Recently attended a lecture by Shaykh Mufti Kamaluddin Ahmed in Lahore the topic of which was coming closer to Allah but I think that it was more about hearts. I feel that the talk was something everyone should know about so I thought I would write it down for myself and others.
Man’s life will be ruled by one of three things in his lifetime, his desires (nafs), his intellect or his heart. The best of these to live life by is the heart however because desires can be unlimited and the current ideology on this, is to live life the way you want and do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt others. Allah however has added two more conditions, don’t hurt yourself and your afterlife also. The problem with living life by intellect is that it is limited and somethings are beyond the comprehension of the intellect. All three are important however but the heart should reign supreme.
What has Allah told us about the heart in the Quran?
1. We must strive to have a pure heart
2. Allah sent the Quran to the Prophet’s heart – “Say (O Muhammad, to mankind) who is enemy to Gabriel! For he it is who hath revealed (this scripture) to thy heart by God’s leave.” (2:97)
3. Quran is guidance for those who make their heart their Imaan
4. We need to open our hearts to the Quran
The Quran is experienced in three ways:
Recite – Words – Tongue
Translation – Meaning – Mind
Feelings – Heart
“Lo! therein verily is a reminder for him who hath a heart” (50:37)
There are three types of hearts mentioned in the Quran:
1. Blind-Dead Heart
2. Sealed Heart – “And their hearts are sealed, so that they apprehend not.” (9:87)
3. Hard Heart (This happens when you question excessively just to argue or criticize) “Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of God. Such are in plain error.” (39: 22)
A hard heart has pride in it. A hard heart will not go to heaven. Also it is a heart that does not humble itself when afflicted by a calamity. Allah hands such people over to Shaitaan who beautifies their sins to them. They have forgotten all the good things they knew. They live a life in contradiction with Quran and Sunnah.
What are the signs of having a diseased?
1. This person no longer feels a longing for Allah and the Afterlife. His thinking is limited to this world. He is scared of death. Believers on the other hand think of death as a bridge to their Beloved.
2. Their nafs rules their lives
3. They feel no hesitation in sinning in front of Allah but don’t sin in front of people
4. Finds it hard to do good deeds
5. Do not like good advice/criticism/questions
“And obey not him whose heart we have made heedless of Our Remembrance, who followeth his own lust.” (18:28)
“In their hearts is a disease, and God increaseth their disease. (2:10)
The main symptom of having a sick/diseased heart is that such a person oscillates between good and down. There are ups and downs in his/her faith and relationship with Allah and others.
A pure heart is referred to as a pure heart (Kalb e Saleem) and has two components which are a loving heart (kalb e muneeb) and a soft heart. A loving heart is one that yearns for Allah and is attained through building a relationship with Allah and frequent remembrance of Him. “Verily in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (13:28)
A soft heart is attained by building a good relationship with people around you and being soft hearted towards them.
How is one soft hearted towards other people?
1. Forgiving people who you don’t like or have bad feelings towards
2. Praying to Allah for these people to be forgiven as well
3. Consult with them and stay in touch/friends with them to ensure you are soft hearted.
May Allah make us all pure hearted and of those who shall enter Jannah.
“The day when wealth and sons avail not (any man). Save him who bringeth unto God a whole heart“ (26: 88-89)
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