Warraq on Whims: Lowly desires begin downward spiral into evil

Ibn al-Jawzi reported: Abu Bakr al-Warraq, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “The source of overpowering whims is approaching what is lusted. When whims overpower the heart, it will commit wrong. When the heart commits wrong, the chest will be tightened. When the chest is tightened, character will be bad. When character is bad, the creation will hate him. When the creation hates him, he will hate them. When he hates them, he will be harsh with them. When he is harsh with them, he becomes an accursed devil.”

Source: Dhamm al-Hawá 55

عن ابن الجوزي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْوَرَّاقُ رحمه الله أَصْلُ غَلَبَةِ الْهَوَى مُقَارَبَةُ الشَّهَوَاتِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَ الْهَوَى أَظْلَمَ الْقَلْبُ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ الْقَلْبُ ضَاقَ الصَّدْرُ وَإِذَا ضَاقَ الصَّدْرُ سَاءَ الْخُلُقُ وَإِذَا سَاءَ الْخُلُقُ أَبْغَضَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَهُ الْخَلْقُ أَبْغَضَهُمْ وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَهُمْ جَفَاهُمْ وَإِذَا جَفَاهُمْ صَارَ شَيْطَانًا رَجِيمًا

55 ذم الهوى لابن الجوزي

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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