How can one understand the Hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim about the man who committed a sin necessitating a legal punishment (hadd), then prayed with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whereupon the Prophet informed him that Allah had forgiven him, considering that prayer expiates minor sins but does not expiate major sins that involve legal punishments (hudud)?

The issue is summarized in two authentic hadiths: First, on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, that a man kissed a woman, and the verse was revealed: "Indeed, good deeds do away with evil deeds." Second, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, that a man committed a hadd offense, and the Prophet informed him of the forgiveness of his sin after praying with him. Scholars agree that good deeds expiate minor sins, and that touching and kissing with lust are not major sins ( kaba'ir) that necessitate a hadd punishment. Rather, they are transgressions that are expiated by good deeds. Scholars differed in interpreting the hadith (definition) of the man who committed a hadd offense; some of them held that it was a minor transgression, and some held that it was a major sin specific to that man, or that good deeds may sometimes expiate some major sins, or that the forgiveness was due to his sincere repentance. It is warned against persisting in sins under the pretext that good deeds expiate them, because persistence in minor sins turns them into major ones.