Encompassed in the Heart

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.) narrated, in his Kitab az-Zuhd, from Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Wahb ibn Munabbih asw-Swana’ani adz-Dzamari (r.a.): “Allah (s.w.t.) Opened the Heavens to Ezekiel (a.s.) until he beheld the very Throne, whereupon He (a.s.) said, ‘Glory to You, what Greatness is Yours, O my Lord!’ 

Allah (s.w.t.) Said, ‘Verily the Heavens and Earth are unable to encompass Me, and the devoted, soft heart of My faithful servant is able to encompass Me.’” 

This was also reported by Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali (q.s.), in his Ihya’ ‘Ulum ad-Din, and in Nuzhat al-Majalis wa Muntakhab al-Nafa’ by Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Abd as-Salaam asw-Swufuri ash-Shafi’i (r.a.).  Allah (s.w.t.) Said that neither His Heavens and His Earth can contain Him except the heart of a believer. 

When anyone looks for Allah (s.w.t.), they should look in their heart.  It would be best to find a place, preferably the last third of the night, when the world is asleep.  And then sit quietly on the sajadah and open the heart.  Through the pains and hurts and sorrows, through the joys and warmth and yearning, there He Is.  When one has an Opening, they will understand that we spend all our lives looking at things and yet seeing nothing for we are enamoured with only images.  We look at the world around us by virtue of light, but do we see the Light?


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