Grand Ayatollah Shirazi remarks on duties after converting to Islam

In his daily scholarly meeting on Monday, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi discussed the ruling that converting to Islam removes and cleanses what was before it, and said: It is stated in Islamic jurisprudence that if a person becomes a Muslim, they will not be held accountable for obligations regarding the period prior to their conversion.

His Eminance continued: The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his pure family, did not punish or avenge Vahshi, the slave who killed his uncle, the Honourable Hamza, in Uhud Battle, after he embraced Islam. The people of Makkah had also killed many Muslims, but those who converted to Islam were not punished following the conquest of Mecca.

In relation to the ruling of Ḥaqq al-Nās (the Right of People), the Marja said: Some jurists believe that the rule of “Converting to Islam, removes and erases what was before it” applies to and covers Ḥaqq al-Nās as well. But some jurists, including the late Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad al-Shirazi, believe that if someone was a non-Muslim, and at that time, stole something from someone, or if they owed Ḥaqq al-Nās, and then became a Muslim, they are obliged to fulfill those duties.