The Prophet (ﷺ) said thrice, "Should I inform you out the greatest of the great sins?" They said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" He said, "To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one's parents." The Prophet (ﷺ) then sat up after he had been reclining (on a pillow) and said, "And I warn you against giving a false witness, and he kept on saying that warning till we thought he would not stop. (See Hadith No. 7, Vol. 8)
Exposition of the Major Sins
The Prophet's (ﷺ) emphatic repetition three times indicates the gravity and importance of this teaching. When the Messenger repeats a matter, it signifies its critical nature in the religion.
The greatest sin is shirk - associating partners with Allah. This violates the fundamental principle of Tawhid (Divine Unity) and cannot be forgiven unless repented from before death.
The second major sin is disobedience to parents ('uquq al-walidayn), which follows shirk in severity due to parents' rights being second only to Allah's rights.
The Gravity of False Testimony
The Prophet's (ﷺ) physical movement from reclining to sitting demonstrates the seriousness of his warning against false witness (shahadat al-zur).
His persistent repetition indicates that false testimony destroys social justice, corrupts judicial systems, and leads to wrongful judgments that harm individuals and communities.
Scholars explain that false testimony includes lying under oath, fabricating evidence, and concealing truth in legal matters - all of which undermine the foundations of Islamic society.
Hierarchy of Sins
This hadith establishes a hierarchy of sins, beginning with theological crimes against Allah, then social crimes against family, followed by crimes against societal justice.
The progression shows how sins against Allah's rights lead to sins against human rights, demonstrating the interconnectedness of faith and social conduct in Islam.