How Do I Overcome Sin, Weak Intentions, and Resentment Toward the Deen?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

How should I deal with sin, weak intentions, and growing resentment towards the Deen while studying in a madrasa environment?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah guide us to what pleases Him and protect us from error. Amin.

Allah (Most High) has created us with the capacity for both obedience and error, that we may turn to Him in humility and repentance. Let us address each matter in turn, seeking His guidance.

On Sin and Turning to Allah in Tawba

Why do we sin? Why does Allah give us the ability to sin if He does not desire it for us, and why are we held accountable? The Quran and Sunna teach that He created us with the potential for sin so that, when we succumb to temptation or the whispers of Shaytan, we return to Him humbled.

Our sins bring us to our knees before our Creator, especially when arrogance overtakes us. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Every children of Adam errs, but the best of those who err are those who repent.”

In the chapter on repentance (Bab al-Tawba) in books such as Riyad al-Salihin, and in the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), it is undeniable that Allah (Most High) loves our tawba. We are humans, not angels: we rise and fall. The key lies in steadfastness; rising again and again, never yielding to Shaytan.

Let your sins draw you closer to Allah (Most High). Each time you fall, hasten to tawba. Even if you stumble repeatedly, persist in rising, and insha’Allah, the day will come when Allah aids you, opens the path, and removes the sins entirely. Amin.

On Weak Intentions and Rebuilding the Heart

Weak intentions often stem from sin, which darkens the heart. A darkened heart repels light; it lacks appetite for worship (‘ibada), remembrance (dhikr), or intimacy with Allah (Most High). Prayer feels empty, sincerity fades, and steadfastness wanes, for nothing lives within.

Break this cycle: repent sincerely, cleanse the heart of darkness, and enter the cycle of tawba. Insha’Allah, light will return, penetrating the heart, banishing shadows, and strengthening intentions with true sincerity and zeal for ‘ibada.

Immerse yourself in the abundant remembrance of Allah. First, shun sin and the haram, you cannot recite millions of “astaghfirullah” while persisting in disobedience. Fulfill the obligations, especially the five daily prayers. Then, plunge into dhikr Allah intensely and consistently to escape the cycle.

On Resentment Toward the Deen in Study Environments

Resentment toward the deen while studying often arises from one’s environment. Sadly, some places of Islamic learning have become cold, mechanical spaces where knowledge is forced or beaten in. Such emotional, psychological, or physical abuse is utterly unlawful, especially if it breeds aversion to Allah’s deen. Its harm reveals its prohibition. May Allah protect us.

If your environment is toxic, threatening your relationship with Allah (Most High) or your Muslim identity, seek an alternative space for learning. Prioritize your faith above all. May Allah guide and safeguard you. Amin.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.