The disaster that comes to us sometimes happens due to our own sin. Our sin can cause disaster that we never expect. Somehow, is this true? Here is the discussion.
Allah Ta’ala said,
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ
“And whatever calamity befalls you is caused by the actions of your own hands, and Allah forgives most (of your mistakes).” (Surah Ash-Shura: 30)
The Loss of Favors and the Coming of Disasters, One Form of Sin Due to Self
Ibn Qoyyim Al Jauziyah Rahimahullah said,
“Between the consequences of committing sin is removing the pleasure and the result of sin is bringing disaster. Therefore, the loss of a favor from a servant is due to sin. Likewise, the coming of various calamities is also caused by sin.” (Al Jawabul Kaafi, p. 87)
Ibn Rajab Al Hambali Rahimahullah said,
“It is not based on evil (damage) but on sin because of all calamities, it is all caused by sin.” (Latho’if Ma’arif, p. 75)
[AdSense-B]
A Disaster Also Becomes a Sinner for Someone
The disaster that comes because of one’s own sin is also a sin for that person. Only by being patient and trusting in the calamity that comes, the disaster will be a sin for them.
From Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurairah, they heard the Prophet Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam said,
مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ وَصَبٍ وَلاَ نَصَبٍ وَلاَ سَقَمٍ وَلاَ حَزَنٍ حَتَّى الْهَمِّ يُهَمُّهُ إِلاَّ كُفِّرَ بِهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِ
“It is not a believer who is struck by an ailment in the form of pain (which does not heal), tiredness, pain, sadness, and worry that strikes but his sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by Muslim no. 2573)
From Mu’awiyah, he said that he heard the words of the Prophet Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam,
مَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ فِى جَسَدِهِ يُؤْذِيهِ إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بِهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِه
“It is not a disaster to befall the body of a believer and it hurts him but will erase his sins.” (Narrated by Ahmad 4: 98. Syaikh Syu’aib Al Arnauth said that the sanad is valid according to Muslim requirements)
Ibn Kathir Rahimahullah said,
“O people, know that the disaster that befell you is nothing but because of the sins that you did before. And God forgives your mistakes. He not only does not torment you, but Allah forgives your sins immediately.”
As Allah Ta’ala said,
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ
“And if Allah had tormented mankind because of his efforts, surely He would not have left on the surface of the Earth a creature that creeps even.” (Quran, 45)
Shaykh Abdur Rahman As-Sa’di Rahimahullah interpreted the verse above,
يخبر تعالى, أنه ما أصاب العباد من مصيبة في أبدانهم وأموالهم وأولادهم وفيما يحبون ويكون عزيزا عليهم, إلا بسبب ما قدمته أيديهم من السيئات, وأن ما يعفو الله عنه أكثر, فإن الله لا يظلم العباد, ولكن أنفسهم يظلمون ولو يؤاخذ الله الناس بما كسبوا ما تِرَّكٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ وليس إهمالا منه تعالَ تأخير العقوبات ولا عجزا.
“Allah Ta’ala tells us that none of the calamities that have befallen His servants, both calamities that afflict the body, property, children, and afflict something they love and (the calamity) they feel severe, except (all calamities occur) because of the sin they have committed and that the sins (they) that God forgives more.”
“Because God does not persecute His servants, but they persecute themselves. And if Allah had tormented a man because of his actions, surely He would not have left on the surface of the Earth a creature who was doing and postponed the punishment not because He was careless and weak.” (As-Sa’di: 899)
[AdSense-C]
One of God’s Ways to Forgive the Sin of His Servant is to Bring Accidents
Al-Baghawi Rahimahullah quoted the words of a tabiin, the interpreter expert Ikrimah Rahimahullah,
ما من نكبة أصابت عبدا فما فوقها إلا بذنب لم يكن الله ليغفر له إلا بها ر أو درجة لم يكن الله ليبلغها إلا بها.
“There is not a single disaster that befalls a servant, nor is a calamity greater (and wider) than him, except for the cause of sin that Allah forgives only with (how to inflict) the calamity (to him) or Allah to raise his degree (to a degree of glory) only with (how to impose) the disaster (to him).” (Al-Baghawi: 4/85)
Abul Bilad said to ‘Ala’ bin Badr regarding the verse,
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ
“And what calamities befall you are caused by the actions of your own hands and since childhood, I have been blind, what do you think? ‘Ala’ said,
فبذنوب والديك
‘It may be because of your parents.’
“One can easily forget about the Quranic verses that he has memorized because of the sin he committed. Adh Dhohak said,
ما نعلم أحدا حفظ القرآن ثم نسيه إلا بذنب
“We do not know someone who memorizes the Quran then he forgets but because of sin. Then Adh Dhohak recites the Ash Shura letter that we are discussing today. Then he said,
وأي مصيبة أعظم من نسيان القرآن.
‘Which other disaster is greater than forgetting the Quran?’”
That is a brief explanation of the disaster caused by one’s own sin.
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