Seek forgiveness for your sins

Seek forgiveness for your sins

Translated by: Alamgeer Usmani.

First sermon

Brothers in faith,

It is a poison when it penetrates into hearts, makes them sick, when it spreads in the countries, corrupts them, and its harms, consequences are very severe. Among its effects is the deprivation of sustenance and knowledge, weakness of faith, the humiliation of the servant his before, deserving of the punishment of the grave or the torment of the Hellfire if he does not repent. And that is the guilt and sin.

Was sin not the reason for expelling the parents (Adam and Eve) from Paradise?

Bukhari recorded in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah PBUH     said: “All my people will enter paradise except those who refuse.” On being asked who refused, he replied, “He who obeys me will enter paradise, and he who disobeys me has refused.”

My brothers,

We read a lot and hear a lot about the command to fear Allah, but to what extent do we apply it?

The reality of piety revolves around two principles: obeying commands of Allah the, Almighty and leaving prohibitions.

My beloved brothers,

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned an eloquent analogy about the effects of sin on the heart, he said: “It should be known that sins and disobedience cause harm, and their harm to the heart is like the harm of poisons to the bodies, with different levels of poison in harming.”

It is a fact, that a person shuns the causes of diseases and epidemics, and if something befalls him, he rushes to treat it. Aren’t sins more deserving that we stay away from them and treat them when we fall into them? Undoubtedly, diseases and their treatment are different. Cancers need treatment and more attention than symptomatic diseases.

It is quite strange, that we protect ourselves from some foods for fear of their harm, and do not avoid sins which are the cause of the torment of the grave or the fire.

Brothers in faith,

Human beings are different from angels. Angels do not disobey, but humans are not infallible, as it is in their nature to fall short and make mistakes. It is mentioned in the hadith which is recorded by Tirmizi and Ibn Maja: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Every son of Adam sins, and the best of the sinners are the repentant." Graded as Hasan by Albani.

It is from Allah’s grace that He made the door of repentance and erasure of sins open for us. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.” Narrated by Muslim.

and it should be noted that the prophet said it to the Companions who were on a great side of piety and steadfastness.

Reflect on how Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him, depicted the situation of the believer with disobedience. He said: “A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which, he is afraid, may fall on him; whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this." Abu Shihab (the sub-narrator) moved his hand over his nose in illustration. Bukhari narrated it.

Yes, brothers and sisters, despising and belittling sins is a dangerous matter, it is recorded in the hadith: “Beware to despise the sins, because, despising the sins f is like the people who descended into a valley, then one brought a piece of wood and second brought a piece of wood even they collected an amount of wood from which they can cook their roti. And when the one is caught because of small sins they perish him”. Authenticated by Albani. And Bukhari narrated on the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said at the time of the Tabieen: Anas said: "You people do (bad) deeds (commit sins) which seem in your eyes as tiny (minute) than hair while we used to consider those (very deeds) during the life-time of the Prophet (ﷺ) as destructive sins.

How about if the companion of the Messenger of Allah PBUH had seen our condition in this our time!

﴿ ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴾ [الروم: 41]

“Calamities have appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of the people have earned, so that He (Allah) makes them taste some of what they did, in order that they may return (to the right way)”.

Oh Allah, forgive us for what we have sent forth and what we have left behind.

second sermon

Praise be to Allah alone. Afterwards,

Brothers in Islam,

Against disobedience is fought with obedience, strengthening faith, and striving against oneself.

﴿ وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى ﴾ [النازعات: 40]

“Whereas for the one who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained his self from the (evil) desire”.

When we commit sins, we should consider them great and we, instantly, should repent from them.

﴿ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ ﴾ [الأعراف: 201].

“Surely when the God-fearing are touched by any instigation from Satan, they become conscious (of Allah), and at once they discern (the reality)”.

Servant of Allah,

Apply the commandment of your Prophet that “and follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out”.

Servant of Allah,

Do not underestimate the guilt, even if many people do it, because the important is the order of Allah and His Messenger, not the actions of people. Would it be right for the servant to apologize before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection saying that the people used to do that?

Servant of Allah,

Whenever you have become weak and defiled by disobedience, repent to your Lord, clean yourself with remorse, wash it with repentance, and perfume it with obedience.

Servant of Allah,

﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ﴾ [البقرة: 222]

“Surely Allah loves those who are most repenting, and loves those who keep themselves pure”.

Ibn Katheer said: “That is, keep themselves pure from the sin, even if it is repeated, and don’t insist on sins.”

﴿ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴾ [آل عمران: 135].

“Then, seek forgiveness for their sins and who is there to forgive sins except Allah? and do not persist in what they have done”.

Servant of Allah,

Don’t laugh at a sinner or reproach him for sin, and how many sound people are afflicted with the same sin that he used to reproach others with, and a sin that produces regret and humility is better than worship accompanied by arrogance.

Servant of Allah,

If you are not able to repent to Allah from all sins, then, at least, repent from some of them. Because the person with multiple diseases, takes the initiative to treat all of his diseases, and if it is not possible, then it is better to treat some of diseases than leaving all of them destroying body.

Servant Of Allah,

If you are addicted to commit sin and you try to leave it, then do not despair, humiliate before your Lord and pray to Him to help you to repent and to rid you of sin, and absolve from your mighty and your strength, and rely on your Lord. Along with it, adopt the causes and look for what nourishes faith in your heart. Because, the authority of the servant decreases as he increases in faith, entrusting and dependence on his Lord:

﴿إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ﴾ [النحل: 99].

“He is such that he has no authority over those who believe and place trust in their Lord”.

In conclusion,

We are in a blessed day, so let us wash away the defilement of our sins with sincere repentance, and let us witness. The truth, Glory be to Him, said:

﴿ أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَاتِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴾ [التوبة: 104].

“Have they not come to know that Allah is He who accepts repentance from His slaves and accepts Sadaqat, and that Allah is Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful”?

Oh Allah, as you have beatified me and the sinners by your protection, so beautify us and them with your forgiveness, guidance and good pleasure.