On the Corruption of Religious Practice Through Guilt

On the Corruption of Religious Practice Through Guilt

​You will not find perfection. Take a look around you. I assure you that you will not find it. Look within you – there, you’ll also very certainly not find it. You know this best. It’s easy to let guilt take over you. Guilt that will slowly eat at your practice of Islam, and then, sometimes, at your faith. When you do not see yourself as what you imagine a perfect Muslim to be, you may start to slowly pull away from that part of your identity. In these moments, it’s very important to remember that, in Islam, perfection is not expected from you.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger SAW having said:
“By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence, and He would replace [you by] those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.”
[Sahih Muslim 2749]

It’s very difficult to sit down and read from the Qur’an when you only expect to be called out by it. But when you ignore God’s Word out of embarrassment, you also miss out on the many hopeful reminders it offers. Missing out on these reminders means you forbid yourself the opportunity to get better. Moreover, we can only choose to ignore God’s words and His commands for a short while. Sooner or later, death will find you, and you will face it. So, do good. Fulfill your obligations. While you may not be the perfect Muslim you wish you could be, practicing your obligations as a Muslim is a commitment you make throughout your life. Do not let the wrongs you commit be your only commitment. Remind yourself of Allah’s SWT words:

“As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Qur’an 25:70]

Additionally, remind yourself that life is a cycle of good and bad. This cycle does not end, because it is not meant to. Embrace it.

On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah RA, the Messenger of Allah SAW said:
“Have taqwa (consciousness) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people.”
[Hadith 18, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi]

And remember, again and again, that the Qur’an exists to offer you hope:

“Whoever comes with a good deed will be rewarded tenfold. But whoever comes with a bad deed will be punished for only one. None will be wronged.”
[Qur’an 6:160]

In desperate moments, it is also immensely important to remember that we need God and that God is free of need. Flip the script in your mind. Think about how your wrongs are wrongs against yourself, not only against God. This will make you want to match your wrongs with the good you do. Fulfilling obligations for external reasons can often feel like a chore. However, when you remember that they are for yourself,  they can feel like self-care. 
God made the journey easier for you by giving you hope through His Book. What comes next is you making the most out of that hope. God does not need what you offer Him (see verse below). You need it. 

“Moses added, “If you, along with everyone on earth, were to be ungrateful, then [know that] Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.””
[Qur’an 14:8]
​
Be grateful for the hope that Allah SWT inspires in you. Be grateful to Him for allowing you to commit continuous sin, yet still offering you an opportunity to return to Him. Be grateful for the way He made repentance, redemption, and the possibility for sin to be temporary. You are not expected to stop sinning. You are also not expected to stop praying, giving zakat (charity), and fulfilling other obligatory acts. There will be two forces pushing against you in life, but ultimately, you are the one to choose your path. If the force of evil destroys the other completely, it is only because you allowed it to do so. So, remain strong and rely on the hope Allah SWT gives you.