Are Sins Multiplied Seventy Times in Ramadan as Well?
Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle
Question
I’ve heard about the hadith stating that good deeds in Ramadan are rewarded 70 times over, Alhamdulillah. I’m curious if the same multiplier applies to sins committed during this month.
Answer
Thank you for your important question.
Hadith
The hadith you’re referring to reads,
“On the last day of Sha‘ban, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) addressed us and said: ‘O People, there comes upon you now a great month, a most blessed month, in which lies a night greater in worth than one thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made compulsory fasting by day; He has made the tarawih by night a sunna. Whosoever tries drawing nearer to Allāh by performing any virtuous deed in this month, for him shall be such reward as if he had performed a fard (obligatory observance) in any other time of the year. And whoever performs a fard for him shall be the reward of seventy fard in any other time of the year (…).” [Ibn Khuzayma]
Accordingly, one compulsory act equals seventy compulsory acts, while a supererogatory act equals one compulsory act. This does not apply to sins, even though, as a general rule, sin during blessed occasions is more serious and, at times, multiplied.
Sacredness
Imam Qurtubi said,
“Do not wrong yourselves therein (the sacred months) by sinning, for when Allah glorifies an occasion in one way, its sacredness is one. And when He glorifies an occasion in two or more ways, its sacredness is multiplied accordingly, such that punishment is multiplied for wrongdoing as how reward is multiplied for good deeds.” [Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi]
Conclusion
In conclusion, a sin committed during Ramadan is not multiplied by seventy (70) but rather multiplied due to the sacredness of the month.
I pray this helps.
[Shaykh] Farid Dingle
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years, he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language.
