(22)  Towards salvation of the heart. part (1)

There are two points to discuss in this regard:

  A-Identifying the heart and its importance

  B- Why is it important to salvage the heart?

The heart is the deep feeling that represents our behavior. We are not talking about the actual muscle of the heart, but understanding faith in Allah (SWT) and Islam.

The heart is the most faithful thing in the human being. It represents the honesty and high morals, and directs everything. The heart is the king of our body and all other parts are its followers. If the heart is healthy, then the functions of all other parts are healthy. The opposite is also true, an unhealthy heart leads to an unhealthy body.

Some scholars said: “The heart is the center of faith and the chest where Islam resides.”

Allah (SWT) said: “Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.” (Qaf, 37)

Question: Is it possible that you have a heart which you don’t know is healthy or not? If it is alive or dead?.

A- Why is it important to salvage the heart?

The heart is the highest level of honesty and values.  When the heart is straight, your work is straight. When the heart is spoiled, your work is spoiled.

In the Hadith: “Our body has a small heart, if it is healthy our body is healthy, but if it is ill our body is ill.” (AL Bukhari, 52).

Prophet Luqman (PH) slaughtered a sheep and his master asked him to bring the best parts of the sheep to him. Luqman (PH) brought him the heart and the tongue.

 He slaughtered another sheep and his master asked Luqman (PH) to bring the worst parts and he brought again the heart and the tongue. Meaning, the heart and tongue represent us, if they are good, then we are good. If they are bad, then we are bad.

The heart is the window that Allah (SWT) sees His slaves through. In the Hadith “Allah does not look at your face or your body, but He looks in your heart”. ( Muslim, 4651 ).

B- The heart is the source of communication with Allah (SWT).

Allah (SWT) said: “Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.” (Hajj, 46)

Allah (SWT) also said: “Many are the Jinns and men we have made for Hell: They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle, – nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning).” (Al-Araf, 179)

The righteous healthy heart is the reason of rescue on the Day of Judgment. Allah (SWT) said: “The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart.” (Ash-Shu’ara, 88-89).

Allah (SWT) also said: “This is what was promised for you, – for every one who turned (to Allah in sincere repentance, who kept (His Law), who feared the Most Gracious Unseen, and brought a heart turned in devotion (to Him).” (Qaf, 32-33)

The heart is an unstable part and keeps changing. Hearts do not stay stable for a long time unless its owner is in grave danger.

Allah (SWT) said: “O ye who believe! Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall (all) be gathered.” (Al-Anfal, 24)

Allah (SWT) also said: “We shall turn to (confusion) their hearts and their eyes, even as they refused to believe in this in the first instance: We shall leave them in their trespassing, to wander in distraction.” (Al-An’am, 110) 

The heart may alternate between good deeds and bad deeds, good faith and weak faith. So always be on your guard against your heart changing.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a supplication: “O Allah (SWT), Who can change hearts, I invoke You that to fix my Islamic faith in my heart. (At – Tirmeezih, 3522 ).

We ask Allah (SWT) to keep our hearts firm in our Islamic faith.

Written by: Dr. Ahmed Shaheen

Professor in Al-Azhar University

And Islamic American University

Translated by: Abdullah Zettili