How Can a Muslim Overcome Major Sins like Usury and Fornication?

Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani

Question

If a Muslim is struggling with major sins like usury and fornication, how can they overcome these while battling the desire to engage in them?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.

When a Muslim faces the challenge of major sins such as usury or fornication, the path to overcoming them, despite the desire, is through sincere repentance (tawba nasuh). Allah says:

“O believers! Turn to Allah in sincere repentance, so your Lord may absolve you of your sins and admit you into Gardens, under which rivers flow.” [Quran, 66:8]

This sincere repentance, which erases both major and minor sins, has specific conditions:

Regret

True regret is essential, as it motivates the sinner to abandon the sin and feel a strong sorrow for past misdeeds. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin.” [Ibn Maja]

Abandoning the Sin

One must leave the sin completely, doing so out of reverence for Allah and fear of His punishment.

Firm Resolve

Resolving firmly never to return to the sin. As mentioned by Imam Nawawi in “Sharh Muslim,” the individual must be resolute in their intention to avoid repeating the sin.

Allah says:

“(They are) those who, upon committing an evil deed or wronging themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except Allah?—and they do not knowingly persist in wrongdoing. Their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens under which rivers flow, staying there forever. How excellent is the reward for those who work (righteousness)!” [Quran, 3:135-136]

Rectifying the Injustice

If the sin involves the rights of others, such as physical harm or unlawful taking of wealth, the wrongdoer must not only fulfill the three prior conditions but also rectify the injustice. This can be done by returning the rightful property or seeking the person’s forgiveness.

For instance, if a lender charges interest on a loan—say lending $1,000 with an additional $200 in interest—then later repents sincerely, they must also return the $200, as it is the borrower’s right. This excess amount constitutes forbidden usury (riba). Allah says:

“But if you repent, you may retain your principal—neither inflicting nor suffering harm.” [Quran, 2:279]

Conclusion

Repentance is turning back to Allah, and one should hasten in doing so, abandoning all major sins, including fornication and usury, and minor sins alike. Death can come at any time, and no one knows when their end will arrive. Never despair of Allah’s mercy, as He says:

“Say, (O Prophet, that Allah says,) ‘O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Quran, 39:53]

May Allah guide us all to sincere repentance and protect us from sin.

[Shaykh] Bassem Itani