Some Of The Symptoms, Avoidance And Cures Of Sins
Narrated by Abu Huraira, The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said “Avoid the seven great destructive sins” the people asked O Allah Messenger ! what are they? He said, “To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah 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”.[19]
Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr that 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.” [20]
Narrated by ‘Aishah that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said “The most hated person to Allah is the one who is most quarrelsome of the opponents” [21]
Narrated by Abu Huraira that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said “Part of a man’s good observance of Islam is that he leaves the things which do not concern him” ( i.e. avoiding interference with other’s matters).[22]
Narrated by Ibn Abbas that Allah Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) passed by two graves and said “Both of them are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a major sin. This one used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other used to go about with calumnies” [23]
The Qur’an: Narrated by Uthman, The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it (to others).” [24]
Ibn Masood reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) once said: “Whoever reads a single letter from Allah’s Book will receive a blessing and each blessing is worth ten times its value.”[25] Abu Umaamah reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said “Recite the Qur’an for verily on the Day of Resurrection it will act as an intercessor for its companions (those who read it often).[26]
Prayer ( Salat ) [27] To offer salat at its appointed time as narrated by Abdullah ibn Masud ‘I asked the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) Which deed is the dearest to Allah? He said, “To performs-Salat at their early fixed times……. “[28] Bearing in mind salat is to performed as the prophet ordered us to pray “Perform your salat the way you see me performing them” [29]
Fasting (Saum) and Charity (Sadaqah)[30] 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 Allah 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”.[31]
Abu Huraira narrates that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said “Every day two angels come down from heaven and one of them says ‘O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in your cause,’ and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allah! Destroy every miser.'” [32]
Seeking Knowledge
Reported by Anas “Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim” [33]
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, Allah 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…” [34]
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; Allah’s Book and my Sunnah.” [35] Abu Huraira narrates that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, “All my Ummah will enter paradise except those who refuse” They asked O Allah’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)” [36]
Avoiding Bidah (Innovation)
Abdullah ibn Masoud relates that Allah’s Messenger (Pubh) drew a line for them one day and then Said “This is Allah’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” and then 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 (Allah’s) path. This is His Command to you in order that you may be conscious of Allah.[37]”[38]
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” [39] (i.e., it will not be accepted by Allah.
Imitating the Kufaar
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) has warned us in regards to imitating the Kufaar, Abu Saeed al-Khudree reported that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “You will follow the practices of your predecessors, 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?” [40] The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) also warned us saying: “Whoever resembles a people, he is one of them” [41] The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) also cursed men who tried to resemble woman and women who tried to resemble men.[42]
We ask Allah, the Highest, that He turns the misguided of this Ummah back to the guidance, and that he makes us all support one another and aid one another in carrying out good and righteousness until we return to this Ummah its lost glory and honor, Indeed He is fully able and have the power to do that.
Early Muslims used to be afraid of their sins/disobedience to Allah [ even though they were least sinners] more than their enemy in great numbers with mighty weapons. Hazrat Umar’s (R.A) letter to Hazarat Sad(R.A) when he was sent for Persia’s conquest bears testimony to this. He said-“…I order you and all the troops along with you to be obedient to Allah in all circumstances as this is better than the weapons against the enemy and strong stratagem in the war. I order you and your soldiers who are with you to be more cautious and afraid of your own crimes and sins than your enemy as the crimes and sins of the soldiers are more dangerous to them than their enemy. The Muslims are victorious only because their enemies are disobedient to Allah and had it not been so, we have no power over them; because neither our number nor our weapons are like theirs. If we commit crimes and sins like they do they will have superiority in power over us, and if we will not gain victory over them by our merits(which attracts Allah’s pleasure) we do not overpower them by our strength. And you should also know that in this marching of yours, there are guards (angels) upon you from Allah and they know all that you do. So be shy of them and do not commit Allah’s disobedience while you are going in Allah’s cause and do not say-“Our enemy is worse than us, so they will not overpower us.” Perhaps some people who are worse than others may overpower others as the magicians overpowered the children of Israel for their disobedience and sins against Allah. So the disbelieving magicians entered the very innermost-parts of their homes and it was a promise fulfilled. And ask Allah for the assistance over your own selves just as you ask Allah for the victory over your enemies. I ask of Allah that ,both for you and for us.”