Does a Believer Become a Disbeliever by Committing Adultery or Other Major Sins?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Do the hadiths that state a person does not commit adultery, theft, or similar major sins “while being a believer” mean that the person becomes a disbeliever when committing such acts? What if they die without repenting? Do they die outside the fold of Islam?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
May Allah bless you for your sincere question. The short answer is: No, a Muslim does not become a disbeliever (kafir) by committing a major sin such as adultery, theft, or even murder, unless they deem that act to be permissible. Rather, such sins result in a severe deficiency in their faith, and the person becomes a sinful believer, not a disbeliever. Their fate lies with Allah, Who may forgive them or punish them as He wills.
Understanding the Hadith
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The adulterer does not commit adultery while he is a believer; the thief does not steal while he is a believer; the one who drinks alcohol does not drink it while he is a believer; and none of you commits betrayal while being a believer.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
At first glance, this hadith may appear to suggest that committing a major sin nullifies one’s faith. However, this is not the understanding of traditional Islamic scholars.
Imam Nawawi’s Interpretation
Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him), one of the foremost commentators on Sahih Muslim, explains this hadith in the following manner:
“The correct opinion, held by the verifying scholars, is that the meaning of the hadith is that such sins are not committed by someone who possesses complete (kamil) faith. This falls under a well-known rhetorical usage in Arabic, where the negation of a thing means the negation of its completeness or perfection, not its existence.” [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]
He supports this interpretation with other authentic hadiths, such as:
“Whoever says, ‘There is no god but Allah,’ will enter Paradise, even if he commits fornication or theft.” [Ahmad, with corroborating narrations in Bukhari and Muslim]
Also, the hadith of ‘Ubada Ibn al-Samit (Allah be pleased with him), in which the Companions pledged to avoid major sins. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Whoever among you fulfills it, his reward is with Allah. And whoever commits any of these sins and is punished in this world, it is an expiation. And whoever commits them and is not punished, then his matter is with Allah, if He wills, He will forgive him; if He wills, He will punish him.”[Bukhari; Muslim]
These texts confirm that the person remains within the fold of Islam, even if they die without repenting.
Faith Can Decrease and Be Deficient
According to Sunni theology, faith (iman) can increase and decrease, and it is possible for a believer to have deficient faith due to sin. The one who commits a major sin without denying its prohibition is still a believer, though their faith is severely compromised.
Allah Most High says:
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills.” [Quran, 4:48]
If They Die Without Repenting?
If someone dies without repenting from a major sin, they remain under the will of Allah (fi mashi’atillah):
- If He wills, He will forgive them out of His mercy.
- If He wills, He will punish them for a time before eventually admitting them into Paradise.
They do not die as disbelievers, and their sins, though grievous, do not place them outside the pale of Islam.
Conclusion
A Muslim who commits a major sin, such as adultery or theft, remains a believer, though with deficient faith. They do not become a disbeliever unless they reject the sin as forbidden. The hadiths you mentioned serve as a stern warning and a call to sincere repentance, but do not entail takfir (excommunication).
May Allah protect us from major sins, grant us sincere repentance, and complete our faith.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
