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INDEED, all sins and transgressions of the commands of The Almighty poison the heart and lead to its illness and destruction. They sicken it and define its will as other than what The Almighty wants (of His servants), in effect being as harmful to the heart as actual poisons are to the body.
The Almighty has stated in the Holy Qur’aan “Nay! But on their hearts is the rust (because of that) which they used to earn.” (Ch 83:14). This clearly refers to the sins that pile up until the heart is totally clogged and then even blinded. That is because the heart rusts from sins, an increase of which steps up corrosion until it is totally diseased. Eventually, the heart becomes insensitive to any spirituality and goodness and one then drowns in immorality and sin.
Truly speaking the full extent of harm that sins cause to the heart, and body, in this life and in the Hereafter, are known to God Almighty alone. However, careful thought and due consideration will lead to the clear understanding that every evil and every single disease in this life and the Hereafter, can be attributed to sins and acts of disobedience to The Almighty.
A great scholar, Ibn Al-Mubaarak, said, “I have seen that sins cause the death of the heart and addiction to them breeds humiliation. On the other hand, quitting sins gives life to the heart and it is better for one to disobey his own self than to disobey The Almighty.”
Prophetic declaration
The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) put it so clearly when he said “Be warned! In the body there is a lump of flesh (an organ) which if it is in good order then the rest of the limbs (actions & deeds) will be in good order and if it is corrupt then the rest of the limbs (actions & deeds) will be corrupt! Be warned! It is the heart!”
This powerful Prophetic declaration is so appropriate in explaining the condition of the heart, not only in the physical dimension but also the spiritual! Just as the physical well-being of the heart has an effect on the general good health of the rest of the body, so does it’s spiritual well-being have an impact upon the spiritual and moral uprightness of the whole being!
When the heart becomes diseased with sins and transgression then immorality not only becomes widespread, it is even glorified and promoted with open boldness and a sense of defiance. This is because the heart loses the required spirituality and the basic connection with The Creator who is The Divine, Supreme Sovereign.
When we take a look at the generations of the past, we are meant to reflect seriously in order to take heed. There are straightforward questions about the sinning nations of the past: Why were the sinning people on earth drowned at the time of Noah (PBUH) and the water submerged the peaks of mountains?
Why were the transgressing people of Aad afflicted with an intense hurricane that left their lifeless bodies on earth like they were hollow trunks of palm trees?
Why was the disobedient tribe of Thamood afflicted with a loud shriek that literally tore their hearts on the inside and all of them died [as a result]? Why were the settlements of the immoral people of the time of Lot (peace be upon him) lifted so high up to the sky then turned upside down, leading to their deaths; and why were they cast with stones of layered, hard clay?
In this way, this immoral nation was punished twice, which was something that did not happen to any other nation before them. Their counterparts today may also have the same punishment, and this is never far from the wrongdoers.
Why was the Pharaoh and his army drowned in the sea?
Why was Qaaroon (Pharaoh’s chief minister) swallowed by the Earth, along with his house, property and family? And so forth.
Some of the effects of acts of disobedience and sins
Actions/deeds of sin and transgression render darkness in one’s heart, diminishing the spirituality and slowly distancing the person from God-consciousness. They gradually seal one’s heart; if sins accumulate, their doer becomes heedless.
The enormity of sins is removed from the heart to the extent that the sinners then consider them as mere habits. In fact they may even justify their wrong and immoral ways as being part of their birth right or human right or whatever else!
Sins breed more sins and help sustain the habit of committing evil.
Evil deeds also remove bashfulness and modesty from the heart of a person, which is actually the source of life to the heart.
Sins diminish the heart’s zeal to please The Almighty and win in the Hereafter.
A person continues to commit vices until he or she belittles them and considers them as trivial.
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, a very close companion of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), that he said, “A good deed brings about light in [its doer’s] face and heart, blessing in provisions and love in the hearts of people. Conversely, a sin brings about darkness in the face and the heart, decrease in sustenance and hatred in the hearts of people.”
Never belittle any sin
One of the companions of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), Ibn Mas‘ood, said: “The believing man sees his sin as if it were a mountain that he fears will fall down on him; whereas the immoral person thinks of his sin as a fly that sat on his nose and he easily waved it off.”
Another companion, Bilaal ibn Sa‘d advised, “Do not look at the smallness of a sin but look at the magnificence of the One Whom you have disobeyed.”
For further information on Islam or a free copy of the Holy Qur’aan, please contact:
Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Council of Islamic Scholars
Publications Department
PO Box W93, Waterfalls, Harare
Tel: 04-614078 / 614004, Fax : 04-614003
e-mail: [email protected].
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