Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
RULES FOR CONCEALING SIN: Know, O dear readers, that the open and secret divine services, in order to be equal, must have as their the root pure and sincere intention, as Hazrat Omar said to a certain man: Be careful of open divine service. He then asked: O Commander of the faithful, what is open divine service? He said: That action for which you don't feel ashamed if it is disclosed to you. The sage Abu Muslim Khaolani said: I don't do such a work which is considered by the people as bad if it is disclosed to them.'This is a high rank and everyone cannot attain it as nobody is safe from the sins of his mind and bodily organs.
He commits sin and conceals it and does not like that people should know of it.
SEVEN REASON FOR CONCEALING SINS BY A MAN .
OF SINCERE INTENTION WITHOUT SHOW
(1) First reason. If God conceals the sin of a truthful man with pure motive and he does actions without show, he becomes pleased and when He discloses it, he becomes displeased and fears that He will disclose it on the Resurrection Day. The Prophet said: If anybody commits any sin and God conceals it in this world, He will conceal it in the next world. This thought comes from the strength of faith.
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(2) Second reason. He knows that God hates the disclosing of sin and loves concealing it. The Prophet said: If anybody commits any sin out of these sins, let him conceal it as God conceals it. If he disobeys God by committing any sin, let him not keep his mind empty of what God loves.
(3) Third reason. It is to conceal sins in order to save himself from the rebuke of the people. The abovesinner becomes sorry if he hears rebuke and it takes his mind and intellect away from divine service, as nature feels sorrow on account of rebuke as it curbs intellect and prohibits divine service. For this disease, praise also is to be hated, as it diverts the mind from the remembrance of God. This is also a sign of the strength of faith.
(4) Fourth reason. He conceals sin for being saved from the harms of men. Nature feels sorrow for it as rebuke brings trouble in mind as body gets pain if it is beaten. To fear to get pain in?
mind owing to rebuke is not unlawful and for that one should not commit sin.
(5) Fifth reason. It is to hate rebuke. The rebuker commits sin by rebuke. To hate it belongs to faith. As you feel pain in your mind if anybody rebukes you, so also you should feel pain if you rebuke another. This is the sign of hate.
(6) Sixth reason. It is to conceal a sin so that it may not be committed again.
(7) Seventh reason. It is to conceal a sin out of shame. To feel shame is also a matter of sorrow and is good. The Prophet said:
Shame is a part of faith. He said: Shame does not bring but good, he said: God loves the shameful and patient.' He who commit sin and does not feel shame to disclose it, brings his own ruin. Shame is a conduct which begets good conduct.