37/3. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4011 — Major Sins and the False Oath
Mentioning the Major Sins
Major Sins in Islam: The Warning Against a Knowingly False Oath
Sunan an-Nasai : 4011
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4011
أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ شُمَيْلٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا فِرَاسٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الشَّعْبِيَّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْكَبَائِرُ الإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُ " .
'Abdullah bin 'Amr Narrated from:
The Prophet [SAW] said: "The major sins are: Associating others with Allah, disobeying parents, killing a soul (murder) and swearing a false oath knowingly."
[1] This preceded; No. 4016.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4011In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 46English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4016
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4011
This hadith lists four major sins: associating others with Allah, disobeying parents, killing a soul and swearing a false oath knowingly. The false oath mentioned here is not an accidental mistake or careless wording. The translation makes clear that it is taken with knowledge of its falsehood. This places deliberate dishonesty under oath beside grave failures in faith, family duty and respect for life. The hadith is easy to understand but demanding in practice. A Muslim must protect tawhid, treat parents properly, avoid unlawful killing and refuse to use Allah's name to support a lie. The narration does not say these are the only major sins. It identifies them as major and warns the listener to take both outward harm and deliberate deception seriously.
What we learn from this hadith
- Shirk is the first major sin named in this narration.
- Disobeying parents is treated as a grave wrongdoing.
- Killing a soul is included among the major sins.
- A knowingly false oath is a serious form of deliberate dishonesty.
