, a black mark is made on his heart,” and so on. What covers the heart is called “rust,” “stamping,” “sealing,” “locking,” and the like. This, then, concerns the sin in which he persists. A sin’s “encompassing” him means that it surrounds him so that he cannot escape. This is being held captive by what his soul has earned: it is kept from what would bring it salvation in both worlds. Sins shackle and imprison those who commit them, preventing them from roaming the open expanse of monotheism and gathering the fruits of righteous deeds.

Some who affiliate themselves with the Sunnah say that anyone who commits a major sin will invariably be punished. Most hold otherwise: Allah, glorified is He, weighs good deeds against evil deeds. This is what the Quran and Sunnah indicate, and this is what weighing means. Nevertheless, interpreting “an evil deed” as associating partners with Allah is more evident, because He, glorified is He, distinguishes between what is committed and what encompasses a person. Had they been one and the same, He would not have distinguished between them. A person who associates partners with Allah has other sins besides that association which encompass him, because he has not repented of them.

Moreover, the word sayyi’ah (“an evil deed”) is indefinite, and there is agreement that evil deeds in general are not intended. Furthermore, the word sayyi’ah has been used in several passages to mean associating partners with Allah. Here, “an evil deed” means an evil state, an evil place, or the like, just as in His words:

“Our Lord, give us good in this world.”

That is, a good state encompassing every kind of good. This word functions as an adjective and may be transferred from adjectival to nominal use; it is used intransitively or