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Our attitude towards sins

• What’s the harm?

• This is just a small sin

• I have a lot of time to mend my ways

• Let me enjoy my life for now

Attitude of the Companions of the Prophet

• Said Anas, (ra): "You imagine certain sins to be more insignificant than a straw. But, at the time of the Prophet  we used to count them among those that can destroy a man.”

• (Bukhari Volume 8: Book 76: Hadith 499)

• Ibn Mas'ud (ra) says: "A believer treats a sin as if it is a mountain over his head that may fall on him any moment. Whereas a regular violator looks at them as a fly that perked on his nose and he waived it away with his hand.”

• (Bukhari Volume 8 : Book 75 : Hadith 320)

"Beware of minor sins. For they add on until they destroy the man.“ (reported by Ahmad)

'Do not look at the sins if they are small or big. Look at Him in whose defiance you are

committing them.'

• Loss of knowledge • constrained feeling in the heart • difficulties in ordinary affairs • weakening of the body • loss of willingness to do the

bidding (of Allah) • loss of barakah • loss of inclination to do good

things • birth of evil deeds • habituation to the sins • unworthiness in the sight of Allah • descending of Allah's anger

Effects of Sins - Ibn Qayyim

• feeling of inferiority in the heart • sealing of the heart • unresponsiveness for Allah to his supplications • corruption in the land and sea • loss of sense of honor • settling of fear in the heart • increased likelihood of falling in the traps of

Satan • an unhappy end • punishment in the Hereafter.

Feelings after committing a sin:

• A sense of despondency and despair thinking, "How will God forgive me for this sin?“

• Remembering at the same time that Allah (swt) is ever merciful, ever forgiving. 

• ‘..despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ Qur'an (39:53).

• “Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be, who suddenly finds his camel laden with supplies after losing it in a barren land" (Bukhari)

• “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” (Tirmidhi)

Importance of Repentance

• Repentance is the most noble and beloved form of obedience in the eyes of Allah the All Mighty.

• The repenting person reaches the status of being amongst the beloved through his repentance.

• Repentance brings about humbleness and a sense of helplessness to the only Creator; Allah, and that is not easily acquired through other forms of worship

• Repentance breeds good deeds, whilst sinning (without repentance) can cause deprivation of obedience altogether.

• "Except those who repent and believe [Islamic Monotheism], and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful." (Qur'an 25:70)

How to repent?

1- Stop the sin for the sake of Allah Only.

2- Regretting deeply and truly for the sin

3- Quickly turn to Allah for forgiveness.

4- Strong intention never to return to that same sin again.– move away from the place where the sin was committed– abandon the company of those that helped you in the sin.– destruction of those things and articles that help in

committing sins

5- Select those virtuous friends who will support you in this new resolve.

The repenting person should remember three facts: 

1. The grave consequence of sins.

2. The painful punishment for sins  

3. How weak a person is when committing such sins.

The Time of Repentance

• First respite:"The Scribe on the left hand delays registering the sin of a Muslim for six hours. If he repents (within these six hours), and seeks Allah's forgiveness, they drop if off. If he doesn't, they write is down as a single sin.” (reported by Al- Taribaani)

• Second respite: “Allah accepts the repentance of His servant, so long as death has not reached his collar bone” (reference missing)

• "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and rejoice, for no one's good deeds will put him in Paradise." The Companions asked, "Not even you O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "Not even me unless Allah bestows His pardon and mercy on me." (Bukhari)

In Islam, salvation rests on 

• Faith

• good actions

• hope in Allah’s mercy.