Sheikh Abdur Rahman ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله has observed that a believer is not in sin, rather he detests disobedience and has no resolve to transgress. If he slips into sin, he does not commit the sin again.

Furthermore, circumstances in the life of a believer always change. Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله states in the Holy Qur’ān:
وتلك الأيام نداولها بين الناس
Sometimes one is in affluence and at times one is reduced to poverty and affliction. On some occasions, a person is honoured which results in his friends to rejoice; whereas at other times disgrace replaces honour and then the enemies rejoice. The yardstick of intelligence is that a believer always observes Taqwa (righteousness) because he acknowledges that he will pass through favourable circumstances and he needs to be grateful. Sometimes a believer faces adversity but here too, he practices patience. The unique temperament of a believer is that he will find comfort in illness and he will find protection in difficulty.

In life, everything is meaningless and temporary. On the other hand, Taqwa is enduring and does not allow one to falter. The believer has conviction in the fact that the observance of Taqwa in every aspect of life, be it favourable or unfavourable, will ultimately ensure blessings in the Aakhirah.

PRINCIPLES DERIVED FROM THE BOOK ‘SINS AND THEIR EVIL EFFECTS’