counts against him. He may also entertain false, evil suspicions, even without voicing them. When their falsity becomes clear to him, he seeks Allah’s forgiveness and repents. A person wrongs himself by neglecting an obligation just as he does by committing something forbidden.

Thus, in the words of Allah Most High:

“Whoever does evil or wrongs himself,”

the general category is mentioned after the particular. The same applies to His words:

“And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except Allah?—and do not knowingly persist in what they have done.”

Concerning His words, “And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves,” some have said that indecency means unlawful sexual intercourse, while others have said that it means any major sin. As for the wronging of oneself mentioned alongside it, some have said that it too is an indecency, while others have said that it refers to minor sins. This accords with the view that indecency means a major sin, so that the passage encompasses both major and minor sins.

Those who say that indecency means unlawful sexual intercourse hold that wronging oneself includes all other forbidden acts. Another view is that indecency means unlawful sexual intercourse, while wronging oneself refers to acts short of it, such as touching, kissing and embracing. Others say that these acts constitute the indecency, while wronging oneself refers to sins. Yet another view is that indecency refers to deeds, while wronging oneself refers to words.

The correct understanding is that “wronging oneself” is a general category encompassing every sin. In the two Sahīh collections, it is reported that Abū Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication to recite in my prayer.” He replied:

“Say: ‘O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and none forgives sins but You. Grant me forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy on me. Indeed, You are the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’”