What if One Does a Wrongdoing To Experience it So Not To Go Back to it?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Knowing he is sinning, I would like to know the ruling of someone who intends to do good but commits a sin. For example, when someone says, I would like to commit this sin with the intention so that this bad deed will not come to my mind in the future.

An example I have in my mind is when someone harms himself on purpose with the good intention of understanding the wisdom of the Sharia of not harming one’s body or drinking something impermissible to harm oneself so much from this drink that he is not going to drink it anymore. Sorry for the complex question.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health.

Shaytan makes us believe and entraps us into thinking in this way. He glamorizes sin and evil, whether religious or rational and presents a false sense of adornment. In your case, he is making you think, do it, and you will get over it and never return to it or desire it after having experienced it.

And ˹remember˺ when Satan made their ˹evil˺ deeds appealing to them and said, “No one can overcome you today. I am surely by your side.” But when the two forces faced off, he cowered and said, “I have absolutely nothing to do with you. I certainly see what you do not see. I truly fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.” [Quran, 8:48]

By Allah! We have indeed sent messengers to communities before you ˹O, Prophet˺, but Satan made their misdeeds appealing to them. So he is their patron today, and they will suffer a painful punishment. [Quran, 16:63]

For Satan has made their deeds appealing to them—hindering them from the right Way and leaving them unguided—so they do not prostrate to Allah, Who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you all conceal and what you reveal. [Quran, 27;25-26]

Satan made their ˹evil˺ deeds appealing to them, hindering them from the right way, although they were capable of reasoning. [Quran, 29:38]

The enjoyment of worldly desires—women, children, treasure of gold and silver, fine horses, cattle, and fertile land—has been made appealing to people. These are the pleasures of this worldly life, but with Allah is the finest destination. [Quran, 3;14]

How to Repel the Shaytan’s Whispering

Abu al-‘Ala’ (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Uthman ibn al-‘As (Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and he said, “O Messenger of Allah, Satan interferes between me, my prayer, and my recitation, confusing me.” The Prophet said, “Such is Satan, who is called rotten. When you sense him, then seek refuge in Allah from him and puff to your left three times.” Uthman said, “I did so, and Allah took him away from me.” [Muslim]

Ponder Upon the Verse

We made whatever there is on the earth its adornment so that We can test as to who among them acts best. [Quran,18:7]

I would like you to go through  ‘The Birgivi’s Manual Series,’ where the Shaykh explains the text and how to follow the Prophet’s way (Allah bless him and give him peace) through operationalizing mindfulness of Allah (taqwa).

Related

• Surah Ali ‘Imran – 1-200 – Quran.com
• (1773) 30 – Devil’s Tricks – The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – Sh Faraz Rabbani – YouTube
• The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – YouTubePurification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart: Hamza Yusuf: 9780985565909: Amazon.com: Books (Book)

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? SeekersAcademy (seekers.flywheelstaging.com)

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.

He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.

He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.