Straitened Heart

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah says,

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَلَكَهُۥ يَنَـٰبِيعَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُۥ حُطَـٰمًا ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٢١

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding. (21)

[Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:21]

مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ﴿١٨﴾ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ﴿١٩﴾ ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ﴿٢٠﴾ ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقْبَرَهُۥ ﴿٢١﴾ ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ﴿٢٢﴾ كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ﴿٢٣﴾ فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ﴿٢٤﴾ أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا ٱلْمَآءَ صَبًّا ﴿٢٥﴾ ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ شَقًّا ﴿٢٦﴾ فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا ﴿٢٧﴾ وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا ﴿٢٨﴾ وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلًا ﴿٢٩﴾ وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلْبًا ﴿٣٠﴾ وَفَـٰكِهَةً وَأَبًّا ﴿٣١﴾ مَّتَـٰعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَـٰمِكُمْ ﴿٣٢﴾ فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ﴿٣٣﴾ يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ ﴿٣٤﴾ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ﴿٣٥﴾ وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ﴿٣٦

From what substance did He create him? (18) From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; (19) Then He eased the way for him; (20) Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him. (21) Then when He wills, He will resurrect him. (22) No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him. (23) Then let mankind look at his food - (24) How We poured down water in torrents, (25) Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], (26) And caused to grow within it grain (27) And grapes and herbage (28) And olive and palm trees (29) And gardens of dense shrubbery (30) And fruit and grass - (31) [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock. (32) But when there comes the Deafening Blast (33) On the Day a man will flee from his brother (34) And his mother and his father (35) And his wife and his children, (36)

[Qur'an 'Abasa 80:18-36]

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًا ﴿٦﴾ وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا ﴿٧﴾ وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ﴿٨﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا ﴿٩﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا ﴿١٠﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا ﴿١١﴾ وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا ﴿١٢﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا ﴿١٣﴾ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءً ثَجَّاجًا ﴿١٤﴾ لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا ﴿١٥﴾ وَجَنَّـٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا ﴿١٦﴾ إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًا ﴿١٧

Have We not made the earth a resting place? (6) And the mountains as stakes? (7) And We created you in pairs (8) And made your sleep [a means for] rest (9) And made the night as clothing (10) And made the day for livelihood (11) And constructed above you seven strong [heavens] (12) And made [therein] a burning lamp (13) And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water (14) That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation (15) And gardens of entwined growth. (16) Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time - (17)

[Qur'an An-Naba 78:6-17]

One's heart is capable of learning lessons and receiving benefits by deliberating into Divine signs of creation in the heavens and the earth, particularly so by deliberating in his own creation. Similar is the case with other signs of Allah revealed in the form of scriptures and injunctions. But there is a heart that is straitened or hardened. This heart belongs to the one who is hard-hearted, having no mercy for anyone, and remains totally unaffected by the need to remember Allah and follow His injunctions.

May Allah make us among those people of understanding and taqwa. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam