Healing the Heart

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from Imam ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad’s (q.s.) an-Naswa’ih ad-Diniyyah. 

We must devote our attention to the heart and our inner state.  Indeed the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Allah does not look at your faces and your deeds.  He only looks to your hearts and your intentions.” 

We must make our words a reality through our action, and make our actions a reality through our intention and our sincerity.  And we must make our intention and our sincerity a reality through the purification of our inner being and the soundness of our heart, for our heart is our cardinal point around which all else revolves. 

It has been narrated in a hadits, “Beware!  In the body is a morsel of flesh when it is sound, the whole body follows suit and becomes sound; and when it sickens, the body sickens likewise.  Indeed it is your heart!” 

It is an obligation to take care of the heart and to exert an effort to its health and to strengthening it. The heart, known in Arabic as the qalb, is susceptible to perturbation, turning and change, known in Arabic as at-taqallab, so much so that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “It changes much faster than the cooking pot as it boils.”  And he used to frequently supplicate thus: “O Changer of Hearts, Hold my heart steadfastly upon Your religion.”  And used to say, “Hearts are in the Finger-Clasp of the All-Merciful One.  If He Wills, He Holds them steadfastly upon righteousness.  And if He Wills, they go astray from it.”  And when the Prophet (s.a.w.) wanted to be emphatic in an oath, he would say, “No, in the Name of He Who Changes hearts.” 

The Exalted Says the Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), al-Khalil, His Friend, said: 

سُوۡرَةُ الشُّعَرَاء

وَلَا تُخۡزِنِى يَوۡمَ يُبۡعَثُونَ (٨٧) يَوۡمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ۬ وَلَا بَنُونَ (٨٨) إِلَّا مَنۡ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلۡبٍ۬ سَلِيمٍ۬ (٨٩) 

“And let me not be in disgrace on the Day when (men) will be raised up ― The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart.” (Surah ash-Shu’ara:87-89) 

We must show the utmost concern to come to our Lord with a heart sound and free from associating partners, hypocrisy, innovation, vile characteristics like arrogance, ostentation, envy and dishonesty towards the Muslims and vices of that nature.  We must seek Allah’s (s.w.t.) Assistance and be steadfast.  And work hard and exert ourselves and say often: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغۡ قُلُوبَنَا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَيۡتَنَا وَهَبۡ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةً‌ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ (٨) 

“Our Lord!  Let not our hearts deviate now after You have Guided us, but Grant us Mercy from You: for You are the Grantor of Bounties without Measure.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:8)



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