The gradual approach in leaving sins is a Quranic approach, and thereby, the correct one.

The Quran, brothers and sisters, is a fascinating book. How can it not be, when it is the Word of God Himself?

I used to often wonder why both the verse that simply did not permit praying while drunk (Quran, 4:43), and the other one that completely prohibited alcohol (Quran, 5:90) are found in the Quran. God is instructing us to gradually distance ourselves from that which He prohibited. Muslims, both converts and born Muslims, should never overburden themselves.

If you find yourself doing a number of activites that you presume are displeasing God, Who we love more than anything else, then do not try to leave everything at once. If you find yourself addicted to watching pornography and other obscenities, and confused whether you should listen to music and play this or that electronic game, stop for a moment and think. You have to realize that it is absurd to try to fight with your desires when you are not even praying properly. (And by praying properly, I do not mean being focused while praying; no, that will happen after decades of praying. By praying properly, I mean praying slowly.)

Think which one of your actions is the most destructive in your relationship with God. If it is watching pornography, then focus solely on the goal of how to stop watching pornography. Do not rush. Focus on this goal for the next ten years. Then after ten years of not watching pornography, focus on leaving the next most destructive activity, and so on.

You might think: "This way, I will never be able to leave some of the sins I am committing." If that will be the case, then so be it. Are you not realizing that by trying to leave everything at once, you are finding yourself at exactly the same place, maybe for more than a decade?

God has intentionally created the human being weak. This is so that we become humble; yet most of the people are not. This is because few among mankind are truly wise. God's intention, by making us weak, is to make us almost completely introspective, even at the cost of our other qualities, such as our ability to be quite smart in polemical discussions. And then you see Muslims, making all kinds of efforts in criticizing a scholar for some, either serious or not that serious, error, instead of focusing all their attention on themselves.

submitted by /u/EventuallyLogician
[link] [comments]

from Islam https://ift.tt/2UMag1A