and that in it there is abundant good, for al-birr (righteousness) is nothing but abundant good.

As for sin, he said: “It is what unsettles your soul and you would hate for people to find out about.” The words “what unsettles your soul” mean that the heart does not feel at ease with it; instead, it vacillates, and you dislike anyone becoming aware of it.

This, however, is addressed to the believer. A flagrant sinner feels no such doubt: sin does not trouble his breast, nor does he care whether people see it. On the contrary, he publicizes it and is indifferent. The believer, by contrast—because Allah has placed a light in his heart—when he contemplates a sin it gnaws at his chest, he hesitates, and he would loathe for anyone to discover it. This scale, therefore, applies only to the believers.

As for the openly sinful, they are unbothered by others witnessing their offenses, and those offenses do not weigh on their hearts; rather, they commit them—Allah’s refuge is sought—with ease and cheer. Allah the Exalted says: “So is one whose evil deed has been made attractive to him so that he regards it as good? Indeed, Allah leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills” (Qur’an 35:8).

A person’s evil deed may thus be adorned for him until his heart rejoices in it, just as we see among those who drink wine and feel delighted by it, those who deal in usury and are pleased with it, and those who are habituated to lewdness and fornication and feel at ease with it. They do not care in the least; in fact, if they commit such acts in secret, they may go on to spread the news and boast of them. This is like some profligates who travel to immoral, licentious countries and, upon their return, brag, “I did such-and-such, I did such-and-such,” meaning that they fornicated with so-and-so, drank wine, and the like—may Allah protect us.