😈 Sins and Productivity

Assalamu'alaikum,

We live in an age where we comfortably discuss dietary tips, exercise routines, and mindfulness practices. Yet, we often shy away from discussing the impact of sins on our productivity and well-being.

Perhaps we think the topic of sins is too personal, or we fear judgment. But here's the thing—while a poor diet might affect us temporarily in this world, sins impact us far deeper—touching our hearts and souls and impacting our lives and our afterlife.

The Productivity-Sin Connection

I recently came across a powerful quote from Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim about sins and their effect on productivity:

"From them (i.e. from the effect of sins): A difficulty in accomplishing matters. He does not focus on a task except that he finds it obstructed or extremely difficult to complete...Thus, whoever renounces piety shall have their tasks made difficult for them." [The Disease and the Cure].

Does this sound familiar? Those days where nothing seems to flow. You sit at your desk, ready to work, but:

• Tasks feel unusually challenging

• Distractions seem more powerful than usual

• Simple projects become inexplicably complicated

Sure, you could blame your phone or poor time management. But what if there’s a spiritual blocker that’s blocking you?

Understanding the Impact of Sins with Spiritual Intelligence

This is where developing spiritual intelligence becomes important. It's about understanding the connection between:

• The seen and unseen worlds

• Our actions and their spiritual and physical consequences

• Our relationship with Allah SWT and the barakah we experience in our lives

When we align ourselves with Allah's commands, we often find doors opening effortlessly. Tasks that once seemed impossible become manageable. Time feels more blessed. This isn't just a coincidence – it's Barakah in action!

Your Spiritual Productivity Prescription

So what do you do when you feel spiritually blocked or inexplicably unproductive? Consider this spiritual prescription:

1. Pause and Check In

• Take a moment to assess your spiritual state (have you prayed your daily prayers on time today? have you recited Quran today? Are you indulging in any sins knowingly or unknowingly?).

• Make sincere istighfar (seeking forgiveness)

• Identify sins that involve others like backbiting, or stealing.

2. Take Action

• Perform wudhu (ablution)

• Offer two rak'ah of salah

• Make sincere tawbah (repentance)

• If the sins affected somebody - ask them to forgive you or do some good on their behalf.

3. Return to Your Tasks with fresh spiritual hope

• Get back to your work with the hope that Allah has forgiven you and notice the shift in energy and focus

• Observe how obstacles might ease

• Write down these spiritual-productivity connections in your journal so you capture them and remind yourself that they are real!

The Broader Impact of Sins in Our Lives

I shared above about sins and productivity because that’s the area that I research, but sins don't just hurt our productivity—they touch every aspect of our lives: our relationships, career/business growth, physical and mental strength, and society at large (and that’s just in this world!).

I'm not trying to make you feel despair—especially if you feel yourself drowning in sins with all that we see, speak, and experience these days. But I hope to wake us all up to something powerful: when we understand how our spiritual state affects our daily lives, we naturally develop stronger taqwa (God-consciousness), set higher standards for ourselves, and better resist those whispers from Shaytaan insha’Allah.

May Allah SWT forgive all our sins and increase our awareness of their impact. 

Have you experienced the impact of sins on your productivity? Or have you experienced the impact of istighfar/tawbah in making things easier for you? Hit reply and let me know.

Sincerely,