The Balance Between Good and Evil Acts

The man who is either unable or lacks the energy to perform all the possible kind of good works should not abandon them all, but should do whatever he find easy and accessible. For goodness attracts goodness, the small attracts the great, and a little invites plenty. Similarly, whoever is incapable of abandoning all evil must abandon whatever he can, for a mixture of good and evil is better and lighter than total evil. Good works erase sins, as in the hadith that states, “Follow a sin with an act of goodness and it will erase it.” Also, “If you commit a sin, follow it up with an act of goodness and it will be remitted. Follow hidden sins with hidden acts of goodness; public, likewise, with public.” A servant afflicted with evil and transgression must not entirely turn away from God and from good works and obedience, for otherwise there will remain between him and his Lord no avenue for reconciliation or for returning to Him. Let him heed the lesson in the story of the brigand who shed blood and robbed Muslims of their money. A virtuous man once saw the brigand do these things while Fasting. He called to him saying, “How can you do what you are doing yet maintain the Fast?” The man replied, “Indeed, I am leaving open a channel for reconciliation and will not sever all links between myself and my Lord.” Sometime later he saw the robber walking around the Ka’ba having repented. He told him, “The result of that was to reconcile me with my Lord.”

It is evident that a Muslim should maintain complete obedience and a state of entire goodness. However, if this is not possible, if he is being hindered by his ego and his passions, and this leads him into any manner of evil or sin, then he must firmly preserve those acts of obedience which he finds possible and easy.

And God is the Protector, the Praiseworthy One. Knowledge and Wisdom -Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi al-Haddad