What Does the Word Lamam Mean in Surah An-Najm?
ما معنى كلمة "اللمم" في سورة النجم؟
It means 'minor sins'.
(those who avoid major sins and shameful deeds, despite ˹stumbling on˺ minor sins. Surely your Lord is infinite in forgiveness. He knew well what would become of you as He created you from the earth and while you were ˹still˺ fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not ˹falsely˺ elevate yourselves. He knows best who is ˹truly˺ righteous.) [An-Najm 53:32]
بمعنى الصغير من الذنوب.
(الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ) [النجم 53: 32]
1. Minor Sins Forgiven to Those Who Avoid the Major Ones | إلا اللمم
Allah describes the people of excellence as those who avoid major sins and shameful deeds, except al-lamam (53:32). Ibn Kathir explains: they do not commit the forbidden acts and the major sins, and if some minor sins occur from them, Allah forgives them and covers them, as He says in the other verse: If you avoid the major sins forbidden to you, We will absolve you of your lesser misdeeds and admit you into a place of honour (4:31). He adds that the exception is a disconnected one, because al-lamam is among the minor sins and slight deeds, not among the major sins. On 4:31 he explains: if you avoid the major sins you were forbidden, We will expiate your minor sins and admit you into Paradise.
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا (سورة النساء: 31)
قال تعالى: (الذين يجتنبون كبائر الإثم والفواحش إلا اللمم) (النجم 53: 32)، قال ابن كثير: أي: لا يتعاطون المحرمات والكبائر، وإن وقع منهم بعض الصغائر فإنه يغفر لهم ويستر عليهم، كما قال في الآية الأخرى: (إن تجتنبوا كبائر ما تنهون عنه نكفر عنكم سيئاتكم وندخلكم مدخلا كريما) (النساء 4: 31)، وهذا استثناء منقطع؛ لأن اللمم من صغائر الذنوب ومحقرات الأعمال، وقال في آية النساء: إذا اجتنبتم كبائر الآثام التي نهيتم عنها كفرنا عنكم صغائر الذنوب وأدخلناكم الجنة.
2. What Ibn Abbas Found Most Like Al-Lamam | أشبه شيء باللمم
Ibn Abbas said: I have not seen anything more like al-lamam than what Abu Hurayrah reported from the Prophet: Allah has written for the son of Adam his share of zina, which he will inevitably come to: the zina of the eye is looking, the zina of the tongue is speech, the soul wishes and desires, and the private part confirms that or denies it (Sahih al-Bukhari 6612). Ibn Kathir cites this in his explanation of the verse.
الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ (سورة النجم: 32)
قال ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما: ما رأيت شيئا أشبه باللمم مما قال أبو هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن الله كتب على ابن آدم حظه من الزنا، أدرك ذلك لا محالة، فزنا العين النظر، وزنا اللسان المنطق، والنفس تمنى وتشتهي، والفرج يصدق ذلك ويكذبه" (صحيح البخاري 6612)، وأورده ابن كثير في تفسير هذه الآية.
3. One Who Falls Into a Sin, Then Leaves It | الذي يلم بالذنب ثم يدعه
Mujahid gave another explanation: al-lamam is a man who falls into a sin and then leaves it. Abu Salih said: I was asked about al-lamam and said: it is a man who falls into a sin and then repents; I told Ibn Abbas, and he said: a noble angel helped you to that answer. Minor sins are also wiped away by acts of worship: the Messenger of Allah said: The five prayers, and from one Friday to the next, are an expiation for what is between them, as long as major sins are not committed (Sahih Muslim 233). The verse ends: So do not falsely elevate yourselves; He knows best who is truly righteous (53:32), as explained in what do not praise yourselves means.
فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ (سورة النجم: 32)
وقال مجاهد في قوله تعالى: (إلا اللمم) (النجم 53: 32): الذي يلم بالذنب ثم يدعه، وقال أبو صالح: سئلت عن اللمم فقلت: هو الرجل يصيب الذنب ثم يتوب، وأخبرت بذلك ابن عباس فقال: لقد أعانك عليها ملك كريم، وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "الصلاة الخمس والجمعة إلى الجمعة كفارة لما بينهن ما لم تغش الكبائر" (صحيح مسلم 233)، وختمت الآية بقوله تعالى: (فلا تزكوا أنفسكم هو أعلم بمن اتقى) (النجم 53: 32).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What does al-lamam mean in Surah An-Najm?
Minor sins. Ibn Kathir explains that al-lamam is among the minor sins and slight deeds (53:32).
Are minor sins forgiven?
Allah promises: If you avoid the major sins forbidden to you, We will absolve you of your lesser misdeeds (4:31), and the five prayers and Friday to Friday expiate what is between them as long as major sins are avoided (Sahih Muslim 233).
What did Ibn Abbas compare al-lamam to?
He said nothing was more like it than the hadith: the zina of the eye is looking and the zina of the tongue is speech, and the private part confirms or denies it (Sahih al-Bukhari 6612).
Is there another explanation of al-lamam?
Mujahid said it is a man who falls into a sin and then leaves it.