Same Sin. Different Outcome: The Qur’an’s Lesson on Accountability
Bismillah
Ramadan is not just a month of fasting.
It’s a month of returning.
Returning to Allah.
Returning to sincerity.
Returning to the version of ourselves that doesn’t hide behind excuses — but stands in truth.
And one of the most powerful lessons the Qur’an teaches us before we even begin this blessed month is this:
Accountability is the doorway to repentance.
And blame is one of Shaytan’s greatest traps.
The Qur’an gives us a powerful contrast
There is a story in the Qur’an that holds a lesson for every believer who has ever fallen, struggled, or slipped.
Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) slipped.
Shaytan slipped.
Same test.
Same moment of disobedience.
But their response was completely different.
And that difference changed everything.
When Adam & Hawwa slipped… they turned inward
Adam and Hawwa (peace be upon them) didn’t deny what happened.
They didn’t blame each other.
They didn’t blame Shaytan.
They didn’t blame the environment.
Instead, they turned to Allah with humility and honesty and said:
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. And if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”
(Qur’an 7:23)
SubhanAllah — what a powerful statement.
They acknowledged their mistake.
They owned it.
They took responsibility.
And because of that, their slip didn’t become their destruction.
It became their doorway to Allah.
When Shaytan slipped… he pointed outward
Shaytan’s sin wasn’t just disobedience.
It was arrogance.
Instead of repenting, he blamed.
Instead of admitting fault, he justified.
Instead of humility, he demanded validation.
And what did he say?
“Because You misled me…”
(Qur’an 7:16)
“For leading me astray I will lie in ambush for them on Your Straight Path”
(Qur’an 7:16)
Shaytan framed himself as wronged.
He shifted the blame away from himself.
He refused accountability.
And that refusal sealed his fall.
The lesson: It wasn’t the sin… it was the response
Here’s the truth we need to sit with:
Adam sinned — but repented.
Shaytan sinned — but justified.
Adam’s mistake became a means of forgiveness.
Shaytan’s mistake became a means of distance.
So it wasn’t the mistake itself that destroyed Shaytan…
It was his refusal to take responsibility.
Blame is one of Shaytan’s favourite weapons
This is why blaming others is so dangerous.
Because blame doesn’t just protect your ego — it blocks your heart from repentance.
Shaytan whispers:
“It’s not your fault.”
“They pushed you to it.”
“You’re justified.”
“You had no choice.”
“You’re the victim.”
And the more we accept those whispers, the harder it becomes to say:
“Ya Allah, I was wrong.”
Ramadan is the month to return
Ramadan is the perfect time to reflect:
What habits have I been excusing?
What sins have I been justifying?
What apologies have I been delaying?
What accountability have I been avoiding?
Because Ramadan doesn’t begin with productivity.
It begins with purification.
And repentance is not just tears — it’s truth.
It’s the courage to admit:
“I did wrong.”
“I need Allah.”
“I want to change.”
Start Ramadan like Adam (AS), not like Shaytan
Every time we slip, we stand at a crossroads:
Adam’s response:
“I was wrong. Ya Allah forgive me.”
Shaytan’s response:
“It’s not my fault.”
One response leads to nearness.
The other leads to pride.
So as Ramadan approaches, let’s make this intention:
✨ I will take accountability.
✨ I will stop blaming others.
✨ I will repent sincerely.
✨ I will return to Allah.
Because Allah SWT loves the one who repents.
A Ramadan reminder
You don’t have to be perfect to begin Ramadan.
You just have to be honest.
And the most beloved hearts to Allah are not the ones who never slip…
But the ones who return quickly.
Want support for your Ramadan journey?
If you’re preparing your heart for Ramadan and want a gentle structure to help you stay consistent, reflect daily, and reconnect with Allah…
✨ The Deen Diaries Ramadan Journal was created for you.
It includes:
Daily reflections + prompts
Spiritual check-ins
Dua space + gratitude pages
Ramadan goals and planning
Heart-softening reminders
🌙 Start Ramadan with repentance, reflection, and intention.
With love & Dua’s
Deen Diaries