1/24. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 57a — Major Sins
Clarifying that faith decreases because of disobedience and negating it from the one committing the act of disobedience, with the meaning of negating its completion
Major Sins and Faith: A Warning from Sahih Muslim 57a
Sahih Muslim : 57a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 57a
حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عِمْرَانَ التُّجِيبِيُّ، أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَسَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، يَقُولاَنِ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَسْرِقُ السَّارِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ " . قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَأَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُهُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَكَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يُلْحِقُ مَعَهُنَّ " وَلاَ يَنْتَهِبُ نُهْبَةً ذَاتَ شَرَفٍ يَرْفَعُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ فِيهَا أَبْصَارَهُمْ حِينَ يَنْتَهِبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah observed: The fornicator who fornicates is not a believer so long as he commits it and no thief who steals is a believer as long as he commits theft, and no drunkard who drinks wine is a believer as long as he drinks it. 'Abdul-Malik b. Abi Bakr' narrated this on the authority of Abu Bakr b. Abdur-Rahman b. Harith and then said: Abu Huraira made this addition: No plunderer who plunders a valuable thing that attracts the attention of people is a believer so long as he commits this act.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 57aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 109USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 104
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 57a
This Hadith gives a serious warning about major sins and faith. Abu Huraira reports that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the fornicator is not a believer while committing fornication, the thief is not a believer while stealing, and the drunkard is not a believer while drinking wine. Abu Huraira also added that a plunderer who takes a valuable thing while people look at him is not a believer while doing that act. The core topic is major sins. The wording repeats “so long as” or “while” the act is being committed, so the explanation should keep that timing clear. For searches like “fornicator is not a believer hadith” or “thief not believer hadith,” the lesson is a strong warning: these acts clash with the state of faith at the moment of doing them.
What we learn from this hadith
- Fornication, theft, drinking wine, and public plunder are strongly warned against.
- The Hadith speaks about the person while committing the act.
- Major sins are shown as acts that harm a person’s state of faith.
