The Book of Purification - Sahih Muslim 233c

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. This blessed hadith from our Master Muhammad (ﷺ) in Sahih Muslim reveals the immense mercy Allah has bestowed upon this Ummah through acts of worship that serve as expiation for minor sins.

The Three Great Expiation Mechanisms

The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned three great acts of worship that cleanse believers from minor sins: the five daily prayers, the Friday congregational prayers, and the fasting of Ramadan. Each serves as a spiritual purification within its respective timeframe.

The daily prayers expiate sins between them, the Friday prayer expiates sins of the week, and Ramadan expiates sins of the year. This demonstrates Allah's infinite mercy in providing continuous opportunities for spiritual cleansing.

The Condition of Avoiding Major Sins

The phrase "provided one shuns the major sins" indicates that these expiations apply specifically to minor sins. Major sins require sincere repentance (tawbah), which includes abandoning the sin, regretting it, and resolving not to return to it.

Scholars define major sins as those for which there is a specific warning of punishment in the Quran or Sunnah, such as shirk, murder, witchcraft, consuming riba, and disobedience to parents. The believer must consciously avoid these to benefit from the expiatory nature of these acts of worship.

Spiritual Wisdom and Practical Application

This hadith teaches us about the interconnected nature of Islamic worship - each act serves multiple purposes including spiritual purification. The regular performance of these obligations maintains the believer in a state of spiritual cleanliness.

The wisdom behind this divine arrangement is to encourage consistency in worship and to provide hope for believers who may commit minor sins despite their efforts. It demonstrates that Islam is a religion of mercy, not burden, making the path to purification accessible to all striving believers.