Our 6th Imam, Hazrat Jafar As-Sadiq (AS) has said,

“ Those people who are committing sins, their death is more than the majority of those who have natural deaths”.

And after he said,

“ Those people who have good deeds and give charity, their life is more than that of those who have a natural age”.  

Those who do not have mercy on others Imam Ali (AS) has said,

“Those who do not have mercy on their family, or do not have mercy on others or do not have good behaviour, their age becomes shorter and they will have a shorter life span."

One man came to the sixth Imam and said,

“My family have a large home and my brothers have taken control over the house because they have power and they only gave me one small room.  I can also taken control over the house, so should I then only give him one room?” 

The Imam replied,

“ No, have patience, Allah (swt) will help you find a way out”.

The man took the advice of the Imam and went home. After a few days, the same man came back to the Imam and said,
 
“ In our house, my brothers all became ill and not one of them is alive. Now the house has become empty."

The Imam replied,

“The reason your brothers died was because they were doing injustice to you, so their life decreased, but, you had patience, and for this reason, your life has increased and Allah (swt) gave you the whole house. 

To speak lies and falsely swearing By speaking lies and falsely swearing, ones’ life decreases and one loses his honour and dignity. Imam Ali (AS) has said in one of his sermons,

 “O people, speak the truth because Allah is with those who speak the truth. Save yourself from falsely swearing because lying is far away from faith. Allah (swt) gives respect to those who speak the truth in this world and the Hereafter.  Also, Imam Ali (AS) has said, 

“On the Day of Judgment, a bad smell will come out of those who do not speak the truth and will disturb the people around him."

 Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said,

“Those people who swearing, is same as those who are in war with Allah (swt), the homes of the owners become empty, and they become poor.

By giving trouble to ones’ parents, one’s life span decreases.  The holy Prophet (SAW) has said, “Taking care of ones’ parents increases one life span and give trouble to ones’ parents decreases ones’ life span.  On the Day of Judgment, those who will give trouble to their parents, when they will be lifted up from their graves, they will be blind.  In this world, there are three punishments that will come quickly to those who trouble their parents.  

First, their beauty will diminish and their face will become unattractive.  
Second, they will become beggars.  
Third, their life span will decrease.  

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said,

 “Those people who are regular in committing sins, their heart will become black and they cannot accept Allah’s message and they are away from Allah’s mercy". 

Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (AS) was walking on the street in the month of Ramadhan.  He saw a man who was eating on the street.  The Imam asked him why he wasn’t fasting since it was the month of Ramadhan.  The man replied,

“ I know that my prayers and fasts will not benefit me because I have committed so many sins, that Allah (swt) will not forgive me, that is the reason why I am not doing good deeds”.

The Imam said,

“This is a sign of Allah’s punishment.  Before dying, one goes away from Allah’s mercy in this world”.

Afterwards, the Imam replied to the man, 

“Ask for forgiveness because the doors of repentance are open until you die. Those who commit sin all the time, their end is that they do not have belief in Allah’s mercy.”  

One who commits sins on a regular basis becomes poor and distress befalls him.  Sometimes a person who is poor is a test from Allah (swt) because through these means, one can remember Allah (swt) and cleanse one’s spirit, but, sometimes a person is poor because he commits regular sin.

Imam Muhammed Al-Baqir (AS) has said,

 “When a person commits regular sins, then Allah (swt) closes the doors of sustenance”.

Imam Ali (AS) has said,

“Allah does not take away one’s happiness and peace only if he commits sins, because Allah does not do injustice to his creation."

This is the reason Dua Kumayl says;

“O Allah, forgive such sins that close the doors of sustenance and do not take away Your mercy and blessings”.  

To listen to music and to drink alcohol which Islam has forbidden, also decreases one’s sustenance and blessings.  Imam Ali (AS) willed that whichever home has alcohol, has music playing, and those who gamble, angels do not go near those homes and whoever lives in that home, their prayers will never be accepted. Also, troubles and disease arise in those homes. Dua Kumayl says;

“O Allah, forgive such sins that my prayers are not accepted”.

One person came to Imam Ali (AS) and complained,

“I pray a lot, but, my prayers are never accepted, why is Allah not listening to my prayers?” the Imam replied,

“Your heart has become black because of committing sins”.

Thereafter Ameerul Momineen explained:

You are praying, but you do not have hope that your prayers will be accepted, so what is the benefit in praying? You have belief in Allah and the Prophet of Allah, but you do not practice the message of Allah, so what is the benefit in having belief? 

You recite the holy Quran, but you do not follow what the Quran says, so what is the benefit in reciting the holy Quran? 

You say that you are afraid of the fire of Hell, but commit such sins that bring you closer to Hell, so what is the benefit of being afraid of the fire of Hell? 

You say that you want to go to Heaven, but you commit such sins that will keep you away from Heaven, so what is the benefit in wanting to go to Heaven? 

You eat the blessings of Allah, such as food and drink, but you are not grateful for these blessings, so what is the benefit in being ungrateful? 

Allah commanded you to keep enemies with Satan, you speak about your enmity with your tongue, but you do not have enmity in your deeds, so what has benefited you from befriending Satan?

You take out others’ mistakes, but do not look at your own mistakes, so what is the  benefit in taking out others’ mistakes? 

You have looked at many dead bodies and taken them to the graveyard, but you never thought that you will die one day and be taken to the graveyard, so what is the benefit in looking at the dead bodies?

After all these questions, Imam Ali (AS) said, 

“O people! You have committed so many sins that you, yourself, have closed the doors of having your prayers accepted.  O people! Have fear of Allah (swt), and do good deeds. Cleanse your soul, do not go towards sin, enjoin the good and forbid the evil.  When you will follow this advice, then, your prayers will be accepted. Until your heart is not clean, Allah (swt) will not listen to your prayers”.

Also, Imam Ali (AS) has said, 

“Sins are like a (veil) between Allah (swt) and man. Keep knocking on Allah (swt)’s door, one day will come when He will open the door”.

After this, Maula Ali (AS) has said, 

“Say your prayers on time, give charity to be closer to Allah (swt), abstain your tongue from swearing and have hope that your prayers will be accepted”.

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