toward him in certain matters; both must therefore show generosity and patience, as Allah Most High says:

“And urge one another to patience and urge one another to compassion.”

And the hadith states:

“The best of faith is generosity and patience.”

Among Allah’s names are the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Through forbearance their misdeeds are pardoned, and through generosity benefits are brought to them, thus combining the securing of benefit with the prevention of harm. As for refraining from wronging them and treating them justly, the obligation to do so is more evident still and needs no explanation. Allah knows best.

Section: The Degrees of Sin

The degrees of sin in the Hereafter are discussed elsewhere. The concern here is their degrees in this world with respect to blame and punishment.

I have previously mentioned that sins involving wrongdoing against others and harm to their religious or worldly affairs incur greater punishment in this world than sins that do not harm others, even if the punishment for the latter in the Hereafter is greater. Thus, Muslim offenders receive punishments that are not imposed upon non-Muslims living under a covenant of protection, even though the unbeliever’s punishment in the Hereafter is more severe than the Muslim’s.

The second is punished despite his uprightness—for example, someone who drinks nabīdh (a drink made by steeping fruit) believing it permissible on interpretive grounds, or rebels acting on interpretive grounds—in ways that a sinful person who conceals his sin is not. Punishment is also imposed on