A Comparative Analysis of Major Sins in Islam and Christianity: ‎Structure, Criteria, and Ethical Consequences

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Theology Department, Research Institute for Islamic ‎Philosophy and Theology, Research ‎Institute for Islamic Sciences and Culture, ‎Qom, ‎Iran.‎

Abstract

The concept of "major sin" stands as a central and structuring principle within the moral framework of the Abrahamic religions. Owing to its profound consequences in the existential domains of the human being—both individual and social—and in the Hereafter, it has always been at the heart of theological and ethical inquiry. Adopting an analytical-comparative approach, this article investigates the structure and nature of major sins within the two traditions of Islam and Christianity. While examining the criteria for distinguishing "major sins" (kabāʾir) from "minor sins" (ṣaghāʾir) in Islam and the distinction between "mortal" and "venial" sins in Christianity, this study demonstrates that despite foundational differences in the theological underpinnings and epistemic criteria governing each tradition, a striking and meaningful convergence is observable in their ultimate aims: moral cultivation, the preservation of human dignity, and the call to repentance and spiritual rectification. Ultimately, by elucidating the formative and spiritual implications of this doctrine, the article underscores its potential to foster a horizon for inter-religious dialogue in the field of ethics.

Keywords

References

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Theosophia Islamica
Volume 6, Issue 1 - Serial Number 11
January 2026
Pages 315-364

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