Is it true that if you commit major sins you become Kafir?

No, it is not true that if you commit major sins (Kabaair) then you become a Kafir and have left Islam. Rather, it is extremely sinful to commit a Kabeerah (major sin) and one must make Tawbah and desist from the sin.

أَنَّ أَبَا ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَيْهِ ثَوْبٌ أَبْيَضُ، وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ وَقَدِ اسْتَيْقَظَ، فَقَالَ: ” مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ قَالَ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ مَاتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَّا دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ “ قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ؟ قَالَ: .وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ. قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ؟ قَالَ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ. قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ؟ قَالَ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ عَلَى رَغْمِ أَنْفِ أَبِي ذَرٍّ

Abu Dharr (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was wearing white clothes and sleeping. Then I returned to him and he ﷺ had woken up. He ﷺ said, ‘Nobody says, There is no God but Allah’ and then dies believing in that, except that he will enter Paradise.’ I said, “Even if he had committed Zina and theft?” He ﷺ said. ‘Even if he had committed Zina (adultery, fornication) and theft.’ I said, ‘Even if he had committed Zina and theft?’ He ﷺ said. ‘Even if he had committed Zina and theft.’ I said, ‘Even if he had committed Zina and theft?’ He ﷺ said, ‘Even if he had committed Zina and theft, in spite of Abu Dharr.’“(Sahih al-Bukhari, 5827).

Major sins (Kabaair) are destructive to one’s religious practice and must be avoided. However, they do not render the person committing them Kafir. This point is abundantly clear in the Hadith narration above. In the Hadith above, it clarifies that even if a person commits Zina or theft – which are major sins (enormities) – he will still enter Paradise if he dies upon Iman. Had committing major sins (Kabaair) been Kufr, then there would be no chance of such a person entering Jannah since a Kafir cannot enter Jannah.

Sometimes, people confuse this issue because they read certain Hadith that negate Iman for a person who has committed a particular sin. However, such Hadith narrations are not taken literally, rather, they emphasise the grave nature of the sin. For example:

جَابِرًا، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْكُفْرِ تَرْكَ الصَّلَاةِ

(Sayidina) Jabir (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: ‘Between a man and Shirk and Kufr is neglecting the prayer.’“(Sahih Muslim, 82 – 134).

The vast majority of scholars did not understand the Hadith above to be literal (see link below for details). Therefore, although neglecting prayer is a major sin, it does not render one a Kafir. There are other examples found in Hadith where all scholars were in agreement that the Hadith is not understood literally, rather, it is emphasising the gravity of the issue at hand.

عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ، وَاللَّهِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ، وَاللَّهِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ. قِيلَ: وَمَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: الَّذِي لاَ يَأْمَنُ جَارُهُ بَوَايِقَهُ

Abu Shuraih (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘By Allah (Most High), he does not believe. By Allah (Most High), he does not believe. By Allah (Most High), he does not believe.’ It was said, “Who, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He ﷺ said, ‘A person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his harm.'” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6016).

Although the Hadith above clearly states that a person who does not safeguard his neighbour from his harm has no Iman (faith), and the Holy Prophet ﷺ swore to this thrice, the Hadith was still interpreted and not taken literally. This is due to other evidence that guides us to interpret the Hadith. It is incredibly important for a scholar to look at all related evidence when discussing an issue, as otherwise, one may fall into grave error.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرى إِثْماً عَظِيماً

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him but forgives anything other than it for whomsoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.” (Surah al-Nisa, 48).

Since committing major sins is not Shirk or Kufr, the response to it is to hasten to Tawbah, just like any other sin. As for Shirk and Kufr, they require an individual to renew their Iman and make Tawbah. There is no forgiveness for these crimes if one dies in that state.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (20.02.2023)

See also:
If you do not pray then are you Kafir?

See also (video):