Heart

Heart

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A heart is the most important part of a person because it is the “inner self” of any person. In Quran, this inner self is known as the “Qalb” or the “Heart”. What favors us (Muslims) in the sight of Allah (SWT) is the state of our heart. What will save us on the Day of Judgment is a sound heart. So we can say that heart is playing a very important role in our life and it has an amazing position in Islam.
When we have a pure heart then ultimately our character and soul will also be pure. The “Heart”, in Quranic terminology, is not just a piece of flesh in our body, but it is the center of all our feelings, emotions, desires, remembrance and attention. In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:
“Their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah” (Quran, 39:23). If you want the peace of heart and purity of your soul then remember Allah Almighty by heart.
There has always been an emphasis on improving our character in our religion Islam. The Prophet (SAW) said: “
Nothing is heavier on the believer’s Scale on the Day of Judgment than good character” (Tirmidhi). From above saying we can conclude that on The Day of Judgment a person’s good character and pure heart will matter. In another hadith ‘Abu Huraira narrated: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), said,
“Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments.”’ (Sahih Muslim)
Allah Almighty said in Quran:
“He has succeeded who purifies the soul, and he has failed who corrupts the soul.” (Quran, 91:9-10). We learn from the above Ayah that our success in the Hereafter depends upon the purification of our hearts in this life.
Therefore, focusing deliberately every day on improving the state of heart helps us gain good character and increase our overall productiveness. Below are some tips from Quran and Sunnah that help you to purify the heart and the soul of person or individual.
·Begin with Repentance: Sins are obstacles that restrict the opportunity to do good works; so begin your journey of purifying heart and soul with sincere repentance. In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:
·“Allah loves those who constantly repent” (Quran, 2:222). We can get Allah’s blessings and love while repenting. Our beloved Prophet (SAW) said that:
·“the best of creation, would seek repentance over 70 times a day; repentance from a sin reduces its sweetness – it discourages you from doing it again.”
·Pay Attention to your inner thoughts:
·Allah Almighty is so close to us that even the thoughts that occur in our minds are known to Allah (SWT). Whether it’s good or bad thought Allah knows. In Quran Allah says: “
·And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein” (Quran, 50:16).
·When we feel accountable to Allah for our thoughts, we intentionally judge the matter with understanding. We pay attention to our inner thoughts that help us to figure out other aspects of life and things about which we are focusing. By doing this we can increase our productivity, happiness and mental comfort.
·Perform Obligatory Prayers: Performing obligatory prayers is one of the obvious things that every one of us should do. Sound actions originate from sound states. If you are struggling to keep up with the prayers, look at the spiritual causes that might be hindering your access to this blessing. Actions are based on Intentions. So we need to check out our intentions that are we should be sincere in intentions if we want to seek Allah’s pleasure. We should have sound actions and sincere intentions behind every act of goodness just like performing prayers on time by heart. Allah says in Quran:
·“He has succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays.” (Quran, 87:14-15)
·Increase Small Acts of Kindness: When we tend to focus on our own mistakes rather than others, we become aware of all our deeds. Once we purify our heart we add good and beautiful things to it. Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran:”
·Take from their wealth a charity by which you cleanse them and purify them, and invoke blessings upon them.” (Quran, 92:103). Charity means not only giving wealth, but also giving people your time, your effort, and even a smile or a kind word.
·Read Quran Daily: Make it a routine to read the amount of Quran no matter its one page or few lines that you can read easily after one of the obligatory prayers daily. Allah Almighty says in Quran:
·“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.”(Quran, 13:28). Read Quran daily it is the greatest form of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah). Giving time to the Quran keeps us connected to Allah, making it more likely that we will consciously avoid sinning. It also helps in clearing our minds of unnecessary things, hence achieving clarity and peace.
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Allah mentions those who remember Him through Dhikr specifically in Surah Ale’ Imran, verse 181:
“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or (lying) on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying), ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You (above such a thing); then protect us from the punishment of the Fire’”.
Indeed, if Allah has mentioned those who engage in Dhikr, then He has truly bestowed uncountable and unimaginable rewards on them.

Benefits and Rewards

Dhikr, encompassing all good deeds like prayer, reciting Quran, and spreading Islam, carries the honor of being the best deed a Muslim can perform. As we can learn in this Hadith:
“Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the purest in the sight of your Lord, which raises your rank to the highest, which is better for you than spending gold and silver, better than meeting your enemy so that you strike at their necks and they strike at yours?’ They replied: ‘Yes, indeed,’ and he said: ‘It is the remembrance of Allah’” (Tirmidhi).
Subhan Allah! Engaging in Dhikr allows us to perform the best of actions and raises our rank to the highest in the eyes of Allah.

How to engage in Dhikr

Dhikr, in all of its benevolence, is not a hard task. Allah has eased everything in our religion for us, all for our benefit. He knows us inside and out, the weakness of the human we carry in ourselves, and He has made tasks simple and understandable for our ease. In order to attain the honorable level of a Dhakir, or a person who engages in Dhikr continuously, follow these simple but valuable steps:
Firstly, acknowledge Allah’s presence in your life. Allah has been your utmost caretaker. He controls your safety, your health, and your happiness. In order to develop a deep, pure love for our Creator, we must acknowledge that we are helpless without Him.
Every breath is in His control, and every heartbeat pumps with His permission. Answer these questions: How has Allah blessed me? How will I thank Allah and remember Him more often?
Next, you should engage in verbal utterances of Dhikr. Whenever you are free, for example, in the car, cooking, doing chores, you can gain reward by saying Dhikr like “Subhanallah” and “Alhamdulillah”.
These help you remember Allah’s Glory and thank Him. Allah loves those who engage much in His thanks. Also remember that it is not Allah Who is need of this Dhikr, but rather, it is you. You cleanse your heart, you purify your intentions, your mind is at utmost ease with constant Dhikr. And best of all, you are loved by Allah Himself.
Allah’s bounty is exemplified in this verse of the Quran about thanking Him: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you (in favor)”.
Now that you have reached a stage of constant remembrance of Allah, you should be grateful to Allah for reaching this level of excellence (Ihsan). Every action you take and every word you utter is carefully crafted around the fear and love of Allah. You have perfected your religion as much as you can, and that in itself is something worthy of praise. Subhan Allah!
Last but not least, it is unbefitting of a Muslim to engage in a good act and not advise his or her fellow Muslims regarding it. Now that you have reached the valued stance of a Dhakir, you should spread your knowledge about the goodness of the Deen. Share with others the rewards of Dhikr in the world and the Akhirah, and you will see the positive change in yourself and those around you.
Remember, we are only human and at first, engaging in constant remembrance may be difficult. Our hearts will desire to stop and rest. And you may do so. Do not force yourself to do more than you are able to. Do not be discouraged by any setbacks, but see them as steps of the beautiful journey you have embarked upon.
Let us reap these rewards and incorporate Allah’s remembrance more often into our lives. Let us live the rest of our lives with the shining hope of reaping the benevolent reward in the Hereafter. Let us not forget that with every utterance of Dhikr, a tree is planted for us in Jannah. Let us not put off good deeds to the side, for on the Day where there is no turning back, we will regret all the chances we had to do good.
Let us secure our wings of hope in the day that we, insha Allah, will be holding hands and entering our promised Jannah. Let us take advantage of every moment as a step on the staircase 1 towards meeting Allah.