Have you checked your heart?
Since 2012-11-27
This is for you; righteousness seeker: to take a new stand of self-questioning, so make sure it would be an honest stand.
Praise be to Allah the Almighty, bliss Giver, who has no peers or partners, and peace be upon His Messenger, the example of the pious, his household and companions.
Muslim brother: the faithful always judge themselves, they accuse themselves of negligence and shortcomings, and they struggle themselves till they straighten on the right path.
This is for you; righteousness seeker: to take a new stand of self-questioning, so make sure it would be an honest stand.
The heart! What a wonderful organ! What a wonderful lump of flesh!
The heart is the vessel which you could fill with either goodness or evil.
The heart! The knowing was keen to purify it from evil and sins. Have you checked your heart? Have you examined its inner motivators? What does it hold inside? Is it your wellbeing, or is it your doom?
The heart! What an unstable organ!
“And We will turn away their hearts and their eyes just as they refused to believe in it the first time. And We will leave them in their transgression, wandering blindly.” [Al-An'am 6:110]
{وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ}
الأنعام: 110
Transliteration: Wanuqallibu afidatahum waabsarahum kama lam yuminoo bihi awwala marratin wanatharuhum fee tughyanihim yaAAmahoona
Abdullah ibn 'Umar said: "The oath of the Prophet used to be: "No, by Him who turns the hearts." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
‹‹- أكثر ما كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يحلف: (لا ومقلب القلوب) ››
صحيح البخاري
My Muslim brother: your goodness depends on the goodness of your heart, as stated by the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said: "Beware, there is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound and if it is corrupt the whole body is corrupt, and hearken it is the heart" [narrated by An-Nu'man ibn Bashir in Sahih Muslim]
‹‹ألا وإن في الجسد مضغة، إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهي: القلب››
صحيح مسلم
You should check and reform this piece of flesh as long as your goodness is dependent on it.
The hearts are full of wonders, and happy are those who would check the heart, fix and purify it.
So many people have neglected their hearts to the point that their harm became momentous, even spreading it around!
These, my Muslim brother, are honest stands with the heart. Judge yourself with each one of them. The first one is:
Where does your heart stand from sincere faith?
Faith is a high degree of believing by which Allah the Almighty addresses His faithful slaves, He also condemns those who fake the faith which is not revered in their hearts!
Allah the Almighty said: “The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts.” [Al-Hujurat 49:14]
{قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آَمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ}
الحجرات: 14
Transliteration: Qalati alaAArabu amanna qul lam tuminoo walakin qooloo aslamna walamma yadkhuli aleemanu fee quloobikum
Faith has a strange effect on the heart. A faithful believer has a strong bond with Allah, satisfied with what satisfies Him, angry with what angers Him. He loves for Allah's sake. He hates for Allah's sake.
The most faithful people who embraced this concept are the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, Allah the Almighty has told us about their faith: “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah - they are the successful.” [Al-Mujadilah 58:22]
{لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآَخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آَبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ}
المجادلة: 22
Transliteration: La tajidu qawman yuminoona biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri yuwaddoona man hadda Allaha warasoolahu walaw kanoo abaahum aw abnaahum aw ikhwanahum aw AAasheeratahum olaika kataba fee quloobihimu aleemana waayyadahum biroohin minhu wayudkhiluhum jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu khalideena feeha radiya Allahu AAanhum waradoo AAanhu olaika hizbu Allahi ala inna hizba Allahi humu almuflihoona
Imam Al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "those who do not make friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred; for such He has written faith in their hearts, which means He deemed faith to their hearts."
Al-Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "He mentioned hearts in particular because they are the home of faith."
Muslim brother: if you wished to do something that is satisfactory to you and your whims; would you please yourself rather than please Allah the Almighty?
In such a situation your true faith is manifested. A true believer will not venture to do anything without considering the consequences; if the deed pleases Allah he will do it, if not, he will refrain from doing it.
Have you checked the goodness in your heart?
You should know that a righteous heart is where you can find love and goodness, if such a heart accompanies the good inside with performing good deeds, the reward will be from Allah.
Allah the Almighty said: “O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the captives, "If Allah knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."” [Al-Anfal 8:70]
{قُلْ لِمَنْ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ مِنَ الْأَسْرَى إِنْ يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِمَّا أُخِذَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ}
الأنفال: 70
Transliteration: Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu qul liman fee aydeekum mina alasra in yaAAlami Allahu fee quloobikum khayran yutikum khayran mimma okhitha minkum wayaghfir lakum waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun
This verse was revealed in the Badr captives; when the Prophet, peace be upon him, imposed that they pay ransom, among the captives was Al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him, who was already a Muslim and paid some forty ounces to ransom himself. After that he said: " What I like is that this verse is not revealed on us, and I have nothing in the world because Allah has given me better than what He took from me a hundredfold, and I hope He had forgiven me."
Do you have a grateful heart?
When the heart is a thanking one, it is a sign of goodness, where is your heart among the thankful hearts?
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "a grateful heart, a tongue oft-mentioning Allah, and a good wife aiding you in worldly and religious affairs; are the best things to be treasured by people". [Narrators: Abu Umamah, Thawban, and Ali ibn Abi Talib – authenticated by Al-Albani, Sahih Al-Jami': 4409]
‹‹ قلب شاكر و لسان ذاكر و زوجة صالحة تعينك على أمر دنياك و دينك خير ما أكتنز الناس››
صحيح الألباني
Where are you from the humble heart?!
Humbleness in the heart is its subjugation and humility to Allah the Almighty, so where is your share of this?
The humbleness of the heart is a great thing which is overlooked by heedless hearts, because of its importance, the Prophet, peace be upon him, told us that it is the first thing to be removed from this nation!
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The first thing to be removed from this nation is humbleness; so that you would not even see a one humble man" [Narrator: Abu Darda' authenticated by Al-Albani, Sahih Al-Targheeb: 542].
‹‹أول شيء يُرفع من هذه الأمة الخشوع؛ حتى لا ترى فيها خاشعًا››
صحيح الألباني
The hearts of the majority have declined to be humble for Allah the Almighty, and have been taken over by negligence and lustrous desires!
Where are you from the soft and tender heart?
The tenderness and softness of the heart are the windows from where goodness enters the heart. People with tender harts are more apt to benefit from advice and preaching; have you checked your heart to see if it softens if approached by advices?
Allah the Almighty said: “Allah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah leaves astray - for him there is no guide.” [Az-Zumar 39:23]
{اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُتَشَابِهًا مَثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ}
الزمر: 23
Transliteration: Allahu nazzala ahsana alhadeethi kitaban mutashabihan mathaniya taqshaAAirru minhu juloodu allatheena yakhshawna rabbahum thumma taleenu julooduhum waquloobuhum ila thikri Allahi thalika huda Allahi yahdee bihi man yashao waman yudlili Allahu fama lahu min hadin
Muslim brother: the Qur'an is the greatest preacher; how do you find your heart after listening to its verses?
In the previous verse, Allah the Almighty has described those who fear Him: their skin shivers and their hearts soften when they hear His words. If this kind of fear inhabits the heart it will have a wondrous effect on its holder.
Thabit Al-Banani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "So and so said:" I know when I am being answered to, they said: How do you know that?! He said: If my skin shivers, my heart fears, and my eyes overflow, it is when I am being answered to".
Where is your heart from the reverence and fear of Allah the Almighty?!
The fear of Allah the Almighty is the motto of the righteous and the banner of the knowing.
If the heart is inhabited by fearing Allah the Almighty, and if it realized His majesty, and the severity of His wrath; fear and dread will be stirred within.
The Most fearful people of Allah the Almighty are those who have knowledge, and all the true believers who worship Allah knowingly.
Allah said: “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely -” [Al-Anfal 8:2]
{إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آَيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ}
الأنفال: 2
Transliteration: Innama almuminoona allatheena itha thukira Allahu wajilat quloobuhum waitha tuliyat AAalayhim ayatuhu zadathum eemanan waAAala rabbihim yatawakkaloona
Al-Qurtubi said: "Allah describes the believers in this verse as feeling fear when He is mentioned; because of the strength of their faith, and honor to their Lord; as if they are between His hands."
Muslim brother: The fear of Allah the Almighty has captured the hearts of the truthful, as if they were seeing the punishment of Allah the Almighty and His vengeance!
Al-Hassan al-Basry, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "whoever fears Him is a believer and whoever feels safe against His wrath is a hypocrite".
Abu-Suleiman Al-Darani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "whenever fear leaves a heart, the heart is ruined".
You can find the faithful performing acts of worship for Allah the Almighty, yet they are afraid that their deeds will not be accepted.
'Aishah (the wife of the Prophet), may Allah be pleased with her, said: "I asked Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, about this Verse: “And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful...” [Al-Mu’minoon 23:60]
{وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آَتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ...}
المؤمنون: 60
Transliteration: Waallatheena yutoona ma ataw waquloobuhum wajilatun
She added: "Are these who drink alcoholic drinks and steal?" Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, replied: "No! O the daughter of As-Siddiq, but they are those who fast, pray, and practice charity and they are afraid that (their good) deeds may not be accepted from them". [Narrator: 'Aishah, authenticated by Al-Albani – Sahih Al-Termidhi: 3175]
‹‹ سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن هذه الآية {والذين يؤتون ما آتوا وقلوبهم وجلة} قالت عائشة: أهم الذين يشربون الخمر ويسرقون قال لا يا بنت الصديق ولكنهم الذين يصومون ويصلون ويتصدقون وهم يخافون أن لا تقبل منهم...››
صحيح الألباني
O poor soul! Remember the seizure of Allah the Almighty and His severe punishment! You are inevitably coming to Him, as Allah Almighty says: “So on that Day, none will punish [as severely] as His punishment, (25) And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers].” [Al-Fajr 89:25-26]
{فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ (25) وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ}
الفجر: 25-26
Transliteration: Fayawmaithin la yuAAaththibu AAathabahu ahadun (25) Wala yoothiqu wathaqahu ahadun
O seeker of survival: check your heart; can you find the fear of Allah the Almighty?! If you cannot, you should hasten to heal it; as you are in a great danger!
Ibn al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "one of the greatest calamities to man is to learn about a shortcoming of himself, and yet he does not mind, or mourn it!"
Do you have a pure heart?!
The purity of the heart is the most valuable prize won by the believer; it is the path to the approval of Allah the Almighty and to His Paradise. And he whose heart is pure, all his limbs will be pure from sins, his good deeds will be clear, and in the Day of Resurrection he will join the survivors!
Allah the Almighty said about His Messenger Abraham, peace be upon him: “disgrace me on the Day they are [all] resurrected - (87) The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart."” [Ash-Shu'ara' 26:87-89]
{وَلَا تُخْزِنِي يَوْمَ يُبْعَثُونَ (87) يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ (88) إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ}
الشعراء: 87-89
Transliteration: Wala tukhzinee yawma yubAAathoona (87) Yawma la yanfaAAu malun wala banoona (88) Illa man ata Allaha biqalbin saleemin
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "a healthy pure heart is the heart of the believer; because the heart of the atheist and the hypocrite is diseased; Allah the Almighty said: “In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy)”
{فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ}
Transliteration: Fee quloobihim maradun
Abu Othman al-Sayyari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "it is the heart which is empty of innovation, which is at ease with the Sunnah."
Al-Dhahak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "it is the pure and sound (heart)."
Qurtubi said about this statement of Al-Dhahak: "This statement combines all other statements in its generality in meaning; the heart is pure of any reprehensible qualities, and it is characterized by the beautiful descriptions, and God knows best"
Muslim brother: that is the safety of the heart, have you judged yourself so that you will be worthy of becoming one of the safe people?
How many people who, if one felt a slight pain in his heart would panic and hurry to the physician! And perform all lab tests, and pay dearly for this!
But these poor people are negligent to the moral heart disease; which is more serious than transient pain felt by someone!
They search for the physical safety of their hearts with the physician, not the moral safety with the Holy Book of Allah and His laws.
The moral heart disease is undoubtedly more serious than the physical heart diseases; the physician may heal them, but the moral heart disease may get worse to the point that it throws its holder into hellfire.
Wake up you heedless! Judge yourself, do you have a pure heart? Is your heart morally sound and healthy, healthy that it will help your limbs perform righteous deeds?
Do not forget to invoke Allah to keep your heart firm; abiding by His religion; you are not firm unless Allah the Almighty keeps you firm.
Shahr ibn Huwaishib asked Umm Salamah (the wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him): O Mother of the Believers! What was the most supplication by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, when he was in your house? She said: "his most supplication was: "O Controller of the hearts keep my heart firm on your religion", she said: "So I said: O Messenger of Allah your most repeated supplication is O Controller of the hearts keep my heart firm on your religion?! He said: "O Umm Salamah, there is not a human being but whose heart is between two fingers of Allah, whomever He wishes He keeps firm, and whomever He wishes He sends astray" [Narrator: Shahr ibn Huwaishib authenticated by Al-Albani, Sahih al-Tirmidhi: 3522]
‹‹كان أكثر دعائه يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك قالت فقلت يا رسول الله ما أكثر دعاءك يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك قال يا أم سلمة إنه ليس آدمي إلا وقلبه بين أصبعين من أصابع الله فمن شاء أقام ومن شاء أزاغ... ››
صحيح الترمذي وصححه الألباني
Make sure my Muslim brother to persist in performing this supplication; it is the best to win; to reform your life, because if you find help and assistances from Allah the Almighty, things will go smoothly and your heart will straighten.
Beware of committing sins!
The sin is the poison of the hearts... their biggest ailment!
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "the consequences of sins are that they blind the vision of the heart, blur its light, and block paths of knowledge and guidance!"
Muslim brother: people are so heedless; they are indulgent in having fun, so that their hearts are invaded by so many diseases!
Few people are those who checked their hearts, so their words and actions became righteous.
Check your heart, leave negligence; nothing will be better to reform your heart.
Maintain its purity, as you maintain the purity of your clothes; guard it off the moral diseases; as you guard it off the physical diseases.
Do not forget to invoke Allah the Almighty to keep your heart firm on His guidance.
Praise be to Allah the Almighty and peace and blessings be on His Prophet, and his household and companions.
Azhari Ahmed Mahmoud
Publisher: Dar Ibn Khuzaymah
Site of Islamic Booklets
Translated by Wathakker.info website
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