Beautification of the Sins : A Smart Satanic Move… Smile
The People of A’ad and Thamud were “Mustabsiroon” says the Qur’an in Surah Ankaboot ch 29 verse 38. Mustabsiroon means people of excellent skills and high Intelligence. Inspite of their intelligence they fell to shirk and kufr. Why ? The same verse gives the reason: Satan made their sins alluring to them ! In other words they found their sins to be good and enjoyable. He beautified their sins, so no question of repentance. Beautification of sins is one of the smart moves of satan. Since he has no power over us to force us so he allures us, he invites us. He cannot push you into a movie theatre nor can he drag you but he will make the posters and the reviews of the movie appear so beautifully that one is tempted to see it. This is the same with many sins from shirk to gambling.
The Arabic word used by the Qur’an is ‘Zayyan’ which means to beautify or to decorate. . Fazayyanalahumus Shaytano a’amaluhoom… So Satan beautified their actions… This word Zayyan is refered in this context by the Qur’an in Surah Nahl ch 16 verse 63, and Surah Naml ch 27 verse 24. Beautification of sins can make you power hungry or intoxicated and extreme arrogant that you rush to your destruction.
Beautification of sins can also make the hearts hard so that no good advice, nor any reminders will affect them, Not even a little hardships that Allah puts people into to make them humble. Before Pharoah was drowned there were some other punishments Allah put him into in the form of a swarm of insects or rain of blood and popping up of frogs everywhere but their hearts were hardened. It was the intoxication of power that made Phaorah arrogant towards the reminders. Allah mentions in Surah Al An’am ch 6 verse 43 : When the suffering reached them from us, why did they not learn humility ? Rather their hearts became hardened and satan made their sins seem alluring to them.
That is what happened to the Mushrik of Makkah when they faced the Muslims at Badr. Surah Anfal gives the testimony in verse no. 48 : Remember satan made their acts seem beautiful to them and said : No one among men can over come you this day while I am near to you …..A smart deception. Makkah lost their 70 cheiftains in that battle and were routed by the truthful army. The people of Prophet Lut a.s. were intoxicated by homosexuality and were unfazzed by repeated warning of their Prophet, while Phaorah and the Makkan Mushriks were intoxicated by their military might.
Beautified sins lead us to the way where we dont even mind others doing it and dont feel bad about it. Sins are glamourised even today. Look at the entertainment that people are into. Sports events of Olympics or Tennis stuffed with osbcenity , Movies getting bolder in displaying immodesty, Gambling is made legal by local governments, alcohols is permitted at the age of 13. Age of consent (read age of licence for commiting fornication, gay or lesbian relations) is getting younger. There is not a sin which is not repeated by today’s society that was committed by earlier people. Tsunamis are smaller but may grow larger and regular and wider… the earth is quaking with more force.. and volcanoes are distrupting Air traffice till now… will the people still not learn humiliation?
Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-educational topics from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com