Do Public Sins Such as Tabarruj, Eyebrow Slits, and Music Make a Person a Fasiq?

Question: Do sins like tabarruj, eyebrow slits, and music (all done publicly) qualify you as being a fasiq?

Summary:

Every sin is a cause for a decrease in faith and makes a person deserving of blame and punishment. However, not everyone who commits a sin is automatically judged to be a specific fasiq. As for one who openly displays and publicizes sin, such as tabarruj, nams (including altering the eyebrows if it falls under the prohibited form of nams), or openly listening to and publicizing prohibited matters, they have committed a grave sin, and their sin is increased by openly committing it. The description of fisq applies to their action if they persist in it and publicize it, while applying this ruling to a specific individual still requires observing the Islamic legal guidelines. None of this expels a person from Islam unless they commit one of the nullifiers of Islam.

Answer:

The basic meaning of fisq in the Arabic language is to depart or go out. In Islamic terminology, it refers to departing from obedience to Allah by committing a major sin or by persistently committing a minor sin.

The Quran indicates that sins are among the causes of fisq. Allah, the Most High, says:

From the Qur'an:

  • [Surah Al Maidah: 47]
    "And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, then it is they who are the defiantly disobedient."
  • Surah Al Hujurat: 7
    "And He has made disbelief, defiant disobedience, and sin hateful to you."

Thus, fisq is a comprehensive term for departing from obedience to Allah. Openly committing sins is itself an additional sin that increases the seriousness of the original sin.

From the Sunnah:

  • Al Bukhari and MuslimIt is authentically reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
    "All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who publicize their sins. Among publicizing sins is that a man commits a deed at night, then in the morning, although Allah had concealed it for him, he says: 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such last night,' even though his Lord had concealed it for him overnight, and in the morning he removes Allah's concealment from himself." (Agreed upon.)

The scholars explained that publicizing sins includes committing a sin and then exposing what Allah concealed, committing it openly before people, calling others to it, or boasting about it. When committing a sin is combined with openly displaying it, the sin becomes even greater because it shows disregard for the sanctity of the sin, encourages others to commit it, and contributes to corruption within society. First: Tabarruj Tabarruj is among the major sins when it involves displaying adornment before non-mahram men. Allah, the Most High, says:

From the Qur'an:

  • [Surah Al Ahzab: 33]
    "And do not display yourselves as was the display of the former times of ignorance." [Surah Al Ahzab: 33]

If tabarruj occurs before non-mahram men, whether on social media or in public places, it is an open sin, and its seriousness is increased because of openly committing it. Second: Altering the Eyebrows (If It Falls Under Prohibited Nams)

From the Sunnah:

  • It is reported in Sunan Abi Dawud,From Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
    "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the woman who removes facial hair and the woman who has it removed."

A curse is only pronounced for a major sin. Therefore, if a woman does this openly or publishes pictures of herself proudly displaying it, her sin is increased because of openly committing it. Third: Listening to Music and Publicizing It Some of the scholars hold that musical instruments are prohibited, relying on the hadith,

From the Sunnah:

  • Narrated in Sahih BukhariAbu Malik Al Ashari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported ,the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
    "There will certainly be among my Ummah people who will consider lawful illegal sexual relations, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments."

    Narrated in Sahih Al Bukhari as a muallaq narration, and connected by others with a chain of narration authenticated by a number of scholars.

If a person plays music openly before others, publishes it, or encourages people toward it, they have combined committing the sin with openly displaying it.

From the Scholars:

  • Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
    "Fisq occurs by doing what Allah has forbidden and abandoning what He has commanded."
  • Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
    "In openly committing sins there is contempt for the rights of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and for the righteous believers, and it contains a form of defiance toward them."

I say: "Whoever commits a major sin is thereby a fasiq until he repents to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." "Sins diminish faith, and the one who commits a major sin is a believer by virtue of his faith and a fasiq because of his major sin, so long as he does not consider it lawful." This is the position of Ahl al Sunnah wal Jamaah: the one who commits a major sin does not become a disbeliever merely by committing that major sin. However, they are described as a fasiq if they commit a major sin and do not repent from it. Conclusion: Sins such as tabarruj, prohibited nams, and listening to prohibited musical instruments, when committed openly and publicly, become even more serious because they are openly displayed. The one who does so has committed fisq and a grave sin and deserves the warning until they repent to Allah. However, one should not hastily apply rulings to specific individuals except in accordance with the Islamic legal guidelines. Rather, they should be sincerely advised, supplicated for to repent, and warned against openly committing sins, for this is among the causes of the spread of corruption and the removal of blessings. The Prophet ﷺ said: "All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who publicize their sins."

And Allah knows best.

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