Ramadan is always eagerly awaited because it is known as a month full of blessings and the chance to erase sins. But is it true that all sins are instantly forgiven after Ramadan? Don’t be too quick to feel relieved! There are several important things we need to understand about how to erase sins properly, especially regarding the Seven Major Sins.
Sins are Forgiven in the Month of Ramadan
In an authentic hadith, Rasulullah ﷺ said:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ” (رواه البخاري ومسلم)
“Whoever fasts Ramadan with full faith and hope for reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (HR. Bukhari & Muslim)
Apart from that, there are other hadiths that strengthen how to erase sins in the month of Ramadan:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ، وَالْجُمْعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمْعَةِ، وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ، مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتُنِبَتِ الْكَبَائِرُ” (رواه مسلم)
“The five daily prayers, from Friday to Friday, and from Ramadan to the next Ramadan, can erase the sins in between, if one avoids major sins.” (رواه مسلم) (HR. Muslim)
Rasulullah ﷺ also said:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ” (رواه البخاري ومسلم
“Whoever carries out the qiyam of Ramadan with full faith and hope for reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (HR. Bukhari, No. 37; Muslim, No. 759)
Rasulullah ﷺ also said:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ” (رواه البخاري ومسلم)
“Whoever establishes prayer on the night of Lailatul Qadar with full faith and hopes for reward, then his past sins will be forgiven.” (HR. Bukhari, No. 35; Muslim, No. 760)
We often hear this hadith, right? In addition, there is also another hadith that states that the five daily prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan can erase sins as long as we avoid major sins. Because major sins require Nasuha’s repentance. Allah ﷻ says:
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًۭا صَٰلِحًۭا فَأُو۟لَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ حَسَنَٰتٍۢ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا (الفرقان: 70)
“Except for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, then those are they for whom Allah will replace their bad deeds with good. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (QS. Al-Furqan: 70)
Seven Major Sins in Islam
The Seven Major Sins, known as Al-Mubiqat, are severe sins that can destroy a person in both this world and the hereafter if they do not repent. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Avoid the seven destructive sins (Al-Mubiqat).”
The companions asked, “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied:
“Associating partners with Allah (shirk), practicing magic, killing a soul that Allah has forbidden except by right, consuming usury (riba), consuming the property of an orphan, fleeing from the battlefield, and accusing chaste, believing women of adultery.”
(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
These Seven Major Sins are not automatically forgiven even during Ramadan they require sincere repentance, known as taubah nasuha.
From here, if we have repented in the month of Ramadan, it seems like all our sins can be zero after Ramadan. But, before the pleasure comes too quickly, there is one important rule in Islam that must be understood!
Also read: Ramadhan Kareem: Time to Increase Faith and Piety!
General Rules in Forgiveness of Sins
In the science of ushul fiqh, there is an important rule that states:
دليل العام يبقى في عمومه ما لم يرد دليل التخصيص
“General evidence remains valid in its generality unless there is evidence that specifies it.” (As-Suyuthi, 1983: 121)
This means that if there is no other evidence that specifies it, then all sins can be forgiven.
Well, it turns out that there is another evidence that provides limitations in how to erase this sin. Let’s see further!
Also read: Is Hidayah Awaited or Sought?
Sins against others, can’t be repented of?
Well, this is what is often forgotten! Ramadan does not automatically erase the sins of fellow humans.
Rasulullah ﷺ reminded us:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: “أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ؟” قَالُوا: “الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا مَنْ لَا دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلَا مَتَاعَ.” فَقَالَ: “إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلَاةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ، وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا، وَقَذَفَ هَذَا، وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا، وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا، وَضَرَبَ هَذَا،…
“The bankrupt person from my Ummah is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with the rewards of prayer, fasting, and zakat, but also brings the sins of insulting, accusing, consuming other people’s property, shedding blood, and hitting other people.….” (HR. Muslim)
How to Forsake Sins to Others
- Apologize directly to the people we have wronged.
- Returning someone else’s rights if they ever take something that doesn’t belong to them us.
- Asking for forgiveness from Allah ﷻ while trying to atone for mistakes with good deeds.
If you do not erase your sins towards others in the world, until finally the sins are brought to the afterlife, then there will be severe consequences. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in the continuation of the hadith above:
فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ، وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ، فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ، أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ.” (رواه مسلم)
“…His reward was given to those he had wronged. If his reward runs out before his sins are paid off, then the sins of the person he wronged are transferred to him, then he is thrown into hell.” (HR. Muslim)
Very scary, right? That means, our fasting and worship will be useless if we still like to hurt other people.
Also read: Tips for a Productive I’tikaf During the Last 10 Nights of Ramadan
Khatimah
Ramadan is truly a month full of forgiveness, where sins can be erased through fasting, night prayers, and other acts of worship. However, there are conditions! The Seven Major Sins will not be erased unless sincere repentance is made. Additionally, sins against fellow humans must be resolved by apologizing and returning any wrongfully taken rights. Otherwise, the consequences will be faced on the Day of Judgment.
Let’s use Ramadan not only to increase our worship but also to improve our relationships with Allah ﷻ and fellow humans. This way, we ensure that the path to erasing sins leads to true salvation, both in this world and the hereafter.
Also read: Intention of Fasting in Ramadan: Obligatory or Sunnah? Here’s the Explanation!
Reference
Al-Qur’an Al-Karim https://tafsirweb.com
Al-Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Retrieved from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/bukhari
Muslim, Abu al-Husain. Sahih Muslim. Retrieved from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/muslim.
As-Suyuthi, Jalaluddin. Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Qur’an. Cairo: Dar al-Hadith, 1983
