punish until We have sent a messenger.” (17:15)
(b) Forgetfulness (nisyān): when the heart becomes heedless of something it once knew; inadvertence carries the same ruling. Thus, if a person omits an obligation because he forgot, or commits a prohibition while forgetful, he incurs no sin. His liability for the neglected duty, however, is not discharged; once he remembers, he must carry it out. In an authentic hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it must perform it when he remembers.”
(c) Mistake (khaṭaʾ): when someone intends one thing by his action but ends up with something else. Whoever acts and errs in the course of his conduct bears no sin, for accountability is tied to aims and intentions; the forgetful and the mistaken have no deliberate intent, so they are free of sin.
(d) Duress (ikrāh): compelling a person to do what he does not wish to do, or forcing him to abstain from what he wishes to do. Hence, anyone coerced into committing a forbidden act or into neglecting an obligation bears no sin.
These people have not lost their legal competence—they remain morally responsible—but a temporary impediment has excused them for the time being. When that impediment is removed, they must fulfill whatever obligations still rest upon them, for those duties have not been annulled.
In sum, the four categories incur no sin for what they have done, because sin hinges on intention and they acted without conscious intent. As for compensation for any life or property they have damaged, they remain liable, for liability is linked to the act itself, whether intentional or not.
The general (ʿām):
A general term is one that encompasses all of its referents without restriction, as in the Almighty’s words, “Indeed, mankind is in loss.” (103:2)
Many expressions convey generality, among them:
- Conditional particles and interrogative pronouns.