Imam Al-Sajj¡d (a.s) considers seven sins as the avoiding factors for the acceptance of supplications by the Almighty: 1. Bad intentions, 2. Hidden vices, 3. Hypocrisy with religious brothers, 4. Doubtfulness about acceptance of supplications, 5. Postponing the prayers, 6. Leaving goodness and alms giving, which make people close to Allah, 7. Speaking rudely with people and using obscene words.
Bad Intention
Intention means one’s decision and goal. Islam asks people to have good intention toward all humans and even animals and beings, to wish goodness, prosperity, and health for everyone. Islam recommends human to do good to others and solve their problems, to the extent possible. Good intention and wish for others is so valuable that it is rewarded! It is narrated from Imam ¯¡diq (a.s):
A poor Muslim asks Allah: ‘O Lord! Grant me wealth to do goodness and alms giving so and so!’ If Allah knows his intention as truthful, He gives that servant as much reward as he had practiced all his good intentions, since Allah is Generous!
It is also narrated: “A hungry man crossed a sand hill and thought to himself: ‘If these sand grains were food, I would have divided them among people.’ Allah revealed to the prophet of that time: ‘Tell the man that Allah accepted his good intention for alms giving, and rewarded him as if he had granted as much food as the sand grains to the people.’”
Human should avoid having bad intentions toward all other humans and beings, because corrupted intention makes heart hard and leads to committing sins and oppressing Allah’s servants.
Hidden Vices
Vices such as mistrust, hatred, self-admiration, negligence, insolence, arrogance, stinginess, greed, jealousy, and loving Allah’s enemies are harmful sins that avoid the acceptance of prayers, in addition to worldly and heavenly chastisement.
Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) says about the hypocrites:
بِئْسَ العَبْدُ عَبْدٌ هُمَزَةٌ لُمَزَةٌ يُقْبِلُ بِوَجْهٍ وَيُدْبِرُ بِآخَرَ.
A bad servant of Allah is one who is caviler and slanderer; on one side, he comes to befriend, on the other hand, he begins enmity.
Mistrust
Being suspicious of Allah, His friends, and the Muslims is an obscene, though hidden sin, which is recorded in human letter of deeds, accounted for on the Resurrection Day, and chastised severely. The exception to this is the one who can repent in this world.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنْ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ.
O you who believe: Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin. (49:12)
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:
وَاللهِ الَّذِي لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ، مَا أُعْطِىَ مُؤمِنٌ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ إلاَّ بِحُسْنِ ظَنِّهِ بِاللهِ وَرَجَائِهِ لَهُ وَحُسْنِ خُلُقِهِ وَالكَفِّ عَن اِغْتِيَابِ المُؤمِنِينَ، وَاللهِ الَّذي لا إلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ لا يُعَذِّبُ اللهُ مُؤمِناً بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالاسْتِغْفَارِ إلاَّ بِسُوءِ ظَنِّهِ بِاللهِ وَتَقْصيرٍ مِنْ رَجَائِهِ للهِ وَسُوُءِ خُلُقِهِ وَاغْتِيَابِهِ المُؤمِنِينَ، وَاللهِ الَّذي لا إلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ، لا يَحْسُنُ ظَنُّ عَبْدٍ مُؤمنٍ بِاللهِ إلاَّ كَانَ اللهُ عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِهِ المُؤمِنِ، لأنَّ اللهَ كَريمٌ بِيَدِهِ الخَيْراتُ، يَسْتَحْيي أنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدُهُ المُؤمِنُ قَدْ أحْسَنَ بِهِ الظَّنَّ وَالرَّجَاءَ ثُمَّ يُخْلِفُ ظَنَّهُ وَرَجاءَهُ، فَأحْسِنُوا بِاللهِ الظَّنَّ وَارْغَبُوا إلَيْهِ.
I swear by God who has no partners that no good of this world or the Hereafter has been granted to any believer, except due to his good opinion about God, his good behavior, and his avoidance of gossiping and slandering. And I swear by God who has no partners that God will not punish anyone after repentance and seeking forgiveness except due to his bad opinion about God, insufficient hope in God, bad behavior, and gossiping about believers. I swear by God who has no partners that there are no believers who have a good opinion about God and receive anything less than they expect from Him. This is so since God is Benevolent and has authority over all that is good, and is ashamed of one of his servants having a good opinion about Him and He acting otherwise. Therefore have a good opinion about God and be inclined to Him.
A believer who has the virtues of belief and good morality and behavior should be hopeful of Allah’s Mercy and avoid thinking doubtfully of Him.
The sinners can repent and compensate for their sins. Since the Almighty has promised to forgive the sinners after their repentance, in His Book, the sinners should not be doubtful about the acceptance of their repentance by Allah. Instead, they should wholeheartedly believe in Allah’s Blessing toward them to become subject to His Mercy.
The invaluable tradition narrator, Allamiyi Majlis¢, explains about the tradition on optimism and pessimism about Allah, saying: “One should be optimistic about Allah’s forgiveness when he repents. One should know that when he turns to Allah, He would accept him. When he prays rightly he should be aware that Allah would answer his prayer. When he asks Allah to help him, he should believe that Allah would suffice him. And when he does something for Allah he should know that Allah would accept hid deed. This is optimism, and anyone who is pessimist about Allah has done a major sin, which would bring about chastisement. “
A Muslim believer should interpret other Muslims’ conducts optimistically, however negative they may seem. He has no right to be doubtful about others’ behaviors. For instance, if one sees a Muslim in a sin circle in which unlawful stuff like gambling and wine exist, he is not allowed to charge that believer with wrongdoing, rather, as recommended by the Prophet (s.a) and his household (a.s), he should calm down and say to himself: “Lucky my believer brother! Allah has blessed him to be present in this circle to enjoin good and forbid evil and save the wrongdoers. I wish I had the opportunity to be in his place so that I could cure the patients of sin and release the captives of Satan, hence I could receive Allah’s reward.”
Hatred
Every Muslim should have affection toward other humans, except those that Allah permits not. One’s hatred toward other people deprives him from strengthening ties of kinship, beneficence, and charity. Hatred to people makes one’s heart, mind, and thought hard and dark, and removes Allah’s Mercy. The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:
مَا كَادَ جِبْرَئيلُ يَأتِيني إلاَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إتَّقِ شَحْنَاءَ الرِّجَالِ وَعَداوَتَهُمْ.
Gabriel didn’t descend to me, except that he advised me not to feel hatred for other people.
Also Am¢r al-Mu’min¢n (a.s) said:
رَأسُ الجَهْلِ مُعَادَاةُ النَّاسِ.
The core of foolishness is hatred for people.
He also said:
مُعَادَاةُ الرِّجَالِ مِنْ شِيَمِ الجُهَّالِ.
Hating people is the manner of the foolish.
Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) stated:
إيَّاكَ وَعَداوَةَ الرِّجَالِ فَإنَّها تُورِثُ المَعَرَّةَ وَتُبْدِي العَوْرَةَ.
Avoid enmity with people; because it leads to demolition and manifests mistakes.
Self-Admiration
Admiring oneself or pride in one’s own deeds is an obscene sin. Mankind is servant of Allah; his life and death is in His hands, his sustenance is from Allah, his worship is a blessing from Allah, and every good deed he does is by Allah’s wish. Therefore, human should not take pride in what he does. Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) stated:
مَنْ دَخَلَهُ العُجْبُ هَلَكَ.
Anyone who admires himself would be annihilated.
He also narrated: “A wise man came to a pious servant of Allah and told him: ‘How do you pray?’ The pious answered: ‘How do you dare ask this question from someone like me? I worshipped Allah such and such, from the start.’ The questioner asked: ‘How do you cry?’ He answered: ‘I cry to such an extent that my tears flow.’ The wise man said: ‘You’d better laugh while you are afraid of Allah and not cry while you admire yourself. In fact, Allah would not accept the deeds of anyone who is proud of himself.’”
The Messenger of Allah (a.s) stated: “Almighty Allah told Prophet David (a.s): ‘O David! Give good tidings to the sinners and warn the pious! David asked Allah: ‘Why should I do so?’ The Almighty answered: ‘Tell the sinners that I am the Forgiver and would accept their repentance. And warn the righteous of taking pride in their deeds, because if I account for people’s deeds no one would be saved from My chastisement.’”
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy in worship and good deeds to gain people’s attention is unlawful and subject to Allah’s wrath.
The Holy Qur’¡n has announced hatred toward some of those who pray hypocritically, saying:
فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ (4) الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ (5) الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ (6) وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ (7).
So woe to the praying ones who are unmindful of their prayers; who do good to be seen and withhold the necessaries of life. (107/4-7)
Someone asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a): “How can we reach salvation?” The Prophet (s.a) replied: “You should avoid saying prayers for attracting people’s attention.”
It is narrated that someone is murdered in the holy war, another gives his wealth away for Allah, and a third one recites Qur’¡n. Allah calls on them: ‘You told lies in the holy war; you wanted others to say that you were brave. You told lies in your alms giving; you wanted people to think you were very generous. And you told lies in reciting Qur’¡n; you wanted to be known by others as a reader of Qur’¡n.’ The Prophet (s.a) then said: ‘Such people are not rewarded and their hypocrisy wipe up their deeds.’”
A tradition narrated from the Prophet of Islam (s.a) reads:
إنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ لِلمَلائِكَةِ: إنَّ هَذا لَْم يُرِدْنِي بِعَمَلِهِ، فَاجْعَلُوهُ فِي سِجِّين.
The Glorious Allah tells the angels: ‘This person has not done his deeds for Me, so take him to the Hell.’
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) also stated:
إنَّ أخْوَفَ مَا أخَافُ عَلَيْكُم الشِّرْكُ الأصْغَرُ... الرِّيَاءُ.
The scariest thing for you is the minor idolatry… showing off!
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) further said:
إنَّ اللهَ لا يَقْبَلُ عَمَلاً فِيهِ ذَرَّةٌ مِنْ رِياءٍ.
Allah would not accept any deed in which there is a ting of showing off.
Shaddad Ibn Aws says: “I saw the Prophet (s.a) crying and asked him the reason. He said: ‘I am scary of my nation’s hypocrisy. They would not worship stone idols, the sun, or the moon, but they would be hypocrite in what they do.’”
Arrogance
Being arrogant before the truth, the advice-giver people, or Allah’s rules, or His Prophet’s is a satanic manner.
Satan got deprived of Allah’s Mercy, for his arrogance before Him, outcast, cursed, and doomed to chastisement. An arrogant is so much unlucky that he is away from Allah’s Mercy.
إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ.
… verily He loveth not the arrogant. (16:23)
It suffices for an arrogant the punishment that Qur’¡n has considered him an inhabitant of the Inferno:
فَلَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ.
Woeful indeed will be the lodging of the arrogant. (16:29)
Considering oneself better than others, as the center of everything, and arrogance against Allah’s rules, His worship, and the reality is a major sin which brings Allah’s doomed punishment.
Boasting about ones knowledge, deeds, worship, ancestry, beauty, wealth, strength, or plentiful friend is an obscene act.
Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) stated:
اَلعِزُّ رِدَاءُ اللهِ وَالكِبْرُ إزَارُهُ، فَمَنْ تَنَاوَلَ شَيئاً مِنْهُ أكَبَّهُ اللهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ.
Glory, Dignity, and Greatness belong to Allah; anyone who considers these attributes as belonging to himself will be placed in Hell.
Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) and Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) said:
لا يَدْخُلُ الجَنَّةَ مَنْ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ.
One who has even a ting of arrogance in his heart would not enter Paradise.
Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) also stated:
إنَّ في جَهَنَّمَ لَوادِياً لِلمُتَكَبِّرِينَ يُقالُ لَهُ سَقَرُ، شَكَى إلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شِدَّةَ حَرِّهِ وَسَألَهُ أنْ يَأذَنَ لَهُ أنْ يَتَنَفَّسَ، فَتَنَفَّسَ فَأَحْرَقَ جَهَنَّمَ.
In the Inferno, surely there is a place for the arrogant called ‘Saqar’. It complaints about its extreme hotness to Allah and asks permission for breathing; it burns the whole inferno as it breathes.
‘Abd Al-A’la says: “I asked Imam ¯¡diq (a.s): ‘What is arrogance?’ He stated:
أعْظَمُ الكِبْرِ أنْ تُسَفِّهَ الحَقَّ.
‘The highest degree of arrogance is belittling the truth and other people.’
I asked again: ‘How does one belittle the truth?’ Imam (a.s) answered:
يَجْهَلُ الحَقَّ وَيَطْعَنُ عَلَى أهْلِهِ.
‘Belittling the truth is misunderstanding it and reproaching those who support it.’
Negligence
When humans are neglectful of the realities they are easily deluded by material issues, which is an obscene and dangerous deed.
Those who are deceived by the worldly wealth deny the fact that this world is transitory, that one day they would be placed in grave, their body be devoured by the insects, their soul be entangled by their wrongdoing in the purgatory and chastised in the Hereafter. These people consider this world as concrete and the Hereafter as abstract; they stick to the passing world and forget about the permanent one; they believe in the worldly pleasures and doubt about the heavenly rewards. They don’t accept Allah’s promise revealed to one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets (s.a) and the infallible Imams (a.s). They don’t want to be believer, to avoid the sins and do virtues.
The negligent individuals are heedless of the Qur’¡nic fact that the Hereafter is the consequence of apparent and hidden acts of this world. As the Prophet of Islam (s.a) states, this world is an action place the outcome of which is gained in the other world. This world and the other world are therefore not separate entities; the hereafter is, in other words, a reflection of this world. But alas the ignorant don’t understand.
The believers who are negligent of the Qur’¡nic verses are deluded by their conception of Allah’s Mercy, thinking that since Allah’s blessings and His Mercy are expanded for all beings there is no need to attempt in worshipping and serving Allah and no need to trouble in avoiding sins. They think that their sins are very little in proportion to Allah’s Forgiveness and Mercy, and think: ‘we would be saved due to our belief in Allah and affection to His prophets and the infallible Imams; our sins would not make us away from Allah’s Mercy and bring about His punishment’. These individuals are heedless that the Satan deceives people with such apparently true ideas.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:
اَلكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ المَوْتِ. وَالأحْمَقُ مَنْ أتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَواهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللهِ.
A smart person is the one who opposes his carnal soul, and do well for his Hereafter. A foolish person is the one that follows his carnal soul and foolishly hopes Allah’s Mercy.
Such people are negligent that the Generous Allah whose Mercy embraces all things, has promised to severely chastise habitual and arrogant sinners, and those who have no good deeds. Allah has given good tidings to the righteous and fighter Muslims that only they are subject to Allah’s Mercy.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ.
Those who believe, and those who emigrate (to escape the persecution) and strive in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah’s Mercy. (2:218).
Hope of Allah’s Mercy, at the same time as continuous wrongdoing and leaving duties, is actually deluding oneself and is an erroneous hope.
Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) was said: “Some people are polluted with a variety of sins and they are still hopeful of Allah’s Mercy. They continue wrongdoing until their death.” He (a.s) answered:
هَؤُلاءِ قَوْمٌ يَتَرَجَّحُونَ فِي الأمَانِيِّ، كَذِبُوا، لَيْسُوا بِرَاجِينَ، مَنْ رَجَا شَيْئاً طَلَبَهُ وَمَنْ خَافَ مِِْن شَيءٍ هَرَبَ مِنْهُ.
These are people who have fluctuating wishes. They are not really hopeful. One who is hopeful follows his hope, and one who is afraid of something escapes from it.
Imam `Al¢ (a.s) says:
سُكْرُ الغَفْلَةِ وَالغُرُورِ أبْعَدُ إفَاقَةً مِنْ سُكْرِ الخُمُورِ.
Recovering from intoxication of negligence is much harder than recovering from intoxication of wine.
He also said:
إنَّ مِنَ الغِرَّةِ بِاللهِ أنْ يُصِرَّ العَبْدُ عَلَى المَعْصِيَةِ وَيَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللهِ المَغْفِرَةَ.
Deluding by Allah’s Mercy is insistence on committing sins and still hoping Allah’s Forgiveness.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) told Ibn Mas’ud:
لاَ تَغْتَرَّنَّ بِاللهِ وَلا تَغْتَرَّنَّ بِصَلاحِكَ وَعِلْمِكَ وَعَمَلِكَ وَبِرِّكَ وَعِبَادَتِكَ.
Don’t get negligence of Allah and deceived by your own worship, knowledge, and good deeds.
source : a commentary on Kumayl supplication
