Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
WE ALL KNOW THAT FISH LIVE
IN WATER. They generally cannot survive long out of water. However, when fish
move towards the surface of the ocean, they become easy catch for fishermen –
like we find with the sardine run. People just grab, net and catch sardines
from the surface of the water.
And when a fisherman
catches a fine fish, he reels it in. He does not throw it back into the sea.
Once it is hooked … once it is caught … it is pulled out. …Why? Because fish
out of water, when scaled and washed, when ‘masaalaad[1]’
and fried, tastes nice.
In my Dua, I normally say:
O
Allah, make us the fish that swim deep down in the ocean of Your Ma’rifat.
Like the fish, the
Believer is swimming deep in the safety of Allah Ta’ala’s ocean of love. If he
moves towards temptation, he makes an easy and fine catch for shaytaan.
Do we want to become a
meal for shaytaan? …Because this is exactly what happens to the heart of the
Believer who dashes for the bait of sins: His Imaan is ‘scaled’, his good deeds
are ‘washed away’, his heart and soul are ‘marinated’ in darkness and fried in
the fire of restlessness – to the delight of shaytaan. Allah Ta’ala forbid that
this restless soul has to also one day contend with the fire of Hell.
Many write that they are
hooked onto porn films and porn magazines. They fall for the bait which
shaytaan tempts them with, get hooked and end up ruining their spiritual,
mental and physical health.
Pornography is one of the root causes of insanity.
Those who have the habit
of viewing pornography generally do so at night. They spend the day working and
the night watching filth. They are overcome with restlessness and are deprived
of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a one way ticket to mental instability. In the long
term, the brain is badly damaged, and the person loses his sanity. He ends up
in an asylum or shoots himself.
One young brother
contacted me saying that he had had a porn addiction. He knew it is Haraam but
said he just could not give up the sin. He would secretly watch pornography,
late at night, after the family went to sleep. And then, one night, whilst
watching porn, there was a tremor.
The building began to
shake and everyone got up, running down the stairs in their pyjamas, running helter
skelter, fearing the worst, expecting that was their end. He said that at that
time, my Dua hit his heart: “O Allah! Do not let the Angel of death find
us in any sin, in gambling, drinking, pornography!”
He immediately made
sincere Taubah. But it took a real life shake up to get him to give up the sin.
He was fortunate that he was granted the opportunity of repenting, otherwise
what would have been the condition, returning to Allah Ta’ala whilst viewing
pornography?
I generally
give the following reply to those who write saying they are addicted to porn:
Allah Ta’ala forbid, if some criminal has to put a gun to your head, will
you say: ‘It is difficult for me to stop watching this porn. I am addicted. Please
allow me to watch all these filthy pictures first before you blow my head.’ …Or
will you start reading Duas for Allah Ta’ala to protect you?
Similarly,
death is following us all. What if the Angel of Death visits at that time to
extract your soul? Would you want your life to end while watching porn –
because the Angel of Death will not give you time to switch off the computer
and make Taubah?
Imagine if you die when viewing pornography. What an embarrassment and
disgrace! Thereafter, people will ask – as is common: “How did he die? When?
Where? What was he doing?” – Would you like that people say: “He died in front
of the computer and he was watching a dirty film.”
Rasulullah ﷺ was asked: ‘What
is Imaan?’
Rasulullah ﷺ replied: ‘When your good deeds give you happiness
and when your evil deeds cause you grief.’[2]
If reading
porn magazines, watching filthy movies, being involved in some illicit
relationship, drinking, gambling and indulging in other sins does not create any
remorse and sorrow and instead we are expressing happiness over sins, where is our
Imaan?
One situation
is that the person engages in some sin but then genuinely regrets. However,
when there is persistence and enjoyment in sins, where is Imaan?
Deriving pleasure in Haraam indicates to pollution in the heart. The
heart needs to be washed and cleaned with sincere Taubah and needs to be polished
with Zikrullah.
At least
recognize sin as sin. Detest it. This is Imaan. The person has Imaan if he is
feeling unhappy and grieved when he has displeased Allah Ta’ala.
Understand that
whatever Allah Ta’ala enjoins upon us and forbids us from is in our best
interests; for our benefit, advantage, well-being and success.
Hazrat
Abdullah Ibn Mubarak رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ, who was a great Wali of Allah Ta’ala, summed up
the consequences of sins, saying: “I see that sins cause death to the heart and
becoming addicted to the sins brings about humiliation and disgrace. On the
other hand, abandoning sins gives life to the heart. So it is best for you to
disobey the nafs.”
May Allah
Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to give up all sins and purify our hearts and souls. May Allah Ta’ala grant us death, when He is pleased with us.
By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)
[1] “Masaalaad”: spiced and
marinated
[2] Musnad Ahmad
