Does the accepted Hajj expiate major sins?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. We said regarding Hajj: that Allah the Exalted forgives sins and the pilgrim returns as if he were born on the day his mother gave birth to him. The hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companion who stipulated that his past sins be forgiven: Mishkat al-Masabih 28Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i) Is there evidence in this that major sins are likewise, meaning, forgiven in Hajj?
The Shaykh : This is the apparent meaning of the hadith. The apparent meaning of the hadithJami` at-Tirmidhi 811Sahih (Darussalam) if he meets this condition Sahih al-Bukhari 1521 and also the hadith of 'Amr ibn al-'As to which you referred Sahih Muslim 121 its apparent meaning is generality, that it demolishes everything except disbelief, so repentance is necessary in that case.
The questioner : Some said: The generalities of the hadith, meaning, and some said: It is a consensus that they are not forgiven.
The Shaykh : That what?
The questioner : Major sins are not forgiven except by repentance.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is said: This is the apparent meaning of the hadith, and it is not for us to go beyond the apparent meaning except with evidence. And this which you mentioned, some scholars mentioned it, saying: If the five daily prayers do not expiate [sins] except if major sins are avoided, and they are greater than Hajj, more excellent, and more beloved to Allah, then Hajj is all the more so. But we say: This is the apparent meaning of the hadith, and Allah the Exalted has matters in His judgment, and there is no analogy in reward, and praise be to Allah. You have reckoned with your Lord for this, so perhaps Allah the Exalted will grant it to you.
'Amr b. al-‘As said: I came to the Prophet and said, “Stretch out your right hand and let me swear allegiance to you.” He stretched out his right hand, but I clenched my hand and he said, “What is the matter with you, ‘Amr?” I replied, “I want to make a condition.” He asked, “What condition do you make?” I replied, “That I should receive forgiveness.” He said, “Do you not know, 'Amr, that Islam demolishes what preceded it, that the Hijra demolishes what preceded it, and the Pilgrimage demolishes what preceded it?” Muslim transmitted it. We shall mention the two traditions transmitted from Abu Huraira, (1) He declared that God said, “I am the one who is most able to dispense with partnership”; (2) “Pride is my cloak”, in the chapters on Hypocrisy and Pride 1 , if God most high will. 1 i.e, Book XXIV, Ch. vi and Book XXIII, Ch. xx.
ألم تعلم أن الإسلام يهدم ما قبله وأن الحج يهدم ما قبلهThe Shaykh : This is the apparent meaning of the hadith. The apparent meaning of the hadith
Whoever performs Hajj for Allah, and he does not have sexual relations nor commit any sin
من حج فلم يرفث ولم يفسقthen he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.
رجع كيوم ولدته أمهand verily the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds
وأن الحج يهدم ما قبلهThe questioner : Some said: The generalities of the hadith, meaning, and some said: It is a consensus that they are not forgiven.
The Shaykh : That what?
The questioner : Major sins are not forgiven except by repentance.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is said: This is the apparent meaning of the hadith, and it is not for us to go beyond the apparent meaning except with evidence. And this which you mentioned, some scholars mentioned it, saying: If the five daily prayers do not expiate [sins] except if major sins are avoided, and they are greater than Hajj, more excellent, and more beloved to Allah, then Hajj is all the more so. But we say: This is the apparent meaning of the hadith, and Allah the Exalted has matters in His judgment, and there is no analogy in reward, and praise be to Allah. You have reckoned with your Lord for this, so perhaps Allah the Exalted will grant it to you.