The basis of all sins in human societies
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
The Three Basis of All Sins
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
The basis of all sins – major and minor – are three: the heart’s attachment to other than Allah, going along with the intense strength of one’s anger and the intense urge of one’s desires. These three things constitute shirk, injustice and indecency. Ascribing partners to Allah and invoking other than Him is the ultimate thing related to the heart’s attachment to other than Allah, murder is the ultimate thing related to going along with one’s intense anger and fornication is the ultimate thing related to going along with the intense urge of one’s desires. Because this, Allah mentioned the three together in the verse: [وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَدۡعُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ وَلَا يَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا يَزۡنُونَ – And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse]. [Al-Furqan. 68]
These three things invite to one another – Shirk inevitably leads to injustice and indecency, just as Tawhid [pure Islamic Monotheism] and Ikhlas [sincerity] turns a person away from them. Allah [The Exalted] stated about Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him: [ڪَذَٲلِكَ لِنَصۡرِفَ عَنۡهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءَۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ – Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves. [Yusuf. 24] – Meaning, turned him away from infatuation and illegal sexual intercourse.
Likewise, injustice inevitably leads to Shirk and indecency because Shirk is the greatest injustice, just as Tawhid is the greatest justice. Justice is a companion of Tawhid and injustice is a companion of Shirk, and this is why Allah mentioned both together. Regarding Tawhid and justice, Allah said: [شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ – Allah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice]. [Aal Imran. 18] As for injustice and Shirk, Allah said: [إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ – Verily, Shirk is great injustice]. [Surah Luqman. 13]
Indecency leads to Shirk and injustice, especially when there is a strong desire that cannot be reached except through some type of injustice, such as seeking help through magic and shaytan. Allah mentioned both fornication and Shirk together in the verse:
ٱلزَّانِى لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوۡ مُشۡرِكَةً۬ وَٱلزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَآ إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوۡ مُشۡرِكٌ۬ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٲلِكَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
The adulterer marries not but an adulteress, or a female polytheist and the adulteress none marries her except an adulterer or a male polytheist [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely he is either an adulterer, or a polytheist)]. And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a male polytheist or an adulterer, then she is either a prostitute or a female polytheist)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers [of Islamic Monotheism]. [An-Nur. 3]
These three things [Shirk, Indecency and Injustice] can either be the cause of one another or inevitably lead to one another. This is why whenever Tawhid in the heart is weaker and the Shirk in it is greater, it commits more indecency, becomes stronger in its attachment to images and infatuated with them. And what is similar to this is the statement of Allah:
فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىۡءٍ۬ فَمَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَبۡقَىٰ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّہِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُواْ هُمۡ يَغۡفِرُونَ
So whatever you have been given is but a passing enjoyment for this worldly life, but that which is with Allah (Paradise) is better and more lasting for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and put their trust in their Lord (concerning all of their affairs). And those who avoid the greater sins and indecency, and when they are angry, they forgive. [Ash-Shura. 36-37]
Allah informed us that what He has with Him is better for the one who believes in Him and relies upon him, and that is Tawhid. Then Allah said: [وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ – And those who avoid the greater sins and indecency] – Meaning, avoid the intense urge towards lowly desires. Then Allah said: [وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُواْ هُمۡ يَغۡفِرُونَ – And when they are angry, they pardon]. This opposes the intense strength of anger; so Allah mentioned Tawhid, pardon and justice together, and they are that which gathers every good. (1)
The Three Paths to The Hell fire
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
The one who truly knows himself will be busy with self-rectification instead of being busy with seeking after the faults of the people. The one who truly knows his Lord will be busy in obedience to his Lord and turn away from the evil desires of his soul, and the best deed is the one performed with Ikhlas in the absence of the people. The people enter the fire through three paths: Ambiguous matters that bring about doubt in the religion ordained by Allah. Desires that leads to giving precedence to evil desires over obedience to Allah and seeking after His Pleasure. (Uncontrolled) anger that leads to transgression against Allah’s creation. The basis of all sins are three: Pride, and it is what led Iblees to the situation he found himself. (Uncontrolled) eagerness, and it is what led to Adam’s expulsion from Jannah. Envy, and it is what led one of the sons of Adam to (kill) his brother.Whoever is protected from these three affairs will be protected from evil. Disbelief occurs due to pride, sins occur due to disobedience and transgression and oppression occur due to envy. [2]
[1] An Excerpt from Al-Fawa’id 131-132
[2] An Excerpt from Al-Fawaa’id 94