36/3. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 3936 — Sins That Clash with Faith
The prohibition of plunder
Hadith About Major Sins and Faith at the Time of Sin
Sunan Ibn Majah : 3936
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 3936
حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " لاَ يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَسْرِقُ السَّارِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَنْتَهِبُ نُهْبَةً يَرْفَعُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ أَبْصَارَهُمْ حِينَ يَنْتَهِبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The adulterer, at the time he is committing adultery, is not a believer; (the wine drinker) at the time he is drinking, is not a believer; the thief, at the time he is stealing, is not a believer; the plunderer, at the time he is plundering with the people looking on, is not a believer.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3936In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 11English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 3936
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 3936
This hadith about major sins names several actions and links them to the state of faith while they are being done. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that the adulterer is not a believer at the time of adultery, the drinker is not a believer at the time of drinking, the thief is not a believer at the time of stealing, and the plunderer is not a believer at the time he plunders while people look on. The wording is about the time of committing those acts. The safe explanation is to stay with that phrasing and not make extra claims beyond it. The hadith makes these sins feel heavy, not casual. It warns the believer to step back before desire, theft, drink, or public plunder pulls him into a dangerous act.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith names adultery, drinking, theft, and public plunder as serious sins.
- It speaks about the person’s state at the time the sin is being committed.
- The warning is meant to make these actions feel weighty, not normal.
- Public plunder is included among actions that clash with faith in this report.
