The Ill Effects of Sins


"Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself."
Narrated by Ibn Umar : Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, "If Allaah sends punishment upon a nation then it befalls upon the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected (and judged) according to their deeds."
Whatever good comes upon us - blessing or security - it is from Allaah, it is He who provided that, its beginning and end, from his beneficence. It is He who granted us from his bounty that we should carry out that which would lead to it, and it is He who granted us His blessing and completed that for us. Many people today attribute the misfortunes which befall them, whether relating to wealth and economics, or security and political affairs to purely materialistic causes. There is no doubt that this is due to their limited understanding and weakness of their EEMAAN and their failure to reflect upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). Behind these reasons are causes prescribed as such by Allaah, However the material reasons may be a means of bringing about what is due to the causes prescribed by Allaah which necessitates the misfortune and punishment. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic says :"Evil (sins and disobedience of Allaah) has appeared on the land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds etc.), that Allaah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allaah)."
"O Muslim! you are the best and most noble of the nations of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Allaah does not punish this nation for its disobedience and sins in the way that He punished the previous nations. He will not cause its destruction with a single overwhelming punishment as happened to 'Aad, when they were destroyed by the violent wind which He unleashed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession so that they were left lying like the hollow trunks of palm trees, Do you see any remnants of them.
Ibn 'Abbas narrates that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "I was granted victory with As-Saba (Easterly Wind), and the nation of 'Aad, was destroyed by Ad-Dabur (Westerly Wind)." and Anas narrates that "Whenever a strong wind blew, anxiety appeared on the face of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) (fearing that, that wind might be a sign of Allaah's wrath)."
He will not destroy it (the ummah) with the like of the punishment of Thamood who were seized by the terrible shout and the earthquake so that they lay prostate corpses in their homes. And He will not destroy it with the like of the punishment of the people of Loot, against whom Allaah sent a violent wind and stones from the sky and turned their homes upside down.O Muslims ! Allaah, from His Wisdom and his Mercy, punishes this nation for its sins and disobedience by setting some part of it upon the others so that they destroy one another and take each other prisoner, Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says "Say : 'He has power to send torment on you from above you of from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another.' See how variously We explain the Ayaat, so that they may understand. But your people (O Muhammed (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) have denied it (the Qur'aan) though it is the truth. Say : 'I am not responsible for your affairs.'For every news there is a fact (i.e. for everything there is an appointed term and you will come to know)."
It is also reported by Sa'd ibn Abee Waqqaas, who said : "We went along with Allaah's messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) until we came to the mosque of Banoo Mu'aawiyah, so Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) entered and prayed two rak'ahs so we prayed along with him, so he called upon his Lord for a long time, then said : 'I asked my Lord for three things, I asked him that He should not destroy my nation with a deluge so He granted me that; I asked Him that He should not destroy my nation with famine as happened to the people of Fir'awn so He granted me that; and I asked Him that they should not fight amongst themselves, but He refused me that."

Misconceptions Cleared
There are some people who doubt and seek to cause doubts that sins are a cause of misfortunes, and that is because of the weakness of their eeman and their negligence in reflecting upon the book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic as Allaah of the says in the Qur'aan,"And if the people of the towns had believed and had taqwaa (Piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessing from the heavens and the earth, but they belied (The messengers). So we took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes etc). Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they are asleep ? Or, Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they play ? Did they then feel secure against the plot of Allaah.None feels secure from the plot of Allaah except the people who are lost."

Daawah to the Ummah
Sins affect the security of a land, they affect its ease, its
prosperity, its economy and they affect the hearts of its people. Sins
cause alienation between the people. Sins cause one muslim to regard
his muslim brother as if he were upon a separate religion other than
Islaam.But if we sought to rectify ourselves, our families, our
neighbours and those in our areas, and everyone we are able to rectify
, if we mutually encouraged good and forbade evil, if we assisted those
who do this with wisdom and wise admonition then it would produce unity
and harmony.Allaah the Mighty and Majestic says : "Let there arise out
of you a group of people inviting to all thatis good (Islaam) enjoining
the ma'roof and forbidding the munkar. And it is those who are
successful.And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves
after the clear proofs had come to them.It is they for whom there is an
awful torment."
Al-mugheerah ibn Shu'bah related that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "A group of my followers will remain victoriously upholding the truth until Allaah's order (the last hour) comes on them while they are still Victorious." It is reported by Zaid ibn Thaabit that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Allaahblesses any man who hears a saying of mine, memorises it and understands it, then conveys it just as he heard it. "O Servants of Allaah ! Fear Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and beware of neglecting the prescribed laws of Allaah, beware of neglecting Allaah signs, beware of failing to reflect upon the book of Allaah, beware of failing to know the Sunnah of Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), since in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of his Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) lies your success (if you cling to them, if you attest to the truth of what they inform of and follow their commands). And since we have been looking at them from a materialistic perspective the unbelievers are stronger and greaterthan us through that.However if we look from an Islamic perspective by the way of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah then we will abandon all that is a cause ofthese misfortunes as Allaah says:" Verily , Allaah will help those who help His (cause) Truly, Allaah is All-Strong, All-Mighty."

Some of the 'Symptoms, Avoidance & Cures' of Sins :
Narrated by Abu Huraira, The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Avoid the seven great destructive sins" the people asked O Allaah's Messenger ! what are they ? He said "To join others in worship along with Allaah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allaah has forbidden except for a just cause, to eat up Riba (usury, interest), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to show one's back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting and to accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are true believers".
Narratedby Abdullah bin Amrthat the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.
1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays (proves dishonest).
2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner ."
Narrated by 'Aishah that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)said "The most hated person to Allaah is the one who is most quarrelsome of
the opponents"
Narrated by Abu Huraira that Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Part of a man's good observance of Islaam is that he leaves the things which do not concern him" ( i.e. avoiding interference with other's matters).
Narrated by Ibn Abbas that AllaahMessenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) passed by two graves and said "Both of them are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a majorsin.This one used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other used to go about with calumnies"
The Qur'aan

Narrated by Uthman, The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'aan and teach it (to others)"
Ibn Masood reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) once said "Whoever reads a single letter from Allaah's Book will receive a blessing and each blessing is worth ten times its value."Abu Umaamah reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Recite the Qur'aan for verily on the Day of Resurrection it will act as an intercessor for its companions (those who read it often).
Prayer ( Salat )
To offer salat at its appointed time as narrated by Abdullah ibnMasud 'I asked the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) Which deed is the dearest to Allaah? He said, "To performs-Salat at their early fixed times......."Bearing in mind salat is to performed as the prophet ordered us to pray "Perform your salat the way you see me performing them"
Fasting (Saum) and Charity (Sadaqah)
Mu'adh bin Jabal narrates: "The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to him "May I show you the gates of goodness ? (They are) Fasting is a screen from hell, As-Sadaqah extinguishes the sins as the water extinguishes the fire, Standing in prayer by a slave of Allaah during the last third part (Tahajjud) of a night" Then the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) recited (V.32:16) "Their sides forsake their beds". Abu Huraira narrates that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Everyday two angels come down from the heaven and one of them says 'O Allaah ! Compensate every person who spends in your cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allaah ! Destroy every miser.' "
Seeking Knowledge
Reported by Anas "Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim"
Reported by Abu ad-Dardaa that he heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) say "If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allaah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of paradise.The angels will lower their wings because of their pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, and forgiveness will be asked for him by the inhabitants of the heavens and earth and the fish in the depth of the oceans..."

Adhering to the Sunnah
Reported by Abu Huraira that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "I have left with you two things, if you hold on firmly to them , you will never go astray; Allaah's Book and my Sunnah."Abu Huraira narrates that Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, "All my Ummah will enter paradise except those who refuse" They asked O Allaah's Messenger ! who will refuse ? He Said "Whoever obeys me will enter paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter paradise)"
Avoiding Bidah (Innovation)
Abdullah ibn Masoud relates that Allaah's Messenger (Pubh) drew a line for them one day and then Said "This is Allaah's path", then he drew several lines (branching off) to the right and to the left and said, "These are the paths (of Misguidance) on each of which is a devil inviting people to follow it" andthen he recited (the verse) "Verily this is my path, leading straight, so follow it. And do not follow the (other) paths for they will scatter you about from (Allaah's) path. This is His Command to you in order that you may be conscious of Allaah."
Aisha reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "Whoever introduces something new into this religion of ours which does not belong in it will have it rejected" (i.e., it will not be accepted by Allaah.
Imitating the Kufaar
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) has warned us in regards to imitating the Kufaar, Abu Saeed al-Khudree reported that Allaah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said "You will follow the practices of yourpredecessors, inch by inch and yard by yard, so much so that if they were to enter a lizard's hole you would also follow them." He then asked if he meant the Jews and the Christians and He replied "Who Else ? "
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) also warned us saying "Whoever resembles a people, he is one of them" The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) also cursed men who tried to resemble woman and women who tried to resemble men.
We ask Allaah, the Most High, that He turns the misguided of this Ummah back to the guidance, and that he makes us all to support one another and aid one another in carrying out good and righteousness until we return to this Ummah its lost glory and honour, Indeed He is fully able and having the power to do that.

 

 


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