Fatwa #4426014 March 2020Albania
Is the bad effects of sins punishment for sins?
Question
The sin has many bad effects on the heart that are so many that it is difficult to list them? like loss of love for Allah, loss of shame, loss of fear from Allah, loss of gratitude towards Allah, loss of glorification for Allah, loss of respect for Allah, hardening of heart...... My Question Is: Is every single one of those bad effects punishment for the sins or the punishment for sins is separate from their bad effects just like the bad effects of alcohol in terms of damaging the mind and body are separate from punishment for this sin by Allah in this world and the hereafter? In other words a sin can have all the above mentioned effects even if it not punished by Allah just like alcohol can have all those bad effects even if it not punished by Allah? Or all his bad effects are punishment by Allah?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
A sinful act is prohibited because of its harms and negative consequences on a person. It is therefore incorrect to separate the sin from the negative consequences and ill effects of the sin. In fact, the ill effects of the sin is itself a spiritual punishment for the sin. That is apart from the physical punishment of some sins if one is convicted in this world and the punishment of the sin in the hereafter.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.