Surah Najm ayat 32 Tafsir Quran 53:32

﴿الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ﴾
[ النجم: 32]

53:32 Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.

Those who avoid grave sins and abominations excepting lesser offences that is minor sins such as a look a kiss or a touch this constitutes a discontinuous exception in other words the meaning is but lesser offences are forgiven by the avoidance of grave sins. Truly your Lord is of vast forgiveness for such lesser sins and for accepting repentance. The following was revealed regarding those who used to say ‘What of our prayers our fasting and our pilgrimage!’. He knows you best from the time when He produced you from the earth that is to say when He created your father Adam from dust and when you were hidden fetuses ajinna is the plural of janīn in the bellies of your mothers. So do not claim purity for yourselves do not praise yourselves that is in admiration; but if it is done in recognition of God’s grace then that is fine. He knows best those who are God-fearing.

Those who avoid major sins and do not commit themselves to an evil line of conduct, but occasionally fall into mistakes, faults or errors may find Allah Ghafrun (Forgiving),and Rahimun (Merciful); He knows well your nature, your character, and condition of mind besides your disposition and your temperament; for it is He Who brought you into being from the earth, then He embedded you in your mothers wombs; therefore justify not yourselves before him; He knows best those whose hearts are impressed with the image of virtues and whose deeds with wisdom and piety

Allah knows Every Matter, whether Small or Big, and He rewards Each according to His or Her Deeds Allah asserts that He is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is independent of the need for anyone.
He is the authority over His creation and rules them with justice.
He created the creation in truth, لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَيِجْزِى الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ بِالْحُسْنَى ( that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done, and reward those who do good, with what is best. ) He recompenses each according to his or her deeds, good for good and evil for evil. Qualities of the Good-doers; Allah forgives the Small Faults Allah stated that the gooddoers are those who avoid major sins and immoral sins.
They sometimes commit minor sins, but they will be forgiven these minor sins and covered from exposure, as Allah mentioned in another Ayah; إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَـتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُمْ مُّدْخَلاً كَرِيماً ( If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall expiate from you your (small ) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance.)( 4:31 ) Allah said here, الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـئِرَ الإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَحِشَ إِلاَّ اللَّمَمَ ( Those who avoid great sins and Al-Fawahish (immoral sins ) except Al-Lamam), Al-Lamam means, small faults and minor errors.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I have not seen anything that resembles Al-Lamam better than the Hadith that Abu Hurayrah narrated from the Prophet ,
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى كَتَبَ عَلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ حَظَّهُ مِنَ الزِّنَا، أَدْرَكَ ذلِكَ لَا مَحَالَةَ، فَزِنَا الْعَيْنِ النَّظَرُ، وَزِنَا اللِّسَانِ النُّطْقُ، وَالنَّفْسُ تَتَمَنَّى وَتَشْتَهِي، وَالْفَرْجُ يُصِدِّقُ ذلِكَ أَوْ يُكَذِّبُه»
( Verily, Allah the Exalted has decreed for the Son of Adam his share of Zina and he will certainly earn his share.
The Zina of the eye is by looking, the Zina of the tongue is by talking and the heart wishes and lusts, but the sexual organ either substantiates all this or not. )" This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs.
Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said, "The eyes commit Zina by looking, the lips by kissing, the hands by transgressing, the feet by walking, and the sexual organ either materializes all of this or not.
When one commits sexual intercourse, he will be someone who committed Zina.
Otherwise, it is Al-Lamam." Masruq and Ash-Sha`bi also held the same view.
`Abdur-Rahman bin Nafi`, who is also known as Ibn Lubabah At-Ta'ifi, said, "I asked Abu Hurayrah about Allah's statement, إِلاَّ اللَّمَمَ ( except the Lamam ), and he said, `It pertains to kissing, winking one's eye, looking and embracing.
When the sexual organ meets the sexual organ in intercourse then Ghusl is obligatory, and that is Zina." Encouraging Repentance and forbidding Claims of Purity for Oneself Allah's statement, إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ( verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness. ) asserts that His Mercy encompasses everything, and His forgiveness entails every type of sin, if one repents, قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against them- selves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins.
Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." ) ( 39:53 ) Allah said, هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ ( He knows you well when He created you from the earth, ) Allah says, `He was and still is the All-Knowing Whose knowledge encompasses your affairs, statements and all of the actions that will be committed by you, even when He created your father `Adam from the earth and took his offspring from his loin, as small as ants.
He then divided them into two groups, a group destined for Paradise and a group to Hellfire,' وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـتِكُمْ ( and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. ) when He commanded the angel to record one's provisions, age, actions and if he would be among the miserable or the happy.
Allah said, فَلاَ تُزَكُّواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ( So, ascribe not purity to yourselves. ) forbidding one from ascribing purity and praising himself and thinking highly of his actions, هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَى ( He knows best him who has Taqwa. ) Allah said in another Ayah, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً ( Have you not seen those who claim sanctity for themselves.
Nay, but Allah sanctifies whom He wills, and they will not be dealt with unjustly, even equal to the extent of a Fatil. ) ( 4:49 ) In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Muhammad bin `Amr bin `Ata said, "I called my daughter, Barrah ( the pious one ), and Zaynab bint Abu Salamah said to me, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade using this name.
I was originally called Barrah and he said,
«لَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ، إِنَّ اللهَ أَعْلَمُ بِأَهْلِ الْبِرِّ مِنْكُم»
( Do not ascribe purity to yourselves; Allah knows best who the pious people among you are )' They said, `What should we call her' He said,
«سَمُّوهَا زَيْنَب»
( Call her Zaynab. )" Imam Ahmad recorded a Hadith from `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah, from his father who said, "A man praised another man before the Prophet .
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مرارًا إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا صَاحِبَهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ، فَلْيَقُلْ: أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللهُ حَسِيبُهُ، وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا، أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذلِك»
( Woe to you, you have cut off the neck of your friend! (He repeated this ) If one of you must praise a friend of his, let him say, "I think that so-and-so is this and that; Allah knows best about him and I will never purify anyone before Allah," if he knows his friend to be as he is describing him.)" Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Hammam bin Al-Harith said, "A man came before `Uthman bin `Affan and praised him.
Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad started throwing sand in the face of that man, saying, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered us to throw sand in their faces when we see those who praise."' Muslim and Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.

(53:32) on those who avoid grave sins *30 and shameful deeds, *31 even if they may sometimes stumble into lesser offences. *32 Surely your Lord is abounding in His Forgiveness. *33 Very well is He aware of you since He produced you from the earth, and while you were still in your mothers' wombs and not yet born. So do not boastfully claim yourselves to be purified. He fully knows those that are truly Godfearing.

Those who avoid the major sins and meaning

*30) For explanation, see E.N.
53 of An-Nisa.

*31) For explanation, sec E.N.
130 of AI-An'am and E.N.
89 of An-Nahl.

*32) The word lamam as found in the original is used for a small quantity of something, or its slight effect, or its mere closeness, or its existence for a short time.
This word is used to express the sense that a person did not commit an act but was very near to committing it.

On the basis of its usages some commentators have taken the word lamam in the meaning of minor sins.
Some others have taken it in the meaning that a person should practically reach very near a grave sin but -should desist from actually committing it.
Still others take it in the sense of a person's remaining involved in a sin temporarily and then desisting from it.
And according to some it implies that a person should think of, or wish, or intend to commit a sin but should rake no practical steps towards it.
In this regard, the views of the Companions and their immediate followers are as follows:
Zaid bin Aslam and Ibn Zaid opine, and a saying of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas also is to the same effect, that it signifies those sins which the people had committed in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, then alter embracing Islam they refrained from them.'
Another view of Ibn `Abbas is, and the same is also the view of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'As, Mujahid, Hasan Basri and Abu Salih, that it implies a person's being involved in a grave sin or indecency temporarily, or occasionally, and then giving it up.

Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Masruq and Sha'bi say, and the same also has been reported from Hadrat Abu Hurairah and Hadrat 'Abdullah bin `Abbas in authentic traditions, that this implies a person's approaching the very point of a grave sin and crossing alI its preliminaries but then restraining himself at the final stage, e.g.
a person goes out with the intention of stealing but refrains from it in the end, or has colse association with other women, but refrains from committing adultery.
Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Zubair, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Dahhak say that this signifies those minor sins for which no punishment has been prescribed in the world nor any threat of punishment held out in the Hereafter.
Said bin al-Musayyab says that this implies one's thinking of a sin in the mind but restraining oneself from committing it practically .

These arc the different explanations which have been reported in the traditions from the Companions and their immediate followers.
The majority of the later commentators and doctors of law and jurists arc of the opinion that this verse and verse 31 of Surah An-Nisa classify sins into two main kinds: the major sins and the minor sins, and these two verses give man the hope that if he abstains from the major sins and open indecencies, AIlah will overlook his minor errors.
Although some distinguished scholars have also opined that no sin is minor and the disobedience of Allah is by itself a major sin, yet as stated by Imam Ghazali the distinction between the major and the minor sins is something which cannot be denied, for the sources of knowledge of the Shari'ah values and injunctions aII point to this.

As for the question, what is the distinction between the major and the minor sins, and what kinds of sins are major and what kinds of them minor ? we are satisfied that: " Every such act is a major sin which has been forbidden by a clear ordinance of the Divine Book and the Shari'ah of the Prophet, or for which AIIah and His Messenger have prescribed a punishment in the world, or have held out a threat of punishment in the Hereafter, or have cursed the one guilty of committing it, or given the news of infliction of punishment on those guilty of committing it.
" Apart from this class of sins all other acts which are disapproved by the Shari'ah, come under the definition of minor sins.
Likewise, the mere desire for a major sin, or an intention to commit it, also is not a major sin but a minor sin; so much so that even crossing all the preliminaries of a major sin does not constitute a major sin unless one has actually committed it.
However, even a minor sin becomes a major sin in case it is committed with a feeling of contempt for religion and of arrogance against Allah, and the one guilty of it does not consider the Shari`ah that has declared it an evil worthy of any attention and reverence.

*33) That is, " The forgiveness for the one guilty of minor sins is not for the reason that a minor sin is no sin, but for the reason that AIIah Almighty does not treat His servants narrow-mindedly and does not seize them on trifling faults; if the servants adopt piety and abstain from major sins and indecencies, He will not seize them for their minor errors and will forgive them magnanimously on account of His infinite mercy. "
 

Allah knows Every Matter, whether Small or Big, and He rewards Each according to His or Her Deeds Allah asserts that He is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is independent of the need for anyone.
He is the authority over His creation and rules them with justice.
He created the creation in truth, لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَيِجْزِى الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ بِالْحُسْنَى ( that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done, and reward those who do good, with what is best. ) He recompenses each according to his or her deeds, good for good and evil for evil. Qualities of the Good-doers; Allah forgives the Small Faults Allah stated that the gooddoers are those who avoid major sins and immoral sins.
They sometimes commit minor sins, but they will be forgiven these minor sins and covered from exposure, as Allah mentioned in another Ayah; إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَـتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُمْ مُّدْخَلاً كَرِيماً ( If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall expiate from you your (small ) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance.)( 4:31 ) Allah said here, الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـئِرَ الإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَحِشَ إِلاَّ اللَّمَمَ ( Those who avoid great sins and Al-Fawahish (immoral sins ) except Al-Lamam), Al-Lamam means, small faults and minor errors.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I have not seen anything that resembles Al-Lamam better than the Hadith that Abu Hurayrah narrated from the Prophet , «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى كَتَبَ عَلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ حَظَّهُ مِنَ الزِّنَا، أَدْرَكَ ذلِكَ لَا مَحَالَةَ، فَزِنَا الْعَيْنِ النَّظَرُ، وَزِنَا اللِّسَانِ النُّطْقُ، وَالنَّفْسُ تَتَمَنَّى وَتَشْتَهِي، وَالْفَرْجُ يُصِدِّقُ ذلِكَ أَوْ يُكَذِّبُه» ( Verily, Allah the Exalted has decreed for the Son of Adam his share of Zina and he will certainly earn his share.
The Zina of the eye is by looking, the Zina of the tongue is by talking and the heart wishes and lusts, but the sexual organ either substantiates all this or not. )" This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs.
Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said, "The eyes commit Zina by looking, the lips by kissing, the hands by transgressing, the feet by walking, and the sexual organ either materializes all of this or not.
When one commits sexual intercourse, he will be someone who committed Zina.
Otherwise, it is Al-Lamam." Masruq and Ash-Sha`bi also held the same view.
`Abdur-Rahman bin Nafi`, who is also known as Ibn Lubabah At-Ta'ifi, said, "I asked Abu Hurayrah about Allah's statement, إِلاَّ اللَّمَمَ ( except the Lamam ), and he said, `It pertains to kissing, winking one's eye, looking and embracing.
When the sexual organ meets the sexual organ in intercourse then Ghusl is obligatory, and that is Zina." Encouraging Repentance and forbidding Claims of Purity for Oneself Allah's statement, إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ( verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness. ) asserts that His Mercy encompasses everything, and His forgiveness entails every type of sin, if one repents, قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against them- selves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins.
Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." ) ( 39:53 ) Allah said, هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ ( He knows you well when He created you from the earth, ) Allah says, `He was and still is the All-Knowing Whose knowledge encompasses your affairs, statements and all of the actions that will be committed by you, even when He created your father `Adam from the earth and took his offspring from his loin, as small as ants.
He then divided them into two groups, a group destined for Paradise and a group to Hellfire,' وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـتِكُمْ ( and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. ) when He commanded the angel to record one's provisions, age, actions and if he would be among the miserable or the happy.
Allah said, فَلاَ تُزَكُّواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ( So, ascribe not purity to yourselves. ) forbidding one from ascribing purity and praising himself and thinking highly of his actions, هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَى ( He knows best him who has Taqwa. ) Allah said in another Ayah, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً ( Have you not seen those who claim sanctity for themselves.
Nay, but Allah sanctifies whom He wills, and they will not be dealt with unjustly, even equal to the extent of a Fatil. ) ( 4:49 ) In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Muhammad bin `Amr bin `Ata said, "I called my daughter, Barrah ( the pious one ), and Zaynab bint Abu Salamah said to me, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade using this name.
I was originally called Barrah and he said, «لَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ، إِنَّ اللهَ أَعْلَمُ بِأَهْلِ الْبِرِّ مِنْكُم» ( Do not ascribe purity to yourselves; Allah knows best who the pious people among you are )' They said, `What should we call her' He said, «سَمُّوهَا زَيْنَب» ( Call her Zaynab. )" Imam Ahmad recorded a Hadith from `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah, from his father who said, "A man praised another man before the Prophet .
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مرارًا إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا صَاحِبَهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ، فَلْيَقُلْ: أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللهُ حَسِيبُهُ، وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا، أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذلِك» ( Woe to you, you have cut off the neck of your friend! (He repeated this ) If one of you must praise a friend of his, let him say, "I think that so-and-so is this and that; Allah knows best about him and I will never purify anyone before Allah," if he knows his friend to be as he is describing him.)" Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Hammam bin Al-Harith said, "A man came before `Uthman bin `Affan and praised him.
Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad started throwing sand in the face of that man, saying, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered us to throw sand in their faces when we see those who praise."' Muslim and Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.

Allah then showed their works in the life of the world, saying: ( Those who avoid enormities of sin ) i.e. idolatry and the major sins ( and abominations ) adultery and transgressions, ( save the unwilled offences ) except a furtive look, a taunt, a censure which they then blame themselves for committing and repent of doing; it is also said that this means: except marrying ( (for them ) lo! thy Lord is of vast mercy) towards he who repents of major and minor sins. ( He is best aware of you ) than your own selves ( when He created you from the earth ) He created you from Adam and Adam is from dust and dust is from the earth, ( and when ye were ) small ( hidden in the bellies of your mothers ) Allah knew in these circumstances what will ensue from you. ( Therefore ascribe not purity unto yourselves ) do not absolve yourselves from committing sins. ( He is best aware of him who wardeth off (evil )) transgression and does good.

Those who avoid great sins (see the Quran, Verses: 6:152, 153) and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) except the small faults, verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you from the earth (Adam), and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keep his duty to Him [i.e. those who are Al-Muttaqun (pious - see V. 2:2)].

Page 527 English transliteration