Sin and its remedy

Sin is an impurity. It renders the heart impure. It is an impurity that surpasses physical impurity. But because one does not feel it, one does not find it grave. But in reality, it is very impure.

One day, during a conversation with Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) had made a sign with her hand that Hazrat Safiyyah (Radiyallahu Anha) is short. On this, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) pointed out that this little statement that she uttered is so grave that it suffices to contaminate and pollute the water of the entire ocean. This is quite clear to give an idea of ​​the harm that it causes to one's heart.

A person who has a notion of hygiene cannot permit himself to sin because committing sins is tantamount to mingling in impurity. And if ever he did it, it will be very difficult for him to continue to remain in it. He will try to clean himself as soon as possible.

There is a way to clean every impurity. Impurity of sins is purified by asking for forgiveness from Allah Ta'ala. This is what is called Istighfar or Taubah. It is good to know that there are conditions that should be respected for a Taubah to be valid. Firstly, a person must have remorse and regret for what he did. Secondly, he must have already abstained from it when he is asking for forgiveness. Not that he says, "Oh Allah! Forgive me", while having a glass of Whiskey in his hand or his gaze is fixed on something which is not permissible. And thirdly, he must make a firm decision not to repeat it in future. These three conditions apply to all sins. But if it is a sin that involves the right of a person, then one must also apologise to that person.

When a person makes a sincere Taubah, Allah Ta'ala washes his sins and purifies his heart. And this person becomes as if he had never committed a sin. On the other hand, if he persists and he does not repent, then he continues to get black spots on his heart until it fills his heart. He reaches a stage where sins become something normal. He does not see any harm in committing them. He becomes shameless. He becomes allergic to good things. He becomes like a vermin in impurity who likes to remain in the impurity of sin and who cannot live without the impurity of sin. Thus, he does not think about making Taubah. And this is an extremely dangerous stage that has a great possibility to even eliminate Imaan. What will remain of Insaan if he does not have Imaan? That is why committing sins is already a mistake but not making Taubah or repenting is an even greater mistake. If one happened to commit an error, one must not commit a greater mistake by not making Taubah.

When a person makes Taubah, he becomes very close to Allah Ta'ala. One must not manipulate things in order to justify the unjustifiable. One must not be reluctant to make Taubah because not everyone gets this chance. It is the true honourable and those who have true dignity who have the honour to humble themselves before their Rabb by accepting their wrong. On the other hand, those who are lowly will remain with their pride as long as they do not learn to acknowledge their error and to do the necessary to ask for forgiveness from their Creator. One must bear in mind that nobility is in recognising one's error and in doing the necessary.

[English version of "Péché et so remède" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.3]