Differentiate between the sinner and the sinful

hed

A spiritual aspirant wrote,

Nowadays my condition is that unintentionally I feel a repugnance in sinful involvement.

Moreover, when I see someone involved in sinful I feel that this individual is headed towards Hell fire  and I must try gently to persuade him to not to do so.  I try my best and with the barakah of your supplications my efforts are not wasted.

It is humbly request that whatever is best for me (in this regards) may please, be instructed.  Duas are requested.

Hakeem al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘The development of repugnance from sinful involvement is a superior state (hal).

However, feel repugnance for the sinner is dangerous thing for a novice (mubtadi) aspirant. This is because most of the time reason for this is arrogance (kibr), feeling self superiority and presumption of self piety.

(Therefore) Till the attainment of a steady spiritual state (tamkeen) consider that this individual (sinner) is superior to me. Nevertheless, his involvement in sinful is repugnant (in itself). His condition is similar to soot smeared on the face of a beautiful person.  This consideration combines the notion that the person is beautiful and the soot is black (and disfiguring). Similar consideration should be done for the sinner and sinful involvement.

Moreover, a novice aspirant should not be involved in forbidding others.

However, giving a lecture in general to the public (about prohibition of sinful involvement) is okay. This is so provided that no other preacher is available to do so. Proceeding beyond this is dangerous.

It is perplexing that in spite of staying here (khanqah, Thana Bhawan) you are unaware of these details.’

Tarbiyet us Salik, Volume 1, page 422-3

Leave a Reply