Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This means that the five daily prayers, from the Fajr prayer, for example, to the Zuhr, from the Zuhr to the 'Asr, from the 'Asr to the Maghrib, from the Maghrib to the 'Isha, and from the 'Isha to the Fajr, expiate the sins committed between them. If a person commits a sin and performs these five prayers properly, they erase the sins. However, he said: This means: provided that major sins are avoided. Major sins are any sin for which the Lawgiver has prescribed a specific punishment. So, for example, any sin for which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed its doer is among the major sins. Anything that carries a fixed punishment (hadd) in this world, such as unlawful sexual intercourse, or a threat in the Hereafter, such as consuming usury or interest (riba), or a denial of faith, such as: or a disavowal of it, such as: or the like, is among the major sins. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding his statement: Does the meaning of the hadith imply that minor sins are expiated only if major sins are avoided, and that they are not expiated except with two conditions: the five daily prayers and avoiding major sins? Or does the meaning of the hadith imply that they are an expiation for what is between them, except for major sins, which they do not expiate? On this view, the expiation of minor sins has only one condition: establishing these five prayers, or the Friday prayer to the next Friday, or Ramadan to the next Ramadan. And this is the most apparent meaning, and Allah knows best, that the five daily prayers expiate what is between them, except for major sins, which they do not expiate. Likewise, the Friday prayer to the next Friday, and likewise Ramadan to the next Ramadan. This is because major sins require a specific repentance. So if one does not repent with a specific repentance, good deeds do not expiate them; rather, a specific repentance is necessary. As for the second hadith of Abu Hurayrah, it is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) presented the matter to his companions in a way that he knew what they would say in response. But this is part of his excellent teaching (peace and blessings be upon him), that he sometimes presents issues in a certain manner so that a person pays attention to it and knows what will be presented to him. He said: He was presenting to them whether he would inform them, and it is known that they would say, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, inform us.” But he (peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this form and this style in order for them to pay attention to what was being presented to them. They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah,” meaning, inform us, for we would like you to tell us what raises ranks and erases sins. He said: These are three things. First: perfecting the ablution even when it is difficult, meaning: completing the ablution in the days of winter, because in the days of winter the water is cold. The water is cold in them, and completing the ablution, meaning perfecting it, involves hardship for the soul. So if a person perfects his ablution despite this hardship, this indicates the perfection of his faith, so Allah raises his ranks thereby and removes his sin thereby. This is one. Second: walking a great deal to the mosques, meaning: that a person intends the mosques where it is prescribed for him to attend, which is in the five daily prayers. Even if the mosque is far, even if the mosque is far, the farther the mosque is from the house, the more good deeds the person gains. So if a person performs ablution in his house and perfects it, then leaves for the mosque, and nothing takes him out except the prayer, he does not take a single step but that Allah raises him a rank thereby and removes a sin from him thereby, even if the mosque is far. And the third: waiting for one prayer after another, meaning: that a person, out of his intense longing for the prayers, whenever he finishes a prayer and his heart is attached to the next prayer, he waits for it. This indicates his faith, his love, and his longing for these great prayers, about which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So if he waits for one prayer after another, this is among the things that raise ranks and expiate sins. The author mentioned these two hadiths in the chapter on multiplying the means of good, because these, praise be to Allah, are multiple means of good: the five daily prayers, the Friday prayer to the next Friday, Ramadan to the next Ramadan, walking a great deal to the mosque, perfecting the ablution even when it is difficult, and waiting for one prayer after another. And Allah grants success.