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Reasons That Lead a Person to Disobey Allah

Question

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh Sheikh what the causes that make a person transgress the limit of Allah(?)(ie to commit sin). Would appreciate it, if you give a comprehensive answerJazak Allahu Khayran

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There are many reasons that lead a person to disobey Allah’s commands and transgress His Limits; the most important of which is ignorance. Learning knowledge and knowing what pleases Allah and what angers Him prevents a person from engaging with what angers Him.

Ignorance of the consequences is often a reason for committing sin; the person thinks that it is a simple sin while it is not the case. Allah Says (what means): {… and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous.} [Quran 24:15]

Among the reasons as well, and it is the most serious one, is following desires and obeying one’s own evil self, which Allah described in His Saying (which means): {Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil.} [Quran 12:53]

Hence, the one who goes against his desires and strives against his own evil self and does not obey it is the successful one.

Allah Says (what means): {… But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination. Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.} [Quran 79:40-41]

Among other reasons is keeping company with the wicked people who forbid good and command evil, so their companionship is deterioration.

Allah Says (what means): {And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend.} [Quran 25:27-28]

Also, among other reasons, is neglecting the remembrance of Allah and not thinking about death and the horrors that will come after it. It is for this reason that Allah said to His Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) what means: {… and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.} [Quran 18:28]

Other reasons include arrogance, for arrogance is the rejection of the truth and looking down on people with contempt. The arrogant person refuses to accept the truth because of the disease in his heart.

The previous sins are also among these reasons, as they drug the person to commit other sins until Allah seals his heart; we seek refuge in Allah from that. Allah Says (what means): {No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.} [Quran 83:14] There are other reasons.

Allah knows best.

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