PUNISHMENT OF SINS IN THIS LIFE

By Ustaza Nuzhat Fatima

PUNISHMENT OF SINS IN THIS LIFE:

وَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ عَذَابًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

🏵️And indeed, for those who have wronged is a punishment before that ( ie the great torment of the hereafter), but most of them do not know. (At-Tur 52:47)

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الاٌّدْنَى دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الاٌّكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

🏵️And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may return. (32:21).

🍀The above verses make it clear that those who do wrong are punished in this world for their sins before the greatest punishment in the hereafter. This is a mercy from Allah that they may leave their sin and turn to him in repentance. As is the Sunnah of man that whenever he is in extreme hardship, he turns to Allah. But those who go back to their old ways after their calamity is lifted, are those who have not benefitted from the purpose of their trial and tribulation, and there is the chance of the calamities continuing in his life.

So, whoever finds anything that is undesirable in his life or a difficulty that is overwhelming his life, then he should first look at his disobedience to Allah.

🏵️What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself….(Al Nisa, 4:79).

Nothing that man does goes unnoticed, as even the smallest sin is being recorded and the slave is accountable for it, and this would certainly have effect on his life, until he seeks forgiveness for it.

🏵️And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it. (Al Zalzalah, 99:8).

So, the wise thing to do is to take ourselves into account consciously as to where we are sinning or disobedying Allah in our lives, starting from the smallest sin which is lieing, which many of us take in light spirit, but we should not forget that lieng leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to hellfire. One needs to start at this level then going up from there. When one has realised his shortcomings, he should leave the sin right away, confess it to Allah and seek His forgiveness, then make intention to not repeat it in future. These are the three steps of true repentance.

🌸There is not any slave of Allah who commits a sin, then he perfects his ablution and stands to pray two rak’ah of prayer, then seeks Allah’s forgiveness, except that Allah will forgive him. (Abu Dawud 2/86, At Tirmizi 2/257).

Dua for seeking forgiveness:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ القَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيهِ💐

Apart from this, there are many sins which a slave is not aware of committing, ie he does not realise he is sinning. This category is usually of hidden shirk and bid’ah which he considers good, as the shaitaan beautifies it for him and the slave considers it an act of worship. But this is most dangerous as it would render all of his deeds into dust if not repented from. The Cure for this to to recite this dua constantly as taught by our Prophet alaihisalam.

💐اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُبِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنا أَعْلَمْ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ

O Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I associate anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I know not. (Ahmad 4/403).

If one seeks the help of Allah through these words, Allah will make him realise the hidden shirk in his life and the mistakes he is committing unknowingly, which are causing the difficulties in his life, in Sha Allah.

Allah has no need to punish us. He only intends to save us from the great torment of the hereafter by punishing us for our sins in this world so that we may turn to him and leave sin.

What would Allah gain from your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing. (Al Nisa, 4:147)