Pilgrimage and Sins Against Others, Adil Salahi

Pilgrimage and Sins Against Others

Adil Salahi

Arab News, 6/12/04

Q. A man was killed while doing his work some 20 years ago. His brother was entrusted by his immediate family to collect the indemnity money paid by his employers and intended for his widow and two orphan toddlers. Having pocketed a large sum of money, the brother paid nothing of it to his nephews and their mother. He kept it all for himself, which resulted in the family going through very hard times. I have heard that the pilgrimage earns forgiveness of all sins. Should this man offer the pilgrimage, does this mean that he would not have to account for his action? Is it true that the pilgrimage wipes the pilgrim’s slate clean of all sin? Please explain.

E.R. Cors (Mrs)

A. The Prophet (peace be upon him) makes it clear that a proper pilgrimage earns forgiveness of past sins. It certainly wipes one’s slate clean. However, it should be a proper pilgrimage in every respect. Therefore, we need to set this principle against other relevant ones. An important principle is that the pilgrim should clear his own slate of any offense he might have committed against others, and should ensure that the expenses of his pilgrimage are earned in a legitimate way. The Prophet speaks of a pilgrim who comes hoping for forgiveness, “but his food is earned through a forbidden way, and his clothes likewise, and he has been devouring what is forbidden. How can such a person hope for a response to his prayers?” This the Prophet states in connection with pilgrimage, to show the absurdity of the thought that such a person could hope for forgiveness through pilgrimage when he is a habitual violator of God’s law and a confirmed aggressor against the rights of others.

A second very important principle is that God forgives only such sins as relate to what is due to Him. Sins or offenses against other people are not forgiven until the aggrieved party has forgiven the offender. Unless the case is so, people would do away with anything they can lay their hands on and then hope for forgiveness through prayer, fasting or doing the pilgrimage. But this is not done. If one person steals something that belongs to another, speaks ill of him in his absence, deprives him of his rights, defames his family, or offends him in any other way, the offender must settle the matter first with the one against whom he offended. If such a settlement is agreed and the injured party forgives the offender, then and only then will God forgive him, if He so pleases.

If no such settlement is reached in this life, and both die, they will be brought face to face before God on the Day of Judgment when God asks the guilty one to satisfy the person he had harmed in this life. If the latter does not forgive him, then some of the good deeds of the offender will be added to the injured party until the latter is satisfied. If the offender does not have to his credit sufficient good deeds, then some of the sins of the injured party are lifted and added to the account of the guilty party.

A case may arise and the offender repents in this life, but is unable to satisfy the person he had injured. If his repentance is genuine, and God wishes to help him, then when the face-to-face confrontation takes place, God takes upon Himself the satisfaction of the injured party. He will give him as much as he wants until he is satisfied.

Having explained this, I should add that the brother of the deceased person in this case has committed a very serious crime against God and against his late brother’s family. Since there were young children in this family, then he put himself in the category mentioned in the following verse: “Those who devour the property of orphans unjustly, only swallow fire into their bellies. They will be made to endure a blazing fire.” (4: 10) If he has enjoyed the luxuries the money gave him for 20 years, then he has been eating fire for that length of time, and he will be made to endure it further on the Day of Judgment. Nothing can wipe that away except by God’s will, and God is just to all His creatures.

Informing on Deception

Q. If you know that an expatriate worker has lied about his religion in order to obtain a visa, pretending that he is a Muslim when he is not, do you have to inform the authorities about this case? What worries me in this case is that by so doing, the man is able to get access to the holy sites which are forbidden to non-Muslims. Please advise.

H. Rashid, Jeddah

A. This is a serious offense, yet it might have been committed without any bad intention. Someone might have told him at the beginning that he stood a better chance of getting a job in the Kingdom by pretending to be Muslim. He might have intended no harm. Yet we cannot establish this without thorough investigation. The man should be advised first to make his identity clear.

Perhaps he could inform his employers and they would correct the relevant entry in his stay permit. If he does not take the necessary action after such advice has been impressed on him, then consideration should be given to informing the authorities because anyone deliberately making false pretences could be a source of danger.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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