so if he embraces Islam while persisting in major sins short of disbelief, the ruling concerning him in this respect is the same as that concerning others who commit major sins. This view is supported by the foundational principles and scriptural texts. For it is reported in the two Sahīh collections that Hakīm ibn Hizām said to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:
“O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we did in the days of ignorance?”
He replied:
“Whoever among you does well in Islam will not be held accountable for what he did in the days of ignorance. But whoever does wrong in Islam will be held accountable for both his earlier and later deeds.”
This text shows that accountability for deeds committed in the days of ignorance is lifted only from those who do well, not from those who do not. If someone does not do well, he is held accountable for both his earlier and later deeds; and whoever has not repented of those deeds has not done well.
The words of Allah Most High:
“Tell those who disbelieve that if they desist, their past will be forgiven.”
indicate that whoever desists from something is forgiven his past involvement in it. They do not indicate that whoever desists from one thing is forgiven his past involvement in something else.
For when someone says to another, “If you desist, I will forgive you what you have done before,” or words to that effect, this is understood, when stated without qualification, to mean: if you desist from this matter, you will be forgiven your past involvement in it. When you desist from something, you are forgiven your past involvement in it, just as a similar meaning is understood from the words, “If you repent.” It is not understood to mean that by desisting from one sin, you are forgiven the other sins you previously committed.
As for the Prophet’s saying—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“Islam wipes away what came before it,” and, in another narration, “effaces whatever came before it,” he said this when ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās embraced Islam and asked