You love spring! When spring finally arrives, you throw yourself out to enjoy days getting longer, flowers blooming, and the weather warming. You wanted to do the same this year, too, and went out for a walk in the park. But something strange happened: Your eyes began to water, your throat itched, and a sneeze burst out with alarming force. Moments later, another sneeze followed, then another. When you went to the doctor, you were diagnosed with seasonal allergies. From now on, you have to be careful and take them into account wherever you go.

This story is familiar to many people. Allergic disease is one of the most common chronic health conditions in the world. Hay fever affects 400 million individuals globally, with asthma affecting 300 million, food allergies between 200 and 250 million, and drug allergies affecting around 10 percent of the world’s population. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 2013 data show that about 28 million children in the United States have allergies. As many as 50 million adults may experience reactions to allergens. The World Allergy Organization warns that “the prevalence of allergic diseases worldwide is rising dramatically in both developed and developing countries.”

Allergens, or molecules with the potential to cause allergy, are everywhere in our environment. They can take the form of tree pollen, food, mold, dust mites, snake or insect venom, and animals, such as cats, dogs, and even cockroaches. Allergic reactions begin in the immune system. When a harmless substance such as dust, mold, or pollen is encountered by a person who is allergic to it, the immune system may overreact by producing antibodies that "attack" the allergen. This can cause wheezing, itching, runny nose, watery or itchy eyes, and other symptoms. People with a family history of allergies have an increased risk of developing allergic disease. If one parent is allergic, there is a 30-50% chance of their offspring developing allergies. This jumps to 60-80% if both parents are allergic.

Allergies can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Generally, allergies are more common in children. However, a first-time occurrence can happen at any age, or recur after many years of remission. Hormones, stress, smoke, perfume, or environmental irritants may also play a role in the development or severity of allergies. Hay fever (allergic rhinitis), eczema, hives, asthma, and food allergy are some types of allergic diseases. Allergy symptoms can range from mild to a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Spiritual allergies

Humans are not only biological beings. Many things that happen in the human body usually have corresponding phenomena happening in our spiritual world. What would be the spiritual allergens? Just as allergens trigger reactions in the body, what would reveal the weaknesses of the soul? Are our sins comparable to allergens?

We turn to our religious traditions to inquire about the nature of spiritual allergens and what to do about them. For instance, in John 8:7, Jesus reminded his followers not to judge others harshly, since no one is free from faults. In Sahih Muslim, Prophet Muhammad taught that Satan recognized this human nature from the very beginning—that people would struggle with desires they could not always control. The Prophet also emphasized that sin is part of the human condition, but God’s mercy is always available to those who seek forgiveness.

Together, these teachings highlight the parallel: just as we live with allergies by managing and protecting ourselves, we live with our spiritual vulnerabilities by turning to God with humility, compassion, and a constant need for forgiveness.

Allergens can be inhaled, ingested, or enter through the skin. Common allergic reactions—such as hay fever, certain types of asthma, and hives—are linked to an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). For example, a person may react to one type of pollen but not another. When a susceptible person is exposed, the body produces large amounts of IgE antibodies, so that the next encounter with the same allergen can trigger an allergic reaction. Symptoms vary depending on the type and amount of allergen, as well as how the immune system responds. The most effective way to avoid allergies is to stay away from the allergens themselves.

In a similar way, we are exposed to different kinds of sins, and each person may be more vulnerable to some than to others. The Qur’an cautions, “Do not come near indecencies, openly or secretly.” Just as allergens require avoidance, moral weaknesses call for vigilance. People may have tendencies toward certain sins due to their nature, but refining and correcting these inclinations requires willpower. Our task is to recognize our vulnerabilities and take steps to guard against them—just as we protect ourselves from allergens.

There is a common saying: “No one is innocent of a sin they have never been tested with." In his book Julius Ceasar, Shakespeare says that “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves,” suggesting that people make mistakes not because of their fate, but due to their own choices and weaknesses. Allergies can stem from a person’s genetic background, but we cannot know if we are allergic to something without being exposed to it. Unlike allergens, however, the tendency toward sin is not determined by fate but is a matter of willful choice. Resisting sin, therefore, requires exercising willpower. The Qur’an reminds us: “Whatever good happens to you is from God; and whatever misfortune befalls you is because of your own actions.”

Adult-onset allergies are allergy symptoms that appear later in life. This can happen anytime from young adulthood, such as in one’s 20s, to the senior years, even into the 70s or 80s. Typically, if someone passes through their 20s and 30s without developing new allergies, the chances of experiencing adult-onset allergies decrease The strangest part, however, is that you can suddenly react to an allergen that never bothered you before. You may have lived with it daily for years without a problem, and then one day it triggers a runny nose, itchy eyes, and uncontrollable sneezing. Similarly, susceptibility to sin may emerge later in life. Saying, “I have no weakness in this regard,” is never fully accurate. A person must always remain vigilant against their own desires and as noted earlier, take care to block the paths to sin from the very beginning.

The first exposure to an allergen that triggers a Type 2 immune response is called allergic sensitization. Once the body has been sensitized, it retains a lasting memory of that substance. On the next encounter, IgE molecules are primed to unleash a cascade of inflammatory agents—such as histamine—causing the unpleasant and sometimes even life-threatening symptoms of allergy. As a counterpart to this in the spiritual realm, Said Nursi says that “Sin, penetrating to the heart, will blacken and darken it until it extinguishes the light of belief. Within each sin is a path leading to unbelief. Unless that sin is swiftly obliterated by seeking God’s pardon, it will grow from a worm into a snake that gnaws on the heart.”

The recent rise in allergic diseases suggests that changing environmental factors play a major role in sensitization. Exposures during the first months of life can shape the risk of developing allergies later in childhood. In a similar way, access to sin has become easier in today’s world. The environment in which a child grows up directly influences character. With technology now permeating every aspect of life, personal privacy has weakened, making it far easier—especially for children—to encounter sin. For this reason, adults must remain vigilant not only for themselves but also for the young. Just as parents try to limit their children’s exposure to harmful allergens, they must also take measures to shield them from harmful moral influences and protect their well-being.

Recent studies show that initial sensitization to airborne allergens often occurs in early childhood.  However, only a subset of those affected later progress to persistent atopic asthma, which may not appear for several years. Similarly, if developing tendencies toward sin are not appropriately addressed early on, they can lead to much greater sins in later in life, which may become impossible to prevent or resist.

Migrants often show a higher prevalence of asthma and food allergies in their adopted countries compared to their countries of origin, reminding us how deeply the environment shapes our well-being. Allergens such as pollen are not the only spring triggers—air pollution and temperature changes can also worsen symptoms. Still, this does not mean we should lock ourselves indoors.

In a similar way, our social environment also influences our character and values. Changing environments can sometimes lead people to lose touch with their traditions, highlighting the importance of staying grounded in community. As a Turkish proverb says, “Tell me who your friend is, and I will tell you who you are.” Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also taught that believers who live among others with patience and perseverance are rewarded more than those who isolate themselves.

Just as we cannot remove every allergen from the air we breathe, we cannot isolate ourselves completely from society. The task is not withdrawal but learning how to live within community while nurturing what is good, so that together we can raise the moral and spiritual level of society.

Humankind has been created with a tendency toward sin and has been given the ability to choose between good and evil. This demonstrates that this world is a place of trial and that there is an eternal afterlife. The highest level a person can attain in this world is to know themselves, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, organize their life accordingly, and fully exercise their willpower.

References

• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergies-and-the-immunesystem#:~:text=A%20person%20becomes%20allergic%20when,races%2C%20genders%20and%20socioeconomic%20statuses.
• https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2023/march/adult-onset-allergies-how-they-happen-and-how-to-manage-them
• https://www.carolinaasthma.com/blog/what-causes-a-person-to-develop-allergies/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321159#4-Prepare-an-emergency-action-plan
• https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children
• Reynolds, L. A., & Finlay, B. B. (2017). Early life factors that affect allergy development. Nature Reviews Immunology, 17(8), 518-528. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri.2017.39
• Holt, P. G., Macaubas, C., Stumbles, P. A., & Sly, P. D. (1999). The role of allergy in the development of asthma. Nature, 402(6760), 12-17. https://doi.org/10.1038/35037009
• https://www.bbc.com/news/health-46302780
• Muslim, Birr 111; Ahmed b. Hanbal, Musnad, III, 240.
• Surah Al-An'am, 151.
• Surah An-Nisa, 79.
• The Flashes, The Second Flash. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi.