Introduction: The Importance of Healing the Heart in Islam
ALL PRAISE IS DUE TO ALLAH, peace and blessings be upon the Last Prophet. Know, O beloved reader, that it is most important to spend one's time and energy in treating the heart and hastening to correct and purify it from sickness and all sins. This is due to the heart occupying a great and lofty position in Islam, for it is the place to which the Lord looks and the storehouse for tawhid, faith, and sincerity.
The Heart’s Foundation in Islam
Actions are distinguished, one from the other, with respect to their excellence in the Sight of Allah in accordance with the condition of the heart, not by their number or form, but rather due to the strength of the caller, his or her truthfulness, his or her sincerity, and the extent to which he or she prefers Allah over himself or herself. The heart forms the foundation; it is the owner of the limbs, and the limbs are its soldiers. When the owner becomes purified, its soldiers become purified, and when the owner becomes sullied, then its soldiers become sullied.
The Cure for a Sick Heart in Islam
Al-Hafiz ibn Hajr al-'Asqalani, may Allah have mercy upon him and nourish us with his knowledge, said: “The heart has been singled out for this because it is the leader of the body, and through the purification of the leader, the subjects become purified, and with his corruption, they become corrupted.” So if you, O servant of Allah, if wish to cure your heart, then it is upon you to be truthful with regards to seeking refuge with Allah and putting your trust in Him, to pray a great deal of supererogatory prayers, to perform the actions of obedience to Allah frequently, to pray the night prayer while the people are sleeping, and to treat your heart by making it continuously stick to the remembrances and by befriending only the righteous... and to frequently recite the Qur'an. May Allah allow all of this to be preserved by Him.
The Keys to the Life of the Heart
1. Reflecting on the Qur'an
Ibn ul-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “The keys to the life of the heart lie in reflecting upon the Qur'an, being humble before Allah in secret, and leaving sins.” Allah, the Most High, said: “A Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may take heed” [Surah Sad (38): 29]. Amongst its blessings is that the one who recites even one word of it then he has a reward, and this reward is increased tenfold, as mentioned in the hadith reported by at-Tirmidhi.
2. Being Humble Before Allah
Amongst its blessings is that the one who reads it and acts upon it shall not be misguided in this world, nor fall into distress and misery in the Hereafter as stated by Ibn 'Abbas (radiy Allahu anhu) in the commentary to the verse: “...whoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor fall into distress and misery” [Surah Ta-Ha (20):123]. Amongst its blessings is that the one who learns it and teaches it is from the best of people as occurs in the hadith reported by al-Bukhari: “The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and then teaches it.”
3. Leaving Sins
Amongst its blessings is that it will be an intercessor on the Day of Judgment for its companions who used to act by it in this world as occurs in the two hadiths reported by Muslim in his Sahih. Allah informed us that He revealed the Qur'an so that its meanings, commands, and prohibitions may be reflected over, such that if one were to come across a verse commanding something, then he should follow it. If one were to come across a verse forbidding something, then he should leave it. If one were to come across a verse concerning the Mercy of Allah, then he would hope for this Mercy and ask for it. If one were to come across a verse threatening with punishment, then he would fear this and seek refuge with Allah from it. If one were to come across a verse concerning the glorification of Allah, then he would glorify Allah, and through this faith, knowledge, guidance, and taqwa will increase.
4. Humility and Seeking Forgiveness
Amongst the ways of giving life to the heart is to be humble to Allah in secret. Meaning to desire and long for Allah through supplication, seeking forgiveness, turning to Him, asking for victory, Paradise, and shelter from Hellfire at the time when Allah descends to the lowest Heaven in the last third of the night, as occurs in the authentic hadith: “Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven when a third of the night remains, saying: Who is supplicating to Me that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me that I may give him? Who is seeking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?”
5. Leaving the Sins that Kill the Heart
This hadith contains encouragement to stand in the last part of the night, praying, supplicating, and asking for forgiveness, Paradise, and safety from the Fire, and supplicating for good in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, Allah has commanded us with supplication and promised to reply. And from the ways of giving life to the heart is to leave the sins that kill it, as in the hadith: “When the servant performs a sin, a black spot appears on his heart, and if he seeks forgiveness, this black spot is removed; and if he returns to sin, the black spot grows until his heart becomes black.” This is the “ran” about which Allah spoke: “Nay! But on their hearts is the covering of sins (ran) which they used to earn” [Surah al-Mutaffifin (83):14].
Conclusion: Implementing the Cure for a Sick Heart
So my Muslim brothers and sisters, this is a treatise by Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah concerning the topic, 'Diseases of the Hearts and their Cures.' I found it amongst his 'Fatawa' and saw it to be a beautiful work, containing many benefits. So it is upon you, O Muslim, to hurry to distribute this amongst your beloved friends and your brothers so that perchance Allah may correct their hearts and Allah's aid is sought.
Reference:
Diseases of the hearts and their cures
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (May Allah have mercy upon him).
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