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A cure can not be found until the disease
has been diagnosed and medicine is useless unless it
counters the causes of the disease. From this we learn that
the only thing which nullifies a thing, is its opposite. The
reason why a person persists in sin is heedlessness and
succombing to desires. Only knowledge can counteract
heedlessness, while patience and removing the causes
eradicates the negative impact of desires.
The only way to obtain repentance is by
mixing the sweetness of knowledge with the difficulty of
patience.
Scholars are the physicians when treating
the disease of persisting on sinning, for it is among the
diseases of the heart that exceed those of the body.
Sinfulness is a disease of the heart because of the
following:
First: The patient does not know that he is
a patient.
Second: It is not manifest visibly in this
world like physical diseases whose consequence is real death
and what is after death is part of the unknown. Thus, you
might see someone who depends on Allah's favors regarding
diseases of the heart while he endeavors to treat physical
diseases without depending on Almighty Allah.
Third: A disease is incurable when there is
no physician. In this case, the physicians are the scholars,
and sadly some scholars have diseases in their own hearts.
Most physicians are overtaken by the vanities of this world.
Consequently, they cannot warn people about diseases lest
they reply, "Are you trying to treat us while you
forget to treat yourself?" For this reason incurable
diseases prevail and seeking treatment has almost come to an
end.
If it is asked, "What should a preacher
do when preaching?" To this, you can reply that this is
an extensive subject, which is difficult to cover. In this
context, we want to point out some useful methods that can
be employed to lessen a person’s insistence on sinning.
There are four methods:
To remind people about the verses in the
Glorious Qur'an that warn sinners, and to remind them
about what has been narrated from the sayings of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
Companions. This should be accompanied by praising those
who repent.
To remind them about the prophets and
the righteous ancestors and the catastrophes that befell
them because of sins. An example of this is what
happened to Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) when
he disobeyed his Lord and how he suffered for his sin by
being cast out of Paradise. The Glorious Qur'an mentions
this story so people may take heed of its lessons. Those
who learn from such stories will be treated and will be
happy. On the other hand, evil-doers are given chances
but they only acquire more sins. Since the chastisement
of Almighty Allah is more painful in the Hereafter,
these stories should be mentioned repeatedly to those
who persistently commit sins so their hearts may be
stirred and they may be motivated to repent.
To explain that hastening punishment in
this world is expected and that every affliction that a
servant faces is because of the shameful acts he has
committed. There are those who are unconcerned about the
punishment in the Hereafter while they are afraid of the
punishment of Almighty Allah in this world but this is
because of their ignorance. The effect of a sin may be
hastened in this world. This is proven by the hadith of
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
in which he said,
"Surely a servant may be
deprived of bounty because of a sin he has committed."
(Ibn Majah)
Once Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyad said, "When I
commit a sin I can recognize this in the behavior of my
donkey and my servant."
According to Abu Hurairah (may Allah be
pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) said,
"When a believer commits a sin,
a black spot forms on his heart. If he repents and mends
his ways and seeks forgiveness, the spot is purged from
his heart. But if he continues sinning, the spot will
grow until it covers his heart completely. That is rust,
which Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) mentions in
His Book, Nay, but that which they have earned is rust
upon their hearts." (Al-Mutaffifin 83:14)
(At-Tirmidhi)
Al-Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah have mercy upon
him) said, "A good deed is a light in the heart and a
source of power in the body, while a bad deed is darkness in
the heart and a source of weakness in the body."
To tell the people about the punishment
for major sins such as drunkenness, adultery, murder,
pride, envy, and backbiting.
It is important to note that a learned
person should be like a skillful physician who can
diagnose the disease successfully so that he can treat it.
It was reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him),
"Advise me!" The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Do not
become angry and furious." (Al-Bukhari)
Another man said to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him),
"Advice me!" The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, "You
should be despondent of what is in the hands of people."
(Ibn Majah)
The two cases had different answers, even
though it was the same question. It is as if the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) noticed signs of anger on
the first person, and the signs of greed on the second one.
Treatment for Lustful Desire
Patience is very important when treating
sensual desires. For example, a person’s disease may be
prolonged because of having something harmful. Indeed, he is
motivated to take these harmful things because of his ardent
desire or his heedfulness. The cure is for the person to
feel the difficulty of patience and this may be used to
treat desire that leads to committing sins. For example, if
a young man is overtaken by his desires and consequently
cannot keep his eyes, heart, and body away from them, he
should remind himself of the threatening statements (of
Allah’s punishment) that are mentioned in the Book of
Allah, Most High, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him). Subsequently, if his fear
increases, he will keep himself away from anything that
causes his desire to increase.
It is important to be aware that desire
increases due to an external stimuli. The treatment for this
is hunger and continuous fasting and this can only be
achieved by a patient person. Attending meetings where
Almighty Allah is remembered and listening with a conscious
heart is cruicial. Then, the person should ponder on what
has been said and consequently fear will emerge in his
heart.
A person may ask: Why does a person commit
sins even though he knows their shameful consequences?
There are many answers to this question,
including the following:
1- The promised punishment does not
exist at the time.
2- Hoping for a long life is the
dominant characteristic of human beings, so the person
delays repenting. When he feels hopeful that he will
repent, he may commits sins.
3- Man always hopes for Allah’s
forgiveness.
To treat all these diseases, man should be
mindful that the time of every matter is near at hand, and
he is not sure when it may face him. He should also remember
that the reason for his inability to avoid sins lies in the
dominance of his desires and these will accompany him in the
future. This situation is assured by habit.
The similitude of the one who delays
repentence is like that of the person who wants to uproot a
tree, but finds that it is very strong and will only be
uprooted with difficulty. Thereupon, he says, “I will
delay uprooting it for one year.” However, he does not
know that the longer the tree lives, the more firmly rooted
it will be, and that the older he becomes, the more feeble
he will be. No wonder he is unable to uproot it, even though
he uses all his strength, while it is very weak. How can he
expect to uproot it if he grows weaker, while it grows
stronger!
A person may await Allah’s forgiveness,
and it is possible that the sinner may be forgiven, but he
should be serious. This person is like the one who spent all
his property, impoverished himself and his children, and
waited for Almighty Allah to guide him to a treasure while
he was in ruins. This can happen but such a person is
foolish. Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, knows best.
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