The ILL Effects of Sins

 

ONE: The prevention of knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light.

Imâm Shaafi’ee (رحمه الله) 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 Allaah is not given to the disobedient. ”

TWO:  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.

THREE: The prevention of obedience (to Allaah): If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى then this would be sufficient.

FOUR: 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.

FIVE: Disobedience reduces the lifespan and destroys any blessings: Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

SIX: Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant.

SEVEN: 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.

EIGHT: Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى 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 Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى.

NINE: Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basree (رحمه الله) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honorable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said:

وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ
“And whomsoever Allaah lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honor.”

[Hajj 22:18]

TEN: 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.

ELEVEN: 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 Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى.

Ibn Mas’ood رضي اللّه عنـه 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."

[Bukhaaree]

TWELVE: Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honor, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allaah. 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.”

THIRTEEN: 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.

FOURTEEN: When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said:

كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِممَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
“But no! But on their hearts is the Rân (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn..”

[Al-Mutaffifeen 83:14]

FIFTEEN: 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 :

ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

"Evil (sins and disobedience of Allâh, etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.), that Allâh may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon)."

[Rum 30:41]

SIXTEEN: 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 (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) that he said:

'Modesty is goodness, all of it.'

[Bukhaaree and Muslim]

A Poet said:

“And by Allaah, there is no good in life or in the world when modesty goes.”

SEVENTEEN: Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allaah, the Mighty in the heart of the servant

EIGHTEEN: Sins are the cause of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his Shaitaan and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.

NINETEEN: 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.

TWENTY: Disobedience causes the favors (of Allaah) 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 (رضي اللّه عنـه) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance.

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said:

وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ

“Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many.”

[Ash-Shura 42:30]

 And سُبحانه وتعالى also said:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَى قَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

“That is because never will Allaah change the favor He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves.”

[Anfaal 8:53]

{From his book al-Jawwab al-Kafee}