The Harmful Impacts of Sin on Personal and Societal Well-Being (Part Two)
The Bad Effects of Sin on Individual Life
In the previous note, we stated that man is made up of two dimensions: body and soul, with the soul forming the main aspect of our existence. It was emphasized that efforts should be made to strengthen spirituality and improve spiritual quality, while avoiding the spiritual pollution caused by sins and transgressions. In this note, which is part of our series, we will examine one of the effects and consequences of sin and its impact on the human soul and mind.
1. Distance from Allah (s.w.t)
Allah (s.w.t) Almighty has great love for His servants and has provided many facilities in this world for their comfort and ease so that they can worship and serve in peace. The more a servant steps on the path of worship and obedience and seeks to draw closer to Allah (s.w.t), the closer he becomes to Allah (s.w.t)’s grace and mercy. Worship is, in fact, a form of gratitude for all the blessings that Allah (s.w.t) has bestowed upon us, willingly or unwillingly, making us indebted to His endless bounties.
Therefore, servants should always strive to remain on the balanced path of worship and servitude and should choose the right path to progress in their material and spiritual lives. They should not deviate from the right course and be drawn into misguided paths that will ultimately lead them to the valley of failure and destruction. When a servant deviates from this path and spends his life away from the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t) and in heedlessness, his soul becomes exhausted, and his spirituality is damaged.
Sins, whether small or large, temporary or permanent, have destructive effects on the human soul and rob individuals of peace. These effects resemble acid gradually poured onto the soul, slowly eroding and destroying it from within. Among all the consequences of sin, distancing oneself from Allah (s.w.t) is the most serious. By committing sins, a person becomes increasingly distant from the presence of Allah (s.w.t) and loses his place in the circle of divine mercy. Through his connection with Allah (s.w.t) and the power gained from worship and servitude, humans maintain their humanity and attain the highest status of creation. If this bond between the servant and the Creator is not strong and stable, humans will not hold a superior position compared to other creatures.
Thus, contamination with sin causes this bond to weaken and, ultimately, break, dragging man down from the lofty level of humanity and weakening his spiritual structure. The more a servant insists on sins and associates with sinners, the greater his distance from Allah (s.w.t) becomes, and ultimately, he loses the way back to divine closeness. He finds himself unable to move forward or return; he remains lost in the dead end of misguidance, where any small challenge can defeat him and lead to surrender.
How much cruelty and misery can a human being endure in this fleeting world, which is filled with inherent rebellion and disobedience, when his existence and non-existence both stem from Him? This individual lives in the shadow of the mercy and grace of the Divine, breathing easily!
Let us not forget that our sins distance us from Allah (s.w.t), leaving us alone in the valley of spiritual diseases and illnesses, increasing the severity of our situation every moment. What greater calamity is there than for the gaze of Allah (s.w.t)’s mercy and love to turn away from a servant, leaving him alone in the darkness of sin?
