A Life of Piety
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We often regard the urge to sin to be contrary to piety. We often remain in complete anxiety due to these urges. Shaytaan misleads us by saying that a person can never become a saint if he has these urges. How many ignorant ones have not been able to differentiate between the urge to sin and sin itself? Due to this, we lose all hope, fulfill our urges and become deprived of the proximity of the Creator.

It is harmful to act on these urges. Had there not been any urge to sin, no one would have been pious because the meaning of Taqwa (piety) is to curb and control the carnal self from fulfilling an illegal urge. Therefore, Taqwa (piety) is dependent on the substance of sin, namely the urge to commit wrong. The existence of these urges is essential for Taqwa. One should not be perturbed by these urges at all. One should not fulfill these urges.

The substance of sin is of two types: status and sexual sins. If we do not act on these urges, we will obtain the proximity of Allah Insha Allah! An easy method of obtaining this proximity is to be in the company of good people.

We have the ability to sin as well as to be pious. We have a choice of accepting the slavery of the Nafs and preparing our way to hell or we could muster some courage, become pious and thereby become a friend of Allah. We could either become Abdur Rahmân (the servant of the Merciful) or Abdus Shaytaan (the slave of Satan). Allah has granted us a choice to either adopt the path of piety or the path of sin. Retribution and punishment will be based on this choice.

Allah mentions Taqwa (piety) after mentioning sin. Normally a good thing is mentioned first. When you enter the Masjid/Place of Worship, you step in with the right foot first. You eat with the right hand. Every good thing is placed first but Allah mentions sin first. This is the hidden secret. If it is discovered, then one will not be grieved by the urge to sin. The urge to sin is not harmful. Fulfilling the urge is however sinful. If you do not have the urge to sin, you cannot become pious.