In the time of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, a lady past by his Majlis. A Sahaabi commented that this woman is very particular with Salaatul-Layl and fasts a lot but there is a fault and weakness in her: her tongue is very severe, very harsh, very abrupt and very rude. Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam commented saying that this woman is destined for Jahannum in spite of her Sallatul-Layl and fasting. After a few days this very same lady past by the Majlis again, this time she changed her lifestyle: in forms of Salaah and Ibadat she had decreased but had improved tremendously on her tongue, she is very kind and gentle, Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam commented saying that she is now destined for Jannat. From this we learn that Taqwa is to remove the evil qualities and replace them with good qualities.
Now the stepping stone to this Taqwa is Istighfaar and repentance. A Muslim should never ever regard a sin to be small, no matter how trivial it seems to be. Every sin we commit is disrespect unto RABBUL-IZZAT. If a person regards a sin to be small then his Ieman is in danger. Why? When you regard a sin to be small then you are regarding ALLAH to be small and this is very severe.
Look at the example our Akaabireen and Mashaaikh give with regard to sin. “Never think that a sin is small or big; small and big sins have been categorised for a reason: if a person commits a major sin then a law is applied to him, but every sin in the eyes of ALLAH is severe. For example, when a drop of urine falls into a bucket of water, what happens to that water? It becomes contaminated. Now this is an indication to show us that if just one drop of urine could contaminate a hundred litres of water then in like manner one sin can contaminate the entire spiritual side of a Mumin.”
This is what the Hadeeth actually teaches us: that whenever we sin no matter what sins we commit, a little black spot forms on the heart and if repentance is not made more black spots will appear till eventually the entire heart will be overtaken with darkness. Then it becomes extremely difficult to make Taubah.
Another example is given of a spark which can cause a fire in the house, therefore you have to be careful. It does not take a big flame to cause that fire. So just like we don’t need a big flame to cause a fire in the house, in like manner we only need a spark to burn and engulf the entire heart which is the home of our Ieman. This is how severe and dangerous a sin can be.
ALLAH explains in the Quraan about one of the unique qualities of a Mumin:
“When he commits a sin, or falters or his Nafs led him to do wrong things then immediately he shows signs of remorse and repentance, he turns to ALLAH submitting unto him, and he acknowledges that he has faltered seeking forgiveness from ALLAH.”
Therefore during the month of Ramadhaan there are moments that we must take advantage of, calling out to ALLAH. “O ALLAH, throughout the year these eyes have faltered, the ears have faltered, the mind has faltered, the tongue has faltered, O ALLAH allow me to utilise the moments in this month, for every moment and every second is filled with Barakaat and Noor, so O ALLAH forgive me and purify me.”
So our first step towards this Taqwa is ISTIGHFAAR in abundance, not only should it be made in the Musjid but wherever we go we should continuously be making ISTIGHFAAR. Remember our forefather Nabi }dam alaihis salaatu was-salaam, when he faltered he said:
“ALLAH I acknowledge my fault, ALLAH if you don’t purify and cleanse me and that bond between us is not restored then undoubtedly I will be destroyed.”
Here he referred to the bond and relation of ALLAH which was not restored; And how is that bond broken? Through ma’siyat or sin.