The Only Sin is Theft

“Now, no matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness,” (Hosseini 18).
This is, perhaps, one of the most profound quotes in the whole novel. At first glance, the lines are a bit baffling. We often hear the horror stories of the Middle East of how those who steal get their hand cut off, so when reading the first part of the quote, one tries to relate it to this. However, it is much more complex than this. When looking at the Ten Commandments, as well as the equivalent in other religious texts, one subconsciously ranks the sins, deciphering which ones are the worst. Theft is not thought to be the worst, in most cases. However, this quote proves this theory wrong. It breaks down the word “theft” it gives it a deeper meaning.
This quote seems to gain momentum throughout the novel. One is not only able to link theft with other sins, but is able to recognize the hypocrisy of the quote. It is a strong excerpt to place in the beginning of the novel.