Wisdom 23: Expiation for Major Sins
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
“Among the expiations for major sins are helping the distressed and relieving the suffering of those in grief.”
Key Terms
Kaffārāt (كفارات)
Expiations or acts that help erase sins.
Al-‘Iẓām (العظام)
Major or grave.
Ighāthah (إغاثة)
Providing help, rescue, or assistance to someone in urgent need.
Al-Malhūf (الملهوف)
A distressed, oppressed, or desperate person who cries out for help.
At-Tanfīs (التنفيس)
Relieving distress, easing hardship, comforting, or removing grief.
Summary of the Wisdom
Many hardships, difficulties, and misfortunes are consequences of sins.
In Du’a Kumayl, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) prays:
“O Allah, forgive me the sins that bring down afflictions; forgive me the sins that change blessings; forgive me the sins that prevent prayers from being answered; forgive me the sins that bring calamities.”
These words remind us that sins can result in the loss of blessings, unanswered prayers, and various trials.
In this wisdom, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) identifies two noble deeds that serve as means of expiation for major sins:
- Helping and rescuing those who are oppressed or in desperate need.
- Relieving the sorrow and hardship of those who are grieving.
This beautiful teaching inspires hope in Allah’s forgiveness while encouraging believers to serve humanity through acts of compassion.
Commentary
1. Who Is the Distressed Person (Al-Malhūf)?
The term Al-Malhūf has a broad meaning.
It includes anyone who is oppressed, vulnerable, or suffering and sincerely seeks help, justice, or relief from others.
2. Who Is the Grieving Person (Al-Makrūb)?
A Makrūb is any person overwhelmed by sorrow.
This grief may result from:
- The loss of a loved one.
- Poverty or financial hardship.
- Business failure.
- Loneliness.
- Any other serious emotional burden.
3. Helping Others Is a Great Human and Islamic Duty
Helping those in need and relieving people’s suffering are among the greatest moral and Islamic responsibilities.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
“Whoever hears a person calling, ‘O Muslims, help me,’ and does not respond is not truly one of the Muslims.”
This hadith emphasizes the importance of responding to the needs of others whenever we are able.
4. Two Categories of Sins
Islamic teachings distinguish between two categories of sins:
Rights of People
These sins cannot be erased until the person’s rights are restored or the wronged individual forgives the offender.
Rights of Allah
Some sins against Allah are expiated through repentance and prescribed acts of atonement.
Others—such as deliberately neglected religious obligations—must be fulfilled directly and cannot simply be replaced by other good deeds.
5. Helping Others Purifies the Soul
Rescuing the oppressed and comforting those in distress require noble qualities such as:
- Mercy
- Compassion
- Generosity
- Chivalry
- Selflessness
As these virtues grow within a person, they naturally weaken selfishness and other moral vices that often lead to sinful behavior.
In this way, noble character itself becomes a protection against sin.
Key Messages
1. Serving Others Brings Blessings
This wisdom teaches that helping people in any sincere way brings blessings into our lives, removes hardships, and serves as an expiation for major sins.
Therefore, we should overcome pride, selfishness, and indifference toward others.
If we hope for relief from our own worries, we should strive to relieve the worries of others whenever possible.
Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever is unable to perform acts that expiate his sins should frequently send blessings upon Muhammad and his family, for doing so destroys sins completely.”
2. Never Underestimate a Good Deed
Some acts of kindness may appear small in our eyes.
Yet Allah may assign tremendous spiritual value and reward to those very actions.
Therefore, we should never judge the worth of a good deed merely by outward appearance or our limited understanding.
Self-Assessment
- According to this wisdom, what are the expiations for major sins?
- Who are the distressed (Al-Malhūf) and the grieving (Al-Makrūb)?
- According to Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him), what is one of the greatest means of erasing sins?
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Keywords: Wisdom 23, Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali, The Luminous Path, Major Sins, Expiation, Helping Others, Compassion, Charity, Imam al-Rida, Islamic Ethics.