Six Things that Cause Someone to Go Astray

Allaah, the mighty and majestic created mankind upon al-Fitrah (the natural inclination):
…Allaah’s fitrah (i.e. Allaah’s Islaamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. [Sooratur-Room, 30:30]

“Part of al-Fitrah is loving the truth and detesting falsehood because the truth is sweet, it is delicious to the hearts and falsehood is bitter to the soul.”

The six points:

1. Jahl (Ignorance)\
2. Kawf (Fear)\
3. Kibr (Pride/Arrogance)\
4. Hasad (Jealousy)\
5. Bad Companionship\
6. Sins

Is it not the case that we have seen from our own brothers/sisters the likes of these points bringing about the ruin of those beloved to us.

- Jahl (ignorance): Have we not seen the effects of one being ignorant of the ‘Aqeedah, heedless about his manhaj, slipping in to the hands of the people of hizbiyyah?

- Kawf (Fear): Have we not seen someone become fearful of his; family traditions/expectations, cultural or peer pressure, eventually subsiding to the preferences of those who pressure him away from Islaam?

- Kibr (Pride/Arrogance): Is it not the case that some have ‘rated’ themselves, looked down on others and claimed leadership for themselves or despised those who Allaah has give authority, leadership or fame to?

- Hasad (Jealousy): Such a common vice, envying knowledge, envying popularity, envying leadership to the point of severing relationships that were based upon righteousness and good companionship all due to being displeased with the Qadr of Allaah

- Bad Companionship: A foundation of correct ‘Aqeedah, good companionship and spending time wisely, how is it destroyed? By the one who feels secure, not in need of guidance and good companionship so they entertain the companionship of the wicked or those unconcerned with upright moral character, those who do not act by ‘ad-deenun-naseehah’ so slowly the spending of time flips from goodness to uselessness to evil, from the appearance of a practising Muslim to a open sinner (berds trimming down/khimaars changing colour) – how, not by the corruption of information but by the vice of poor companionship (oftentimes by those who feel they have reached a ‘level of excellence’ in their fiqh of the deen, such that they can associate with anyone and receive no ill effects)

- Sins: Often overlooked, we should fear the retribution of Allaah, worry about our guidance and our end as the Companions often did, be careful what you wish for! If you incline towards evil and away from the sanctity of the places of Sunnah and goodness, then perhaps you will receive what you intended