How to be Free from Sin — Page 23
23 ostentation, acquiring wealth by illegal means, treachery, cursing, fraud, unfaithfulness, leading a life of careless- ness, not being grateful to God, not fearing Him, not being compassionate towards His creatures, not remem- bering Him with fear and humility, being lost in pursuit of worldly comfort and pleasures, forgetting the true Bene- factor, being heedless about prayer and humility, selling adulterated goods, not giving in full measure, underselling, not caring for one’s parents, not treating one’s wife with civility, not being obedient to one’s husband, casting evil glances at other men or women, being heedless about the needs of orphans, the weak and helpless, being unmindful of the rights of neighbours, deriding others in order to prove one’s own superiority, mocking at people with words that are meant to hurt them, pointing out someone’s bodily defects in order to humiliate him, calling people by foul names or slandering them, imputing falsehood to God or, God forbid, falsely claiming to be a Prophet or Mes- senger, denying God’s existence, rebelling against a just ruler, and mischievously creating disorder in the land. If someone insists that another method for attaining salva- tion must exist, because belief is not a check against sin, I respond by saying that no one would commit sin if he was sure that lightening would strike him the moment he did so. The logic behind this argument is irrefutable. Just con- sider, do you ever transgress when you are certain that punishment will be forthcoming? Would you put your hand into a fire, or throw yourself from a mountain, or jump into a well, or lie down before a moving train, or put