Sin and Its Effects

Sin and its Effects on the Individual and Society

By: Khalid bin Amer Al Malki

     Allah created man in this life and charged him with the greatest trust, which both the Heavens and the Earth feared to shoulder: “And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me.” (51:56). In return for undertaking this trust. He granted him a lot of potential, endowed him with countless blessings and resources and honored him above the rest of His creatures with the blessing of the mind, with which he distinguishes good from bad, and error from right guidance.

     It is of the wisdom of Allah Almighty in human beings that He created them distinct in everything .. in the livelihood, age and other things of this life. But this in fact is not a standard of measure of misery or happiness, for example, in the life to come. Rather, the measure for that happiness is good deeds. For that reason, Allah has commanded man to hasten to righteous deeds and honest, gentle speech, and has forbidden to him every offensive and malicious statement or action. This is because sin is evil in this world and the Hereafter, and has dire effects and consequences on the level of the individual and society.

     Sin is a cause for the deprivation of livelihood, and a cause for the spreading of poverty and the deprivation of the blessing in what was granted to the creatures. The Prophet –peace be upon him- says: (A man might be deprived of provision because of a sin committed by him). And Ibn Abbas says: «A good deed brings on brightness in the face, illumination in the heart, abundance on provision, and love in people’s hearts; while an evil deed brings on darkness in the face, gloominess in the heart, weakness in the physique, lack of provision and hate in people’s hearts».

     Once sins become rampant in the community, it faces hardships and adversities and all says of deliverance are closed in its face, and thus its sins become the cause of its disgrace and humiliation. It is reported that when Cyprus was conquered by the Muslims the Sahaabi Abu Darda –may Allah be pleased with him- cried, and was told: «What makes you cry on the day when Allah strengthened Islam and its people! He said: «How lowly human beings are to Allah if they do away with his command! This had always been a mighty, victorious and dominant nation, yet they abandoned Allah’s command and ended up in what you see».

     Further effects of sins are spread of psychological disorders among the members of the community, emergence of fears and anxiety, and rise of concern and discontent. Allah Almighty says, “Allah sets forth a Parable: a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place: Yet was it ungrateful for the favours of Allah: so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror (in extremes) (closing in on it) like a garment (from every side), because of the (evil) which (its people) wrough.” (16:112)

     I am reminded of a fascinating story in this regard. A man came to Ibrahim bin Ad-ham and said to him: « O Imam I wrong myself extravagantly with transgressions and sins, so advise me O Imam. He said to him: I shall give you five pieces of advice:

The man said: Let me have the first one O Imam.

The Imam said: When you want to disobey Allah do not eat of His provision.

The man said: How O Imam could I not eat of Allah’s provision while all the provision is His and He is in command of everything!

The Imam said: Glory be to Allah! How come you eat of Allah’s provision, yet you disobey Him!

The man said: Let me have the second one O Imam.

The Imam said: When you want to disobey Allah do not live in His land.

The man said: How come O Imam while the land is His land and the heavens are His heavens!

The Imam said: Glory be to Allah! How come you eat of Allah’s provision and live in His land, yet you disobey His!

The man said: Let me have the third one O Imam.

The Imam Ibrahim said: When you want to disobey Allah go to a place where Allah will not see you. 

The man said: How can I do that O Imam while Allah, glory be to Him, says, “Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him”!

The Imam said: Glory be to Allah! How come you eat of Allah’s provision and live in His land and He sees you, yet you disobey Him!

The man said: Let me have the fourth one O Imam.

The Imam said: When you want to disobey Allah then when the Angel of death comes to you tell him: leave me a little while.

The man said: How is that possible while he is the one visitor that nobody can turn away?

The Imam said: Glory be to Allah! You eat of Allah’s provision and live in His land and He sees you and you cannot avoid death, yet you disobey Him!

The man said: Let me have the fifth one O Imam.

The Imam said: When the guards of Hell take you to Hell tell them: no, take me to Heaven.

The man said: How come O Imam I cannot do that.

The Imam said: Glory be to Allah! You eat of Allah’s provision and live in His land and He sees you and you have no power over death or over life and you have no power over Heaven or over Hell, yet you disobey Him!

The man said: enough! O Imam, I will never disobey Allah from this day onward.

Reference:

Tarawih Magazine (Ramadan 1431/August 2010), by Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs, page: 7-8.