The Shaykh’s discussion with one of the attendees regarding Ibn Hazm’s statement on the sins of the Prophets, namely that there is a sin that is neither a minor nor a major one.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The student : Shaykh, you did not complete the answer regarding the sins of the Prophets, yes...
The Shaykh : I have nothing. The sin is a sin; as for it being neither major nor minor, this is not reasonable, no...
The student : ... Ibn Hazm.
The Shaykh : I do not think you can bring up Ibn Hazm’s words if you have them memorized, but you cannot bring up the answer to the question I am asking you. There is a great difference. I want to know what he says? Since this is not a major or minor sin, then what is it? I told you he said such-and-such, but that is not my answer, because that statement is not an answer to my question.
The student : But he has a reasoning for this statement of his.
The Shaykh : I am not concerned with the reasoning. Let us return and say: we want the ruling, and then the reasoning.
The student : I mean, let us give an example now, O Shaykh. When Allah (Mighty and Majestic) rebuked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with Now imagine if a Muslim da'iyah (caller) were calling disbelievers to Islam, and a Muslim man came in the same manner and asked him to speak with him, and he looked at him without kindness, without... until he entered him into Islam. Would this Muslim man be sinful before his Lord?
The Shaykh: No.
The student : Here Ibn Hazm says that Allah... regarding the Prophets... it is not a sin. From this perspective, he says it is neither major nor minor.
The Shaykh : What is the sin?
The student : The sin for which its doer is punished.
The Shaykh : Okay, is the minor one punished for?
The student : The minor one is not punished for unless one abandons it...
The Shaykh : So there is a minor sin for which one is not punished.
The questioner : Yes, but in the first example, you indicated that...
The Shaykh : Okay,[Al-Fath 48:1-2] can you say then that there is no sin?
The student : From the perspective of the verse:.
The Shaykh: May Allah guide you.
The student : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Do not deviate from the answer.
The student : I will answer you on this.
The Shaykh : No, because you did not grasp the question. And the bitterest of the two is when you grasp the question, you do not need to answer it.
The student : I am, of course, not like the others.
The Shaykh : I did not accuse you. You are defending yourself. Keep in mind that you are now placing yourself in the position of accusation by yourself.
The student : I fear that you are taking this from me, but...
The Shaykh: May Allah guide you.
The student : May Allah do so. Amen.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, what does he say? Here is a declaration of sin. Return to the non-answer. Is the sin a transgression?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, is it major or minor? Here in the verse. Say major, no.
The student : Of course not.
The Shaykh : Okay, minor.
The student : Yes, minor.
The Shaykh : Why are you stopping?
The student : No, the apparent meaning of the verse here is minor.
The Shaykh : Okay, is he held accountable, punished?
The student : No, he is not punished.
The Shaykh : So what is the problem?
The student : The problem...
The Shaykh : No, no, you need to return to your old habit. What is the problem? You were assuming a transgression for which there is punishment. So when we mentioned to you, with a "sin" and a "jīm," that the minor transgression has no punishment, the problem ended. What do you want to say? You want to say Ibn Hazm’s words? I do not want Ibn Hazm’s words. I want to know: is there a major sin? The Prophets are absolved. Is there a minor sin? Yes. Ibn Hazm says no, no major and no minor. We understand from the discussion that the meaning of "sin" is that one is held accountable for it, not that it is necessary to be held accountable for it. One is not held accountable for the minor, and not punished for it. So if we say that the Prophets are infallible from minor sins, because they are infallible from minor sins, that equals being infallible from sins. Do we say we are infallible from sins? No, the verse is explicit. So a sin is either major or minor. There is no major sin. So the minor remains. The matter does not require much discussion.
The student : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : I have nothing. The sin is a sin; as for it being neither major nor minor, this is not reasonable, no...
The student : ... Ibn Hazm.
The Shaykh : I do not think you can bring up Ibn Hazm’s words if you have them memorized, but you cannot bring up the answer to the question I am asking you. There is a great difference. I want to know what he says? Since this is not a major or minor sin, then what is it? I told you he said such-and-such, but that is not my answer, because that statement is not an answer to my question.
The student : But he has a reasoning for this statement of his.
The Shaykh : I am not concerned with the reasoning. Let us return and say: we want the ruling, and then the reasoning.
The student : I mean, let us give an example now, O Shaykh. When Allah (Mighty and Majestic) rebuked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with
He frowned and turned away, because the blind man came to him.
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى * أَنْ جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَىThe Shaykh: No.
The student : Here Ibn Hazm says that Allah... regarding the Prophets... it is not a sin. From this perspective, he says it is neither major nor minor.
The Shaykh : What is the sin?
The student : The sin for which its doer is punished.
The Shaykh : Okay, is the minor one punished for?
The student : The minor one is not punished for unless one abandons it...
The Shaykh : So there is a minor sin for which one is not punished.
The questioner : Yes, but in the first example, you indicated that...
The Shaykh : Okay,
(1) Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear conquest (2) That Allah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin
إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا * لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَThe student : From the perspective of the verse:
He frowned and turned away.
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىThe Shaykh: May Allah guide you.
The student : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Do not deviate from the answer.
The student : I will answer you on this.
The Shaykh : No, because you did not grasp the question. And the bitterest of the two is when you grasp the question, you do not need to answer it.
The student : I am, of course, not like the others.
The Shaykh : I did not accuse you. You are defending yourself. Keep in mind that you are now placing yourself in the position of accusation by yourself.
The student : I fear that you are taking this from me, but...
The Shaykh: May Allah guide you.
The student : May Allah do so. Amen.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, what does he say? Here is a declaration of sin. Return to the non-answer. Is the sin a transgression?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, is it major or minor? Here in the verse. Say major, no.
The student : Of course not.
The Shaykh : Okay, minor.
The student : Yes, minor.
The Shaykh : Why are you stopping?
The student : No, the apparent meaning of the verse here is minor.
The Shaykh : Okay, is he held accountable, punished?
The student : No, he is not punished.
The Shaykh : So what is the problem?
The student : The problem...
The Shaykh : No, no, you need to return to your old habit. What is the problem? You were assuming a transgression for which there is punishment. So when we mentioned to you, with a "sin" and a "jīm," that the minor transgression has no punishment, the problem ended. What do you want to say? You want to say Ibn Hazm’s words? I do not want Ibn Hazm’s words. I want to know: is there a major sin? The Prophets are absolved. Is there a minor sin? Yes. Ibn Hazm says no, no major and no minor. We understand from the discussion that the meaning of "sin" is that one is held accountable for it, not that it is necessary to be held accountable for it. One is not held accountable for the minor, and not punished for it. So if we say that the Prophets are infallible from minor sins, because they are infallible from minor sins, that equals being infallible from sins. Do we say we are infallible from sins? No, the verse is explicit. So a sin is either major or minor. There is no major sin. So the minor remains. The matter does not require much discussion.
The student : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.