in the Quarter

of Destructive Matters.294

The second is the satanic quality from which derive envy, injustice, subterfuge, perfidy, instruction to immorality and deception, including corruption, hypocrisy, and the urge to [unlawful] innovation and error.

The third is the bestial quality from which derive gluttony, greed and desire for the fulfillment of the carnal appetites. From it derived also adultery, homosexuality, robbery, misappropriation of the property of orphans and all the other vanities for the sake of the appetites.

The fourth is the predatory quality from which derive anger, malice, assault, vilification, murder and waste of wealth. From these, various sins branch off.

These qualities have [a certain] gradation in human nature. The bestial quality is first predominant. It is followed by the predatory quality. Then, when the two get together and apply the mind to deceit, scheming and subterfuge, this is the satanic quality. Then, finally, the supremacy qual­ities prevail such as [the bent for] glory, power, arrogance, grandeur

and control over all creatures.

These are the sources and origins of sin, the wells from which sin gushes forth to295 the limbs. Some of them [pertain] especially to the heart; such as unbelief, heresy, hypocrisy and harboring evil designs; others [pertain specifically] to the eye and ear, or to the tongue, or the stomach and genitals, or the hands and feet; some to the entire body. As this is clear, there is no need to go into details.

[Another Division:]

Sins are divided into that which is between man and God, and that which pertains to the relation of man to man; that which concerns an

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individual man, such as abstention from prayer, fast or obligations par­ticular to him; and that which concerns inter-human relations, such as abstention from almsgiving, murder, usurpation of property, vilifica­tion of [another's] honour, and anything that infringes on another's rights, whether of life, limb, property, honour, belief or dignity; infringement on belief by leading astray and calling to heresy; incitement to trans­gression and to defiance against God, as practiced by certain preachers who cultivate hope over fear.

Sin that pertains to men is graver. In that which is between man and God [alone], unless it be idolatry, there is more hope for pardon. It has been transmitted in a tradition: There are three accounts: one which is forgiven, one which is never forgiven, and one which is not neglected. The account which is forgiven is that of the sins between man and God. The account which is never forgiven is that of idolatry. [17] The account which is not neglected is that of the injustices toward humans .a That is, man must be called to answer for them before he is forgiven.

[Third Division:]

Sins are divided into venial and mortal. There is much disagreement about them. Some say: There is no venial or mortal [sin], rather, every transgression of God's command is mortal sin. This [position, however,] is weak since God said: IF YOU AVOID THE HEINOUS SINS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN YOU, WE WILL ACQUIT YOU OF YOUR EVIL DEEDS AND ADMIT YOU BY THE GATE OF HONOUR.296 Also: THOSE WHO AVOID THE HEINOUS SINS AND ABOMINATIONS, SAVE THE UNWILLED OFFENSES ...297 And, the Prophet said: 'The five prayers and [one] Friday [communal prayer] to the next, atone for what is between them, if mortal sins are avoided,'b and in another version, '... are expiations for what [comes] between them except the mortal sins.' According to what was retold by 'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As,29s the Prophet said: 'Attributing partners to God, disobedience of parents, murder and willful perjury [are the mortal sins].'t

The Companions and Followers differed in [setting] the number of mortal sins. [It ranged] from four, to seven, to nine, to eleven or more. Ibn Mas'ud299 said: 'They are four.' Ibn 'Umar said: 'They are seven.' 'Abdullah b. 'Amur said: 'They are~nine.' When Ibn 'Umar's statement, that their number is seven, reached Ibn 'Abbas300 he would say: 'They are closer to seventy than seven.' He once said: 'All that God has for­bidden [constitutes] a mortal sin.' Another said: 'Any [action for which] God has threatened hellfire is of the mortal sins.' One of the righteous

forebears said: 'Anything which necessitates [the infliction] of legal

punishment (hadd) in this world, is a mortal sin.' It has been said: It

is an obscure point, the number is not known, like the Night of Power



(laylatu-l-gadr) or the hour of the Friday prayer. Ibn Mas'ud, when he

was asked of this, said: 'Read from the beginning of the Chapter of

Women to verse thirty where it says: IF YOU AVOID THE HEINOUS

SINS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN YOU ...301 Everything that God has

prohibited in this chapter to this point is a mortal sin.'

Abu Tiilib al-Makki302 said: 'The mortal sins number seventeen. I

collected them from all the traditionsa and from all that is gathered of the sayings of Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar, [18] and others. Four are of the heart: polytheism; persistence in disobedience; despairing of divine mercy; and [false] security from divine cunning. Four are of the tongue: false testimony; false accusation of the chaste; willful perjury, (i.e., that which justifies a falsehood or perverts the truth; which is, it is said, that by which the property of a Muslim303 is seized wrongly, even a toothpick,304 and it is termed 'plunger' (ghamus) because it plunges its perpetrator into hellfire), and sorcery which is any speech which alters man or other substances from the states fixed at Creation. Three are of the stomach: imbibing wine or any intoxicating drink; eating illicitly, and from the property of an orphan; and conscious usury. Two are of sexual nature: adultery and homosexuality. Two are of the hands: murder and theft. One is of the feet: desertion of the ranks, one of two and ten from twenty. One is of the entire body: disobedience of parents.' He said: 'The acme of disobedience is that they justly adjure [the son] and he does not respect their appeal; if they ask of him something, and he does not give it to them; if they rebuke him he hits them; if they are hungry he does not feed them.'

This is what he said, and it is plausible. Complete satisfaction, however, will not be gleaned from it, since it is possible both to add to it or sub­tract from it. Thus he has listed usury and embezzling an orphan's property as mortal sins. They are [both, however,] misappropriation of property. But of criminal acts he mentioned only murder as a mortal sin. Yet, gouging the eye, cutting off the hands, and torture of Muslims by beating and types of punishment, did not occur to him. Surely,beat­ing and torturing an orphan, and amputating his limbs are greater [in sinfulness] than embezzling his property. Indeed, in the tradition [it is stated]: 'Excessive reviling, and detracting from the reputation of a fel­low Muslim are mortal sins.'' This is in addition to slander of the chaste.

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Abu Sa'id al-Khudri305 and others of the Companions said: 'Indeed you are doing things which are, in your eyes, finer than a hair, and which in the time of the Prophet, God bless him, we used to reckon as mortal sins.'° A faction said: 'Any premeditated [evil act] and anything that God has forbidden are mortal sins.'



To clarify this, take the case of the investigator of theft, as to whether it is or is not a major crime. [19] [This contemplation] will not be sound so long as one does not understand the meaning of mortal sin. What is intended by this is: Is theft prohibited or not? There is no hope of clarify­ing this without first establishing the essence [of the term] 'prohibited' (haram), and then, finding out whether that essence is present in theft.

'Major sin', then, is lexically vague and has no specific connotation, either in [Arabic] lexicography or in [Islamic] law. This is due to the fact that 'major' and 'minor' are modifiers. Any sin is major in compar­ison to what is beneath it and minor in comparison to what is above it. To lie down with an alien female is a major sin relative to gazing [at her]. It is minor [,however,] in comparison to fornication. Amputation of a Muslim's hand is a major sin relative to beating him but minor in com­parison to killing him.

Certainly, that action especially for which hellfire was set can be termed by man a mortal sin. By this appelation we mean to say that the punish­ment of hellfire is grave. Man can also apply [the term 'mortal'] to that [action] which necessitates, a legal punishment (hadd), for that which hastens a necessary punishment in this world is grave. He may also apply [this term] to that which is mentioned in the text of the Book as inter­dicted, for he can say that its specification in the Koran indicates the act's gravity. Then, again, since the Koranic stipulations also differ in their gradation, it will certainly be both grave and mortal by compari­son. To these applications there is no objection, and preserved expres­sions of the Companions vacillate between these points. Possibly they can be reduced to one of these cases.

Certainly, it is important that you know the meaning of God's saying: IF YOU AVOID THE MORTAL SINS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN YOU, WE WILL ACQUIT YOU OF YOUR EVIL DEEDS, and [the meaning of] the Prophet's saying: 'Prayers are atonement for what [falls] between them except mortal sins.' Indeed, this is the ruling prin­ciple on mortal sin 307

The truth of the matter is that sins are divided, according to the view of the law (spar'), into those that are known to be considered by it as grave; those that are known to be counted among the venial sins;

and those that are in doubt and the rule about them is unknown. To strive

for a comprehensive definition or a definite figure is to strive for the

impossible. For this is impossible except by hearing the Apostle of God

say: 'By mortal sins I meant ten or five,' and list them. But as this is

not reported, though in some versions 'three mortal sins' are men­

tioned ,° in others, seven,b and 'that blasphemy is one of the mortal sins',

apart from the seven and three, it becomes clear that no specific number

was meant. How could one then aspire to set a [specific) number when

the divine law does not? Perhaps the law intended to obscure it so that

men would be in dread, as they are on the Night of Power (laylata-l­qadr), to increase [thereby] men's diligence in searching for it.

Certainly, we have an overall method which enables us to know the categories and types of mortal sin, upon investigation. As for its main manifestations we know them by contemplation and approximation. We also know the greatest of mortal sins.

But, as for the most minor of the venial there is no way of knowing it.

The point is that we know, by the testimony of both the law and the illumination of insight, that the purpose of all the precepts is to lead men into proximity of God and the bliss of encounter with Him; and that men can attain this only through perception of God, His attributes, books and prophets. This is indicated by the verse: I HAVE NOT CREATED JINN AND MANKIND EXCEPT TO SERVE MF-308 that is, that they be My servitors. Yet, man [the servitor] cannot be a servant so long as he has not perceived his master in His mastery, and himself in his servi­tude. Man must know himself and his Master. This, indeed, is the ulti­mate purpose of the mission of prophets.

This is, however, fulfilled only in the life of this world. This is the meaning of the Prophet's word: `This world is a place [for the] cultiva­tion of the hereafter.' Maintenance of this world thus also becomes the domain of religion, inasmuch as the world is a means of fulfilling religion (din). Two things of this world are connected with the hereafter: human beings and possessions. Anything, then, which is in the way of the per­ception of God is the gravest of mortal sin, the next being that which is destructive of human life, and the next is that which impedes the liveli­hood of men. These are three stages. [20] It is evidently the intent of all the creeds that the hearts must hold the perception [of the divine], the bodies - preserve life, humans - preserve possessions. It is unimagina­ble that these three matters would be [subject] to dissent [among the vari­ous) creeds. It is, then, inconceivable that God would send a prophet, desiring thereby the improvement of [His] creatures in their affairs, both

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spiritual and temporal, only to command them what would impede them from perceiving Him and His messengers, or that He would command them to destroy life and property. It follows that mortal sin has three levels. The first level is that which prevents [man] from perception of God and His apostles. This is unbelief (kufr), and there is no mortal sin greater than unbelief, for it is ignorance that is the barrier between God and man, and man's means to draw nigh to God is knowledge ('ilm) and perception (ma'rifa).



Man's proximity [to God] corresponds to the measure of man's per­ception while his remoteness [from Him] corresponds to the measure of his ignorance. That ignorance which is called unbelief is followed by [man's feeling of] security from God's devices and the despair of His mercy. This, indeed, is also of the very essence of ignorance. For he who perceives God could not conceive himself to be [in this sense] secure or despairing.

This stage is followed by the various heresies connected with [the con­cepts of] the essence of God, His attributes and works. Some of these are graver than others. The disparity [among them] is commensurate with their varying [degrees] of ignorance, and with their holding on to the belief in God, His works and revelations, His commands and prohi­bitions. The gradations of this are unlimited. They are divided into what one knows to be included within the mortal sins mentioned in the Koran; what is known not to be included; and what one is in doubt about. Seek­ing to dispel the doubt about this middle category is a hopeless aspiration.

The second level [relates to] human beings, since on their survival and maintenance depend the continuity of life and attainment of percep­tion of God. Consequently, murder, even though it is beneath [the gravity] of unbelief, is certainly of the mortal sins. For, while one strikes at the goal [of religion] itself, the other strikes at the means to the [fulfillment] of that goal. For life in the world is intended only for the sake of the hereafter and the attainment thereof by means of [human] perception of God. This mortal sin is followed by amputation of limbs and whatever leads to death, even beating, with some acts being graver than others.

The prohibition of adultery and homosexuality falls within this category because if all men were to be content with males [alone] in fulfilling [their] carnal appetites, procreation would cease. Rejection of the exis­tart is close to cutting off existence. As for adultery, it does not negate the principle of existence but rather distorts the lines of kinship and nul­lifies inheritance, mutual aid and many of those matters without which life [cannot be] well ordered. How, indeed, can good order be achieved

together with the permission of adultery? Animal life is not well thriv­

ing so long as the male is not with his particular females, set apart from

the other males. For this reason it is inconceivable for adultery to be

permissible according to a religion309 whose aim is the improvement [of

life]. Adultery needs be on a level beneath murder as it does not threaten

the continuity of [human] existence, nor does it prevent its principle.

It [merely] threatens the distinction of familial relationships, and stimu­

lates factors that lead to strife. [Adultery] must, however, be considered

graver than homosexuality as the [natural] desires spur it on both sides,

its frequency is greater, and with frequency its harmful impact.

The third degree [relates. to] property, which is the life-stuff of man.

Men cannot control its acquisition chaotically, even until seizure, theft

and the like. Rather it. must be preserved, so that its continuity might

insure the continuity of human beings. Nevertheless, property, when it is seized, can be regained, and if it has been disposed of, restitution is possible. The affair, then, cannot become [too] grave.

It is true that when its acquisition occurs in a [wrong] manner that would make correction difficult, such [interference] ought to be [considered] a mortal sin. This can be in four ways. The first is secret affair, which is theft. If it is not generally controlled - how can it be corrected. The second is consumption of an orphan's property. This too is a covert matter. I refer to a guardian or custodian, entrusted with [the property], who has not [possible] opposition save the orphan who is a minor unaware of the matter. This must be considered grave. Different is the case of extortion which is overt, and that of breach of [a normal] trust where the consignor can oppose the action and seek justice for him­self. The third is its alienation by false testimony. The fourth is seizure of a trust and the like by [means of] willful perjury.

Indeed these methods310 are not open to correction and it is unimaginable that religions should differ at all as to interdicting them. Some [cases] are graver than others, but they all are beneath the second level which is concerned with life. These four are worthy of being assigned as mortal sins even though canon law does not invoke legal punishment in some cases. However, [divine] threats in their regard are numerous, and in the affairs of this world their impact is great.

As for usury it is only, the consumption of another's property by mutual consent, along with the breach of a condition imposed by canon law. It is not impossible that there should be a variance among the religions [21] in a matter like this. If extortion,311 which is the taking. of another's property without312 his consent and without the law's permission, has

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not been deemed a mortal sin, then exacting interest, done with the assent of the owner, albeit without legal sanction, should preferably not be con­sidered a mortal sin 313

Even though the canon law views interest314 with rebuke, it has done so also with regard to the iniquity of extortion and the like, and to breach of trust, with the result that it merits consideration whether a daniq's315 worth of embezzlement and extortion is mortal sin, yet this is an area of doubt, and the trend of thought is against including such deeds under the heading of mortal sin. Rather, it is appropriate to limit mortal sin to that which is legally so indisputable that it be religiously obvious.

Thus, of what Abu Talib al-Makki316 mentioned, only calumny, intoxication, witchcraft, desertion from the ranks and disobedience to

parents317 remain.

As for drinking, inasmuch as it removes reason, it is appropriate that it be a mortal sin, as attested to by both the severity of the law and rational considerations. For indeed, the intellect is a gift just as life, nay life is worthless without the [faculty of] reason. Elimination, then, of [the faculty. of] reason is a mortal sin.

This does not follow, however, from a drop of wine. No doubt, if a man drank water in which was a drop of wine, that would not consti­tute a mortal sin. It is merely drinking polluted water. The drop itself is an object of doubt. That the law lays down legal punishment for it [merely] indicates how gravely it views the matter of intoxication. For it is counted as a mortal sin under the law. It is beyond human ability to grasp all the subtleties of the divine law. If, then, there is consensus that it is mortal sin, this line must be pursued. If not, there is room for

hesitation.

As for calumny, it involves only hurting [people's] good repute, and this falls below the level of detriment to property."' Again, hurt to honour is a matter of degree, its most severe being false accusation regarding the abomination of fornication. The canon law views this gravely.

I think, generally, that the Companions used to count any [action] which called for legal punishment a mortal sin. It, from this standpoint, is not expiated by the five prayers, and this is what we mean, now, by [the term] `mortal sin'. But, inasmuch as it is possible that the [revelational] laws would differ about this, while analogy alone does not point to the magnitude and gravity [of this charge], nay, it would be possible for the Law to stipulate that one valid witness, upon seeing a man fornicate, may bear testimony, in which case the accused is flogged by virtue of

this testimony. But,if his testimony is not accepted, then the other man's

punishment is not evident, practically, even if it is one of the actually

occurring affairs in the category of needs. Then, this too is appended

to the mortal sins of him who knows the rule of canon law.' As for he

who thinks that he must testify himself or that another may join him in

support, it is not necessary that it be counted as a mortal sin of his.

As for sorcery, if it contains unbelief it is a mortal sin; if not, its gravity

depends upon the damage which results from it, such as loss of life, sick­

ness or the like.

As for desertion and disobedience versus parents, this too should be,

by virtue of analogy, subject to hesitation.

Thus we conclude that any accusation, except adultery, assaulting

people, oppressing them by usurpation of their property; evicting them

from their dwellings and villages and ousting them from their homelands, does not involve a mortal sin. For it has not been mentioned among the seventeen, the highest listing given, so that hesitation in this too is not unlikely. The Tradition, however, indicates its designation as mortal sin, and so it may be appended to such sin.

In conclusion, the matter, therefore, reverts to the meaning we attached to the term `mortal sin', i.e., that for the expiation of which, according to the rule of canon law, the prayers are not efficacious. That again is divided into what one knows will not, at all, be expiated; that for which people should atone; and that which is open to doubt. Of the last, some cases may be presumed to be solved positively or negatively, and others are so doubtful that only a text from the Book or [prophetic] tradition can resolve them. In the absence of such a text' there is no point in seek­ing resolution of the doubt.

You might object:

This proves the impossibility of perceiving the definition of a mortal sin, and how can the Law deal with what cannot be defined?

Know, then, that anything that is connected319 with judgement in this world can be open to ambiguity. Yet320 it is this world that is the sphere of prescribed divine law. About mortal sin, as such, there is no rule in this world. Rather, anything necessitating legal punishment is known by its [separate] name, such as theft, adultery and the like. But the rule re mortal sin is merely that the five prayers do not atone for it. This is a matter that relates to the hereafter. Ambiguity about it is appropri­ate in order that man be fearful and cautious, and should not venture, relying on the efficacy of the five prayers, into venial sins.

Thus, avoidance of mortal sins [22] atones venial ones, in accordance

65

with the divine word: IF YOU AVOID THE MORTAL SINS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN YOU, WE WILL ACQUIT YOU OF YOUR EVIL DEEDS 321 But, avoidance of mortal sin atones for the venial sin [only] when man abstains despite his ability and volition, like one who has power over a woman and could cohabit with her but restrains himself from inter­course and limits himself to gazing or touching. His internal struggle to abstain from sexual congress has greater effect in the illumination of his heart than his audacity in gazing has in the darkening of. his heart. This, then, is the meaning of his atonement. If, however, he was impo­tent; abstaining only because of disability; or refrained in fear of another [extraneous] matter, then such would not, by any means, serve the pur­pose of atonement. Whoever, by nature, had no322 desire for wine, and even were it permitted him would not drink of it, his abstention would not atone for the auxiliary venial sins like listening to the playing of musi­cal instruments. Certainly, he who craves wine and listening to music, yet restrains himself with great effort from wine and settled for music, his internal struggle in abstention may erase from his heart the darkness which accrued to it through the sin of listening to music.



All of these judgements pertain to the hereafter, and it is conceivable that some of them will remain. in a state of uncertainty and doubt. Their particulars can be known only from a text; which text or comprehensive definition has not yet been [clearly] granted, and only varying versions have reached us.

Thus that Abu Hurayra323 said: The Apostle of God, of blessed memory, said: 'One prayer to the next and one Ramadan to the next is an atonement, except in three matters, [namely]; polytheism, aban­doning the tradition (sunna) and breach of contract.'° He was asked: 'What [constitutes] abandoning tradition?' He replied:324 'Seceding from the community.' 'And what of breach of contract,' [he was asked]. 'That a man swore allegiance to [a leader] then go out with sword [in hand] to combat him.' This and its like are the expressions [in the matter]. They do not indicate a total number, nor do they point to a general rule. Thus the matter certainly remains obscure.

You might object:

Testimony (shahada) is accepted only from him who avoids the mor­tal sins; caution from venial sins is not a requisite for its acceptance. This is [in accord with] this world's rules.

Know, then, that we do not-restrict the rejection of testimony to the mortal sins. Indisputably, one who listens to the playing of musical instru­ments, dresses in silk brocade, wears a golden ring, and drinks from

gold and silver vessels, his testimony is not accepted, yet no one has concluded that these matters are mortal sins.

'Ash-Shi fr'i325 said:. 'If a Hanafi drank nabidh,326 I should impose legal punishment but would not reject his testimony.' By obligating legal punishment he made it a mortal sin, yet he did not reject the testimony.

This shows that neither acceptance nor rejection of testimony depends upon either venial or mortal sins [as such]. Rather, all sins damage integrity except those which man obviously cannot escape, such as slander, snooping, evil thought, falsehood in some statements, listening to gossip, abandoning the commanding of the good and forbidding the evil; eating doubtful food; abuse of a child and slave, beating them, in anger, more than is right; deference to tyrannical rulers; friendship with profligates; and indolence in instruction of household and child in all their religious needs. It is inconceivable that the witness could avoid, more or less, these sins except by withdrawing and devoting himself exclusively to the affairs of the hereafter, and curbing himself for awhile to the extent that he would be able to stick to his path even after he has rejoined society. If only the word of such a man were to be accepted, then it would be so scarce that all litigation and testimony would prove untenable.

Dressing in silk, listening to music, playing backgammon, social inter­course with the drinking set at the time of a party, intimacy with alien women, and the like of these venial sins are not of this kind. In accept­ing or rejecting testimony one must look into these ways, not into mor­tal or venial sins.

Then again some of these venial sins; because of which testimony is not rejected, surely may bring on the rejection of testimony if a man persists in them, e.g., habitual gossip and slander, keeping company and friendship with profligates. The venial sin grows by persistence, just as the permissible but indifferent act, like playing chess, singing con­stantly, etc., may become, through persistence, a venial sin..

So much for the rule re mortal and venial-sins

[23] How Higher and Lower States, in the Hereafter are distributed

according to Good and Evil Works in this Life

This life (dunyd) is of the material world while the hereafter is of the transcendent world. By 'this life' I refer to your state before death, and by the 'hereafter' to your condition after death. For your [temporal] exis­tence and afterlife are your attributes and states; [that] which is near is called 'this life' and that which follows later is called the hereafter


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