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?
So what was it that expelled the two parents [i.e. Adam and Eve] from Paradise;
the home of delight, bliss, splendor and joy; to the home of pain, sorrow and
misfortune?
What was it that expelled Iblees [i.e. Satan] from the heavenly realms, causing
him to be rejected and cursed; transforming him both inwardly and outwardly, so that his
form became ugly and hideous - his inner form more hideous than his outer - replacing his
nearness with remoteness, mercy with curse, his beauty with ugliness, from being in
Paradise to being in the blazing Fire, from having faith to being an unbeliever, from
having the patronage and friendship of Allaah, the Praiseworthy Guardian, to being the
greatest enemy and opponent, from glorifying and praising Him to committing acts of
unbelief, shirk, lies, deception and shamelessness, from being adorned with faith to being
clothed in the garment of unbelief, sinfulness and disobedience, causing him to reach the
deepest depths of despicability, plunging down in the sight of Allaah as far as it is
possible to plunge; causing the anger of Allaah the Exalted to be upon him, making him an
outcast - despised and hum iliated - so that he became a leader for every sinner and
criminal, becoming pleased with leadership for himself, after having reached the station of
worship and nobility? O Allaah, we seek refuge in You from opposing Your command and
falling into what You have forbidden.
What was it that caused the people of the earth to drown, to the extent that
the water rose above even the mountaintops? What was it that caused the violent winds to
overcome the people of `Aad, such that it flung them down dead upon the face of the earth -
as if they were lopped-off palm trunks - and it destroyed whatever dwellings and crops it
came across, thus making them an example for nations until the Day of Resurrection?
What was it that caused the piercing shrieks to be set loose upon the Thamood
people, such that their hearts were severed within their very bodies, by which they all
perished? What was it that caused the town of the homosexuals to be raised up and
turned upside down, such that they were all destroyed? Then stones from the sky pelted down
upon them so that they suffered a combined punishment, the like of which was not given to
any other nation! And for their brothers will be its like; and it is not far off from the
transgressors!
What was it that caused the clouds of punishment to overcome the people of
Shu'ayb, such that when these clouds were above their heads it rained scorching fire upon
them?
What was it that caused the Pharaoh and his people to be drowned in the ocean,
and caused their souls to be transported to the Hellfire, so their bodies drowned and their
souls burned?
What was it that caused Qaaroon, his dwelling, wealth and family to sink down
into the earth?
What was it that caused the destruction of those generations after Noah, and
how they were afflicted with various punishments that caused their annihilation?
What was it that caused the destruction of the companions of Yaa Seen, with the
clamorous shout, which destroyed them?
What caused there to be sent against the Children of Israa'eel enemies of great
strength and might, plundering their homes, killing their men, enslaving their women and
children, burning their dwellings, seizing their wealth, and then returning again a second
time, destroying what was rebuilt after the first onslaught?
What was it that caused the various types of punishments to be set loose upon
the Children of Israa'eel? Killing them, enslaving them, destroying their land and at times
causing them to be oppressed by kings, whilst at another time causing them to be
transformed into apes and swines -and finally the Lord took an oath that:
"He would certainly keep on sending against them, until the Day of
Resurrection, those who will inflict them with a humiliating torment." [Soorah
al-A'raaf 7:167]
Imam Ahmad said: al-Waleed ibn Muslim related to us; that Safwaan ibn 'Amr
related to us; that `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr related; from his father, who
said: "When Cyprus was conquered and its people were dispersed and they started
weeping to each other, I saw Abud-Dardaa sitting alone and weeping. So I said to him: O
Abud-Dardaa! What makes you weep on this day that Allaah has granted strength and honor to
Islaam and its people? So he said: Woe be to you O Jubayr! How insignificant the creation
becomes to Allaah when they turn away from His command. In front of us is a nation who were
evidently powerful and who haddominion, yet they abandoned Allaah's command, so look what
has become of them." [2]
`Alee ibn al-Ja'd said: Shu'bah ibn `Amr ibn Murrah informed us; I heard
Abul-Bukhtaree say: I was informed by someone, who heard the Prophet (saw) saying:
"The people will not perish, until they have no excuse left for
themselves."[3]
Imaam Ahmad reports in his Musnad, from the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, who said: I
heard Allaah's Messenger (saw) saying: "When acts of disobedience become widespread in
my ummah, then Allaah may send punishment upon them all from Himself" So I said:
"O Allaah's Messenger! Even if there are righteous people amongst them that day? So he
replied: "Indeed!" So I said: "How will that be?" He replied:
"They will be afflicted with what afflicts the people, then they will move on to the
forgiveness of Allaah and His good pleasure." [4]
Footnotes
[1] Ad-Daa' wad-Dawaa' (pp.65-67).
[2] Reported by Imaam Ahmad in az-Zuhd (i/86) with an authentic (saheeh) chain
of narration.
[3] Reported by Ahmad (4/260) and Abu Daawood (no.4347) with an authentic chain
of narration.
[4] Reported by Ahmad (6/304) and one of its narrators is Layth ibn Abee
Sulaym, who is weak. However the hadeeth is established due to further supporting
narrations. Consult Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no.1372) of Shaykh
al-Albaanee.
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