These sins are described as ‘destructive’ because they incur the doer’s destruction with the consequences of their designated punishment in this worldly life, and being thrown into Hellfire and deserving its torment in the Hereafter. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warned Muslims against the seven destructive sins, and commanded them to avoid them. When people inquired about them, he ﷺ said, “1) To associate partners with Allah, Exalted is He, in worship,” and there are two categories of Shirk (i.e., associating partners with Allah, Exalted is He, in worship). First, associating partners with Him in worship, including: stones, trees, and the like (of false objects of worship). Second, minor Shirk (also known as hidden Shirk) means Riyaa’ (i.e., showing off and seeking to impress others to win their praise). Riyaa’ is an act of the heart and inward character trait that none knows except the One who knows the unseen. The second destructive sin is to practice sorcery, and it may be divided into two categories: first, sorcery by means of written spells and charms such as incantations and talismans, by which the sorcerer uses the devils to harm the affected person, but Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah.} [Quran 2:102]. Second, sorcery by means of medicine and drugs that affect the person’s body and mind, and influence his will and inclination, urging him to be inclined towards somethings and developing an aversion towards others. The third destructive sin is killing a person whose life was deemed inviolable by Allah, Exalted is He, except for a just cause (i.e., according to the Islamic Laws of Islam), and this applies to those people whose lives are declared inviolable due to being Muslims or being granted protection (e.g. the non-Muslims living under the Muslim rule), or a covenant of safety or security. His saying, ‘except for a just cause,’ means as per the laws of Islam provisions, such as killing someone in implementation of Qisaas (i.e., retribution), Hadd (i.e., a corporal punishment prescribed by the Sharee`ah), or for apostasy. The fourth destructive sin is the consumption of Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury), which means excess charged in the event of a barter of homogenous commodities without being matched by an increase of compensation in return. Ribaa involves committing an act of injustice against the other party, unlawfully devouring his wealth, and waging war against Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger, as stated in the Quran. The reference to ‘consumption’ (the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Akl, lit., eating)in this context is due to the fact that eating is one of the fundamental ways of availing oneself of one’s money. The fifth destructive sin is devouring the orphan’s wealth, which means wasting his or her wealth. The Arabic verb used in the Hadeeth is Akala, lit. to eat, and the reference to eating here is because buying sustenance is the often purpose of spending one’s money. The sixth destructive sin is fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting against the disbelievers or (Muslim) aggressors, except when such a combatant flees merely for the purpose of maneuvering for battle [as a strategy or a stratagem of war] to relaunch another attack or deceive the enemy; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {…unless swerving [as a strategy] for war or joining [another] company…} [Quran 8:16]. The seventh destructive sin is slandering chaste women, who are good believers and so innocent that they would never even think of anything undermining their chastity. Slander means accusing someone of Fornication. Listing these seven destructive sins in this hadeeth does not mean that they are the only grave sins. Rather, other textual evidence from the Quran and Sunnahhave made mention of other grave sins including false speech, committing Fornication with a neighbor’s wife, undutifulness towards parents, false oaths, violating the sanctity of the House of Allah, Exalted is He, and other grave sins that were mentioned in the texts of the Sunnah. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ stated that there are seven destructive sins does not essentially mean that there are no other destructive sins other than those mentioned in the hadeeth. He ﷺ may have listed those seven sins on that occasion, and received the divine revelation about other ones afterward, or it may be that these seven sins in particular were the most appropriate on that specific occasion. .