In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.[Bukhari and Muslim]
Thus the good heart is the foundation for every good and righteousness and the corrupted heart is the foundation of every evil.
The heart is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an. One of the mentioned du'a (supplication) of Prophet Ibrahim 'alayhissalaam, beseeches to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala (the Exalted and Glorified):
وَلَا تُخْزِنِي يَوْمَ يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾ يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّـهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ ﴿٨٩٨﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّـهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ ﴿٨٩[Qur'an Al-Shu’ara 26:88-89]
And do not disgrace me on the Day they are [all] resurrected - (87) The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart. (89)
If the heart is corrupted, every act of worship becomes corrupted, and our whole life becomes tainted. The heart is corrupted by committing acts of sins or disbelief. The Prophet (sallahu alayhi wassallam) said, When a slave (a person) commits a sin (an evil deed) a black dot is dotted on his heart. There are some sins which we are not aware of committing that leave black spots on our heart, and these are the ones which we should be most watchful of.
A common example is backbiting and lying. It has become very common everywhere. Internet social media, blogging, and youtube have made it especially easy and dangerous. Another common disaster is showing-off, and it is actually a kind of hidden shirk. If you find in yourself signs of a sick heart, look out especially for these hidden sins.
Our hearts can be categorized into three types: Dead, Sick and Healthy.
The Dead Heart
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ.[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:7]
Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment. (7)
This is a heart which cannot connect with its Lord. Allah has taken away its vision, so that it can’t see the light of revelation. He has taken away its hearing so that it can’t hear anyone calling it to the truth. It becomes completely heedless, and it will go wherever its desires want it to go. Allah said about people with this kind of heart in the Qur'an,
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:17-18]
Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see. (17) Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path]. (18)
When does Allah seal the heart of His slave? When the slave becomes too immersed in transgression, Allah makes his path towards transgression easier.
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ.[Qur'an, Al-Lail 92:10]
We will ease him toward difficulty. (10)
فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ.[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:10]
In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. (10)
Therefore the death of their heart is their own fault.
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَاقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِم بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ الْأَنبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ ۚ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا *.[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:155]
And [We cursed them] for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allah and their killing of the prophets without right and their saying, "Our hearts are wrapped". Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few. (155)
We must make sure we never ever reach this stage.
The Sick Heart
This is the heart which is not yet dead, but is affected with disease. A heart could have varying intensities of sickness, from mild to severe.
Allah gives the following parable in the Qur'an:
وْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِم مِّنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ ﴿١٩﴾ يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّـهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿٢٠[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:19-20]
Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allah is encompassing of the disbelievers. (19) The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (20)
Allah is giving a warning to those with a sick heart, that if Allah wished, He could have put a seal on our hearts, but he hasn’t done it yet, and so we should treat our disease promptly.
In order to cure the heart, it needs to be purified first from all kinds of filth like envy, hypocrisy, arrogance, gluttony and other diseases.
Allah Almighty says,
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ[Qur'an, Al-A'la 87:14]
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself.
The first step towards purification is repentance and lots of istighfar.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said" When a slave (a person) commits a sin (an evil deed) a black dot is dotted on his heart. Then if that person gives up that evil deed (sin), begs Allah to forgive him, and repents, then his heart is cleared (from that heart covering dot); but if he repeats the evil deed (sin), then that covering is increased till his heart is completely covered with it. And this is Ar-Ran that Allah mentioned (in the Qur'an): "No! Rather, the stain (Ar-Ran) has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. (14)” [Qur'an, Al-Mutaffifin 83:14] [Tirmidhi]
Recite the Qur'an and reflect on it. Reciting the Qur'an itself is purifying even if we don’t understand the meaning. Therefore, a believer should not abandon the Qur'an. Recite a portion of the Qur'an daily and reflect on the verses. Allah calls the Quran shifa, i.e. medicine for the heart.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ[Qur'an, Yunus 10:57]
O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. (57)
Practice patience. Patience in the face of trials is purifying. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said,
The Fitan (trials, tests) are offered to the hearts, just as the straws that are sewn into a woven mat, one after another. Any heart that accepts the Fitan, then a black dot will be engraved on it. Any heart that rejects the Fitan, then a white dot will be engraved on it. The hearts will therefore become two categories: white, just like the barren rock; no Fitnah shall ever harm this category as long as the heavens and earth still exist. Another category is black, just as the cup that is turned upside down, for this heart does not recognize righteousness or renounce evil.[Muslim]
Pay zakat and give extra charity. Another form of purification is through zakat and charity. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said" "Charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire." [Tirmidhi]
Supplicate often. There are many du'a to cure the heart. The best du'a is of course that which comes from the heart.
Shahr bin Haushab reported: I asked Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her), "O Mother of the Believers, which supplication did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) make frequently when he was in your house?" She said: "He (ﷺ) supplicated frequently:
يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك
Ya muqallibal-qulubi, thabbit qalbi 'ala dinika
O Controller of the hearts make my heart steadfast in Your religion. [At- Tirmidhi].
'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicated:
اللهم مصرف القلوب صرف قلوبنا على طاعتك
Allahumma musarrifal-qulubi, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atika
O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience. [Muslim]
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ ...
... "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. (8) [Qur'an, AleImran 3:8]
The Healthy Heart
This is the heart which is pure. It is free of any kind of disease. It loves its Lord and loves obeying Him. It finds doing good deeds easy and is horrified and disgusted with disobedience.
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ o إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ.[Qur'an, Ash-Shu'ara 26:88-89]
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart. (89)
This is the heart we must strive to have and maintain till we meet our Lord.
May Allah purify our hearts and grant us noble character and help us to bring to Him a sound heart. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment