Attend To Your Heart

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Abu Hurayrah (radhiAllahu anhu) narrated: Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhi wasallam) said,

Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts [and deeds].

[Muslim]

So the saying of the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhi wasallam), “but He looks at your hearts” shows that the matter is all about what is contained within the hearts.

In today's times when evil and corruption is so common and rife, we have to take upon ourselves to protect and guard our hearts from being corrupted. Always attend to your heart, constantly wash it until it is purified. How does one purify one's heart? There is no other way except by doing the opposite.

For example, if you are stingy with your wealth, you have to give more charity and you do it frequently and regularly, and you don't stop giving, even if it means giving a few dollars each time. You don't have to be a charitable foundation, giving out thousands or million of dollars, but you have to be sincere and consistent, with no expectation from the world. When you do this, all of sudden, you won't feel that you are losing anything whenever you give and giving becomes second nature to you because you now realize that you have been banking in your good deeds with Allah, Who gives far greater return than anyone can compensate you.

This applies to all other blameworthy traits you want to remove. One other example--if you spend a lot of time on the computer/internet, "researching" and reading things that don't concern you or looking at bad things or playing games, you should be outside more where you won't have your computer/internet, and to get you out of the private mode. Create a routine of outdoor activities for yourself like working in the yard and do some dhikir, going to the masjid and help the youth with their activities, walk around the block and contemplate on the creation of Allah, visit the sick in the hospital, and make a point to follow a funeral procession.

It is very important to perform the outward good actions and maintain them and increase in the good actions because only through these good actions that the good enters and fills the heart, leaving no room for the bad.

a. Be on time in performing the five daily prayers. A male must ensure that he performs Jumu'ah prayer and the obligatory prayer in congregation at the Masjid.

b. If you did not pray in the past, start making them up. Make a schedule--maybe adding one prayer to each current obligatory prayer.

c. Recite some portion of the Qur'an daily. It is also important to read the translation and commentary of the Qur'an daily. We recommend the following English translations: Muhsin Khan (Translation) and Sahih International (translation). Any translation of the Noble Qurãn must be accompanied with the Arabic text next to the translation. Tanzil.net is a good website to accomplish this if you don't have the mushaf with translation.

d. Recite the following three Tasbeehs any time in the morning or evening, 100 times Istighfaar, 100 times salawat upon Rasulullah. Try to do this in isolation and concentration.

e. Always display good character even in front of one's enemies.

f. Be good to your parents and your families, and give all rights due to other people.

g. Avoid intermingling with the opposite gender and lower one's gaze. Do not let the mind and heart be polluted with the form and shape of the opposite gender. That is death to spirituality.

g. Stay in the company of the pious. Bad company is detrimental to one's Iman and character.

h. Be conscious of life after death and accountability in the court of Allah Ta'ala. Keep in touch with reliable scholars. Seek their guidance.

h. Concern yourself with those things that you should be concerned with, i.e. your next life. Don't waste time and have no expectation of the world.

Give Me tears of your eyes, humility of your heart, and modesty of your body, then call on Me in the darkness of night to find Me as the One who answers soon. -- Hadith Qudsi

May Allah grant us tawfiq to the highest station. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam