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

Sins take the heart from its natural state of piety to a state of corruption and deviation. The effect of sins in the heart is like that of diseases on the body. Sins are the ailments of the heart, and there is no cure for the heart, except giving up those sins. One who stops him/her self from following his/her own desires, his/her heart would enjoy the Grace of Allah in this world, before reaching his/her destination in Paradise. The Verse: (Verily, the pious believers will be in Delight, and verily, the sinners will be in the blazing Fire) 1 is not just limited to the Grace and the Blazing Fire of the Hereafter; it also refers to their states in the three abodes: the abode of this world, the abode of the Barzakh (the state of existence during the interval from the moment a person dies to the Day of Resurrection), and the abode of eternity; those obedient to Allah would enjoy His Grace, whereas sinners would endure His Punishment. The real blessing is that which a person feels in his/her heart, and the real punishment is that which a sinner endures in his/her heart. There is no worse a punishment than that of fear , depression and anxiety, which suffocate one ' s heart, turning away from the remembrance of Allah ~ and the Last Day. In the Barzakh state, a sinner would suffer the punishment of separation, and the feeling of regret about having missed out on the Grace of Allah. The remorse and anxiety would render his/her mind useless , until the Day when Allah ~ returns the mind to the body, ordering its resurrection. It is then that the punishment moves to another, more bitter stage. Those who obeyed Allah ~ in this world would have the extreme delight of His Company, having serenity in their hearts, being filled with the love and remembrance of Him ~ - But those who sold their priceless chance of success for a low price should have sought the true value of their product with people of knowledge. It is strange that a product (life transactions) possessed by a person should be bought by Allah ~ . for the price of Paradise, with the Messenger of Allah ~ as the intermediary in this trade , yet one could sell one ' s life for the lowest price! Allah ~ said: ( Whomsoever Allah disgraces, none can honour him.)