destroy in his sin,' ¹ and also 'Wherefore God destroyed them for their crime.' ²

The word, therefore, also covers all immoral actions; that is, all actions against the moral law and order which God has established, whether by express command, or by the 'natural law' implanted in man's heart and conscience. Thus we read, 'Who after they have committed a crime (fahishat) remember God and ask pardon for their sins (dhanb),' ³ and also 'And seek forgiveness for thy sin;' ⁴ or again 'Also they have a crime against thee.' ⁵

In a general sense the word expresses all faults, crimes and sins, which are the result of culpable ignorance, or of pride, insolence, and perverseness as manifested in neglecting God, and living a materialistic life in which God and His claims are not taken into account. It is thus used to describe the sin of Muhammad himself, 'that God forgiveth thee thy earlier and later fault.' ⁶ In the following passages the word is also used in this general sense: 'Know therefore that there is no god but God, and ask pardon for thy sin, and for believers, both men and women.' ⁷ 'We confess our sins.' ⁸

The word thus finally comes to express all forms of unbelief, and all actions done in unbelief.

As the third word to be considered, we take akhta'a (to sin), and its derivatives. The root of the word expresses the idea of missing a mark; aiming at something and falling short of it. It expresses also the doing of something wrong unintentionally. Thus we find, 'It is not lawful for a believer to kill a believer, unless it happen by mistake.' ¹ The word, therefore, includes all wrong actions which may have been done in ignorance, but with good intention. It is thus used: 'And unless made with intent of heart, mistakes in this matter shall be no crime in you.' ² The criminality of the action lies in the doing of it intentionally when it is known to be wrong., The word may, therefore, describe a wrong action done thoughtlessly or through negligence, as 'O Lord, punish us not if we forget, or fall into sin (literally, make a mistake).' ³

But, speaking generally, the idea is always plain that the evil actions are regarded as springing from unbelief, and it matters not whether the unbelief was in ignorance or in despite. Thus the word is used of Abraham's idolatry before he was enlightened, ⁴ as well as of the sin of the sorcerers of Pharaoh, who sinned against the light of their own knowledge. ⁵

The idea of crime or sin, however, very easily passes into the word, so that it may be used with practically the same meaning as dhanb. Thus we read, 'Kill not your children for fear of being brought to want; We