—such as those offered by someone who has intercourse during Ramadan, pronounces zihār (declaring his wife unlawful to him by likening her to a permanently forbidden female relative), commits certain acts prohibited during Hajj, omits some of its obligatory rites, or kills game—they fall into “four categories”: sacrificial offerings, freeing slaves, charity, and fasting.

As for “general expiations,” Hudhayfah said to ‘Umar:

“A man’s trials involving his family, wealth, and children are expiated by prayer, fasting, charity, enjoining good, and forbidding evil.”

This is established by the Quran and authentic hadiths concerning the expiation of sins through the five daily prayers, Friday prayer, fasting, Hajj, and all the other deeds about which it is said: “Whoever says such-and-such and does such-and-such will be forgiven,” or “will have his past sins forgiven.” Such reports are numerous for anyone who gathers them from the hadith collections, especially works devoted to the virtues of deeds.

Know that paying close attention to this is among a person’s most pressing needs from the time he reaches puberty, especially in times such as these and similar periods of religious decline that resemble the age of pre-Islamic ignorance in certain respects. Even someone who grows up among people of knowledge and religious commitment may become tainted by several practices of that age of ignorance—so what of someone who does not?

In the two Sahīh collections, Abū Sa‘īd, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“You will surely follow the ways of those who came before you, matching them as closely as one arrow-feather matches another