Bukhari

Lexical Explanation:
«الْخَمْرَ» Wine.
«السَّارق» Thief.
«نُهْبَة» Robbery.

Understanding the Hadith:
In this hadith, the negation of faith refers to the negation of its perfection; that is, when a fornicator commits fornication, he is not a perfect believer at that moment. This does not mean that he has no faith at all, because in another hadith it is stated that a person who does not commit shirk will enter Paradise even if he has committed fornication or theft. [صحيح: مسند احمد 260/4]
↰Shaykh Shu'ayb Arna'ut declares this hadith to be authentic. [مسند احمد محقق 18310]
It should be clear that there is consensus among the Imams of the Salaf that one who commits a major sin (kabirah) is not a disbeliever (kafir) as long as he does not commit shirk; rather, he remains a believer, but there is a deficiency in his faith. [شرح مسلم للنوي 42/2، فتح الباري 60/12، مجموع الفتاويٰ لا بن تيمية 92/20]

Hadith Commentary:
From this hadith, it is understood that one who commits plundering, theft, or robbery—if such a person claims to be a Muslim—is utterly false in his claim.
A person who commits such acts is a liar in his claim to faith; the same applies to one who commits adultery (zina) or drinks alcohol.
Such people are deceitful impostors in their claim to Islam and faith.
If a true Muslim with faith ever commits a wrongful act, he becomes extremely remorseful, then repents forever, and remains engaged in seeking forgiveness (istighfar) for his sin.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this hadith, the severity of looting and plundering becomes evident, as such audacity deprives a person of the blessing of faith (iman), and until he repents, he remains deprived of this blessing.
If such a person claims to be a Muslim, he will be considered a liar.

(2)
In Islam, there are extremely severe punishments for bandits and highway robbers so that human society can live in peace.
It is due to the blessings of these laws that even today the security of the Saudi government holds an exemplary status for the entire world, whereas, in so-called civilized governments, various forms of robbery are prevalent and theft has taken the shape of a profession.
Our army and police appear helpless and powerless in front of such criminal people.
In any case, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has presented the aforementioned title and ahadith to explain the gravity of this crime.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, the negation of faith is mentioned at the time of committing adultery (zina), drinking alcohol, theft, and highway robbery. Its meaning is that the person does not remain a possessor of complete faith (iman) at that moment, because in a hadith narrated from Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu, it is stated that whoever says "La ilaha illallah" will enter Paradise, even if he commits adultery and theft.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas, Hadith: 5827)
Furthermore, in a hadith narrated from Ubadah ibn Samit radi Allahu anhu, it is mentioned that he pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam regarding abstaining from theft and adultery.
At the end of it, it is stated that whoever commits these sins, if the prescribed punishment (hadd) is carried out upon him in this world, then it will serve as expiation for him; otherwise, he is subject to Allah’s will—if He wills, He may forgive him, and if He wills, He may punish him.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hudud, Hadith: 6784)
(2)
It is the unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah that a person who commits major sins (kabirah) will not be declared a disbeliever (kafir); however, by committing shirk (associating partners with Allah), he does become a disbeliever. In contrast, the Khawarij and Mu'tazilah believe that by committing major sins, a person exits the religion of Islam and such a person will remain in Hell forever.
Other ahadith refute the position of the Khawarij.
In any case, the aforementioned hadith is not to be taken upon its apparent meaning; rather, the scholars have interpreted it, the details of which we have explained.
(Fath al-Bari: 12/74)

Hadith Commentary:
However, the ability to repent (tawfiq of tawbah) is granted only to those who are fortunate.
By repentance (tawbah) here, what is meant is sincere and firm repentance, not merely a formal or superficial repentance.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
These narrations describe the gravity of adultery (zina), stating that in the state of committing zina, a person is deprived of the light of faith (iman). If he dies in that state, he passes away deprived of faith. However, whoever still has a remnant of faith is given the opportunity to repent, but even the opportunity for repentance is granted only by the tawfiq (divine enablement) of Allah, the Exalted.

(2)
In any case, a person should avoid the paths of immorality, and should not even approach obscene speech or indecent acts. Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah has narrated a marfu‘ hadith from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that when a man commits zina, faith (iman) departs from him and hovers above him like a canopy, and when he finishes this extremely filthy and evil act, faith returns to him. Then he (Imam Tirmidhi) has quoted the statement of Abu Ja‘far Muhammad bin ‘Ali that the person returns from faith (iman) to Islam. (Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Iman, Hadith: 2625)

(3)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that, according to him, faith (iman) is a special state of Islam which does not remain during the act of zina, although the state of Islam itself remains. The majority of scholars have explained this matter in another way: that what is meant is perfect faith (iman kamil), i.e., perfect faith does not remain, but one does not exit from the essence of faith itself. (Fath al-Bari: 12/140)

Hadith Commentary: The meaning is that the one who commits these sins becomes completely deprived of faith (iman), because these sins are the very opposite of faith. Then, if he repents, faith returns to his heart, but if he continues to do these deeds, he dies as a faithless person (without iman).

This is supported by the hadith in which it is stated: "The believer (mu’min) is the one from whom people feel secure regarding their blood and their wealth." This is true.

"There is no faith (iman) for the one who has no trustworthiness (amanah), and there is no religion (din) for the one who does not keep his promises," or as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The perpetrator of the sins mentioned in the hadith is deprived of faith. If he repents, faith returns to his heart, but if he continues in this action and dies in that state, he dies without faith.

(2)
In this hadith, there is a very severe warning regarding the one who drinks alcohol: if death comes to him in this state, it results in deprivation of faith. Accordingly, in a mawquf hadith it is stated: Avoid alcohol, for it is the mother of all evils. Faith and alcohol cannot coexist and remain together; one of them expels the other from a person. (: al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 288/8)

(3)
The position of Ahl al-Sunnah is that the one who drinks alcohol is deprived of perfect faith. If he considers it lawful (halal) for himself, it results in absolute deprivation of faith. And Allah knows best. (: Fath al-Bari: 44/10)

Ikrimah narrates that he asked Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu: How is faith taken away from him? He replied: Like this. He interlaced the fingers of one hand into the other hand, then withdrew them. If he repents, faith returns to him in this way. Then he interlaced the fingers of one hand into the fingers of the other hand. (: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hudud, Hadith: 6809)

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Yantahibu nuhbatan:
He snatches,
plunders openly.

(2)
Dhata sharafin:
A thing of status and rank, something of great value and honor.

(3)
Absarun,
Plural of basar,
Sight,
Eye.

Benefits and Issues:
At the time of committing a major sin (kabirah),
a person is deprived of the light and illumination of faith (iman) and of the insight and discernment that comes with faith,
as if his faith is not complete (as Imam Nawawi rahimahullah has indicated in the chapter heading),
because sometimes the negation of a thing is intended to mean the negation of its perfection,
just as it is said:
“Knowledge is only that which benefits,
Wealth is nothing but camels,
There is no life except the perfect life of the Hereafter.”

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
Adultery alludes to all those acts that arise as a result of sexual desire.
Wine serves as a warning against all those sins that cause a person to become heedless of the remembrance of Allah, due to which the rights of Allah are violated.
Looting represents all those sins in which oppression and injustice are inflicted upon the servants of Allah and wealth is accumulated through unlawful means.
However, repentance from all sins is accepted before the throes of death, and repentance has three pillars:
(1)
To desist from the sin.
(2)
To feel remorse for having committed the sin, and (3)
To resolve in the heart not to commit it again in the future.
If, due to the dominance of the self (nafs) and the deception of Satan, one commits the sin again, or even a third time, still the door of repentance does not close.
(Sharh Sahih Muslim: 1/56)

Explanation:
1:
This means that at the time of committing adultery, he does not remain a complete believer,
or it means that if he considers the act of adultery to be forbidden, then his faith departs,
then after finishing the act of adultery, his faith returns to him.

Urdu marginal note:
“He does not remain a believer”—however, when he refrains from these acts, faith returns to him; that is, he does not become a disbeliever but remains a Muslim. However, during the commission of these acts, the light of faith is taken away from him, and when he ceases from these acts, the light of faith returns. This meaning of the hadith has been explained by Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu).

Urdu marginal note:
"Repentance" — this indicates that what is intended here is not an absolute negation of faith, but rather a temporary negation or a negation of perfect faith, because these are sins, not disbelief (kufr), provided that the doer repents and returns.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
Committing major sins is contrary to faith.

➋
A person does not become an apostate by committing major sins; however, their commission indicates that his faith has become extremely weak.

➌
The meaning of faith is certainty.
If someone is certain that Allah Ta'ala will punish him for this forbidden act, and that this punishment will be far greater than any worldly punishment, then with this certainty present, he simply cannot commit the crime.
Sin only occurs when the feeling of temporary pleasure and worldly benefit so overwhelms a person that he forgets the Hereafter.

➍
It is necessary to repent from major sins as soon as possible, otherwise there is a danger that faith may be completely taken away.

Takhrij:
[صحيح بخاري 2475],
[صحيح مسلم 202]

Fiqh al-Hadith:
➊ It is understood from this that faith (iman) has many levels; faith increases and decreases. When a person commits major sins such as theft or adultery, his faith, during the act of sin, departs from his body and rises above his head like a canopy. Despite the departure of faith, this person does not become a disbeliever (kafir); rather, he remains a sinful Muslim, provided he does not commit any of the nullifiers of Islam (nawāqid al-Islam).
➋ Adultery (zina), theft, and embezzlement of war booty (ghanimah) are among the major sins (kabā'ir).

Warning:
Those who, under the pretext of madrasas, mosques, organizations, groups, and charitable works, misappropriate donation money also fall under this same ruling. They should understand that one day they will have to appear before the All-Knowing of the secrets of the hearts and account for every atom's weight. A person once stole a cloak from the war booty, and that very cloak became fire from Hell and clung to his body.
➌ A scholar should explain to people by giving them simple and understandable examples.

Benefit:
In this hadith, some major sins (kabirah) are mentioned. From this hadith, it is established that a believer (mumin) does not commit major sins, meaning that sins cannot be committed while in a state of faith (iman); faith and sin are mutually contradictory. If there is faith, there will not be sin; if there is sin, there will not be faith. This hadith also shows that when a believer commits a sin, his faith departs from him. As is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari, Ikrimah asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma): “How is faith taken out?” He replied: “Like this,” and he rubbed dust between his fingers and then opened them. If he repents, his faith returns to him.

In Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, it is stated that when an adulterer (zani) commits adultery (zina), his faith departs from him and hovers above his head like a shadow. When he finishes that act, his faith returns to him. The same applies to other sins as well.