The Prophet. said, "The biggest of the great sins are: To join others in worship with Allah, to be undutiful to one's parents, and to give a false witness." He repeated it thrice, or said, "....a false statement," and kept on repeating that warning till we wished he would stop saying it. (See Hadith No.7, Vol. 8)
Exegesis of the Hadith on Major Sins
This profound narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 6919 enumerates the gravest transgressions in Islam, beginning with shirk (associating partners with Allah), which constitutes the only unforgivable sin if one dies upon it without repentance.
Scholarly Commentary on the Three Major Sins
Shirk represents the ultimate violation of tawhid (divine unity), undermining the very foundation of Islamic belief. The Prophet's emphatic repetition underscores its severity.
Disobedience to parents ('uquq al-walidayn) follows as it contradicts the natural order of gratitude and respect, mirroring ingratitude toward Allah Himself.
False testimony (shahadat al-zur) corrupts justice and societal trust, making it a crime against both divine law and human society.
Methodological Observations
The Prophet's persistent repetition demonstrates the pedagogical principle of emphasizing crucial matters through reiteration, ensuring the companions internalized these grave warnings.
The narrator's wish for the Prophet to stop illustrates how the companions felt the weight of these repeated admonitions, reflecting their profound spiritual sensitivity.