Jumuah Khutbah (Friday Sermon) From Masjid As-Siddique (RA)

A Commentary on Surah Al-Hadid: How Small Sins Lead to the Loss of Faith

The Verse That Reveals Our Fate

Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Hadid (The Iron):

“On that Day, the hypocritical men and women will call out to the believers: ‘Wait for us! Let us absorb some of your light.’ However, they will be told: ‘Go back behind yourselves and seek some light there.’ Then a wall will be erected between them—from the believers’ side there will be mercy, and from the side facing the non-believers and the hypocrites, there will be suffering.” (Qur’an 57:13)

This powerful verse describes the Day of Judgment, when those who lived with hypocrisy—appearing faithful outwardly while harboring doubt and sin inwardly—will desperately call to the believers, asking to share in their spiritual light. But it will be too late. A barrier will separate them forever: mercy on one side, torment on the other.

But how does a person reach this tragic end? The verse reveals four progressive stages through which a soul descends from minor sin to complete spiritual destruction. Understanding these stages is critical, for they begin with something as seemingly insignificant as taking ten dollars from a brother without permission.

Stage One: Fitna (فتنة) – Self-Betrayal Through “Small” Sins

The Qur’an states: “They will say: ‘Yes, you were with us, but you betrayed yourselves and committed fitna against yourselves.'”

What is this fitna? It is the dangerous belief that you are safe from committing sin, or that certain sins are too small to matter. It begins when you tell yourself: “My faith is strong. I would never do that. This is just a minor thing—Allah will forgive it.”

Fitna takes many forms:

• Financial dishonesty: Taking money that doesn’t belong to you, believing you can return it later or that no one will notice
• The wandering gaze: Looking at what is forbidden, thinking “it’s just a look”
• Misusing authority: Using power Allah has given you to oppress others or take what doesn’t belong to you
• Arrogance in knowledge: Showing off the knowledge Allah bestowed upon you, forgetting it belongs to Him and He can take it away
• Violating trust: Using secrets about others to blackmail or manipulate them

The critical error at this stage is feeling secure from Allah’s punishment. You think: “I’m not like those other sinners. This won’t affect me.” But this false sense of security is precisely what opens the door to the next stage.

Consider the example of Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the chief hypocrite during the Prophet’s time. He joined the Muslim army heading to the Battle of Uhud, but when he saw that the Quraysh army outnumbered the Muslims three to one, he withdrew with one-third of the Muslim forces—300 fighting men. He left because he never truly believed. His outward actions appeared Islamic, but his heart harbored doubt and self-interest.

Stage Two: Tarabbus (تربص) – Delaying Repentance

The verse continues: “And you delayed…”

You’ve committed the sin—perhaps you took that ten dollars from your brother. Now your conscience speaks: “I need to return this. I need to ask Allah’s forgiveness.” But you tell yourself: “I’ll return it next week. I’ll repent tomorrow. After this one more time, I’ll stop.”

Next week becomes next month. Next month becomes next year. The sin you committed once becomes a pattern, then a habit. And because no immediate punishment comes—no lightning bolt, no catastrophe—you begin to feel even safer. The sin that once troubled your conscience now barely registers.

This is the trap of delayed repentance. You are making promises to Allah and breaking them repeatedly. What does this say about your relationship with your Creator? Each broken promise hardens the heart a little more, preparing it for the next stage.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described the heart as the centerpiece of our entire being: “In the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound. If it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. That piece of flesh is the heart.”

But how do we purify something we cannot physically touch? The answer lies not in surgery but in our intentions, our sincerity, and our immediate response to wrongdoing.

Stage Three: Irtiyab (ارتياب) – Doubting the Foundation

The verse states: “And you doubted…”

This is where the spiritual crisis becomes existential. You’ve been committing sins for months or years. You’ve delayed repentance. No obvious punishment has befallen you—in fact, you may even be prospering. Your wealth increases. Your health remains. Life seems fine.

And then the insidious question creeps into your mind: “Is there really a God? If Allah is watching, why hasn’t He punished me? I keep taking money unlawfully, and nothing happens. Maybe there is no accountability after all.”

At this stage, you have destroyed what might be called the “third dimension” of life. Most people live in two dimensions: the relationship between themselves and other people. “If I can take the ten dollars without my brother knowing, what’s the harm?” But they forget the third dimension—Allah, who is always watching, always recording.

Allah has assigned two angels to every person—one on the right shoulder recording good deeds, one on the left recording sins. The Qur’an tells us: “Not a word does he utter but there is a vigilant guardian by him.” (Qur’an 50:18)

When you reach this stage of doubt, you’re questioning the very foundation of faith. You’re asking: “Where is this God? I see no evidence of His justice.” But what you fail to understand is that Allah’s timing is not your timing. His justice may be delayed, but it is never absent. The Qur’an warns: “And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].” (Qur’an 14:42)

Stage Four: Istijra’ (استجراء) – The Reckless Plunge into Sin

The verse concludes: “And your wishful thinking deceived you…”

At this final stage, a terrible logic takes over. Your inner voice says: “I’ve already committed this sin. I’ll probably be punished in the Hereafter. So why not commit more sins? If I’m going to hell anyway, I might as well enjoy myself now.”

This is استجراء—daring to sin without any fear of Allah. What began with ten dollars now escalates to drinking alcohol, engaging in unlawful relationships, committing fraud, and every other category of major sin. The small crack in your spiritual armor has become a gaping wound.

Your heart, which once felt remorse, now feels nothing. The Qur’an describes such hearts: “Then, after that, your hearts became hardened and were like stones, or even harder.” (Qur’an 2:74)

Many people reach this stage without even realizing it. You might ask: “How can someone forget about Paradise and Hell?” The answer is simple: by never thinking about them. The entire day passes—24 hours—without a single thought of the Hereafter, of accountability, of judgment. You may claim to believe in Paradise and Hell, but if they never enter your consciousness, do you really believe?

The Point of No Return?

After describing these four stages, Allah reveals the consequences:

“So today no ransom will be taken from you, nor from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is your dwelling place, and wretched is the destination.” (Qur’an 57:15)

No payment will save you. No wealth, no connections, no excuses. The Fire becomes not just your punishment but your home—your permanent dwelling place.

This is the terrifying reality: what began as a “small” sin—perhaps just ten dollars taken without permission—can, through these progressive stages, lead to complete spiritual destruction and eternal consequences.

But There Is Hope: The Verse of Mercy

Yet immediately after describing this terrible progression, Allah offers hope. The very next verse says:

“Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.” (Qur’an 57:16)

Subhan Allah! Look at the mercy of Allah. After warning us about the stages of destruction, He immediately asks: “Hasn’t the time come yet? Haven’t you delayed long enough? Isn’t it time to feel tranquility in your heart at the mention of Allah?”

There is still that cell in your heart—that tiny spark of faith—that believes. It’s calling to you: “Repent! Turn back! It’s not too late!” Perhaps a friend reminds you to pray. Perhaps you hear a verse of Qur’an that strikes your heart. Perhaps you attend a Friday sermon that awakens something within you. These are Allah’s invitations to return.

The verse warns us not to be like the People of the Book who came before us—who received scripture but let years pass without truly reflecting on it, until their hearts became as hard as stone. Most of them became فَاسِقُونَ (fasiqun)—a word that means those who have stepped outside the natural bounds of righteousness, who no longer follow the teachings they claim to believe.

The Practical Path Forward

Understanding these four stages is not meant to paralyze us with fear, but to motivate us toward action. Here are the practical steps:

1. Never Feel Safe from Sin

The moment you think “I would never do that” or “I’m safe from that temptation,” you’ve opened the door to fitna. Maintain constant awareness that any of us can fall into any sin if we’re not vigilant. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to regularly pray: “O Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.”

2. Repent Immediately

When you commit a sin—and we all do—don’t delay. Don’t say “tomorrow” or “next week.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “All the children of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.” Immediate repentance prevents the sin from becoming a habit.

3. Maintain the Third Dimension

Remember constantly that Allah is watching. Not in a paranoid way, but in a way that fills you with consciousness of His presence. Before taking that money, before looking at what’s forbidden, before speaking ill of someone—pause and remember: Allah sees, Allah knows, Allah records.

4. Surround Yourself with Reminders

Attend the mosque regularly. Listen to Qur’an. Keep company with people who remind you of Allah. These are not luxuries but necessities for spiritual health, like exercise and nutrition for physical health.

5. Serve the Faith

Engage in active good deeds. Volunteer at your mosque. Teach if you can. Write if you have the ability. Clean if that’s what’s needed. Give in charity. These good deeds not only earn reward but also occupy your heart and hands, leaving less room for sin to enter.

A Final Reflection

Modern technology has made Allah’s comprehensive accounting easier to understand. Fifty years ago, people might have wondered: “How can Allah count every deed of every person?” Today, we live in a world where every click, every search, every keystroke is recorded and analyzed by servers. If human technology can track billions of actions simultaneously, can we doubt that the Creator of all technology possesses infinitely greater capability?

The verse about the hypocrites reminds us that outward appearance means nothing. You can pray five times daily in the mosque, as the hypocrites did in the Prophet’s time. You can fast, give charity, and appear pious. But if the heart is not aligned with these actions—if you’re going through the motions while secretly harboring doubt, sin, or hypocrisy—then on the Day of Judgment, you’ll be on the wrong side of that wall.

The choice is ours. We can recognize the stages and turn back at any point. Or we can continue the descent, stage by stage, until we reach the point where our hearts become so hardened that even the mention of Allah no longer moves us.

The question Allah asks echoes through time: “Has the time not come?” For each of us reading these words, the answer must be: “Yes, the time has come. Today is the day I turn back. Today is the day I repent. Today is the day I restore my relationship with my Creator.”

May Allah guide us all, forgive our sins, and grant us hearts that are soft, humble, and constantly turned toward Him. Ameen.