“Beware, in the body there is a piece of flesh; 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.” Sahih Muslim (Book 22, Hadith 133)
Have you ever felt like you had negative thoughts seeping in, the urgency and excitement to converse with Allah get lesser, and the guilt when Allah’s commands are unheeded wane over time? As though your heart starts to blur the lines between the good and the bad, stops feeling the sweetness of ibadah and becomes impartial to the countless advice given by the people around him? These are signs of a heart that has started to harden.
In these times, tirades towards our faith as Muslims, are numerous and ardent. Scepticism is plenty and persevering through these trials may be like “ holding onto a burning ember”. However, if any of us were to find ourselves relating to any of these symptoms, it is time we decisively contemplate and apprehend what our hearts are becoming. One may be too guilt ridden in this situation, influenced by the whispers of shaitan that it may even be too late. But rest assured, Islam is the religion of Ar- Raheem. Redemption is always an option. Our hearts are still beating, which attests to the fact that Allah is waiting for us to turn back to him; an opportunity enough for one to revive his heart. With this in mind, Serving Islam Team presents the topic of this year’s convention Healing Hearts.
Allah has blessed us with many ways to heal our wavering and suasible hearts. One such remedy is the Quran, which indisputably can calm the worried and soothe the nervous. This book of Allah, that if we maintain close relations with, will ultimately not only guide us through our trials but also help us find solace and understanding within its words.
This brings us to another remedy that goes hand in hand with the Quran, which is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He had a purified heart himself and was a paragon of exemplary character and being we could all emulate. He showed us ways of acting in a manner that keeps our hearts soft, of maintaining noble character.
We may also find ourselves filled with warmth and hope through servitude; to act out of selflessness and generosity. It helps us stay focused on our ultimate goal that is to please Allah and also remember that just as we help, we will be in need of a helping hand one day too. Therefore, service can be another way of rectifying our hearts.
Yet beneficial knowledge is what would elicit lucrative deeds, thus, we could also fortify our hearts through knowledge of our deen. One may go on a truth seeking journey that helps him regain love for his religion and remember why this journey was started in the first place. It would help us see how the Prophets, his companions, the taba’in spent their lives with the kind of temperament we all can learn from. Akhlaq can also be learned by obtaining such knowledge. Embodying noble character traits, fostering harmony within ourselves and with our communities can be truly transformative on our journey to healing our hearts.
Hearts can also be appeased by talking to As- Sami (the perpetual hearer). If you’ve felt the sweetness of salah, of bowing down to talk to your Lord after a particularly hard time, you might’ve realised that it is also indeed, one of the most effective ways of softening and humbling our hearts before the creator of the universe.
And all these actions would be prompted by our love for Allah. To have love for Allah, and hence for His creations is something that continues to soften the mu’min’s heart. It sets the reminder that one is doing it all for Allah. Mu’adh binJabal narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: ‘Those who love each other for the sake of My Majesty shall be upon podiums of light, and they will be admired by the Prophets and the martyrs.”
However, maintaining such humility and love requires having a substantial degree of consciousness and grasp on our spiritual selves. In this day and age, remaining open to our emotions and having the strength to feel them is a valuable trait to possess, with emotional expression being more abstract and more confusing than ever. Notwithstanding the norms of being emotionally unavailable, Islam on the other hand encourages emotional vulnerability and intimacy, with your Lord, with others and with oneself, and such amenability may lead to profound transformations in healing one’s heart.
Having said that, the journey to Healing our Hearts can be an enriching journey, as Islam has granted us with many means of absolution and healing. There may be setbacks along the way, and surely it may be a formidable and challenging experience, but Allah has given us the chance, as we are alive today, to revive and heal our hearts. Our learned guest speakers will inform us more deeply, how the methods mentioned can be utilised to lead to the spiritual growth of our hearts.
1. “There shall come upon the people a time in which the one who is patient upon his religion will be like the one holding onto a burning ember.” Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2260
2. Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2390, Book 36, Hadith 87