The effect of sins
Exceprt from Imam Ibn Qayyims "Al-Jawaab
al-Kaafee"
- The Prevention of Knowledge:
Knowledge is a light which Allah throws into the heart and
disobedience extinguishes this light.
Imaam Shaafi'ee said: "I complained to Wakee' about the weakness
of my memory, so he ordered me to abandon disobedience. And
informed me that the knowledge is light. And that the light of
Allah is not given to the disobedient "
- The Prevention of Sustenance: Just
as Taqwaa brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwaa
causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance
like the abandonment of disobedience.
- The prevention of obedience (to
Allah). If there was no other punishment for sin other than that
it prevents one from obedience to Allah then this would be
sufficient.
- Disobedience weakens the heart and
the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear.
Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the
heart ceases completely.
- Disobedience reduces the lifespan
and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the
lifespan, sinning reduces it.
- Disobedience sows its own seeds
and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out
of it becomes difficult for the servant.
- Sins weaken the hearts will and
resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the
desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to
repent is removed from the heart completely.
- Every type of disobedience is a
legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allah (SWT)
destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot, taking more
than one's due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the
People of Shu'ayb, seeking greatness in the land and causing
corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharoah and
pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hud. So
the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations
who were the enemies of Allah.
- Disobedience is a cause of the
servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basree (rh)
said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed
Him. If they were honorable (in His sight) He would have protected
them. Allah the Exalted said: "And whomsoever Allah lowers
(humiliates) there is none to give honor." [Hajj 22:18]
- The ill-effects of the sinner fall
upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which
they are touched by harm.
- The servant continues to commit
sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in
his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin
becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great
in the sight of Allah.
Ibn Mas'ood (RA) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he
was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall
upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by
his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [Bukhari]
- Disobedience inherits humiliation
and lowliness. Honor, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allah.
Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak said: "I have seen sins kill the hearts.
And humiliation is inherited by their continuity The abandonment
of sins gives life to the hearts. And the prevention of your soul
is better for it."
- Disobedience corrupts the
intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes
this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it
becomes weak and deficient.
- When disobedience increases, the
servant's heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are
heedless. The Exalted said: "But no! A stain has been left on
their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their
actions)." [Mutaffifeen 83:14]
- Sins cause the various types of
corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the
air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted
said:
"Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what
the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of
some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may
return." [Surah Rum 30:41]
- The disappearance of modesty which
is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every
good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good.
It is authentic from the Messenger (saws) that he said: Modesty is
goodness, all of it [Bukhari and Muslim] A Poet said: "And by
Allah, there is no good in life Or in the world when modesty
goes."
- Sins weaken and reduce the
magnification of Allah, the Mighty in the heart of the servant
- Sins are the cause of Allah
forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for
himself with his soul and his shaytaan and in this is the
destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.
- Sins remove the servant from the
realm of Ihsaan (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining)
the reward of those who do good. When Ihsaan fills the heart it
prevents it from disobedience.
- Disobedience causes the favors (of
Allah) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to
reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made
lawful upon him except due to a sin. Alee (RA) said: No trial has
descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled
except by repentance. Allah the Exalted said:
"Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your
hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many." [Shura 42:30]
And the Exalted also said: "That is because never will Allah
change the favor He has bestowed on a people until they change
what is with themselves." [Anfaal 8:53]
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