How much slack is too much slack?

Jun 23, 2025

I had a conversation recently that really opened my eyes. The person said something simple but so real, it was about how often we make excuses for ourselves. And I know I’m very guilty of that too.

But one thing I’ve come to realize about sin is this:

the more you and I excuse it, the more comfortable we become with it. The more we excuse it, the more we repeat it. The more we repeat it, the more normal it becomes. And eventually, the guilt disappears, not because the sin got smaller, but because our hearts got harder.

Excuses vs. Accountability: Where Do You Stand?

One of the hardest truths to face is this:

We are much better at excusing our behavior than holding ourselves accountable for it.

It starts off subtle:

“At least I’m not as bad as others.”
“Allah knows my heart.”
“It’s just a small sin.”
“I’ll stop when I’m ready.”

And before we know it, our heart gets used to disobedience. What once pricked the soul now feels normal. We fall into the illusion that because Allah is Al-Ghafur (The Most Forgiving) and Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful), we can delay our repentance and continue as we are.

But here’s the reality: Allah’s Mercy is not a free pass to continue wronging ourselves.

Mercy Does Not Cancel Justice

The same Lord who says:

And My Mercy encompasses all things.
📖 [Surah Al-A’raf 7:156]

Also says:

So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.
📖 [Surah Az-Zalzalah 99:7-8]

That is Al ‘Adl, The Most Just.

Let’s pause there for a second.

The atom is the smallest scientifically known particle to man. And that’s the scale we will be judged on.

That’s the One who will judge us.

We love to say “Allah is the Most Merciful”and He is. But sometimes we use that as a way to delay our accountability.

His Mercy is vast but it does not erase His Justice. Part of His Mercy is His Justice. He sees every struggle we endure, and every deliberate act we continue despite knowing better.

So, we can’t cheat our way through life and then hope for a righteous death.

If we’re always excusing ourselves, what happens to the standards He gave us? What happens to striving? To repentance? To trying?

This doesn’t mean we won’t ever wrong Him. We will. We’re human.

But the real question is:

When do we start being intentional? When do we start trying to avoid the unavoidable?When do we start having only the occasional slip, not the lifestyle of sin?

Because if we were told we would die today… would we still persist in doing the same things? Still listening to it, wearing it, watching it, saying it?

So now ask yourself honestly:

What is the probability that you and I will die in a state Allah is not pleased with us?

And if that probability is high, then something has to change.

If there’s a high probability that we’ll die:

in extensions
in inappropriate dressing
in a state of heedlessness

…then maybe we need to stop hoping for a good ending while living a bad beginning, middle and end.

We can’t game the system.

We can’t cheat our way through by just saying “Ya Allah give me a good ending” while giving Him nothing but excuses in life.