Fear your Sins
Sayed Mahdi Al-Modarresi
Every single lesson which emanates from Imam Ali (as) is an ocean of knowledge. Despite centuries of persecution and oppression towards the Shia, today we still have over 25,000 sayings alone from Imam Ali (as). The final chapter of Nahjul Balagha (Peak of Eloquence) is attributed to the sayings of Imam Ali (as). How miraculous is it that many of the teachings of the Ahlulbayt (as) have been preserved till today despite the many efforts to eradicate them from history.
We should rejoice upon the freedom to name our children after the Ahlulbayt (as), because in history people were slaughtered for simply for bearing the names of Ahlulbayt (as).
In a profound saying by Imam Ali (as):
“I enjoin you to follow five instructions, that if you have to tread the desert on a camel just to obtain these instructions, it would be worth it:
Never place the hope of your affairs in anyone except Allah (swt).
Fear nothing except your sins.
Never be ashamed of saying ‘I don’t know’ when asked about a matter which you have no knowledge of.
If you do not know something, seek to learn it.
Be patient, for patience to your faith is like a head to a body. Without a head a body cannot function, and likewise without patience, faith will be of no benefit.”
Let us seek to dissect some of these wise instructions from the Imam—(only 2 instructions were elaborated on in this lecture).
Point 1 – Place all your hope and trust in Allah (swt)
How many personal connections and acquaintances do we have in our lives with the anticipation of exploiting them if we ever need to. We should place full trust of our affairs with the Allah (swt). Why aren’t our prayers answered many of the times? Because we generally come to Allah (as) as our last resort, after we have attempted to obtain a solution to our requests from every other source. It is Allah (as) who has absolute control over our lives and this world entirely. When you’re ill, the medicine itself isn’t the cure, but rather, it is a catalyst which Allah (swt) either allows to functio to cure you or not.
Point 2 – Fear nothing except your sins
Know that your sins and transgressions have a detrimental effect on your destiny. Sins have a physical stain on the soul and your spirituality.
The Imam (as) said:
“When a person commits a sin, a tiny black spot appears on the heart(soul).”
Be it a backbite here, or a lie there, or an insult here, all of these acts have a significant affect on us. They shouldn’t be viewed as minor, inconsequential sins. These black dots keep adding up and eventually lead to a blackened, cold and hardened heart.
The Noble Quran says:
ثُمَّ كَانَ عَاقِبَةَ الَّذِينَ أَسَآءُوا السُّوأَي أَن كَذَّبُوا بِاَيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا بِهَا يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ
Then evil was the end of those that did evil, for they belied the signs of Allah, and at them they used to mock.
[Surah Ar-Rum 30; Verse 10]
In other words, if we keep accumulating sins, our hearts will fail to recognize the exaltedness of Allah (swt), and the grandeur of His scriptures and Messengers, and the Ahlulbayt (as). We will neglect their lofty position and disregard their lessons. May Allah (as) protect us all from such a self-inflicted calamity.
But just know brothers and sisters, that repentance and asking for forgiveness has a position that is loved and extremely dear to Allah (swt). However, we need to repent with full sincerity, and comprehend the enormity of a sin. Every sin is a treacherous defiance against Allah.
Imam Zayn Al-Abideen (as) says:
“Do not look at the size of the sin, look at who you are disobeying.”