Why Do People Sin? 2) Lack of Knowledge

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Lack of knowledge about religious matters and the vast chasms that it creates in our understanding is one of the reasons why many of us engage in sins. This also denies us the knowhow about the allowed (halal), the prohibitions (haram), and what's proper and not proper.

Consider what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said regarding our responsibility to learn Islamic knowledge that he brought for mankind:

“The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah’s guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)“ [Bukhari]

Unfortunately, it is too common to see Muslims today who fall in the last category and make little effort to learn such knowledge. This is what Amir-ul Mukminin Umar al-Khattaab had predicted when he said: “Soon the bonds of Islam will be loosened bit by bit, because people will enter into Islam but will be unaware of jaahiliyyah (ignorant practices that Islam opposes),” meaning that they won’t hesitate to follow them.

Moreover, to excuse ourselves from the obligation to learn more about Islamic matters, some of us rationalize to ourselves that our daily worships may be sufficient for us to live meaningfully. Again, this is one of those traps that many Islamic scholars over the centuries had warned us about. This is because worshiping Allah without the basis of knowledge leaves our foundations of faith very vulnerable and fallible.

كَمَثَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ ٱكْفُرْ‌ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ‌ قَالَ إِنِّى بَرِ‌ىٓءٌ مِّنكَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَ‌بَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿١٦
فَكَانَ عَـٰقِبَتَهُمَآ أَنَّهُمَا فِى ٱلنَّارِ‌ خَـٰلِدَيْنِ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَ‌ٰلِكَ جَزَ‌ٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿١٧

(Their allies deceived them) like Shaitan (Satan), when he says to man: "Disbelieve in Allah." But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitan (Satan) says: "I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!" (16) So the end of both will be that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the Zalimun (i.e. polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers in Allah and in His Oneness, etc.). (17) [Qur'an, Al-Hashr 59:16-17]

In this context, Ibn Al-Qayyim comments about these two verses where an ignorant worshiper based his life on worshiping Allah unknowingly, so shaytan seized the opportunity and thus seduced him (due to lack of his knowledge) to disbelieve in Allah. So, we see that an ongoing effort to strengthen our faith through knowledge is essential not just to protect us from minor sins but also to prevent us from the greatest sin of all, which is to disbelieve in Allah.

May Allah increase us and our families in beneficial knowledge and grant us sound understanding of His Book and His religion. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam