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

Sins stand as obstacles in the way of one's heart, in obeying the Lord; they prevent one from stepping forward towards one's Lord, in a state of purity. The heart normally moves towards Allah with strength, but when it is overpowered by sins, its power is weakened; and if its power is removed, the heart breaks its connection with Allah ~' so then it becomes harder to bring it back. A sin could either kill the heart, or inflict it with a serious ailment, weakening its power, until its weakness ends in one of the eight ailments, from which the Prophet ~ sought refuge in Allah, which are: Worry, grief, inability, laziness, cowardice, miserliness, the heavy burden of debts, and the overpowering of men. Worry and grief are connected; when a troubling matter invades the heart which is concerned with a future expected matter, then it causes worry. But if it was concerned with a past matter, it causes grief. Inability and laziness are connected: if a person neglects the factors which produce goodness and success, because of his/her incapacity, then it is inability. But if the reason is due to a lack of will, then it is laziness. Cowardice and miserliness are connected: if a person produces no benefit, when the cause is in his/her body, then it is a matter of cowardice. But if it is due to his/her wealth, then it is miserliness. The burden of debts and the overpowering of men are connected: when other people act with a sense of superiority towards a person, and the reason is justified, then it is out of the heavy burden of a debt. But if it is not justified, then it is due to the overpowering of men. Sins are one of the reasons which bring these eight ailments. They bring evil affliction, misery, the most terrible calamities, and the malice of enemies. They are also one of the powerful reasons that lead to the cessation of Allah's Blessings, which later tum into His Punishment and Curse.