How to reconcile the hadith (If you are afflicted by sins, then cover them up) with the hadith (… when they are left alone with the prohibitions of Allah, they violate them…)?

The questioner : The first hadith: there are two hadiths here. I don't know, I don't understand how to reconcile them. What is the meaning of the hadith... ?

The Shaykh : .

The questioner : And the other hadith is a long one... in Sahih al-Jami'... . Can you recall this hadith?

The Shaykh : I am like you; I cannot recall its exact text, but I think the point of difficulty is in this: . So, what is the difficulty?

The questioner : I mean, when they are left alone with the prohibitions of Allah, they violate them. I understood both to mean that when they are left alone with themselves, they violate them. The first hadith, as I understood it, is about a matter , meaning that if a person does something, he does it in secret. Is that what I understood?

The Shaykh : No, and may Allah reward you. First, did you see this first hadith in Sahih al-Jami'? No. This hadith has no basis, so you can rest easy regarding it. Your second hadith remains with its apparent indication. However, there is a hadith from which the meaning of the first hadith can be understood. I say "can be understood" and I mean what I say, but if you look at this authentic hadith, you will not feel that it contradicts the other hadith which is in Sahih al-Jami'. That hadith is in Sahih al-Bukhari. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . This aligns with that: . But it does not encourage sin; rather, if one is afflicted, he does not remove the veil or expose himself. If this is the meaning, and it is indeed the meaning of the authentic hadith, then the authentic hadith you have does not contradict this, because this one contains a condemnation of people who display righteousness and piety, but when they are left alone with themselves, they violate the prohibitions of Allah.

The questioner : Does he mean by "prohibitions" only the major sins, or...?

The Shaykh : No, "prohibitions" means forbidden things in general. Yes.

The questioner : I mean, as for minor sins, almost no one is safe from them; there are few...

The Shaykh : Correct, but in any case, this reminds me of another authentic hadith: . Do you know this hadith and how it uses as an example one who gathers small pieces of wood until the fire blazes up? Therefore, the fact that the prohibitions, which are forbidden things, include both minor and major sins means that the matter is not easy, because their gathering will burn.

The questioner : As he said... in the book of Major Sins: "There is no major sin with seeking forgiveness, and no minor sin with persistence."

The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.