Why Do People Sin? Not Taking Minor Sins Seriously

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Sin is what wavers or trembles your soul.

On the authority of an-Nawas bin Sam'an (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

"Righteousness is in good character, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul, and which you dislike people finding out about." [Muslim]

And on the authority of Wabisah bin Ma'bad (may Allah be pleased with him) who said,

"I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and he (peace be upon him) said, 'You have come to ask about righteousness.' I said, 'Yes.' He (peace be upon him) said, 'Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels at ease and the heart feels tranquil. And wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and causes uneasiness in the breast, even though people have repeatedly given their legal opinion [in its favor].'"

A good hadeeth transmitted from the musnads of the two imams, Ahmed bin Hambal and Al-Darimi, with a good chain of authorities.

Sin causes aversion or dislike in the heart; it is that thing which wavers in the breast, and the individual hates that people should come to know of it. The commentators of this hadith stress that the 'people' referred to in this hadith are respected and righteous people.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam gave very important signs of sin. The first one is an internal sign within the human being: a feeling of aversion in the soul with respect to the particular act. The second sign also involves internal feelings, but deals with the outward reaction to the act itself: sin causes a wholesome soul to be uneasy and troubled. These signs occur because a person is naturally disposed to favor what leads to positive results and avoid what leads to negative results.

Many people take minor sins lightly and taking it for granted that Allah will forgive them for such sins. As a result, they persist in such sins thereby getting desensitized to the need to address them.

Consider the hadith of the Prophet sallallahhu alayhi wassallam where according to one report he said, “Beware of minor sins, for they will pile up until they destroy a person” (Reported by Ahmad; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2686-2687).

Some scholars are of the view that when minor sins are accompanied by a lack of shame or remorse, and with no fear of Allah, and are taken lightly, then there is the risk that they will be counted as major sins. Therefore, it is said that no minor sin is minor if you persist, and no major sin is major if you seek forgiveness.

Allah has created us with a pure, innate disposition that is called fitra. This means to love the truth and the good, and to hate falsehood and evil. Consequently, good believers with pure fitra should never confuse truth with falsehood.

To develop the capacity of knowing right from wrong in your heart, you have to realize that what’s good in your heart can be affected by what you consume in terms of ideas and knowledge. So the more you know about the Prophet sallallahu aayhi wassallam - who he was, how he acted in different situations - the more you will be able to distinguish right from wrong. Get to know the Prophet sallallahu aayhi wassallam so you know how he will act in any context.

Remember, a portion (of good) for a person in this world is his lifetime; if he makes good use of it in things that benefit him in the eternal abode (Paradise), then his trade will be of a great profit. But if he misuses it (his life) by committing sins and disobedience till he meets Allah in such a state, he is surely of those who are losers. Think...how many of them in the graves?!

He who is of a sound sense calls himself for account before Allah calls him to account (on the Day of Account), and fears his sins (and consequently get far away from them) before they lead him to destruction (i.e. HellFire).

Life in this world is of many types but death is of two kinds only -- good ending (Husnul Khaatimah) or bad ending (Suu-ul Khaatimah)).

We should now ask ourselves: "If I die in the state I am today, will I die with Husnul Khaatimah or Suu-ul Khaatimah?" Do you want a good ending? If so, don't take any sins lightly. Don't hurt other people and other creatures of Allah whether it be through our words, actions or attitude.

‏اللهم إني أعوذ بك من شر ما عملت ومن شر ما لم أعمل‏

Allahumma inni audhu bika min sharri ma 'amiltu, wa min sharri ma lam a'mal

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evil of that which I have done and the evil of that which I have not done.

[Muslim].

May Allah protect us and our families and help us avoid sins and anything that could lead us to sins.

Ameen.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

Wassalaam