What are lamam (“small faults”)? And what is the ruling on a disobedient Muslim who repeatedly commits them?

 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 


“Those who avoid great sins and Al‑Fawaahish (illegal sexual intercourse) except the small faults (lamam)…”


[al-Najm 53:32] 


I know that lamam (translated here as “small faults”) means minor sins, such as looking, kissing and touching, and these sins will be forgiven by Allaah so long as major sins are avoided. 


My question is: does this mean that a person will not be punished for these sins even in this world, if he repents from them then does them again, and repents again and goes back to them again? Will he not be punished by Allaah for committing these sins?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

In the answer to the question no.
22422 , The meaning of small
faults’” we have discussed the different scholarly opinions on the meaning
of the word lamam in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Those who avoid great sins and Al‑Fawaahish (illegal
sexual intercourse) except the small faults (lamam)…”

[al-Najm 53:32] 

The majority of scholars are of the view that lamam
refers to minor sins. 

This does not mean that a person may be negligent with regard
to the matter of committing minor sins, rather persisting in minor sins
makes them major sins, which means that they are no longer minor faults. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh
Muslim: 

The scholars (may Allaah
have mercy on them) said that persisting in a minor sin makes it a major
sin. It was narrated from ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbaas and others (may Allaah be
pleased with them) that there is no major sin with prayers for forgiveness
and no minor sin if one persists in it. 

What this means is that a
major sin may be erased by praying for forgiveness, but a minor sin may
become a major sin if one persists in it. End quote. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa
(15/293): 

Adultery is a major sin, but looking and touching are
lamam (minor sins) which may be forgiven if one avoids major sin. But if
a person persists in looking or touching, that becomes a major sin, and
persisting in that may be worse than a small amount of major sin, for
persisting in looking with desire, along with the connected feelings of
mixing and touching, may be much worse than the evil of an isolated act of
zina. Hence the fuqaha’ said concerning the witness of good character: he
does not commit a major sin or persist in a minor sin… Indeed, looking and
touching may lead a man to shirk as Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others
besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah”

[al-Baqarah 2:165] 

The one who is in love becomes a slave to the one he loves.
end quote. 

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) warned us against being negligent with regard to minor sins, and said: 

“Beware of minor sins, like a people who camped in the bottom
of a valley, and one man brought a stick, another man brought a stick, and
so on, until they managed to bake their bread. There are some insignificant
sins which, once (they accumulate) and a person is questioned about them,
they lead to his doom.”

Narrated by Ahmad, 2/223, from the hadeeth of Sahl ibn Sa’d
(may Allaah have mercy on him). Al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is hasan. 

Ahmad (3803) narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Beware of minor sins, for they
accumulate until they doom a man,” and the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave a likeness of that: “Like people
who camped in the wilderness, and one man brought a stick, another man
brought a stick, and so on, until they accumulated a lot, then they lit a
fire and cooked their food.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Jaami’, 2687. 

Ibn Maajah (4243)
narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me: “O
‘Aa’ishah, beware of deeds that are regarded as insignificant, for they have
a pursuer from Allaah.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn
Maajah. 

Al-Ghazaali said: 

Repeatedly committing small sins has a great effect of
blackening the heart. It is like the effect of water dripping onto rock,
which will inevitably erode it, even though water is liquid and rock is
solid. End quote. 

The poet spoke well when he said: 

Do not think of minor sins as insignificant, for mountains
are made out of pebbles. 

Secondly: 

If a person repents from his sin, then it is forgiven and he
will not be punished for it, either in this world or in the Hereafter. Hence
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one
who repents from sin is like one who did not sin at all.” Narrated by Ibn
Maajah, 4250. al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is hasan; it was also classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. 

Al-Nawawi said: 

The scholars (may Allaah
be pleased with them) are agreed that repentance is accepted so long as the
death rattle has not reached the throat, as it says in the hadeeth. There
are three pillars or essential parts of repentance: the person must give up
the sin, regret doing it, and resolve not to go back to it. 

If a person repents from sin then goes back to it, that does
not invalidate his repentance, and if he repents from one sin then commits
another, his repentance is still valid. This is the correct view. End
quote. 

He also said: 

If a person repeats the sin a hundred times or a thousand
times or more, and repents each time, his repentance is accepted and his sin
is erased. Even if he were to repent once after all these sins, his
repentance would be valid. End quote. 

In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said in a hadeeth qudsi: “A person committed a sin and
said, ‘O Allaah, forgive me my sin.’ Allaah said: ‘My slave has committed a
sin, but he knew that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for sin.’
Then he committed the sin again and said: ‘O Lord, forgive me my sin.’
Allaah said: ‘My slave has committed a sin, but he knew that he has a Lord
Who forgives sins and punishes for sin.’ Then he committed the sin again and
said: ‘O Lord, forgive me my sin.’ Allaah said: ‘My slave has committed a
sin, but he knew that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for sin.
Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you.’” According to another report: “I
have forgiven My slave, so let him do what he wishes.” 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The words “Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you” mean:
so long as you sin then repent, I will forgive you. 

Whatever the case, the mercy of Allaah is vast and His bounty
is immense. Whoever repents, Allaah will accept his repentance. But the
Muslim should not take the risk of committing sins because he may not be
able to repent. What is mentioned in the hadeeth is for the purpose of
explaining how great the mercy of Allaah is and how immense His bounty, not
to encourage people to commit sin. 

For more information, please see the answer to question no.
9231. 

And Allaah knows best.