There is no doubt that sins bring misery, disaster, depression,
darkness of expression, hardness of heart, and turn happiness to sorrow
and love to hatred Some Scholars said: “If I disobey Allah I can feel
the consequences of my sins on my wife’s and horse’s behaviour.”
Ibn al-Qayyim said: Sins have disgusting effects, which damage
the heart and the body in this world and the Hereafter, and which Allah
Alone knows fully. It deprives one of knowledge, because knowledge is a
light, which Allah puts into the heart of a believer, but the sins
extinguish that light. A sinner finds himself alone and separated from
Allah . He may have the pleasure of the world at his feet, but still
feels deprived of any spiritual joy and pleasure. Because of his sins,
he is far from happy and his heart is dead. A dead man feels no pain
Therefore, a wise man is he who abandons his sins.
Ibn al-Qayyim: “Al-Jawaab al-kaafi Liman Saala Ant ad-Dawaa ‘ash-Shafim
Also, a sinner finds himself isolated and a stranger among his
friends, especially the righteous ones. The more isolated he gets the
more he feels cut off from them and from their help. Worse, he starts
getting close to the followers of Satan, may Allah curse him, as he
hides himself from the party of Allah. This isolation grows and the
sinner loses his temper and falls out with his wife, children and
relatives. He starts feeling lonely and alienated. All his goals become
difficult to achieve. The doors are closed in his face whenever he
intends to accomplish a job. On the other hand, whoever fears Allah and
keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out from every
difficulty. Allah often provides a solution in the most unexpected ways
or from the most unexpected quarters. But whoever abandons Taqwa’
(piety), Allah will make things difficult for him A sinner finds and
feels real darkness in his heart similar to the darkest night. The gloom
of a sin for the heart is like darkness for the eye. Obedience to Allah
is a light and disobedience and sin is like darkness. The more this
darkness intensifies, the more confused the sinner becomes. He, then,
becomes unaware and falls victim to innovation (Bida’) and misguidance.
He becomes like a blind man walking alone in a dark night. Worse than
that, this darkness grows until it becomes visible in the eye, then it
grows until it emerges on the face, which becomes dark.
Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: “A good deed reflects brightness in the
face, a light in the heart, abundance in livelihood, strength in the
body and love in peoples’ hearts. A sin reflects darkness on the face
and heart, weakness in the body, scarcity in livelihood and hatred in
peoples’ hearts.”
Moreover, sins reduce a person’s life span and obliterate his or her
fortune. Piety and righteousness increases one’s life span while impiety
reduces it.
Among the sins which spread in our Muslim society:
- Abandoning Salaat.
- Abandoning Zakaat.
- Failing to observe Hajj for those who can afford it.
- Slander.
- Drinking intoxicants and smoking.
- Going out to markets wearing indecent clothes and without a male relative (Mahram).
- Bringing up children in a Western education.
- Watching filthy movies and listening to music.
- Reading dirty magazines.
- Allowing domestic servants and drivers to enter the house without reason.
- Accompanying evil and corrupt people.
- Neglecting and disobeying one’s husband.
These are but a few examples of sins which have become
prevalent in our society. Therefore, we have to fear Allah as much as we can,
as Allah says,
o you who believe!Ward off from yourselves and your families a (Hell) fire whose fuel is men and stones
At Tahrim verse 6