Will Allah Forgive Major Sins? *IMPORTANT*

[anonymous]

As-Salaam-Alaikum

I would like some clarification on a couple of things.

• For example, if someone drew/painted when younger for school and college, but didn't know it was haram back then, until they were older. Will Allah forgive that person, if they repent? Also do they also need to get rid of the images they made, or can they just put them away? If they cannot remember where they placed it or don't know how many there were, will Allah still forgive them?

• Can you take/make pictures of flowers, landscapes and inanimate objects?

• Is collecting small figures/dolls haraam? If it is, should they be put away, out of sight or completely destroyed?
  
  
• Also, if someone had posters of singers on their walls, but they didn't associate them with Allah, but just out of interest, but they realise it is still wrong later, and put them away, will Allah still forgive them? and is this considered Shirk? (Idol worship) even if you weren't aware.

• Will Allah forgive Major Sins committed as kids/teenager? because they didn't know e.g Missed prayers/fasts but don't know how many. Is it permissible to beg for forgiveness for them, and not miss from now on?

Thanks.

 

[strivingobserver98]

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." - [Quran 39:53]

 

[BlueOwl358]

:wa:

Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said: ‘O son of Adam! Verily as long as you called upon Me and hoped in Me, I forgave you, despite whatever may have occurred from you, and I did not mind. O son of Adam! Were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you, and I would not mind. So son of Adam! If you came to me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you met Me not associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it.’” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3540)

Narrated Sa`id bin Abu Al-Hasan: While I was with Ibn `Abbas a man came and said, "O father of `Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn `Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn `Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2225)

As for dolls and toys, that is a big more two sided. Figures and dolls are haram, but the Prophet (pbuh) did not try to take them away from small children. So it depends on those factors, as to if it is for a grown up person, or some child. If they are your own, then I believe the same rule of no animated object applies, get ride of it. Also, the dolls of the time were very simple, and since this is a small exception, it is better to not keep that many, if it is for children.

'A'isha reported that she used to play with dolls in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and when her playmates came to her they left (the house) because they felt shy of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whereas Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent them to her. (Sahih Muslim 2440)

 

[MissHavisham]

Allah is the most merciful and loves it when people turn to Him and repent. To think Allah's mercy won't encompass your sin is to limit is and all of His attributed are limitless and eternal. So, yes.

 

[Ummshareef]

:wa:

Dear sister, please see my comments in blue below:

• For example, if someone drew/painted when younger for school and college, but didn't know it was haram back then, until they were older. Will Allah forgive that person, if they repent? Also do they also need to get rid of the images they made, or can they just put them away? If they cannot remember where they placed it or don't know how many there were, will Allah still forgive them?

If we truly and deeply repent for our sins then Allah subhana wa t'alaa will listen and is inclined to accept, but we can never take His forgiveness for granted. They should try their best to find the images and dispose of them, but if they cannot be found then explain that during the prayer and express deep repentance.

• Can you take/make pictures of flowers, landscapes and inanimate objects?

Yes that is absolutely fine.

• Is collecting small figures/dolls haraam? If it is, should they be put away, out of sight or completely destroyed?
  
  It would only be acceptable if the doll does not have an facial features as it is forbidden to depict facial features.
  
  
• Also, if someone had posters of singers on their walls, but they didn't associate them with Allah, but just out of interest, but they realise it is still wrong later, and put them away, will Allah still forgive them? and is this considered Shirk? (Idol worship) even if you weren't aware.

They should be taken down and disposed of. As above, Allah is inclined to forgive as long as the repentance is sincere and accompanied by a promise not to repeat it. It could develop into a form of Shirk and so is something we should never go anywhere near.

• Will Allah forgive Major Sins committed as kids/teenager? because they didn't know e.g Missed prayers/fasts but don't know how many. Is it permissible to beg for forgiveness for them, and not miss from now on?

Once the child reaches baligh - menstruation starts for a girl, wet dreams for a boy - then they become accountable for their own sins and must pray for forgiveness for them. Missing prayer/fasts is punishable and so they must ask Allah for forgiveness and promise never to miss them again. They should then calculate how many and work out a schedule to make them up.