TYPES OF SINS

For this reason, sins are of three type:

1) Sins which entail oppression of others, such as taking of peoples property, or denying them their rights, or envy or others (of the greater type), etc.

2) Sins which entail only oppression of one’s self, such as drinking intoxicants, and fornication when its harm does not affect others.

3) Sins which entail both of the above, such as an Amir or ruler who takes the peoples property so that he can use it for fornication or using intoxicants, or other crimes. Another example is one who commits illegal sexual acts with someone, and then exposes this to the people in order to do harm to the persons involved, as is often seen from those obsessed with women and young boys. Allah said:

[Say, all that my Lord has forbidden is despicable acts, that which is apparent and that which is hidden, and sins, and transgression without justification, and that you associate with Allah that for which no authority has been sent, and that you say about Allah that which you know not.] Qur’an 7/33