In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Some Negative Effects of the Heart’s Obsession with Images

Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:

The most severe punishment and the least amount of reward are reserved for those whose hearts are infatuated with images. This is because if such a person’s heart stays attached to and enslaved by an image, a variety of evils, losses, and corruption will be gathered for him that no one else can enumerate besides Allah. Even if he is safe from committing a major lewd act, the persistent attachment of the heart to the image without committing a lewd act is greater than the harm that afflicts a person who commits a sin and then repents, and therefore the influence of that sin ceases to exist in his heart. The greatest aspect of this calamity is when the heart turns away from Allah since there is nothing sweeter, tastier, or more delightful for the heart to taste than worshipping Allah and being sincere in devotion to Him. A person never gives up what they love unless it makes room for something else they love even more or they are afraid of being harmed. A righteous love or fear of harm cause the heart to turn away from a corrupt love. [Al-Uboodiyyah 114-115]

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:

Hearts that have been emptied of Allah’s love–hearts that have turned away from Him and sought relief from others–are afflicted with an infatuation with images; for when the heart is filled with Allah’s love and a strong desire to meet Him [i.e. in the hereafter], this infatuation with images is repelled from it. [At-Tibbun Nabawiy. page180]

Humanity is honoured, yet some people disgrace themselves

Allah [The Exalted] said:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ وَحَمَلْنَٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

And indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with At-Taiyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preference. [Surah Al-Isra. Ayah 70]

Allah [The Exalted] said:

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِىٓ أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَٰهُ أَسْفَلَ سَٰفِلِينَ
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

We have certainly created man in the best stature (in form, appearance, balance, and strength, coupled with innate disposition, fiṭrah, and the power of reason). Then —(due to his disbelief and opposing his fiṭrah)—we return him to the lowest of the low (in a physical location, the Hellfire). Except those who believe and work righteous deeds, for they—(due to their gratitude for being created in the best stature by worshipping Allāh alone and obeying Him)—will have an unending, continuous reward (in Paradise, in the afterlife). (1)

Shaytaan’s Plot Against Humankind

Allah [The Exalted] informed us in Surah An-Nisaa Ayah 119 that shaytaan said:

[وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ -Verily, I will mislead them]- Meaning, from the truth. [وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُم – And surely, I will arouse in them false desires]- Ibn Abbaas said: He (shaytaan) desires to hinder (them) from repentance and to delay it. (2)

[وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ – I will order them to slit the ears of cattle]- Meaning, cut off the ears of the cattle].

[وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ – And indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah]: Ibn Abbaas said: He (Iblis) means the religion ordained by Allah.

And what this means is that Allah created His slaves with an upright fitnah (a natural disposition that allows them to recognise Allah, accept the call of the messengers when it reaches them, and worship Allah alone). Iblis declared that he must change two things: the alteration of one’s natural disposition (through the encouragement of disbelief) and the transformation of one’s original natural physical appearance (through mutilation). So he alters the fitnah by inciting shirk and altering the original natural appearance (of the creation) through cutting and mutilation. This one is an alteration of the soul’s fitnah, and the other is an alteration of the creation’s original natural appearance. (3)

Protect Your Children From Those Who Corrupt Children

Al-Allaamah Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Humayd [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: Safeguarding the family entails keeping your children away from harmful companions, such as atheists or Bedouins who are estranged from their religion. Therefore, you must strive your best to prevent your kids from associating with them and warn them about doing so. The evil practices they engage in will have an impact on your child if he associates with them. Even if your child is smart, he will pick up some of their manners and behaviours. Your child’s teacher should be an upright example for his pupils, who is taken as an example in obeying Allah’s commands, just as Ut’bah Bin Abee Sufyaan said to his children’s teacher, “Indeed, I have come to you to teach my children, so rectify yourself and follow your Islamic religion, for they will watch you. They will not see you beautifying or doing something other than simply following you”. (4)

We ask Allah to protect us and our families from misguidance. We ask him saying:
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims [submitting to Your Will].

رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the pious.

اللهم كما حَسَّنْت خَلْقِي فَحَسِّنْ خُلُقِي
O Allah! Just as You made my external form beautiful, make my character beautiful as well.

Ref 1: https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/sura/95/1

Ref 2: A’laam Al-Muwaqqi’een 1/67-69

Ref 3: Ighaathatul Luhfaan 1/105-107

Ref 4: An Excerpt from Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjid Al-Haraam. pages 938-944.