By means of Sins, a slave becomes contemptible before his Lord and falls before His SWT eyes. Hazrat Hasan Basri (RA) says that Allah SWT saves those from sins who are honorable before Him SWT and whoever becomes humiliated before Allah SWT, none in the world respects him. Yes people can show respect outwardly to a person fearing his evil when their hearts are filled with hatred and disgust for him. The true respect of a person is that which comes from Allah SWT and descends down to the earth for that person. This respect not just remains while he is alive but also continues after his death. It is the effect of the sin or say that it is the punishment of the sin that a person continues doing sin upon sin until the greatest of the sins becomes smaller in his eyes. This in fact is the sign of destruction of the slave when sins become smaller in his sight while it is really big in Allah’s SWT sight. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (RA) narrates that Prophet SAW said: “The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting beneath a mountain which he feared was about to fall upon him, whereas the wicked sees his sins like a man who finds a fly settle upon his nose, so he brushes away”. Depending upon the honor of a person in Allah’s (SWT) court, he is saved from the sins and he keeps himself away from the sins. When a person becomes wretched and contemptible in Allah’s (SWT) sight, he keeps getting immersed in the sins until he sees the greatest of the sins as smaller and when this happens, know that his time of destruction has started.
The effect of sins not just destroys the human but reaches far beyond to the animals bringing in devastation and destruction. The effect of sin is so intense and severe that it creates catastrophe in the surrounding of the person that commits sin. The sinner not just burns and destroys himself with his sins but also drags in innocent people and other creatures along with him in this evil effect. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) says that even birds start dying in their cages because of the oppression of a sinner. This is the extent of the effect of sins. When a person is oppressing day and night, he is not just violating the rights of Allah SWT but also the rights of other creatures. Imagine what a fire he started with such a catastrophe that keeps eating him from inside! Hazrat Mujaahid (RA) says even the animals curse the oppressors when the rain stops to shower. Even the animals know that the stopping of rain of mercy is because of the adversity of human deeds. When a plague spreads in a region, it not just affects the weak but also the healthy ones. Similar is the effect of sins. It affects all. Hazrat Ikrima (RA) says that even the insects such as ants, lizards, scorpions etc. start screaming that it is because of the children of Adam that the rain of Allah’s mercy has stopped showering. The sinner not just becomes prey to the punishment of his sins but also to the curse of innocent creatures affected by him. He is affected not just by his own sins but also by the adversity faced by the other creatures. How many creatures start cursing him! Indeed with all certainty the sins bring humiliation and disgrace.
If a person is questing for honor, know that it is only with Allah SWT. “Whosoever desires honor, power and glory then to Allah belong all honor, power and glory” Al quran-35:10. And know that one can get honor, power and glory only by obeying and worshipping Allah alone. That is why the duaa is: “Allahumma a’izzani bi-thaa’atika wa la tudzillani bi-maa’shiyatika”. O Allah! Honor me through your obedience and do not humiliate me through your disobedience. Hazrat Hasan Basri (RA) says that a person can move in a lofty vehicle wearing royal clothes with servants in front and behind him giving a majestic look but he cannot be saved from the disgrace that is showered on him by his sins. All these lofty things cannot give him honor as the disgrace of his sins is covering him. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mubarak (RA) says, “I have seen the sins making the heart dead, persistence of sins leads to disgrace, the life of heart is in safety from sins, your good lies in preventing the sins and none made the religion bad except the bad rulers, bad spiritual leaders and bad people”. Intellect is a blessing from Allah SWT and a name of light. The darkness of sins extinguishes this light for certain. The sinner do such foolish acts that people wonder if he has any intellect. A mad man sees sound minded people as mad. This is the case of a sinner. On one hand he sins and on the other hand he boasts about his sins. He calls those who protect themselves from sins as silly people. Our righteous predecessors has said that when a man persists in disobeying Allah SWT his intellect vanishes because if he had any intellect, it would have stopped him from sinning. When one knows that the King of kings is watching him, seeing him, can grab him firmly for his acts and has complete control and knowledge of him and in spite of this if he disobeys Allah SWT, then what does it imply? He is devoid of intellect, right? It is the sign of stupidity that does not prevent him from sins. Why doesn’t he understand that his life is in the hands of Allah SWT, the every blessing he is enjoying is bestowed by Him SWT, his progress and destruction is under His SWT control, Allah SWT is completely aware of his deeds, he is residing in His space and His SWT angels are surrounding him? And he is disobeying Allah SWT in front of Him SWT in His house. The Quran is advising him not to do that, his eeman (faith) is enjoining him not to do that and even the death and hell are warning him not to do that. In spite of all this, if he is still persisting in committing sins, then it is an unfortunate sign that he has been completely deprived of intellect and insight. The sins have snatched away his intellect and insight and that is why in spite of all these hindrances he is still disobeying Allah SWT. Otherwise a man of sound intellect can never do this. When the sins exceed, the heart is sealed and the sinner remains insensible and ignorant.
Nothing but rather, their earnings have rusted their hearts. Al-Quran-83:14. The tafsir of this verse states that it’s because of committing sins upon sins to the extent that the heart becomes blind. Just a person losing eyesight is called as a blind, the darkness of sins make the heart blind and the insight leaves him. The religious scholars have stated that when sins multiply they surround the heart and the heart is said to be rusted and the rust dominates the person. And when the sins increase further, it becomes the characteristics of that person and a stage is reached when his heart gets sealed. Let Allah SWT protect us from that state. Ameen. Slowly and slowly his heart disappears in cover of sins. Without insight, the heart turns upside down and his enemy becomes completely dominant over him and make him dance to his tune. There won’t be any filth or sin he would find difficult to act on. The enemy takes him wherever he wills. Take courage to save from sins. What cannot happen with courage? But a man do not even intent to lead a sinless life. A man intends to do such and such good deeds but he doesn’t bother about violating others right through his acts, deeds or words and in fact he doesn’t even resolve to save himself from that. The man decides to do voluntary prayers and other good deeds but he doesn’t think to give up his weaknesses and sins. As he doesn’t resolve to give up sins, in spite of continuously doing righteous deeds he reaches a time when the divine help to do good deeds is snatched away from him. He carries on doing certain good deeds regularly for some days and then become deprived of carrying those deeds. A man attends masjid for congregational prayers, recites Quran daily, gives charity and then suddenly the sins throw such an adverse effect on him that he gives up all these. Do not just resolve to do good deeds but start analyzing about the sins you are prone to committing them. If you see some sins that you can easily give up, then give it up immediately. As far as those sins that are difficult to give up, turn to Allah SWT for the help and courage just like you got the divine help to do good deeds and work towards leaving those sins.
Unless and until the life gets purified from sins, there won’t be steadfastness in doing righteous deeds and in fact one doesn’t even get the light of righteous deeds or sense their fragrance. If you pour a whole bottle of itr (perfume) on a dirty cloth lying on cow dung, do you think you will sense the fragrance of itr. If you remove that cloth from the dung and apply just a drop of itr on that, how fragrant the cloth will become! If a person does righteous deeds and at the same time is committing sins, then how will he sense the fragrance of good deeds? Yes if you move away from the sins and if you do even little good deeds, you will find its effect, grasp its light and sense its fragrance. You can do thousands of voluntary prayers but it cannot be equated to giving up sins because leaving sins is a compulsory act. Voluntary acts cannot compete a compulsory act. Yes because of voluntary acts, one get the power through which giving up sins becomes easy but you should first resolve to save yourselves from sins. Many times a man doesn’t even intent to give up sins and in fact he is determined that sins will go along with his life and is a part of life. If life cannot be lead without sins, then why did Allah SWT made the sins haram? If I do not have power to give up sins, then why would Allah SWT ask me to give up sins? If you do not burden a child more than he could bear, it is your nobility. Will Allah SWT, the Noblest of noblest and Merciful of the merciful burden a person to give up sins without implanting power in him? How can this happen? Well I think I do not burden a child more than his ability because I care for him and how about Allah SWT who loves us more than our mothers? O honorable ones! All this is within our ability and that is why Allah SWT is asking us to save ourselves from sins. There is only destruction and devastation in sins and that is why Allah SWT is asking us to stay away from it. The evil consequence of sins is not just in this world but also in the hereafter and that is why Allah SWT asked us to save ourselves. Whenever a man resolves to do good deeds, it is very essential for him to resolve to give up sins also because only then he will be fortunate enough to receive the blessings of religiousness and the blessings of voluntary acts become clearly visible.
O Allah help us all to act on what we hear, write and read. O Allah grant us life pleasing to You, purify us outwardly and inwardly. O Allah make it easy for us to give up sins and help us to practice deen completely. O Allah purify our life when in seclusion. O Allah make us act justly with Your creations and protect us from violating anyone’s rights. O Allah grant us khushu in salah, taste in reciting Quran and grant us courage and strength to save ourselves from sins easily. O Allah help us in every step we take forward in your religion with your support and assistance. O Allah Keeping our weaknesses in mind grant us your special assistance. O Allah End our life with eemaan (faith) and grant us a life pleasing to you. O Allah Grant us eemaan, its characteristics and a life of eemaan. O Allah Grant us the good characteristics and manners of your beloved Prophet SAW. Ameen
