Do sins have effects on the individual and society, and what are they?
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The questioner : Ibrahim Abu Hamid has a set of questions from Riyadh. He says, “O honorable Shaykh, do sins have effects on the individual and society, and what are they? May you be rewarded.”
The Shaykh : Yes. Sins have effects on the individual and society. As for their effects on the individual, they weaken the resolve to perform acts of obedience, because sins lead to one another, and sins harden the heart and weaken a person’s resolve to seek good. Allah the Exalted said:[As-Saf 61:5] Sins also have harms for society, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Anfal 8:25] and as Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: [Al-A'raf 7:96-99] So punishments are general and include the righteous and the unrighteous. On the Day of Resurrection, people will be resurrected according to their intentions. Also, sin corrupts society, so one becomes a sinner, because when people see this person committing a sin, it becomes easy for them to do it. When people see this man committing a sin, it becomes easy for them to do it, so sins spread from person to person until they encompass the entire society. For this reason, it is obligatory for people to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, to rectify conditions and remove the causes of evil and corruption.
It is obligatory for the Muslim community to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, lest Allah encompass them with punishment. Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said:[Ali 'Imran 3:104-105]
I ask Allah the Exalted to rectify our community, both the leaders and the led.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to decree for this community a matter of guidance.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : In which the people of obedience to Allah are honored, and the people of His disobedience are humbled, and in which what is right is enjoined and what is wrong is forbidden.
The questioner : O Allah, accept. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes. Sins have effects on the individual and society. As for their effects on the individual, they weaken the resolve to perform acts of obedience, because sins lead to one another, and sins harden the heart and weaken a person’s resolve to seek good. Allah the Exalted said:
And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
فَلَمّا زاغوا أَزاغَ اللَّهُ قُلوبَهُم وَاللَّهُ لا يَهدِي القَومَ الفاسِقينَAnd fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.
وَاتَّقوا فِتنَةً لا تُصيبَنَّ الَّذينَ ظَلَموا مِنكُم خاصَّةً وَاعلَموا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَديدُ العِقابِ(96) And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning." (97) Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep? (98) Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play? (99) Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
وَلَو أَنَّ أَهلَ القُرى ءامَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ وَلكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذناهُم بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ * أَفَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرى أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا بَياتًا وَهُم نائِمونَ * أَوَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرى أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا ضُحًى وَهُم يَلعَبونَ * أَفَأَمِنوا مَكرَ اللَّهِ فَلا يَأمَنُ مَكرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا القَومُ الخاسِرونَIt is obligatory for the Muslim community to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, lest Allah encompass them with punishment. Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said:
(104) And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful. (105) And do not be like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And those will have a great punishment.
وَلتَكُن مِنكُم أُمَّةٌ يَدعونَ إِلَى الخَيرِ وَيَأمُرونَ بِالمَعروفِ وَيَنهَونَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَأُولئِكَ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ * وَلا تَكونوا كَالَّذينَ تَفَرَّقوا وَاختَلَفوا مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَهُمُ البَيِّناتُ وَأُولئِكَ لَهُم عَذابٌ عَظيمٌI ask Allah the Exalted to rectify our community, both the leaders and the led.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to decree for this community a matter of guidance.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : In which the people of obedience to Allah are honored, and the people of His disobedience are humbled, and in which what is right is enjoined and what is wrong is forbidden.
The questioner : O Allah, accept. May Allah reward you with good.