Page 55 - Why Do You Deceive Yourself ?

What Lies Do People Deceive Themselves with? 53
not believe that he will be punished for what he does can easily com-
mit all kinds of evil acts. Such people may succumb to the perverse
idea, which is in no way related to the truth, that although they com-
mit every sin which Allah condemns, He will forgive them anyway.
Satan approaches people from this direction and causes them to imag-
ine that they will be forgiven whatever they do.
If we examine them, people in communities which have aban-
doned religion act on the basis of a distorted point of view and contin-
ually go against Allah's instructions and prohibitions. Those people

who do not pray or fast, who do not help and protect the needy, who
do not share their property because of meanness, who take unfair ad-
vantage of other people, who murder, steal and use the property of
others fraudulently and who drive those around them into immoral-
ity, are the ones who commit these sins with the idea that Allah will
forgive them anyway.
The truth is that people who think in such a way have fallen into
a great error because although Allah is the One Who accepts repen-
tance and forgives those who repent, at the same time, He is the One
Who, with eternal justice, repays everything which is done in the man-
ner it deserves. Of course, those who do evil as well as those who do
good will receive the repayment they deserve on the Day of Judgment.
The Qur'an tells us this truth:
Or do those who perpetrate evil deeds suppose that We will

make them like those who believe and do right actions, so
that their lives and deaths will be the same? How bad their
judgment is! Allah created the heavens and Earth with truth
so that every self might be repaid for what it earned and they
will not be wronged. (Surat al-Jathiyya: 21-22)
Fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every