20 Effects of Sins -The Bitter Consequences part 1
based mainly on Ibn al-Qayyim's al-Jawaab al-Kaafi

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it is essential to know that sins and acts of disobedience are, necessarily, very harmful. Their harm effects upon the heart are akin to the harmful effects of poison upon the body, though the effects vary in their levels and intensities. So is there any evil or harm in this world, or in the Hereafter, except that it is due to sins and disobedience.

The impact of sins is the spread of psychological diseases among people, fear and distress. This is because sins expose the heart to diseases and perversion. So the effect of the sins on the hearts is the effect of diseases on the body and the only remedy for the heart diseases is to abandon sins and to repent .

Allah does not command men but to do what will bring them benefits in this world and the Hereafter. Hence sins are among the greatest evils that affect men in this world and the next. Sins had actually removed many blessings and caused many afflictions. The effects of sins show in the individuals and the society; they affect the heart and the body and bring about calamities whose gravity is known to none but Allah .

"Surely, good deed puts illumination on the face; light in the heart; blessings in the wealth; strength in the body and love in people's hearts while sin has a darkness on the face and in the heart; weakness in the body; reduction in the provision and hatred in the hearts' of the people ".

1 st The Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allâh throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light.

Someone once complained to about the weakness of memory so he ordered me to abandon disobedience And informed me that the knowledge is light And that the light of Allah is not given to the disobedient

2 nd Prevention of Sustenance: Just as Taqwa- fear of God brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwa- fear of God causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience

3 rd prevention of obedience to Allah : If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allah then this would be sufficient.

4 th : 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.

5 th Disobedience reduces the life span and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

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

7 th 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.

8 th Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allâh 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 Pharoah and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hûd. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allah.

9 th : Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them

10 th The ill effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm.

"The animals do curse the sinners among men whenever there is a severe drought and rain is withheld and they say: This is evil the impact of the sins of men".

"Evil has appeared in land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds) that He (Allah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His pardon)". (30:41).

Among the punishment of sins is that it removes blessings, brings about calamities, and brings fear in the place of security and misery in the place of happiness. Allah says: "And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He (Allah) pardons much". (42:30).

11 th 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.

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

12 th Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allah. Its been said I have seen sins kill the hearts and humiliation is inherited by their continuity The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts And the prevention of your soul is better for it

“And whomsoever Allah lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honour.” [Hajj (22:18)]

13 th 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.

14 th When disobedience increases, the servant's heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. “But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions).” [Mutaffifîn (83:14)]

15 th 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. “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.” [Rûm (30:41)]

Whenever sins become widespread among the Muslim society, they will be the cause of its humiliation in the sight of other nations. Therefore, glory lies only in obeying Allah and His Messenger (PBUH).

16 th The disappearance of modesty which is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. It is authentic from the Messenger peace be upon him that he said: Modesty is goodness, all of it

17 th Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allah, the Mighty in the heart of the servant

18 th Sins are the cause of Allah forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his Shaytan and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.

19 th Sins remove the servant from the realm of Ihsan (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining) the reward of those who do good. When Ihsan fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience.

20th Disobedience causes the favours (of Allah) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allah the “Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many.” [Shûra (42:30)]

“That is because never will Allâh change the favour He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves.” [Anfâl (8:53)]

Sins also make devilish people attack him either in his presence or absence, as they encourage his servants, children and neighbors to maltreat him. One of the righteous predecessors said, "Whenever I commit a sin, I see the impact of that in the behaviour of my wife and my riding animal towards me".

When sins become widespread in a society, its affairs become difficult and the members of that society find many gates of good and well being closed in their faces. For Allah says: "And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him". (At-Talaq 65:4).

" No calamity befalls except as a result of a sin, and it cannot be removed except through repentance". Whenever men disobey Allah, are ungrateful for His favour and seek after causes of His wrath instead of causes of His pleasure, He will turn their well-being to punishment and their happiness to misery.