Kicking sinful habits
With regards to the few questions I have received on how to stop committing some sins which you have been committing so much that it has become a norm, or an addiction, let me bring forward a case found in the Qur’an – the legislation on the drinking of alcoholic beverages.
During the pre-Islamic times, the Arabs were fond lovers of alcoholic beverages, so much so that they drank it all the time and even composed poems about it. We all know (InsyaAllah we do) that Islam forbids the drinking of intoxicants and over time, many Arabs stop drinking it. In fact, there was even the story of the wine trader who destroyed his whole stock when the verses forbidding intoxicants was revealed!
The question is, how did Allah s.w.t. change the attitudes of these people who for centuries drank, lived and breathed alcoholic beverages? The answer can be found in the following verses, listed down in the chronicle order that they have been revealed (hence, the newer verse cancels the older verse):-
a) And of the fruits of the palms and the grapes— you obtain from them intoxication and goodly provision; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who ponder. [An-Nahl:67]
b) They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. [Al-Baqarah:219]
c) O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say… [An-Nisa’:43]
d) O you who believe! intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan’s work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. [Al-Ma’idah:90]
As humans, most of us are not fond of changes, especially one which comes abruptly and demands us to amend our habits. That is why, Allah s.w.t., in His Wisdom, sent down gradual legislations on the consumption of intoxicants.
In Surah An-Nahl, He nudges the people to ponder on the pros and cons of the drink. Later, in Al-Baqarah, He informs them that the cons outweigh the pros. This is followed by the verse in An-Nisa’ which forbids them to converse with Him (praying) while intoxicated (thus giving a huge clue as to how ‘unclean’ intoxicants are) and lastly, the final legislation was revealed in Surah Al-Maidah, forbidding the drinks in finality.
Change, when the reason is understood and the process is done in gradual changes, is much easier for mankind to adapt to.
My advice to those who find it hard to kick certain habits is, like the legislation of the intoxicants, to first understand why Allah s.w.t. forbids you from doing it. After this understanding has been reached, straighten your niyyah to kick the habit out of the love for Allah s.w.t. and your fear of gaining His wrath. Be determined that you WANT to change. Finally, slowly ease off these bad habits gradually in stages.
For example, cut back from two packets of cigarettes per week to one and (insyaAllah) later zero, from clubbing every week to once every month and (insyaAllah) later zero or start praying your five fardh payers and later proceed with the sunnah prayers.
Out of my personal experience, InsyaAllah, when your niyyah is for Allah s.w.t., everything will be made easy for you. Always remember that Allah s.w.t. is watching your every move, listening to your every thought and knowing your every struggle to be a better person for His sake. And never forget that syaitan will never stop tempting you to fall back to your old ways; don’t let him win this war ☺
All good is from Allah s.w.t. and the mistakes mine.
