Sins Are of Three Kinds

“Once Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) climbed the Minbar (pulpit) in al-Kufah, praised Allah and spoke of His glory and then said, ‘O people sins are of three kinds’ and he remained quiet. Habbah al-‘Arani, said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, you just said, “Sins are of three kinds, and then remained silent.’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, I mentioned them and wanted to explain and inteipret them but a breathing problem prevented me from speaking. Yes, sins are of three kinds: A sin that is forgiven, a sin that is not forgiven and a sin for whose owner we have hopes and fears.’ The man said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, explain them for us.’ “The Imam said, ‘Yes, the sin that is forgiven is one for which Allah has punished the sinner in this world and He is by far much Forbearing and Honorable to punish His servant twice. “The sin that is not forgiven is people’s injustice to each other (in the matters of property and so forth). When Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, will manifest himself to His creatures, He will swear by His Ownself saying, ‘By My Majesty and Glory that the injustice of the unjust cannot bypass Me, even though it is in the form of a slap for a slap, a nibbing for a slap, or blow by those having horns to those without horns.’ He will retaliate for His servants from the others until no one will be left without receiving justice and thereafter they will be sent for reckoning. “The third kind of sin is the sin that Allah has covered for His servants and has granted them repentance. He lives in fear because of his sin with hopes in his Lord. We toward him are just as he is to himself. We wish he will be granted mercy and fear for his suffering punishment.’”

“Once I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) about a man who is convicted and punished by stoning to death whether he will be punished in the next life for that sin again, and the Imam said, ‘Allah is by far more Honorable, He will not do such a thing (punish again).”’