Can a small sin become a major sin if I keep repeating it?

Allah praises the believers who, when they sin, seek forgiveness and "are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in the wrong they have done" (Quran 3:135) — persistence is singled out precisely because it changes the character of a small sin. Ibn 'Abbas is reported to have said, "There is no minor sin with persistence, and no major sin with istighfar." Anas ibn Malik warned the next generation about exactly this: "You do deeds that seem finer than a hair in your eyes, but in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ we used to count them among the destructive sins" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6492). Nothing is dropped from the record — "it leaves out nothing small or great, but takes account thereof" (Quran 18:49) — so break the cycle with immediate repentance rather than dismissing a sin as too small to matter.

Ask your own question → All questions