The Five Cures for the Heart

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan al-Qushayri (r.a.) recorded, in his Risalah al-Qushayriyyah, that Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Khawwasw (q.s.) was a friend of Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi (q.s.), and Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abu al-Husayn an-Nuri (q.s.).  He had vast knowledge of trust in God and spiritual self-discipline.  He died at Rayy in the year 291.  He suffered from a stomach disease. Therefore, each time he had to stand up, he had to perform a major ablution. Once he entered water, and passed away there. 

He wrote, “I heard that Muhammad ibn al-Husayn (r.a.) said, ‘I heard that Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Ja’far said, ‘I heard that al-Azdi said, ‘I heard that al-Khawwasw said, ‘Five things serve as a cure for the heart: a thoughtful reading of the Qur’an, an empty stomach, night vigils, supplications in the early morning, and keeping the company of the righteous.’’’’”