Spiritual Disease and Its Cure by Imam Shams-ud-Deen Muhammad bin Abi Bakr bin Qayyim AlJ awziyyah

Sins blind the heart ' s insight, blot out its light, and block all means towards its right guidance. When Imam Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, saw signs of remarkable knowledge in Imam Shafi'i, he told him: "I see that Allah ~ has cast a light upon you, so do not extinguish it with the darkness of disobedience to Him (by committing a misdeed)." When a person continues to do misdeeds, the original light, which Allah ~ had cast in his/her heart, continues to decrease, as the darkness of sins takes over, until it overwhelms the whole heart, and casts it in the world of darkness; the world of self-destruction. This darkness spreads in the limbs until it reaches the face, turning it into a gloomy disillusioned figure. This effect is also carried over to the Life After Death, and adds to the darkness of the grave. The Prophet ~ said: "These graves are filled with darkness, over its people, but Allah sheds light on them, with my prayer upon them." On the Day of Resurrection, all people would be gathered, with their faces raised high and clearly seen by everyone. The faces of sinners will be blackened, like charcoal. It is a punishment which is not equal in weight to all the worldly desires; so one must be patient in this world.