Ash-Shura (Consultation)

37. And those who avoid the grave sins and vicious deeds, and when they are angry, forgive.

The preceding Verse treated of faith and putting one’s trust in God Almighty both of which are attached to the heart. The blessed Verse in question treats of believers’ practical strategies.

What are grave sins (kaba’ir al-ithm)? In his Tahrir al-Wasila, Imam Khomeini (May God Almighty sanctify his noble spirit) in discussing the qualifications of the Imam leading a congregational prayer states that it is incumbent upon such Imam to abstain from committing grave sins which include any sin for committing which the Holy Qur’an promises torment, or those against which there are strict injunctions, or those for which there exist arguments bearing testimony to the fact that they are on a par with or worse than grave sins, or the ones which are deemed as such by intellection, or those regarded as such by the common run of believers, or there exists certain reason to regard them likewise.

Then, he proceeds to enumerate a number of instances, including:

1. Despair of Divine Mercy

2. Forging lies against Allah and His Noble Prophet (S)

3. Homicide and fornication

4. Accusing a married woman of a groundless imputation

5. Desertion at the time of war

6. Being cursed and disinherited by one’s parents

7. Breaking off all relations with relatives

8. Practicing magic

9. Fornication

10. Sodomy

11. Transgressing the rights of the orphan

12. Withholding truth

13. Bearing false testimony

14. Breaking one’s promise

15. Drinking alcoholic drinks

16. Overstepping the stipulations of a will

17. Usury

18. Gambling

19. Stinting or scrimping in selling something

20. Consumption of pork and corpse

21. Bearing wrong-doers assistance and relying on them

22. Extravagance and prodigality

23. Withholding people’s rights

24. Forging lies

25. Arrogance

26. Treachery and disloyalty

27. Backbiting

28. Underestimation of the excellence of pilgrimage to Mecca

30. Failing to establish of daily prayers

31. Withholding religious alms tax (zakat)

32. Persistence in committing lesser sins

33. Preoccupation with libidinous pleasures

34. Associating partners to God Almighty

35. Theft

36. Consumption of blood

37. Consumption of corpse

38. Consumption of the meat of an animal at whose slaughter the Name of God Almighty was not uttered or the one slaughtered by non-Muslims

39. Bearing false testimony

40. Feeling safe against Divine Scheme

41. Bearing wrong-doers assistance

42. Perjury

43. Fraudulence in transactions and entertaining hatred and stealing from the war booty before its distribution

44. Waging war against favorites of God Almighty

The blessed Verse in question treats of the exalted states of those who believe in God Almighty and put their trust in their Lord knowing that what is provided for them with their Lord is far better and enduring than the limited material possessions with which disbelievers are provided.

It is also worthy of note that it is an attribute of believers that they abstain from committing grave sins and vicious deeds and forgive others when they are in a rage against them.