Distance the Heart from all Worldly Evils and Desires The more a heart is inclined toward worldly attractions and desires, the gloomier is the condition of such a heart. This is because such superficial charms can never bring lasting peace to a person. Furthermore, when such false charms fail to live up to their promises, it further compounds to ones disappointments. Ibn Al-Qayyim stated in his book Al-Fawwaid that the lowest description of a man’s heart is that he loves and aspires to this worldly life instead of to Allah, the Almighty. When man’s love, knowledge and aspiration is directed in this worldly way, the heart becomes narrow and gloomy as it is distant from the source of its revival and life. One of the ways to get reality checks that can remind us of the temporary nature of the charms of this world is to visit the graves often. The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa sallam had said, “I used to forbid you from visiting the graves in the early part of Islam. But now I command you to visit them for [such visits] soften the heart, bring tears to the eyes, and serve as a reminder of the Hereafter, [but be careful] not to speak forbidden expressions [i.e. while visiting] .”(Sahih al-Jaami’ 4584) Conclusion Finally, let us remind ourselves that devotion (by engaging the heart) is key for our actions to be accepted. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “..if actions were useful without devotion, He (Allah) would never have dispraised the hypocrites.” Let us, therefore, assess our deeds in light of the devotion of our hearts.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 10:21:12 +0000
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