Hadiths
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, God will make easy for him a path to Paradise).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Whoever God wants good for, He makes him understand the religion)
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim).
The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: (If a person dies, his work is cut off except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who
Misconceptions About Islam Major Sins, Sins, and Disliked Acts 278 2026-08-03

Do Major Sins Nullify Good Deeds?

Question
Does adultery or any other major sin nullify all good deeds? Are the prayers, fasting, and charity of someone who persists in adultery accepted, or do all of their good deeds become worthless until they repent?
Answer

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:

The principle established by the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and unanimously affirmed by Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah, is that major sins do not nullify all of a Muslim's good deeds. Rather, what completely nullifies one's deeds is disbelief (kufr) and associating partners with Allah (shirk) if a person dies upon them.

As for the one who commits a major sin, such as adultery (zina), they do not leave Islam merely because of that sin. Their good deeds remain, and they are rewarded for the righteous actions they performed sincerely for Allah and in accordance with the Sunnah, while still deserving punishment for their major sin if they do not repent.

The scholars have explained that some sins may reduce the reward of certain acts of worship or even eliminate the reward of particular deeds, but they do not invalidate all good deeds as disbelief does.

As for the Prophet's ﷺ hadith describing people who will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds as great as the mountains of Tihamah, only for Allah to scatter them like dust, it is a severe warning to those who secretly violate Allah's prohibitions. It indicates that some sins may erase the reward of great deeds, but it does not mean that every person who commits a major sin loses all of their good deeds.

Likewise, the hadith concerning the non-acceptance of the supplication of a prostitute who persists in adultery or an unjust tax collector does not mean that all of their deeds are nullified. Rather, it indicates that persisting in sin is among the reasons why supplications may not be answered until the servant sincerely repents to Allah.

Summary

Major sins, including adultery, do not nullify all righteous deeds. What completely nullifies one's deeds is apostasy and disbelief. A Muslim continues to receive the reward for sincere acts of worship while remaining under Allah's will if they die persisting in a major sin. Therefore, one should hasten to repent and never rely on good deeds while continuing to persist in disobedience.

And Allah knows best.