Now we all know the bad effect of sins and we all are determined to lead a sin free life and if you are struggling how to lead that path, this article is for you for here is a starting point. When we save ourselves from five major sins, inshaaAllah because of that barakat, we will be saved from all sins and we will lead a life of taqwa in which lies the goodness of both the worlds.
Here is the list of those five sins and a brief explanation on that:
1.Safeguard the tongue from backbiting. Today we see many men involve in backbiting and unfortunately women gather only to backbite. When one of our muslim brothers dies, inspite of having bitterness towards him, we feel compassionate towards him and we gather for his funeral. How horrible it is to eat the flesh of such a dead brother? This is gheebat-backbiting. When honor of our fellow brothers and sisters are not safe from our tongues which is more sacred to Allah SWT than the kaaba, how can we expect that Allah SWT will grant us a life of taqwa which is more honored in both the worlds?
2.Save oneself from takabbur, pride, thinking onself big.
This takabbur is rootcause of many sins. Its because of takabbur, he thinks so high of himself and in order to show that he puts others down by backbiting. A person with takabbur will be humiliated in eyes of people. When the soil stays in its place, its useful and people find it beneficial but when it rises up, people sweep it off.
3.Save from anger.
When a person gets angry, he is in the hands of shaitan and he speaks and acts in sich a way that he regrets later and sometimes all throughout his life. There was an argument between an old man and a yougman in an arab land and the old man got so angry that inspite of his weakness, he raised his stick to beat the youngman. The people around him asked him to control himself and asked him to recite durood and when he recited ‘Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam’, his anger disappeared and he became so peaceful as if he wasnt angry at all. When we send peace and blessings to our beloved Prophet SAW, Allah SWT would send His SWT mercy and blessings ten times. So its recommended we seek refuge in shaitan, do wudhu, drink water, say durood, if we stand, we sit, if we sit, we lay down to control our anger.
4.Stay away from contacts of ghair mahram.
This is one of the biggest fitna of our times. Mobile and internet has made the contacts worst. We often here the term like she is sister like, he is brother like and our intention is good. This is pure deception. These sort of contacts turn haram, takes away the honor of family, children become rebellious to parents and many worst things. When Allah SWT and Rasool SAW has said its a big fitna, it is indeed a great sin and who is more truthful than Allah SWT and His messeger SAW. Are we better than wives of our beloved Prophet SAW? Being in such a close contact with Prophet SAW, how pure their thoughts would be and the sahabahs whose Taqwa Allah SWT testifies in Quran and He SWT tested them with hunger, wars, wealth but He SWT found only taqwa in them. To such great people, Allah SWT asks them that if they want to ask anything from wives of beloved Prophet SAW who are pure themselves and in the status of spiritual mothers to the sahabahs RA and the whole muslim ummah, to get the things behind the screen. Can we come close to them? When divine order is given to them, then what about us? Let Allah SWT help us all to stay from contacts of ghair mahram. Ameen
5.Take care of halal provision.
Utmost care should be taken that we we earn and eat is only halal. People fall in two categories. One, their basic income itself haram, such people should soon repent to Allah SWT and change their ways of learning for it descends ghadhab and curse of Allah SWT and takes out many blessings. Two, those who are blessed with basic halal income but due to their greedyness and love of wealth, they seek haram means.
When we take care of five sins above, inshaaAllah all other sins will be wiped away from our life.
One tip is that change the environment and stay in righteous company for in such a company, we can obtain the taqwa soon. Remember when we lead a life of taqwa, Allah SWT would provide us provision through ways we cant even imagine. If we cant be in their compnay for the whole week, arrange for both you and your family that you be in their gathering 3-4 times a week or atleast once a week.
Second tip is whenever we do fall into sin again, make sincere tawba.
Inspite of repeating sins, if a person makes sincere tawba again and again, Allah SWT’s mercy is so high that He SWT makes even such a person as His SWT wali. He SWT will raise his status to the people of taqwa in both the worlds and he is indeed leading a life of taqwa. The shaitan will lose hope in such a person who constantly repents and when he performs two units of salah after he commits any sin, the shaitan will run away from him.
The other tip is after every salah, express gratitude to Allah SWT that without His SWT help, he would have been among those who dont pray and when he leaves sin fresh, let him thank Allah SWT immediately for saving him from such a sin saying that without His SWT power and control, he wouldnt have obeyed Him and saved himself from disobedience. That is why the saying ‘laa hawla walaa quwwata illa billah’ (There is no power and no might except by Allah) is said to be the treasure of Jannah by our beloved Prophet SAW. By doing this, Allah SWT will keep us away from the sins and also our blessings wont be taken away. Let Allah SWT grant us all a life a taqwa.
“Do not feel secure from death at any time: Even if you seek protection in your advisors and your guards, know that the arrows of death are always pointing in our direction, whatever armour and shields we may have. Do you hope for forgiveness when you have not trodden its paths? A ship does not sail on dry land.”[1]
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “All the descendants of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent.“
Source: Jamiat Kwa Zulu Natal