Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the major sins. He said: “Associating partners with Allah, despairing of the relief (rūḥ) granted by Allah, and feeling secure from the plan of Allah.” (1)

Ibn Masʿūd said: “The gravest of the major sins are: ascribing partners to Allah, feeling secure from the plan of Allah, despairing of the mercy of Allah, and losing hope of the relief granted by Allah.” (2) Reported by ʿAbd al-Razzāq.

Major sins (kabāʾir) is the plural of kabīrah and denotes every offense for which Allah has threatened its perpetrator with the Fire, a curse, His wrath, a punishment, the negation of faith, or for which He has prescribed a legal penalty in this world.

Associating partners with Allah means doing so in His Lordship or His right to be worshiped.

Despairing of the relief of Allah is to cut off all hope and expectation from Allah regarding what one seeks, intends, fears, or hopes for.

Feeling secure from the plan of Allah refers to His subtle way of drawing a servant on through blessings or stripping him of the faith He has granted.

Overall meaning of the ḥadīth: In this report the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) lists the major sins as: assigning a partner to Allah in His Lordship or His right to be worshiped—he mentioned this first because it is the gravest sin—and severing hope and expectation from Allah, because that