By Abdul Haq Abdul Kadir

Shaikh Al-Imam adh-Dhahabee (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) said: “Whosoever seeks knowledge for actions, then his knowledge makes him humble and fearful, and causes him to weep at (the deficiencies in) himself. But whosoever seeks knowledge for the sake of merely teaching, giving verdicts, in order to brag, or to show-off; becomes foolish, arrogant and looks down in contempt at the people, and is destroyed by his pride, and the people hate him.” Allah says: " Truly he succeeds who purifies his soul, and he fails who corrupts it ." (Surah ash-Shams 99:4-5), meaning that it is corrupted with sin and disobedience.

The following, generally, are some of the dire consequences of committing sins as expounded by the Noble Quran and Ahadith.

One – Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allah SWT throws into the heart, and disobedience extinguishes this light. Imam Shafi'i (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) said: I complained to Wakee' about the weakness of my memory so he ordered me to abandon disobedience and informed me that knowledge is light and that the light of Allah is not given to the disobedient.

Two – Prevention of Sustenance (Rizq): Just as Taqwa brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwa causes poverty. There is nothing that can bring blessings in your sustenance like the abandonment of sins.

Three – Prevention of Obedience to Allah: There can be no greater punishment for committing sins than that it prevents one from the obedience to Allah.

Four – Disobedience weakens the heart and the body: Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely.

Five – Disobedience reduces the life span and destroys any blessings: Just as righteousness increases the life span, sinning reduces it.

Six – Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant.

Seven – Sins weaken the hearts will and resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely.

Eight – Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot. Taking more than one's due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu'ayb. Seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharaoh. Pride and arrogance and tyranny are a legacy of the People of Hud. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allah.

Nine – Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan Al-Basri (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allah the Exalted said: And whomsoever Allah lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honour .  [Al-Hajj 22:18)

Ten – The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also on the animals as a result of which they are affected by harm.

Eleven – The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allah. Ibn Mas'ud (radiyallahu anhu) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

Twelve – Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allah. Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: I have seen sins kill the hearts and people's humiliation is inherited by continuous sinning. The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts.

Thirteen – Disobedience corrupts the intellect.  The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient.

Fourteen – When disobedience increases, the servant's heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. Allah says: But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions) [Al-Mutaffifeen 83:141]

Fifteen – Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. Allah says: Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return. [Ar-Rum 30:41]

Disobedience causes the favours of Allah to cease and justify His retribution. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made deserving upon him except due to a sin. Ali (radiyallahu anhu) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allah says: Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many . [Ash-Shura 42:30]. And Allah says: That is because never will Allah change the favour He has bestowed on a people until they change what is within themselves. [Anfaal 8:53]. May Allah have mercy upon us and help us to abandon the sins that are the cause of our problems. Ameen!