Introduction to Major Sins

Al-Kaba'ir (The Major Sins) is a seminal work by the renowned hadith scholar and historian Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi, listing and explaining the gravest sins in Islam as defined by the Quran and authentic Sunnah. Al-Dhahabi was one of the foremost scholars of the eighth century AH, known for his Siyar A'lam al-Nubala' (Biographies of Noble Figures) and his work in hadith criticism.

The book enumerates 70 major sins in order of severity — beginning with shirk (associating partners with Allah), followed by murder, fornication, usury, abandoning prayer, breaking family ties, and many others. For each sin, al-Dhahabi cites the relevant Quranic verses and prophetic hadiths that establish its prohibition and magnitude.

This work is valuable for Muslims seeking to understand the Islamic concept of major sin (kabeerah) as distinct from minor sins (sagheera), and to recognize the boundaries that Allah has established. Its purpose is not merely to warn but to motivate sincere repentance and avoidance of what displeases Allah.