17. TYPES OF SINNERS
After I contemplated how the learned ones (‘ulama) comply with the forbidden fanciful-desires (shabawat) and whims, I came to the conclusion that such state would be similar to the position of disbelief (kufr). However, [I could not generalize such ruling as I realised that] the learned ones who are involved in prohibited acts are of different types;
Some of them do not know that such an act is prohibited at the time of doing it, and this group is condoned.
Some of them think a prohibited act is only to be disliked (and hence no sin results for doing it); this group is similar to the first group. Adam (‘alayhi as-salam) can be considered as one of this group (when he ate from the forbidden tree).
Some of them misconstrue a command just as it is the case with Adam {‘alayhi as-salam) as it was said that he was commanded not to eat from a particular tree, so he ate from a tree of the same kind and not from the particular forbidden tree.
Some of them know that an act is forbidden yet they become overpowered by their lusts and desires and hence become too helpless to remember that it is sinful because the lusts and unlawful adornments they come across distract them from what they already know.
For this reason, when someone steals he does not recall that the punishment of his sin is the cutting off of his hand. Rather, he would be in a state of mind focused on taking what he intends to steal. Similarly, when someone fornicates he neither recalls the scandal or the set punishment because he is overwhelmed with his lust.
Some of them know and recall the command to abstain from sins at the time of committing the sin but depend on their longing hope that they will be forgiven. Though, it is true that Allah is Most Merciful but an intelligent wise person should always be resolute in his affairs and calculate the consequences of his actions, particularly when he knows that the Legislator ordered to cut the hand even when one steals a quarter of a dinar, and to stone a body to death for a pleasure he enjoyed for one hour [or less). The same reasoning applies on those who committed sins and hence were punished with deformation, drowning or earthquakes etc.
(source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.