Al Wasillah (In The Footsteps Of The Prophet PBUH)

Don't belittle your sins

"Surely the believer sees his sin as if it is a boulder, he fears that it will fall on him and surely the unbeliever sees his sin as if it is a fly passing on his nose. Oh Abu Dharr! Surely Allah (s), when He wills good for a servant he puts his sins before his two eyes. When he wills bad for a servant he makes him forget his sins."

Every action against the command of God should be significant for a true believer. It is dangerous when we start to disregard our sins, because either our belief is waning, or it shows a disconnection with God. The Prophet goes on to explain why each sin is significant with a quite remarkable quote:

"Oh Abu Dharr! Don't look at the smallness of the sin but look at the Greatness of the One you sinning against."

Through belittling sins, many people fall into disobedience. They may be of the opinion that minor sins, being minor, will not result in any punishment, and possibly aren't sins at all, and this is not the opinion held by people of faith.

Ibn Mas'ood, [may Allah be pleased with him], said:

"The believer views their sins as a mountain at whose trough they sit, all the time fearing its collapse onto them. The sinner views their sins like a fly that passes by their nose, and they do like so with their hand." He then swatted with his hand.

[Reported by Al-Bukhaari (6308)]

Also, Allah the Exalted Says (what means):

"O you who have believed, fear Allaah as He should be feared" [Quran 3:102]

Meaning, true Taqwaa is not avoiding ending up in Hellfire by avoiding major sins only, but avoiding minor sins also, and everything that has the potential to lead a person to Hellfire. The way to do so is to place between yourself and Hellfire a protective fort built on actions of obedience.

Minor sins pose a great danger, and the master and chief of the Messengers warned from them, as 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood [may Allah be pleased with him], reported, that Allah's Messenger [ﷺ] said:

"Beware of belittled sins, because they gather on a person until they destroy him." The Messenger of Allah [ﷺ] set a parable for this by a group of people who set camp in an area, and each of the persons goes in search of a branch and comes back with one. Eventually, a great bundle of wood is collected. It is then set on fire and food is cooked over it.

[Reported by Ahmad (22302) and Al-Haithami said in Majma' Az Zawaa'id, "Its narrators are those found in the Saheeh collections]