Sheikh Yasir Qadhi and Omar Suleiman deliver a powerful lecture on the pitfalls of despair, explaining how sin hardens the heart, why Allah’s mercy is greater than any transgression, and how the attitude you have toward your sins reveals how much Allah means to you.
The Size of the Sin vs. The One You Disobeyed
Imam Ash-Shafi’i taught that you should never look at the size of the sin itself but at the greatness of the One you have disobeyed. A parking ticket in downtown Dallas is different from a parking ticket in front of the White House. The same transgression carries far greater weight depending on the circumstances. When you recognize how great Allah is, even a small sin feels enormous, and that very attitude is a sign of strong faith.
“Imam Shafi on his deathbed said: ‘My Lord, I have brought many sins with me to this interview with You. But when I looked at Your mercy, I recognized that a little bit of Your mercy is all I need to forgive a lot of my sins.'” — Omar Suleiman
Why You Must Never Despair
- Allah forgives the man who killed 100 people because that man feared the consequences and made a sincere move toward repentance
- On the Day of Judgment, Allah will change the sins of the repentant believer into good deeds, showing them mercy beyond imagination
- Giving up hope of Allah’s mercy and despairing of His blessings are sins placed alongside shirk in severity
- Do not procrastinate in seeking forgiveness; turn to Allah now with sincerity and resolve never to return to the sin
Experience the Mercy of Allah
“The servant will see his sins being changed to good deeds on the Day of Judgment and will say: ‘O Allah, I have some sins that the angel forgot to write down!’ because he is experiencing the mercy of Allah.” — Hadith
How awesome is Allah, and how deserving is He of our best effort. No matter how far you have strayed, the door of tawbah is always open. Do not let Shaytan convince you that you are beyond redemption. The very fact that you feel remorse is proof that your heart is still alive. Turn to Allah now, and He will turn to you with a mercy that overwhelms every sin you have ever committed.
