Extracted notes from the articles about the consequences of sinning and disobedience towards Allah the Exalted, and some of the traps that the Shaytan may be able to lure the Muslim into without him being aware of this. All in the light of the Quran and Sunnah.
- Do not come close to zinā
- Beware of self-made excuses and the whispering of the Shaytān
- Wasting Time From an Islamic Perspective
- Islamic texts regarding the habitual sinner
”And do not come close to zinā” (Al-Isrā 17:32)
An open letter to the Muslim brothers and sisters regarding the mixing of genders and activities – in real life and on social media!
The mixing of genders have become very common in the time that we live in. The Muslim and Muslimah are therefore obliged to do their very best in staying away from interacting with the opposite gender as much as it is possible and refraining from doing anything which can lead to zinā. Unfortunately – and the subject of this text are those people who entered into the religion of Islām – there are still those men and women who do not comply with the borders of Allāh when it comes to zinā. Some allow mixing between the genders without any need for this, some put their pictures on the internet for full display of everyone and some even speak privately directly with the opposite gender which are not a mahram to them without a third person being present. It is as if the people have forgotten that zinā is not merely illegal sexual intercourse. Did they not listen to the words of Allāh – the Exalted – when He said:
“And do not come close to zinā (unlawful sexual intercourse). Verily, it is an immorality and an evil way.” (Al-Isrā 17:32)
As-Sa’dī – rahimahullāh – said in his tafsīr of the verse: “And the prohibition of coming close to it, is more clear that the prohibition of merely doing it, because this includes the prohibition of everything which leads to it and calls for it. Because verily: ‘Whoever circles around a protected place he will be on the verge of falling into it.’ Especially this matter where there in many souls are a stronger caller towards it.” (Tafsīr As-Sa’dī – Sūrah Al-Isrā)
And the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) also made clear that zinā is not only illegal sexual intercourse when he (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Every son of Adam has his share of zinā. The zinā of the two eyes is looking (at what is forbidden), the zinā of the two hands is grabbing (what is forbidden), the zinā of the two feet is walking (towards what is forbidden) and the zinā of the mouth is kissing. The heart longs for and hopes while the private parts rejects this or confirms it.” (Imām Ahmad – Sahīh on the conditions of Muslim)
So do all these evidences not include speaking with a non-mahram in private – whether it be in real life or on social media? And do they not include looking at the opposite gender with desire – whether it be in real life or on social media? And do they not include the free mixing with the opposite gender with no necessity for this – whether it be in real life or on social media? There is no doubt that these evidences include all this along with the fact that they clarify the element of sin in all of the mentioned deeds.
Whoever begins their search for a spouse in a halāl (permitted, allowed) way, and puts his trust in Allāh, then Allāh do not forsake the believing men and woman even for a blink of an eye.
“And whoever fears Allāh then He will make for him a way out. And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever puts his trust in Allah then He is sufficient for him.” (At-Talāq 65:2-3)
And whoever begins their search for a spouse in harām (prohibited, forbidden), then let them blame no-one but themselves when they find themselves drowning in problems and regret.
We ask Allāh for strength to realize our mistakes and to listen to the advice and follow the best thereof. Verily is Allāh Oft-Forgiving for those who turn to Him in repentance.
To brothers who commit immoralities
You must realize that your situation is one of two – if you flee from one of them you will reach the other.
(1) Either you speak with other women and look at them while not allowing this for your own mother, sister or other female relatives – this makes you a person who possesses traits of nifāq (hypocrisy). Allāh – the Exalted – has already addressed you in this issue, saying: “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do yourselves? Most hateful with Allāh is, that you say that which you do not do yourselves.” (As-Saff 61:2-3)
“This means: Why do you say that which is good and encourage towards it, and perhaps you pride yourselves with this while you (actually) do not do it yourself. And you forbid the evil and perhaps you deem yourselves above it while you are soaked in it and described with it. So is this criticized situation suitable for the believers? Or is it among the most hateful with Allāh that the slave says what he himself do not do? Due to this the one who invites towards the good should be the first of people to take initiative towards it, and for the one who forbids the evil that he among the people is furthest away from it. The Exalted said:
“Do you order the people towards righteousness and forget yourselves, while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?” (Al-Baqarah 2:44)”
(Tafsir As-Sa’di – Sūrah As-Saff)
And these words are especially suitable for you my brother who post religious quotes and pictures on social media while priding yourself with being a caller towards good and a forbidder of evil, but privately you chat with women and look at their photos – perhaps even not with the intention of marrying in the end. If you are capable of contacting the sister directly then you are also capable of contacting her walī. And if your intentions is purely for marriage then you know that a valid marriage can never take place except with the presence and accept of her walī, so why not go to him directly? The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no nikāh (marriage) except with a walī.”
(Abu Dawūd, At-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah – Classified as Sahīh)
So in reality by speaking to her directly you are disclosing your bad intention. A good and pure intention is followed by good and pure actions. And good and pure actions are only those who are in accordance with the Qurān and Sunnah. So ponder over your situation compared to the words of the Messenger (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) when he said:
“Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day, then let him not under any circumstances be alone with a woman who do not have with her someone who is her mahram. Because verily the shaytān is the third among them.”
(Narrated by Ahmad – Classified Sahīh by Al-Hākim and Adh-Dhahabī agreed with him)
And you know very well – my dear brother – that chatting online in private can be just as harmful and encouraging towards evil, as being alone with someone in real life.
(2) The other situation you may be in is, that you speak with women and look at them while not caring if anyone does the same to your mother or sister or other female relatives – this makes you a dayyūth. The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Allāh has verily forbidden the paradise for three people. The habitual drunkard, the disobedient (toward his parents) and the the dayyūth who acknowledges immorality for his family.”
(Ahmad and An-Nisāī)
And the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) also said: “Allāh – the Mighty and Majestic – will not look at three persons on the Day of Judgment. The disobedient to his parents, the woman who imitates men and the dayyūth.” (Sunan An-Nisāī As-Sughrā)
Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullāh – said: “And ad-dayyūth is the one who has no ghīrah (protective jealousy).”
And know, that if the warning from the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) towards the dayyūth does not have any effect on you, then you have a serious problem with your īmān. Because what fear of Allāh is left, if the slave does not fear the Punishment of Al-Wāhid Al-Qahhār? Nor does he worry that Allāh will not look at him on the Day of Judgment. We seek refuge with Allāh from this apparent loss.
No matter which way you are upon – of the two described ways – your path is an evil and immoral path. If we are not men enough to establish the borders of Allāh on earth, then who after the Muwahhidūn should do it?
The time for repenting and turning to Allāh has come.
To sisters who commit immoralities
“And when the angels said: ‘O Maryam! Verily, Allāh has chosen you and purified you, and chosen you above the women of the ‘ālamīn (mankind and jinn).” (Āli ‘Imrān 3:42)
So Allāh chose her and purified her, because it is only suitable that those whom Allāh chose are purified and clean, both from shirk and kufr but also from immoralities and sin. Thereby we can see that when Allāh choses us we must also purify ourselves.
From studying the Qurān we learn that those women mentioned in the Qurān – as positive examples – were purified women who possessed the quality of hayā (shyness). Perhaps the sisters have neglected to study the women mentioned in the Qurān, and the women mentioned in the sīrah and the women who were mentioned as good examples from the salaf? Maryam – the mother of ‘Īsā (‘alayhimā as-salām) – was a young unmarried woman who had never been touched by a man. And what did she say when Jibrīl appeared before her in the form of a beautiful man?
“She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh (Jibril), and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said: ‘Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allāh) from you, if you do fear Allāh.’” (Maryam 19:18)
At-Tabarī – rahimahullāh – mentioned a narration from As-Suddī in his tafsīr of the verse where he said:
“So she said: I verily seek refuge – O man – with Ar-Rahmān from you. She is saying: I seek protection with Ar-Rahmān from you that you should achieve from me what He has forbidden for you (i.e. illegal sexual intercourse), if you really are a possessor of taqwā for Him and you avoid what He has forbidden, and you keep away from sinning against Him. Because the one who has taqwā for Allāh, he verily keeps away from this.”
(Tafsīr At-Tabarī – Sūrah Maraym)
Unfortunately sisters, this is not the case for you who answer with anything else but this, when a strange man approaches you – in real life or on the internet – and he speaks with you about that which should not be said between two strange persons.
A woman should fight whatever calls her towards immorality and always try to maintain her honor and dignity, even if she does not have a Muslim walī or someone who is capable of keeping her under control. This is the real beauty of a woman; that she knows that Allāh is pleased with her shyness and her keeping away from strange men, and due to this – and only this – she apply the borders of Allāh upon herself even when no-one among the creation is watching.
It might happen that a sister is forced to speak with a non-mahram man due to a necessity. First and foremost you must strive your very best to find a righteous walī and to obey him when he takes care of your affairs and show patience in this, in order for you to be able to avoid direct contact with strange men. But if it is absolutely necessary that there should be any direct contact with a man then the sisters must follow the examples as found in the Qurān. Allāh – the Exalted – informs us about the two women who had some help from Prophet Mūsā (alayhi as-salām) with giving their flock of animals some water. He said:
Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said: ‘Verily, my father calls you that he may reward you for having watered (our flocks) for us.’” (Al-Qasas 28:23-25)
As-Sa’di – rahimahullāh – said in his tafsīr of the 25th verse: “So their father sent one of them to Mūsā. So she came to him walking shyly. And this shows her honorable type and her beautiful manners. Because verily is the hayā (shyness) from the excellent behavior and especially with women.”
(Tafsīr As-Sa’dī – Sūrah Al-Qasas)
At-Tabarī – rahimahullāh – narrated in his tafsīr that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattāb (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) said regarding the words of Allāh: “Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly” (Al-Qasas 28:25)
”He (’Umar) said: She was not a salfa’ (indecent and running around) from the women who knows about everything. She said with her hand on her face (covering it): ‘Verily, my father calls you that he may reward you for having watered (our flocks) for us.’”
First of all notice that Allāh – the Creators of the Heavens and the Earth – mentioned her shyness in His Book which is a hujjah upon all of the worlds. Thereafter notice that these women – may the sisters of today take them as an example – did not say anything except what was necessary. They did not speak with Mūsā over several days, weeks or months in private. They did not come to him both of them to invite him to their father. And they did not imply anything immoral nor show off anything of themselves and their beauty. Rather they kept every form of contact at a minimum while displaying modesty, shyness and good behavior.
Verily these are the successful women in dunyā and in ākhirah. These are the women that Allāh praise and the women which Allāh has chosen to mention in his book.
Then there are those who dress up and put on make-up when they go out, or wear revealing clothes or display pictures of themselves on the internet for the whole world to see. Have you not considered that every time a man looks at you, you carry the burden of displaying yourself and the burden of his sin for looking at you? Allāh – the Exalted – said:
“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform the Salāh, and give the Zakāt and obey Allāh and His Messenger.” (Al-Ahzab 33:33)
As-Sadi – rahimahullāh – said in his tafsīr of this verse: “And stay in your houses. This means: Remain in them because it is safer and more protected for you. And do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance. This means: Do not go out a lot while you are beautified and perfumed, which is the habit of the people of the jāhiliyyah. Those who have no knowledge nor religion. All of this protects against the evil and what leads to it.”
(Tafsir As-Sa’di – Sūrah Al-Ahzāb)
We say: Just like the women are ordered to stay in their houses and only come out for a need, then likewise they should not be available for others on social media.
And the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell that I have not seen yet: men with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will never enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.” (Sahīh Muslim)
So the Messenger cursed the women who dress up when they go out and thereby they are attractive to men and a source of fitnah for them. The Islamic Law has called for the exact opposite by ordering the separation of men and women in all aspects. And this separation and avoiding that they should be mixed and see each other for no reason, extends in Islam to one of the most beloved acts of worship with Allāh; the prayer in congregation. The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ”The best of the rows of the men are the first of them (closest to the Imām) and the worst of them are the last. And the best rows of the women are the last (furthest from them Imām) and the worst of them are the first.”
(Narrated by Muslim)
And lastly remember, that even if you don’t have anyone who cares for protecting you against immoralities, and you yourself might have become so corrupt that you yourself do not care for protecting your honor and dignity – by not indulging in what we have discussed – then Allāh cares and Allāh has ghīrah for His believing slaves.
Al-Mughīrah (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “Sa’d bin ‘Ubādah said: ‘If I saw a man with my wife, I would strike him (behead him) with the blade of my sword.’ These news reached Allāh’s Messenger (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) who then said: ‘Are you astonished at Sa’d’s ghīrah. By Allāh, I have more ghīrah than he, and Allāh has more ghīrah than I. And because of the ghīrah of Allāh, He prohibited al-fawāhish (illegal sexual intercourse, immoral deeds etc.) done in open and in secret.’”
(Sahīh Al-Bukhārī)
Beware of self-made excuses and the whispering of the Shaytān
An inescapable reality every Muslim must realize and prepare for is that he inevitably will stand before his Lord who will hold him accountable for his beliefs and his deeds in the worldly life.
There is no-one among you, except that Allāh will speak to him of the Day of Resurrection, and there will be no interpreter between Allāh and him. Then he will look and he will see nothing in front of him. Then he will look (again) in front of him and facing him is Hellfire. So whoever among you is capable of avoiding the fire even with half of a date (should do so).‛ (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī – Kitāb Ar-Riqāq)
And among the facts which are certain regarding this meeting are that Allah will be aware and have full knowledge about everything which you have hidden in your heart, what you have spoken with your tongue and what you have performed with your limbs, of both good and bad. Furthermore the criteria for what is good and what is bad, what is acceptable and what is not, what is allowed and what is not, and what is loved and what is hated, is solely what Allah has revealed in His Book and upon the tongue of His Messenger (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam).
So from the unthinkable for a sane Muslim is, that he – or anyone else for that matter – will meet Allah and be judged according something else than the laws, rules, obligations, prohibitions, recommendations, warnings, exceptions and excuses of Islām.
If Islām obliged a deed, he will be held accountable for leaving it.
And if Islām prohibited a deed, he will be held accountable for performing it.
And should there be any excuses for leaving the obligatory or performing the forbidden, or should there be any exceptions where an obligation is lifted or a prohibition is removed, then these are only the excuses and exceptions which Islām has made valid, and not those which me make up ourselves. For verily are self-made excuses in the religion a disease which can afflict the Muslim who is not attentive. He neglects seeking knowledge in issues which are relevant for him and the accursed Shaytān comes to him and inspires him with false excuses which he adopts until they become his opinion in the issue. And thus the Sharī’ah is forsaken for self-made excuses based upon whims and desires. May Allāh protect us all. And so it is with every self-made excuse in every issue of the religion.
Whoever adopts an excuse which exempts him from performing the obligatory or avoiding the forbidden and this excuse is not in accordance with the Qurān and Sunnah with the understanding of the Salaf, then his opinion is misguidance and will bring along nothing good. And he is inevitably sinning by neglecting an obligatory act or performing something forbidden based upon lust and desire. This religion has been completed by the Owner of Divine Wisdom, Who knows while we do not know. “Alif-Lām-Rā. (This is) a Book whose verses has been perfected, and then explained in detail by One who is All-Wise, All-Aware.” (Hūd 11:1)
So every issue – along with its excuses and exceptions – has been explained in sufficient details for the slaves. It is only for us to investigate whatever is relevant for our own situation in order to worship Allāh upon knowledge and evidence, and not upon ignorance and whims and desires. And among the examples in which a believer may apply these self-made excuses while they in reality are not applicable could be among the following:
Postponing the prayer without a valid excuse:
Some people delay the prayer beyond its prescribed time, under the excuse that they cannot pray at work, or during travel or due to other circumstances which Allāh has not made an excuse for not praying on time. “Then after them came successors who neglected the prayer and followed desires; so they are going to meet evil.” (Maryam 19:59) Ibn Kathīr mentions in his tafsīr of the verse: ‛Al-Awzā’ī said, from Mūsā ibn Sulaymān, from Al-Qāsim ibn Mukhayrah regarding His words: ‚Then after them came successors who neglected the prayer.‛ He said: ‘They verily neglected the prescribed times. And if it meant (them) leaving it, then this had been kufr.’ Allāh did not make work, travelling, disease and not even fear an excuse for postponing the prayer beyond its time, and He – the Exalted – provided his slaves with easy solutions for the traveller, the one who has fear and the sick person. So let the attentive slave make sure he is not included in the words of Allah:
Some people delay the prayer beyond its prescribed time, under the excuse that they cannot pray at work, or during travel or due to other circumstances which Allāh has not made an excuse for not praying on time. “Then after them came successors who neglected the prayer and followed desires; so they are going to meet evil.” (Maryam 19:59) Ibn Kathīr mentions in his tafsīr of the verse: ‛Al-Awzā’ī said, from Mūsā ibn Sulaymān, from Al-Qāsim ibn Mukhayrah regarding His words: ‚Then after them came successors who neglected the prayer.‛ He said: ‘They verily neglected the prescribed times. And if it meant (them) leaving it, then this had been kufr.’ Allāh did not make work, travelling, disease and not even fear an excuse for postponing the prayer beyond its time, and He – the Exalted – provided his slaves with easy solutions for the traveller, the one who has fear and the sick person. So let the attentive slave make sure he is not included in the words of Allah:
“So they are going to meet evil.” (Maryam 19:59) The scholars disagreed regarding the meaning of the word ghay (evil) which has been used in this verse. Some said it means a river in Jahannam, some said a well in Jahannam, some said it means destruction, while others said it means evil. May Allāh protect us from it all, āmīn.
Delaying the performance of Hajj when one is capable
Some people delay the performance of Hajj while being perfectly capable of this, under the excuse of not being able to leave work, or leave the kids, not feeling ready in their religious state and other excuses which have no basis in the Islamic Legislation. Allah – the Exalted – said: “And mankind owe to Allāh Hajj Al-Bayt (a pilgrimage to Makkah), whoever is capable of finding a way thereto. And whoever disbelieves (in this), then Allāh has no need for Al‘Ālamīn (mankind, jinn and everything that exists).” (Āli ‘Imrān 3:97)
And Ibn ‘Abbās (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: Whoever wants to perform Hajj, then let him hurry up (before something happens which will prevent him).‛ (Musnad Imām Ahmad, and its isnād is sahīh)
At-Tabarī mentions in his tafsīr of the abovementioned verse: Yahyā ibn Abū Tālib narrated to us and said: Yazīd narrated to us and said: Juwaybir informed us, from Ad-Dahhāk (who said) regarding His words: Whoever is capable of finding a way thereto.‛ He said: ‘(This means) provisions and transport. So if he is a young and healthy man and he doesn’t have money, then it is upon him to only spend on food and living (i.e. to save) in order for him to perform his Hajj. So someone said to him: ‘Did Allāh oblige upon the people to walk to the House (i.e. Ka’bah)?’ So he said: ‘If some of them would have some inheritance in Makkah, would he then leave it? By Allāh, he would go to it, even crawling. Likewise is Hajj obligatory for him.’‛ (Tafsīr At-Tabarī – Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān)
So a person should not gamble with this act of worship, which is one of the pillars of Islām. Rather he should perform it as soon as possible before something befalls him which prevents him from going, in which case he has to prepare an answer to Allah as to why he did not perform Hajj when he was capable.
Backbiting
Many people indulge in backbiting their Muslims brother and sisters, for reasons which has no basis in Islām. This could be a person’s mistakes, his appearance, his situations, personal grudges, disagreeing in the religion in issues where the disagreement is allowed. And some people think it is not backbiting as long as what you are saying is true. Others say: ’I am willing to say these things to his face if I see him’, and by this they think the backbiting is justified.
The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: Do you know what backbiting is? They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘That you mention your brother by what he hates (to hear).’ It was said: ‘What if what I am saying about my brother is true?’ He said: ‘If it is true then you have verily backbitten him, and if it is not true then you have invented a lie against him.’‛ (Sahīh Muslim) And both backbiting and inventing lies against a Muslim man or woman are forbidden. So for every word, which is said about a person behind his back – of negative words which he does not like to her – then it is considered backbiting and if not the expiation of this is performed, then the backbitten person will be allowed to take from the good deeds of the backbiter on the Day of Judgment.
Ibn Taymiyyah said on this issue: ‚And whoever makes injustice towards a person by slandering him, or backbiting him, or cursing him and then repents then Allah will accept his repentance. But if the wronged one knows about it, then this makes it possible for him to take his right. But if he slanders him or backbites him and this does not reach him, then there are two opinions, and they are two narrations from Ahmad: The most correct of them is that he does not let him know that he spoke bad about him behind his back. And it was verily said: He should rather show goodness toward him in his absence just like he did him wrong in his absence. Just as Al-Hasan Al-Basrī said: ‘The expiation for backbiting is to ask for forgiveness for the one whom you have backbitten.’‛ (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā 3/291)
The Sharī’ah has only allowed speaking negatively about a person in his absence in six cases:
1. If a person complaints to an authority about an injustice made to him, in order for the authority to rectify the issue, then this is not considered backbiting.
2. If a person is only known by a bad name, then using this name about him is not considered backbiting, such as Al-A’mash (blear-eyed).
3. If a person warns other people about a person who has a wrong ‘aqīdah, or he is a cheater, then this is not considered backbiting.
4. If a person sins in public and he doesn’t care if people see him or knows about his sins, then it is not considered backbiting to expose him and warn about him.
5. If a person asks for fatwā and describes the situation which he is asking about and it contains some information about a person, then this is not considered backbiting.
6. If a person asks for help in stopping a wrongdoing or removing a harm of a third person or some people, then this is not considered backbiting.
So remember, that if you find yourself mentioning the faults and mistakes of a Muslim in his absence, and none of the abovementioned scenarios are applicable to your situation, then you have fallen in backbiting and the best thing for you to do is repent to Allah, and also ask Allah for forgiveness for the one that you have backbitten. Or else this will meet you on the Day of Judgment, where nothing from us will be hidden.
Speaking to the opposite sex
It is definitely also worth mentioning those on a regular basis speak to the opposite sex, or meet in private or chat in private under self-made excuses such as: ‘I have to teach him/her about Islām’, or ‘She doesn’t have a wālī’, or ‘I was only asking him/her about advice in religion’, and other invalid excuses which Allah and His Messenger (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) has not made valid reasons for speaking to the opposite sex in private.
The Messenger (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‚Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day, then let him not under any circumstances be alone with a woman who do not have with her someone who is her mahram. Because verily the Shaytān is the third among them.‛ (Narrated by Ahmad – Classified Sahīh by Al-Hākim and Adh-Dhahabī agreed with him)
So whoever has found an argument in Islām in which they are excepted from the prohibition of the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) then let them bring it forth, or else they should stop what they are doing and fear Allāh!! So beware, and then again be aware of self-made excuses based upon the whispering of Shaytān, lust and desires. For everything you do, Islām has already clarified how to do it, what is allowed in it and what is not. And every time a person does something then it is his own responsibility to investigate the rules in the given matter. First and foremost, whoever says Lā ilāha illa Allāh Muhammadu RasulAllāh, then it is his responsibility to seek knowledge about the meaning of these two testimonies – which the whole religion is built upon – and what they necessitate of beliefs and deeds, and what invalidates them.
And we should not think that because we convinced ourselves that our self-made excuses are valid, that they then become valid with Allāh. Rather, this only increases us in sin, transgression and ignorance towards our Lord. Allāh – the Exalted – said: ”Or will the human have as he wishes? Rather both the next life and the first belongs to Allah.” (An-Najm 53:24-25)
Wasting Time From an Islamic Perspective
Wasting time is a disease today that many people have been infected by. Even the muwahhidūn indulge in an abundance of time-wasting every single day. The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ”There are two blessings that many people do not take advantage of; Good health and free time.” (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī)
Useless activities – such as surfing the internet, checking social media and watching videos with no benefit in – claim hours and hours from the lives of the Muslims. These hours will become a regret for the Muslims in the ākhirah.
And Abū ’Amr Al-Awzā’ī – rahimahullāh – said: ”There is not an hour from the hours of dunyā except that it will be presented for the slave on the Day of Judgement, day after day, hour after hour. And not an hour passes him by in which he did not remember Allah in it, except that his soul is about to be ripped apart due to regret. So how if hour after hour and day after day [and night after night] passes him by?” (Hilyah Al-Awliyā)
Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – rahimahullāh – said in a letter which he wrote to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azīz: “If it was said to buried person in his grave: ‘Here is the dunyā from its beginning to its end, which you can make for your children with which they could live a life of comfort and luxury after you, then you would not have anything to worry about after them. (Would this be) more beloved to you or a day where you would be left to make deeds for (the benefit of) yourself?’ Then he would verily choose that (i.e. the last mentioned).
So all these quotes show how the believer hurtfully will regret his wasting of time in dunyā and wish that he would spend his hours in the worship of Allah. The Muslims vary in strength and ability, but what all are capable of – men and women, big and small, weak and strong – is remembering Allah the Exalted. It is narrated under the authority of ‘Abdullāh ibn Busr – radiAllāhu ‘anhu:
“That a man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah. Verily the laws of Islam have become too many for me. So inform me of something that I can adhere to.’ The Messenger of Allah (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.’” (Sunan At-Tirmidhī)
As for the ways that people waste their time, then this differs from person to person. So each Muslim must identify the activities in his or her life that brings about no benefit – neither in dunyā nor ākhirah – and try to reduce the time spent on these as much as possible. Ibn Al-Jawzī – rahimahullāh – said:
“We ask Allah to teach us the how honored the time of life is, and that He gives us success to benefit from it. I have verily seen many people who do not know what the meaning with life is. Among them are those whom Allah has made free from having to earn for a living due to his great fortune. So he sits in the market most of the day and looks at people. And how much harm and evil does not pass him by. And some of them play chess. And some of them cuts off the time by speaking much about the rulers, raise in prices and discounts, and other things than these. So I learned that Allah does not make anyone aware of how honored time is and knowing the value of good times, except the one whom He has given success and inspired to benefit from it.
”And none is granted it except the owner of the great fortune.” (Fussilat 41:35)”
There are two things to take notice of in this quote:
1) That people differ in the way that they waste time. As Ibn Al-Jawzī – rahimahullāh – mentions; some sit in the market, some play chess, some speak much about irrelevant things etc. So it is up to the believer to identify his or her own type of time-wasting and eliminate it as much as possible.
2) Regarding his words about the man who sits in the market most of the day: ‘And how much harm and evil does not pass him by.’ We compare this with the one who spends a lot of time looking at news, social media or videos with irrelevant content. How much harm and evil is he or she not exposed to – even though the intention is not to look at or hear forbidden things, such as seeing the ‘awrah of people or listening to music. When this is the case then it is no longer time-wasting, rather time-wasting combined with committing harām (forbidden acts).
narrated in the Sahīh from the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) that he said:
”The one who says: ’SubhānAllāh Al-’Adhīm wa Bihamdihi’, for him a tree will be planted in paradise.” So how much does the human waste of hours where abundant of rewards passes him by. And these days are like a field, and it is as if it was said to the human: Every time you sow one seed, then we will let thousands of them emerge for you. Is it thereafter allowed for the sane person that he stops sowing and becomes slow (in reaping the reward)?” (Sāid Al-Khātir)
It takes only two seconds to mention the remembrance which will guarantee the believer a tree in paradise. SubhānAllāh Al-’Adhīm wa Bihamdihi Yet many people forsake this – and many other types of remembrance which contains huge rewards and benefits both in dunyā and ākhirah – while they spend several hours on things that does not benefit them in anything.
The believer is encouraged to decrease his or her amount of time-wasting and to be mindful of the day where the slaves will stand before their Lord the Most High. The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said:
”The two feet of the slave will remain standing on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about four things. About his life, how did he spend it? About his youth, how did he use it? About his wealth, how did he earn it and what did he spent it on? And about his knowledge, what did he do with it?” (Ibn Hibbān and At-Tirmidhī)
So let the hours of your life be for you on the Day of Judgement and not against you. And discipline your soul to enjoy the remembrance of Allah instead of finding pleasure in what brings about no benefit. Ibn Al-Qayyim narrated that Ash-Shafi’ī –rahimahullāh – said: ”I accompanied the sūfiyyah and I did not benefit from them in anything but two words. I heard them say: The time is a sword, either you break it or else it breaks you. And your soul, if you don’t busy it with the truth then it will busy you with the falsehood.” (Madārij As-Sālikīn)
Islamic texts regarding the habitual sinner
It is a time where you find people who claim to be muwahhidūn lying, cheating, stealing, betraying trusts, slandering others, backbiting, giving false testimonies, making clear injustice, listening to music, committing zinā, being homosexual, women not covering their awrah, men shaving their beard, spending time with kuffār, spending time in places of forbidden things, staying away from Muslims, letting their kids indulge in harām activities and deeds, and every catastrophe and sin which only hardens and blackens the heart.
Even worse is, that many of them – who has indulged in their corruption for some time, and their heart no longer feel regret, pain of sorrow for their sins – have listened and accepted the arguments of Shaytān – may the curse of Allāh be upon him – who justifies their misguidance for them and he reassures them saying: “Don’t worry. These things will not take you out of Islām. They are only sins and Allāh forgives all sins.”
And so they wander upon the path of destruction, well-knowing that what they are doing is wrong but not making an effort to change themselves. All this because they have bought the explanation of the Shaytān and convinced themselves: “As long as I do not commit shirk everything will be fine.”
It is well-known that no-one is protected from kufr and everyone can fall in kufr after having accepted Islām. But what these people don’t seem to realize is the effect of sins upon īmān, and that bad deeds might lead to Allāh taking away the blessing of Islām after He – the Exalted – has bestowed it upon a person.
It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) who said, that the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ”Verily the slave when he commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. Then if he refrains from it, asks for forgiveness and repents then his heart is washed clean. And if he returns to it then it (i.e. the spot) increases until it overpowers it. And this is the Rān (covering) which Allāh mentions: “No. Rather what they have earned (of wrongdoing) has covered their hearts.” (Al-Mutaffifīn 83:14)” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhī and he said: hasan sahīh)
Ibn Al-Qayyim – rahimahullāh – said regarding the effect of many sins upon the heart:
”If the sins become many then the heart of the one who commits them is sealed and he becomes among the ghāfilūn (inattentive, heedless, careless), just like some of the Salaf said regarding His – the Exalted – words: “No. Rather what they have earned (of wrongdoing) has covered their hearts.” He said: ‘This is sin after sin.’ And Al-Hasan said: ‘This is sin upon sin until the heart becomes blind.’ Until he said: ‘And the foundation for this is that the heart becomes rusty from sins, and then if they become many then the rust overcomes until it becomes a cover, then it overcomes until it becomes a seal and a lock and a stamp. So the heart becomes in a cover and encasement. And when this happens after the guidance and insight it relapses, so the highest of it becomes its lowest, and then his enemy takes command over him and leads him to wherever he wants.” (Al-Jawāb Al-Kāfī p. 139)
Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ”Temptations will be presented to the hearts as reed mat is woven stick by stick (i.e. again and again) and any heart which is impregnated by them will have a black mark put on it, but any heart which rejects them will have a white mark put on it. The result is that there will become two types of hearts: one white like a white stone which will not be harmed by any temptation, as long as the heavens and the earth exist; and the other black and dust-colored like a vessel which is upset, not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is evil, except what is according to his desires.” (Sahīh Muslim)
Al-Qādī ‘Iyyād – rahimahullāh – said: ”He (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) likened the heart that is not attentive towards good, with a crooked cup in which the water does not remain.”
And Ibn Al-Qayyim – rahimahullāh – said in his explanation of this hadīth: “And he divided the hearts when they (i.e. the tempations) are presented to them into two types: (1) a heart that when the temptation is presented to it, it is absorbed by it, just like a sponge soaks up water. So a black spot appears on it, and it continues to absorb every temptation which is presented to it until it becomes black and relapses. And this is the meaning of his words: “like a vessel which is upset” which means spilled and upside-down. So when it becomes black and relapses then these two catastrophes which are diseases, dangers and extends him towards destruction are presented to him: the first is the confusion for him regarding the good and the evil. So he doesn’t know the good and he does not reject the evil. And perhaps has this diseases intensified with him so he believes the good to be evil and the evil to be good, the Sunnah to be bid’ah and the bid’ah to be Sunnah, the truth to be falsehood and the falsehood to be truth. The second is him appointing his desires as a judge over what the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ta’ālā alayhi wa ālihi wa sallam) and his submission to the desires and following them.
And (2) a white heart in which the light of īmān shines and its light is radiant. So if a temptation is presented to it, it rejects it and repels it. Thus its light increases along with its shine and power.
And the temptations which are presented to the hearts are the reasons for its disease. And this is the temptations of desires, temptations of doubts, temptations of error and misguidance, temptations of sins and innovation, and temptations of injustice and ignorance.” (Ighathah Al-Luhfan 1/48)
So every wrong belief, every doubt, every sin and every injustice which is presented to the heart is a test from Allāh – the Exalted – fulfilling his promise that He will test everyone who claims to believe in Him and the last day. And the consequences of failing these test repeatedly have been stated above.
So the tests comes in many shapes and forms. For some it is an ambiguous quote, for some it is a part of dunyā, for some it is sins, for some it is their pride, for some it is their desires and for some it is their ignorance and heedlessness towards Allāh. And the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Hasten with righteous deeds before you are overtaken by trials and tribulations, which would be like huge chunks of a dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn a disbeliever in the morning. He would sell his religion for a part of dunyā.” (Sahih Muslim)
So whoever feels safe from leading himself to kufr with his own sins is mistaken and is holding a belief which opposes the Qurān and Sunnah.
What about your prayer?
The habitual sinner often finds comfort in the fact that he is still praying his five prayer even though he is committing sins day in and out. But Allāh – the Exalted – says in the Qurān:
“Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book. And establish the prayer. Verily the prayer forbids immorality and evil. And the remembrance of Allāh is greater. And Allāh knows what you are doing.” (Al-’Ankabūt 29:45)
At-Tabarī – rahimahullāh – said in his tafsīr of the verse:
”And the correct opinion regarding this is, that the prayer forbids immorality and evil. Just like Ibn ‘Abbās and Ibn Mas’ūd said. So if someone would say to us: ‘And how does the prayer forbid immorality and evil when the intended with it not is what is recited in it?’ Then it is said: It prohibits whoever was in it (i.e. praying). Because it comes between him performing the immorality. Because when he is occupied with it, it cuts him off from being occupied with evil, and due to this Ibn Mas’ūd said: ‘Whoever does not obey his prayer, he has not increased anything from Allāh except distance.’ And this is that the obedience of it is his establishment of it with its borders. And in the obedience of it there is a deterrence from immorality and evil.” (At-Tafsīr)
And As-Sadī – rahimahullāh – said in his tafsīr of the verse: ”And the aspect from which the prayer forbids immorality and evil is that the slave establishes it, and whoever completes its pillars, conditions and its khushū’ his heart will illuminate, his heart will become pure, his īmān will increase, his desire for doing good will become stronger and his desire for doing evil will become smaller or disappear. So as a consequence of sticking to it and preserving it in this way, it forbids immorality and evil. And this is from the biggest intents of the prayer and its fruits.” (At-Tafsīr)
And Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullāh – said: “Doing acts of obedience itself includes leaving the sins. And leaving the sins itself includes doing acts of obedience. And due to this then the prayer forbids immorality and evil. Because the prayer includes two things: the first of them is it forbidding sins, and the second is it containing the remembrance of Allāh.” (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā 10/421-422)
So according to the evidences the one who performs his prayer correct with its pillars, its conditions and its khushū’, then his prayer will help him in abstaining from falling in immorality, evil and sin.
Therefore the habitual sinner should look to his prayer and correct it, since there is no more truthful words than the words of Allāh the Exalted, and there is no better guidance that the guidance of Muhammad (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam).
Other things to bear in mind
If a person who continues to sin and increases in sin, immorality, injustice and evil, manages to remain upon Islām and not fall in kufr caused by some fitnah, then this does not mean he has won. Rather everything which the person has not repented for has been written down and he will be held accountable for it. Remember, the conditions for an accepted repentance is (1) leaving the sin, (2) regret and hate the sin and (3) be firmly determined never to return to it again.
So the consequences of sins on the Day of Judgment is that person who have more sins than good deeds will be thrown in hellfire.
As for the consequences of sins in this life then we mention some of them here:
- Being deprived of knowledge.
- Being deprived of provision.
- A distance between the slave and his Lord which makes it difficult for him to worship Allāh and be obedient towards Him. He may be deprived of some types of worship that he used to do in the past.
- His affairs become difficult for him. Just like things are made easy by Allāh for the one who fears Allāh, then things are made difficult for the sinner.
- One sin leads to another until they overcome the one making them and he cannot escape from them or stop performing them.
- The weakening of willpower. The habitual sinner will not be keen on or have the strength to stop from sinning due to the sin making him weak. And when he asks for forgiveness it is merely words on his lips with no actual intent behind it.
- Losing the ghīrah (protective jalousy) for himself, for Allāh and for the religion. For himself, by not feeling the pain and regret when harming himself with his sin, nor caring about others seeing him or knowing about his sin. For Allāh, by not being angry when the limits of Allāh are crossed. This was the only thing that would make the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) angry. And for the religion, by not caring about claiming to be a follower of Islām while actually being the worst example by publicly making obvious sins that Islām is free from.
- Being among the ghāfilūn (those who do not care). If paradise or hell is mentioned, he doesn’t feel an urge to strive for paradise nor protecting himself from hell-fire. If Allāh and His limits are mentioned, then he returns to the argument of the Shaytān. So when he became among this category of people then it is no longer Qurān and Sunnah that is guiding him, rather it is only lust and desires.
- Seeing disobedience or problems from those under your authority, such as your wife, your kids, your means of transport or other things.
Islam is more than just a claim. It is a way of life. It is an aqīdah, a moral compass, a law to be followed and a way of salvation. So whoever underestimates Islām, then he has underestimated the Owner and Inventor of Islām, and he himself will be underestimated. And whoever forgets about Islām, then he has forgotten the Owner and Inventor of Islām, and he himself will be forgotten.
We ask Allāh the Most High to provide us with a heart that is submissive to Him, that loves Him more than anything else, that longs for the meeting with Him and that sees the truth as the truth and the falsehood as the falsehood. Allāhumma āmīn.
Books of Muslims 