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Considering Sins Too Light

O ALLAH forgive me my sins, Allah I will never do that again, I swear by Allah I was wrong, the supplication ends and the tears are wiped away. The next thing we know, we’re back to square one doing what we swore we would not do. Why is it that we return to our old ways after repenting and seeking forgiveness?

One reason could be that we are taking sins too lightly. We may be considering them insignificant, while they may not be so.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of the minor sins which are often thought of as insignificant, for they are like a group of people who stopped at the bottom of a valley. One of them brought a stick, and another brought a stick until they had gathered enough to cook their food. These minor sins, if a person is called to account for them, will destroy him. According to another report, he said: Beware of minor sins, for they will pile up until they destroy a person. (Ahmad; Sahih Al-Jaami’, 2686-2687)

Also, compare our attitude with that of the Companions’. They were so careful and worried about committing sins. That is how true Iman (faith) is – full of regret and remorse even when a small mistake happens.

Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The believer regards his sin as if he were sitting beneath a mountain which he fears may fall on him, whereas the sinner regards his sin as if a fly lands on his nose and he swipes it away.” (Al-Bukhari)

Subhan Allah, what an excellent comparison! May Allah guide us and remove the attitude of considering sins too light from our hearts.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek forgiveness for over 70-100 times a day, even though Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was Ma’soom i.e. he did not commit sins. Further, Allah had already forgiven his past and future mistakes. Despite that, he used to seek Allah’s forgiveness over 70-100 times a day. If a person without any sins used to seek so much forgiveness, then what about us?

Seeking forgiveness is itself a great act of worship; one of its rewards is that Allah wipes out our sins as if we never did them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The one who repents from his sin is like the one who did not sin in the first place.” (Ibn Majah; Sahih Al-Jaami’, 3008)

No matter how great the crime or sin is, Allah can forgive it. Even the greatest crime on earth – Shirk (associating partners with Allah) – can be wiped out if one seeks forgiveness and repents during his or her lifetime.

However, there are a few conditions scholars have outlined about true repentance. First of all, repentance should be sincere for the sake of Allah. If one is leaving a sin for some other reason (e.g. a man gives up smoking because it was damaging his health or reputation among others), then it cannot be counted as repentance to Allah.

Allah said in the Qur’an:

“O you who Believe! Turn to Allah with Sincere repentance! (Qur’an, 66:8)

Apart from sincerity for Allah, the conditions include:

  • Immediately ceasing from the sin
  • Regret
  • Determination not to return to the sin
  • If the sin involved a victim: restoring the victim’s rights and/or seeking his forgiveness.

It’s such a shame that sometimes we miss our prayers or we don’t get up for Fajr, and yet we feel no regret, even though neglecting prayers is such a tremendous sin. A dangerous pit we fall into when we consider sins insignificant is that we even neglect to ask Allah’s forgiveness for that sin. May Allah guide us to turn to Him in sincere repentance, to stop committing sins completely, and feel absolutely remorseful and regretful of what we have done in the past, Ameen.

We should try our best not to fall into sin, but we as human beings will make mistakes. The way out is to seek forgiveness, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

“And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful” (Qur’an, 24:31)

The Believers Will Be Purified Before They Enter Paradise

After the Believers have passed over as-Siraat (the bridge over Hell), they will be kept on a bridge between Paradise and Hell, where they will be purified by means of their settling any wrongs that existed between any of them in this world. Then when they enter paradise they will be pure and clean, none of them bearing any ill-will towards another or demanding anything of another. al-Bukhaari reported from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

“The believers will be saved from the Fire then they will be kept on a bridge between Paradise and Hell. They will settle their accounts with one another for any wrongs that existed between them in this world, until they are purified and cleansed, and will be permitted to enter Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, each of them will know his dwelling in Paradise better than he knew his dwelling in this world“. (Sahih al-Bukhaari, Kitaab ar-Riqaaq, Baab al-Qisas Yawm al-Qiyamah, Fath al-Baari, 11/395)

Our Prophet (saw) will be the first to ask for the gates of paradise to be opened, after Aadam, the father of mankind, and all the other great Prophets refuse this task.

Even A Smile …

Giving charity is such an important part of Islam that even the Arabic word tasaddaqa (to give charity) comes from the root sadaqah meaning to speak the truth, and to be sincere. Sadaqah (voluntary charity) is different from Zakah, the compulsory alms that are collected every year.

A Muslim shows his sincerity of faith and attains piety by being generous: “By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety) unless you spend (in Allah’s cause) of which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.” (3:92)
There are dozens of verses in the Qur’an in which Allah tells Muslims to give in charity. Sometimes this charity is in expiation for wrongdoing, and other times it is an acknowledgment that everything one “owns” is in fact a trust from Allah and that anything spent in the way of Allah will be paid back in full and multiplied on the Day of Judgment. In fact, the Qur’an in places calls this spending “a beautiful loan.”

Muslims are enjoined to give charity without reproach to the recipient. It is also better for them to give secretly rather than openly so that their intention is entirely to gain the pleasure of Allah and not to gain the admiration of people. It is easy to give money as charity when one is wealthy, but the best charity is given when one fears poverty, for one must then sincerely trust in Allah’s reward. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was asked which charity is best, he replied, “That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy, closefisted, haunted by the fear of poverty and hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best).
 
And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: This is for so and so, and this is for so and so. Lo, it has already come into (the possession of so and so).” (Reported by Muslim)

Even the money that a person spends on his family counts as charity if his intention is for Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “When a Muslim spends on his family seeking reward for it from Allah, it counts for him as charity.” (Reported by Muslim)

There is a reward for good deeds done with no expectation of remuneration in this life.

And a woman may give charity of her husband’s earnings. A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When a woman gives in charity some of the food in her house, without causing any damage, there is a reward for her for whatever she has given, and a reward for her husband for what he earned. The same applies to the trustee. In no respect does the one diminish the reward of the other.” (Reported by Muslim)

Hope Until The Very End

Once when Ali Bin Abu Talib and Al-Hussain Bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) were walking together they heard a man making dua to Allah. The man was begging Allah to forgive him for his evil deeds. His sincere tone and eloquent words aroused his interest in Ali. He told his son, “Do you not hear the man who is so very penitent because of his sins? Go catch up with him and call him.”

When Al-Hussain caught up with the man, he saw that he was clean-looking, clean-smelling, with nice clothes, and altogether handsome, except that he seemed to be paralyzed on the right side of his body. Al-Hussain said, “Answer the summon of Amir Al-Mu’mineen, Ali Bin Abu Talib.”

Dragging his right side, the man followed Al-Hussain back to where Ali was waiting for them.

“Who are you!” asked Ali.

“A man who did not fulfill the rights of others and is now being punished for that,” replied the man.

“And what is your name?” asked Ali. “Munaazil Bin Laahiq,” said the man.

“What is your story?” asked Ali.

The man said, “I was famous among the Arabs for my frivolous and sinful exploits. Merciful and kind, my father would constantly admonish me and advise me to mend my ways. He would remind me of Allah’s punishment, saying, ‘My son, do not go against He who punishes with the Hell-fire!’ When he would persist in advising me, I felt his voice grating on my nerves. I would get so frustrated that I would beat him with harsh blows. In response to my blows, he one day said, ‘By Allah, I will fast without breaking my fast and I will pray without stopping to sleep.’

“He fasted for an entire week, but seeing no change in my behavior, he climbed a camel and set off to perform Haj. His parting words were, ‘I am going to the House of Allah, and there I will seek help from Allah against you.’ When he reached Makkah, he grasped the curtain of the Ka’ba and made du’a against me, asking Allah to make me paralyzed on one side of my body. By the One who raised the sky and sends down the rain, no sooner did my father finish his du’a that I became paralyzed on my right side, which became like a piece of wood. Anyone who would then pass by me would point to me and say, ‘Allah answered his father’s supplication against him.’”

“What did your father do then?” asked Ali.

“O Amir Al-Mu’mineen, after he became pleased with me, I asked him to go back and invoke Allah on my behalf. He agreed to do so. I walked alongside him as he rode on his camel until we reached a place called the Valley of Arak. When we reached there, a group of birds flew away from a tree, their sudden movement frightened the camel. As the camel raced off in a state of fright, my father fell off it and died.”

It was certainly late for the man, but not too late, and so Ali advised him to continue to make du’a and to repent for his past misdeeds. Ali then parted from the man, but before leaving him, he taught him the du’a that a person in distress should say. (The narration does not specifically mention which du’a Ali taught the man.)

 – an excerpt from the Stories of Repentance

How Did Prophet Unite The Ummah?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) united the Muslim Ummah in various ways, which represent the means for the unity of Muslims of all ages. Such means include that Muslims should be faithful to their message and to their religion. They should establish the doctrine firmly in their hearts, seek knowledge and science, abhor injustice, and realize that their glory and supremacy lie in getting close to Allah, looking forward to Allah’s satisfaction and Paradise, giving the least importance to worldly pleasures and basing all their mottos on their belief.

In short, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gathered his Ummah and united its stances because he is the Seal of the Prophets and the leader of the Messengers sent by Allah. He is the leader of all who fights for the sake of Allah and he was sent as a mercy to all humanity who enjoyed the support and care of Allah Almighty.

And to explain this, let me say briefly that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was able to realize this unity and solidarity thanks to many devices and means, such as the strength of his character, his sincere devotion to his message, as well as his dislike of idol-worship that prevailed at that time; and, moreover, he enriched the hearts with a creed that was superior to the false and trivial pagan beliefs.

He illuminated the hearts with the light of belief in the Glorious Creator Who owns all that is in the Heavens and the Earth. He firmly entrenched this faith, practically and continuously, by the acts of worship his Lord revealed to him, such as prayers, fasting, Zakah, Haj, and other kinds of good deeds.

In addition to this, he purified the souls of his people of grudges and hatred; there was no room for aggression or injustice, no room for pride or insults, but rather brotherhood, love, and equality because they were from one common ancestor, and there was no privilege of an Arab over a non-Arab except through piety.

Besides, he taught them that they have no real power or might; that when they are self-conceited they will lose, but when they are proud of their Creator they will succeed and prosper; and that glory belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and to the believers. This is why the Qur’an states: “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e, this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves” (Al-Imran, 3:103)

Through such ways, also, the value of the worldly life and its pleasures was minimized in their eyes. As long as one does not attach much importance to this life, his humanity increases, and he is able to gather all human beings under the roof of love and faithfulness. He also made them look forward to a marvelous Heaven and to live for eternal life to come after this transitory life. And since for such causes, competitors must work together and diverse people must cooperate, how will this be the case with those with a common identity?

Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) dyed the patriotic motive with a religious theme and stated that to love your homeland is part of one’s belief, and to defend the property is part of good religion. Such a strong heavenly bond joined all parties with a bond of solidarity and agreement. They could not have authority over their lands and defend their sovereignty to please their Lord unless each and every one of them was of help and support to his brother, for one Muslim to another Muslim is like a solid wall (of bricks) supporting each other.

Finally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) succeeded in uniting his Ummah and people because he turned them into a pious and faithful nation that works for this life as if it will live forever and works for the Hereafter as if death will end it tomorrow. Therefore, this religion will only prosper by what caused its prosperity at the very beginning. As for those who are lagging behind, if they want to come forward, they have the way right in front of them.

Are We Muslims Only In Ramadan?

It is now time for us to re-evaluate our Eman. Question yourselves, and in the process improve yourselves.

We claim to be Muslims, and we claim to believe in Allah, but do we really believe in it with a firm heart, or is it just something we say? We claim to “believe” in the Unseen God, but we see the harmful effects of drinking, clubbing, and smoking, yet we don’t avoid them. Ask yourselves that if we don’t even believe in what can be seen, do we really believe in the Unseen, Just ‘believing’ in the existence of Allah does not make us true Muslims, Shaitaan also, by the way, ‘believes’ in Allah. We must act like Muslims also.

We must also do in actions what we say in words and what we know in our thoughts. We say we’re Muslims, but are we really? He/she is not a true Muslim whose hands and tongue are violent. Several of us stopped cursing and backbiting and lying during the month of Ramadan, but now what? Since Ramadan is over, should we return to those faults? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

Every Muslim is to pray 5 times a day, every day, with no exceptions. Several of us did that very promptly during Ramadan. Now that Ramadan is over, now what? Should we give up those prayers just because Ramadan is over? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

We made duas because we understood that indeed it is Allah who listens and grants. We sought forgiveness from Allah because we realized our faults and felt guilty. We improved our conduct and lowered our voices and controlled our tempers because we realized that a Muslim is one whose actions represent peace and nobility. Now that Ramadan is over, will we go back to our same old selves? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

We tried our best to close our ears to that which was not permissible to hear, we tried our best to stop our tongues at times when we were about to say something which we are not allowed to say, we tried our best to lower our gazes at sights which we are not allowed to see. Now that Ramadan is over, do those things become permissible to us? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

We refrained from going to clubs and watching movies and listening to songs and music during Ramadan because we realized these attributes do not represent Muslims. Now that Ramadan is over, should we return to our previous lifestyle? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

We were awake at night, not spending time in clubs, watching TV, or with friends, but instead, we were awake at night to do ibadat for the Will and Pleasure of Allah. Now that Ramadan is over, are we relieved of our responsibilities? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan???

We refrained from dawn to dusk, not only from the Haraam but also from the Halaal. The purpose of this abstinence was to create patience and virtue, and realize that if you want you can even stay away from the Halaal, so why can you not avoid the Haraam? Sure you can. You just need the will. Now that Ramadan is over, can we go back to eating, talking, watching, doing, and thinking Haraam? Are we Muslims only during Ramadan?

Qur’an Recitation

Qur’an recitation is of two types:

1. Practical recitation
Reading sincerely with belief in it and acting upon the orders of Allah and refraining from what He prohibited.

2. Word recitation
Many narrations emphasize the great reward for those who recite the Qur’an.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best of you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Bukhari)

He (peace be upon him) also said, “The one who excels in reciting the Qur’an will be in the company of the honored angels.” (Sahih Muslim)

And, “The example of the believer who reads the Qur’an is like that of the Utrujah (a citrus fruit) which has a beautiful fragrance and a beautiful taste.

While the example of the believer who does not read the Qur’an is like that of the date fruit: It has sweet taste, but has no fragrance.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, “He who recites one letter of the Book of Allah, will be rewarded for it, and the reward will be multiplied in folds.” (Tirmidhi – classed Saheeh by Al-Albani)

There are certain Surahs of the Qur’an that have more rewards for their recitation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Satan does not enter the house wherein Surah Al-Baqarah is recited. (Sahih Muslim)

When one recites Ayaatul-Kursi at night, as the prophet (peace be upon him) informed us, he will be protected by Allah, and Satan will not come near him till he wakes up in the morning. (Bukhari)

Similar protection is also for reciting the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah or the last three Surahs of the Qur’an. (Bukhari)

– By Shiekh Muhammad Bin Saalih Al-Uthaymeen