_Imām Ibn Qudāmah -rahimahullāh-_
Said:
And amongst those Asbāb which turns minor sins into Major sins is for one to be pleased with the minuteness of a sin and to also be proud of it, as a person may say:
Don’t you see how I smeared the honor of such a person and I mentioned his shortcomings until he became shy, or a business man may say: have you not seen how I cheated and duped such a person, and all these and the likes changes minor sins into major sins.
And amongst them, is for one to overlook the favor of Allāh for hidden one’s sin and His forbearance. However, he realize not that this may be a means of punishment in itself in order for him to increase in his sins.
And amongst those Asbāb, is for one to mention the sin he had perpetuated in the presence of others even though its minute.
In the Sahīhayn from the Hadīth of Abī Hurairah Radiyallāhu anhu, that the prophet sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam said:
_All of the sins of my ummah shall be forgiven except those of the Mujāhirīn( those who commit sins apparently without any shy) and of Al-Mujāhirah, is for a person to commit a sin at night, then he comes in the morning though the sin was screened by Allāh from the public, and says: O so and so: I committed so and so deed Yesterday though he spent his night being screened by Allāh, and in the morning, he unveils the screen of Allāh from himself._
Amongst it, is for the sinner to be a pronounced ‘Ālim who is copied by others, whenever others learn an act which is illicit in itself, then his sin become greater, such as wearing of Al-Harīr( the silk garment), and his entrance upon the oppressors without any inkār upon their errors, defaming the honor of others or occupying oneself with the seeking of knowledge in order to attain reputation and status, like the knowledge of jadal.
All these sins always follow an ‘Álim even after his death and its effect continue to spread widely amongst people, thus, Glad is he whose sin terminates with his death.
In the Hadïth which was recorded by both Imāms – Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, the Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:
_….and whosoever sets in Islām an evil act, there is upon him the burden of that, and the burden of the one who acted upon it without any deduction from their burden._
As for an ‘Ālim, he has two major functions as regard this issue:
A). Abstinence from sins.
B). Concealment of his sins when he falls into them.
The way the sins of the ‘Ulamah are doubled when they are copied by others upon their errors, this is also the case as regard their good deeds when emulated by others.
Therefore, it is highly recommended for an ‘Ālim to be just and moderate in his style of clothes and spending so that he should not serve as a fitnah for his followers and he should be contented with little for others are following in his footsteps.
And he should be very careful regarding what others may copy from him, because whenever he busy himself with visiting the kings and chasing the dunya, others will surely emulate him and their sins are upon him even though he may be saved from the fitnah of visiting the kings because they may not comprehend his escaping root.
In this context, it was reported that there was a king who used to force people to eat the meat of a pig, then the palace guard brought forth an ‘Ālim and he said to him: indeed, I have slaughtered a young goat for you so that you may eat from it, but the ‘Ālim refused to eat from it, then the king ordered him to be killed. Then the palace guard said to the ‘Ālim: Have I not said to you that it is a young goat not the flesh of a swine? The ‘Ālim replied by saying: In what way will those who follow my footsteps realise that?
Allāhu A’alam! Bārakallāhu fīkum!
*18th Dhul Qa’dah,1439H.*
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