1. The seven great destructive sins

2. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Avoid the seven great destructive sins.” "O Allah's Apostle! What are they?” The companions enquired. He said, “To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice magic, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, (according to Islamic law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to give one’s back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.” [Agreed upon]

3. The Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) orders us to avoid these seven great destructive sins and warns us from committing them. They are destructive sins because they destruct their doers in the worldly life and in the hereafter too. In this Hadeeth, there are important rules for protecting the religion, honor, self, money and mind; thereupon, the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) warned us from committing these seven great destructive sins.

4. The first of these seven great destructive sins is polytheism: If it was major polytheism (i.e. joining others in worship along with Allah) by worshipping a statue or asking from other than Allah or sacrificing for anyone except Allah Almighty, it would be the gravest sin. This kind of polytheism turns its doer out of the folds of Islam and makes him an infidel. Allah Almighty says: {Verily! Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allâh, has indeed strayed far away} [Surat An-Nisa: 116] On the other hand, if it was minor polytheism it would be a grave sin which nullifies the good deeds. The Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The most dreadful thing I fear for your is the minor polytheism.” “O Messenger of Allah, what is it?” the companions asked. Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) replied: “Showing off (Ar-Riya)” [Al- Albani]

5. The second of these seven great destructive sins is magic: All kinds of magic (e.g. illusions, acts of devils after pleasing the self to them by committing the sins to have their help in harming the hearts and the bodies or using chemical substances to change pictures and the characteristics for planting fear) are great evil and grave sin. The majority of the scholars agreed upon counting magic as disbelief and considering the person who learns it as an infidel, because Allah Almighty says: {They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic} [Surat Al-Baqarah: 102] This verse states clearly that the devils disbelieved because of teaching men magic.

6. The third of these seven great destructive sins is killing the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (i.e. according to Islamic law): Killing the life without a just cause is a crime that causes disorder and chaos in the society. Islam protects the blood of the Muslim and protects the Muslim society from disorder and chaos; thereupon, Islam sentenced death for whoever kills a person without a just cause and he would be punished, that’s how life is saved by such punishment. He Almighty says: {And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment), O men of understanding, that you may become Al-Muttaqun} [Surat Al-Baqarah: 179] Moreover, Allah sentenced the murderer with hellfire in the hereafter; Allah Almighty says: {And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.} (Surat An-Nisa: 93).

7. The fourth of these seven great destructive sins is eating usury (Interest):
It does not mean just eating; rather it means all the kinds of dealing with usury whether it is eating, drinking, clothing or anything else. Allah Almighty promised the usurers to destroy their usury gains; Allah Almighty says: {Allah will destroy Riba (usury) and will give increase for Sadaqat (deeds of charity, alms, etc.)} [Surat Al-Baqarah: 276]
Also, He Almighty gave a notice of war to the usurers if they did not give up what remained from usury; He Almighty says: {O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba (usury) (from now onward), if you are (really) believers. (278) And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly} [Surat Al-Baqarah: ]

8. The fifth of these seven great destructive sins is eating up the property of orphans: The orphan is the person who lost his father in his childhood. Islam cared for orphans’ properties and rights and assigned for every orphan someone to be responsible for his growing up, education, developing his money and training him to be able to care for his own affairs. Allah has warned those who eat the properties of the orphans by His saying: {Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!} [Surat An-Nisa: 10]

9. The sixth of these seven great destructive sins is turning your back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting: Allah Almighty has promised the believers, who sacrifice themselves and properties for the cause of Allah, to enter paradise. Also, He severely warned those who turn their backs to the enemy and flee from the battlefield at the time of fighting. Allah almighty says: {O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battle-field, never turn your backs to them. And whoever turns his back to them on such a day - unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own), - he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allâh. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!} [Surat Al-Anfal: 15-16]

10. The seventh of these seven great destructive sins is to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers : This is applicable to accusing them with committing illegal sexual intercourse or even coming near it or other such things. The Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) warns Muslims from accusing the chaste women who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. Chastity is the essence of humanity’s honor. Accusing the chaste women who are good believers, entitiles the person who commits this sin to be sentenced to punishment in this worldly life in addition to the severe torture in the hereafter. Allah Almighty says: {Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers - are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment -} [Surat An-Nur: 23] This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers.