ONE. The Prevention
of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allaah throws into the heart and
disobedience extinguishes this light.
Imaam Shaafi'ee 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 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
Azzawajall 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.
NINE. Disobedience is a cause
of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basree (rh) said:
They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were
honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allah the Exalted said:
And whomsoever Allaah lowers (humiliates) there is none
to give honour. [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.
Ibn Mas'ood (ra) 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. Honour, 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. The Exalted said:
But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account
of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions) [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:
Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account
of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of
(the actions) they have done, in order that they may return. [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 (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) 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 themagnification of Allaah, the Mighty in the heart ofthe servant
EIGHTEEN. Sins are the cause
of Allaah forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for
himself with his soul and his shaytaan 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 favours (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 (ra) said: No trial has descended except due to a
sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allaah the Exalted
said:
Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what
your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many [Shura 42:30]
And the Exalted also said:
That is because never will Allaah change the favour He
has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves [Anfaal 8:53]
The Effects of Sins