#872: The Consequence of Sins
872. QUESTION
Question: ASSALAMU ALAIKUM. What are the dangers, evils or consequences of Hidden Sins.
ANSWER:
Alhamdulillāhi!
Oh beloved one – may Allāh bestow upon you steadiness and tawfīq on his path, Amīn.
Know verily, sins generally either hidden or apparent ones should never be belittled nor considered insignificant. This is due to their consequences at the end.
Thus, Oh beloved one, one need to be very mindful regarding ones steps on the path of Allāh, for Shaytan has already promised to lure the son of Ādam into errors in all dimensions. This is done either by making him to view a sin as insignificant thereby making him to procrastinate seeking repentance.
Also, know that Shaytan is not in haste regarding the outcome of his plots. He plots against the son of Ādam by making him to trample on the Hudūd of Allāh and anticipates for the setbacks later. However, those consequences cannot be noticed except through the lenses of Īmān.
In addition, One should not be carefree regarding sins due to the fact that Allāh is the most forgiving. But remember that, He is at the same time severe in punishment except that He forgives whoever He wishes out of His mercy and punishes whoever He wants out of His justice.
And at times, a sinner thinks the deferment he attains from Allāh is a sign of forgiveness and that’s not the case.
Abū Al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzīyy said:
And it is possible for the sinner to think that his deferment is a sign of forgiveness whereas sins have bad consequences.
Saidu Al-khātir.
That said, there are many setbacks of sins, Amongst them are:
1.) They cause a servant to have a straitened life, no tranquility and peace of mind.
Allah says:
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ
And whoever turns away from My remembrance, his shall be a straitened life, and We will raise him on the day of resurrection, blind.
Sūratu Taha, Verse 124.
Ibn Kathīr Al-qurashí said:
This means: whoever turns away from my command and what I revealed to My Messengers, then he has turned away from it, neglected it and taken his guidance from other than it.”
“فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا”
verily, for him is a life of hardship,
meaning, his life will be hard in this world. He will have no tranquility nor peace of mind. Rather, his chest will be constrained and in difficulty due to his misguidance. Even if he appears to be in comfort outwardly and wears whatever he likes, eats whatever he likes and lives wherever he wants, for surely, his heart will not have pure certainty and guidance. He will be in agitation, bewilderment and doubt. He will not ceased to be in confusion and a state of uncertainty. This is from the hardship of life.
Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr.
2.) They cause dark covering cast (Rān) on the heart.
كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
Nay! rather, what they used to do has become like rust upon their hearts.
Sūratu Al-Mutafiffīn, verse 14.
In this context, it is reported from Abū Hurairah Radiyallāhu anhu who said: The prophet Salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:
“إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ مِنْهَا صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ وَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ فَذلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ تَعَالَى :”كَلَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ”.
Verily, when the servant commit a sin, a black spot appears in his heart. If he repents from it, his heart is polished clean. However, if he increases (in the sin), the spot will continue to increase. That is the statement of Allah: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Rān (covering) which they used to earn.”
Transmitted by Imām Abū Dāwud#4990 and Imām#2316. And Shaykh Al-Albānī declared it as Hasan.
3.) They cause weakness to the heart and lack of retentive memory.
Imām Ash-shāfi’y Rahimahullāhu said:
شكوت إلى وكيع سوء حفظى# فأرشدنى إلى ترك المعاصى
فإن الحفظ فضل من إلهى# وفضل الله لا يهدى لعاصى
I complained to Wakī’i of lack of retentive memory, he then guided me to desist from sins.
For verily, ability to memorize is a virtue from Allāh and the virtue of Allāh is not given to the sinner.
Ta’līmu Al-Muta’llim Tarīqu At-ta’llum.pg 55.
4.) They lead to another sins. Like showoff leads to envy, pride and the likes.
Some wised ones used to say:
Sin which comes after sin is a consequence of the first sin, and good deed which follows another good deed is a reward of the first good deed.
(5.) They cause lack of sweetness of Īmān in the heart and lack of sweetness of ‘Ibādāt.
Imām Ibn Jawziyy said:
The sinner may appear to be in comfort regarding his body and wealth, and he thought by such, their is no any consequence awaiting him, and he is heedless of what he has been afflicted with of punishment, whereas it’s possible that the immediate setback are spiritual in nature. One of the monks of Banī isrāīl said: Oh Lord! how many times have I offended you without you punishing me! It was said to him: how many times have I punished you without you realising it, is it not that I have forbidden you the sweetness of supplicating to me…?!
(6.) They cause a servant to be overpowered by Shaytan and becomes his associate.
Allāh Ta’āla says:
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ
And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance of the Beneficent Allāh, We appoint for him a Shaytan, so he becomes his associate.
Sūratu Az-zukhruf, Verse 36.
7.) They cause lack of steadfastness and tawfīq on the path of Allāh.
وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِن دِيَارِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا.
And if We had prescribed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your homes, they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they had done what they were admonished, it would have certainly been better for them and best in strengthening (them);
Sūratu An-Nisa, Verse 66.
8.) They cause lack of acceptance of supplication by Allāh.
9.) They lead to calamity in the life of a servant.
10.) They serve as barrier between a servant and His Lord.
That said, tighten your belt and build your resolve on the journey and promise Allāh to get to it end even though you may be alone on it course. Hasten to purify the diseases of your heart and beware of sins be it hidden or apparent.
Also, sit yourself down and doubled check your relationship with Allāh, the level of the love of His Ibādāt in your heart. Don’t lag behind in any act of Ibādāt and hasten to increase your status in the sight of Allāh by shunning away from vices.
After all, the meeting with your Lord is almost around the clock.
Shouldn’t you prepare for such meeting?
Allāhu A’alām.
Bārakallāhu fīkum.
Jazākumullahu Khayran.
Abū Yahya
8th Rabī’u Al-Awwal, 1441AH.
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