In the Name of Allāh.
Dear brethren, I’m here again to highlight a sobering reality: the basic acts of worship alone do not ensure salvation. Isn’t it flummoxing that a Muslim also engages in corruption? He performs various forms of worship, but he equally engages in some evil deeds – consuming others’ wealth unjustly, treating others rudely, being cruel to the poor and helpless, mistreating animals, showing disregard for the environment, and so on.
How, then, can such a person truly be deemed righteous? Someone who performs acts of worship with one hand while committing transgressions with the other resembles a nomad without a garment, perpetually exposed to the searing flames of Allāh’s Wrath. Before you suggest we leave judgment to Allāh, consider the words of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Abū Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said, “Do you know the one who is bankrupt?” They said: “The bankrupt is the one who has no money and no possessions.” The Prophet said: “Verily, the bankrupt of my nation are those who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and charity, but also with insults, slander, consuming wealth, shedding blood, and beating others. The oppressed will each be given from his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before justice is fulfilled, then their sins will be cast upon him and he will be thrown into the Hellfire.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2581]
Subḥanallāh! Such misfortune! Those who commit acts of violence, dishonesty, or injustice against others—whether human or animal—are in a state of bankruptcy, their good deeds serving as a meager shield against the weight of their wrongdoings.
Alḥamdulillāh that we are Muslims. Nevertheless, we must tread carefully in our actions, as the contemporary digital age presents challenges that could compromise our Islām. In this era of instant gratification and viral outrage, we must continuously hold onto the teachings of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) and protect ourselves against the internal evils that threaten us, lest we fall into the traps of wrongdoing.
I beseech Allāh to let this reminder act as a guiding light, encouraging us to seek His Mercy and Forgiveness for our flaws and to strive toward a life of true righteousness, where the scale of our good deeds outweighs that of our sins. Aameen.
