Al-Fatihah: Turning Sleep Into Ibadah (Act of Worship)

{It is You we worship and You we ask for help.} (Al-Fatihah 1:5)

A Muslim recites Surah Al-Fatihah multiple times daily, the words roll easily off our lips. But do we really understand the words we’re saying?

In this series, Dr. Yasir Qadhi breaks down Surah Al-Fatihah in bite-size pieces. He explains the Surah in a way that both the beginner and the more learned Muslim can reflect upon.

The essence of worship

To properly worship our Creator, we need to understand the true meaning of worship – to serve Allah (Subhanahu wa ta`ala).

To attain worship level 100, this requires ibadah. What is ibadah, you ask? 

Do you know there are 3 levels of ibadah? Or that you can turn the mundanest of tasks into rewarded acts of worship (HINT: It has to do with your heart)?

Rewarded for prayer and sleep?

Today, try this exercise. Everything you do, from household chores to praying, visualize Allah standing in front of you. After all, He does see everything.

By visualizing this, we will see an increase of ibadah.

When we expand our consciousness of Allah, there is great potential in obtaining rewards in all tasks, both ritualistic tasks (prayer, fasting, Hajj) and worldly everyday tasks (working, grocery shopping, even being intimate with your spouse). 

Asking friends for help or asking Allah the Almighty?

Have you thought about what it really means when we say, ‘wa iyyaka nasta`een’? 

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta`la) wants us to only ask Him for help but what about that heavy piece of furniture that you need help moving? Surely asking a friend to help is alright, right?

By investing in ourselves and spending a few minutes watching this video, we will understand what ibadah is and how to obtain it.   - aboutislam.net

When the Heart is Clean, Something Amazing Happens!

 When the heart is clean of anything that competes with Allah, something really amazing happens. Everything that the person loves will be through, by, and because of Allah; and that you will be left loving only what Allah loves and not loving what Allah does not love.

Once this happens, obedience is a direct consequence. Because your love is in line with of what Allah wants.

There is a very beautiful dua:

“O Allah, I want that I do not want except what You want.”

That is the heart that’s cleaned of anything competing with the love of Allah.

Getting Nearer to Him

Consider this: Allah says in talking about the nearness of Allah that a slave does not do anything more is nearing to Allah other than the obligations. Those are the things which Allah loves most.

And when the slave continues to do those things and then do the nafl, the extra prayers, the extra fast… that person continues to do those things until something amazing happens! Allah said:

… until I love him.

So how do we get the love of Allah?

We focus on the obligatory first and then he adds nafl, and then Allah loves that servant.

And once that happens, now this is amazing! Allah says:

Then I become his hearing with which he hears, his sights in which he sees, his hands with which he strikes…

In this hadith Allah is describing a state where everything you do is in line with what Allah loves; and it comes naturally because you have gone to a state where you are acting upon your love of Allah.

- aboutislam.net

About Yasmin Mogahed

Yasmin Mogahed received her B.S. Degree in Psychology and her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing her graduate work, she taught Islamic Studies and served as a youth coordinator. She also worked as a writing instructor at Cardinal Stritch University and a staff columnist for the Islam section of InFocus News. Currently she’s an instructor for  AlMaghrib Institute, a writer for the Huffington Post, an international speaker, and author, where she focuses most of her work on spiritual and personal development. Yasmin recently released her new book, Reclaim Your Heart, which is now available worldwide. Visit her website, yasminmogahed.com , where you can find a collection of her articles, poetry, and lectures. 

Is Religion Too Much for Your Children?

 

Faith and religion are important to every God-fearing family when it comes to raising a child.

Written on the side of every Islamic school and children’s play center is the infamous Arabic proverb that says what it means in English: 

“Instruction in youth is like etching in stone.”  That’s not very far from the Biblical proverb that says, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I am sure that if time allowed, one would find that each and every culture is full of proverbs that mean the same as the above because it is a proven human tendency that children reflect how they have been raised.

Raising children is no easy task and it is the burden of everyone that comes in contact with the child.

This is the reason that parents will also do their best to make sure that their child is surrounded by examples of people they approve of.

The conviction of faith sometimes causes parents to draw very tight strings around their children. 

But when can religion be too much for children?  When does adherence to faith become dangerous?

Going Too Far…

Can religion go too far when it comes to children?  Is devoted servitude to God too much to ask of a child?

I will admit that like any God-fearing Muslim mother, I consider it my duty to teach my children how to be good Muslims.

One interpretation of the Glorious Qur’an explains that Allah states,

“And I have not created mankind and Jinn kind except to worship me.”

Teaching my children how to worship Allah is as important as teaching them not to touch the hot stove because both are saving them from grave consequences.

Mark Galli states in his article “Focus on Grace, Not Control” that,

“Parents who are attracted to religion because it gives them a sense of control can sometimes act too authoritatively toward their children.”

I understand his argument and I am thankful that Islam has taken the middle path.

Muslims are to raise their children and have mercy on their age, frail bodies and growing minds.

I instruct my children with all that Allah has commanded His servants with and I explain the beauty and the wisdom of all His commands.

There have been times when rather than ask if the religion was too much for the children, I have asked myself if I think that was Allah’s intention. 

Some issues such as hijab, prayers and manners may need a little customizing, while other issues such as diet and cleanliness do not.

My Daughter’s Headscarf

My eldest daughter has been wearing a headscarf since she was seven years old.

It was what she wanted and when I tried to trick her into going out without it, we never got very far because of the scene she would make.

At that age, I know that she just wanted to imitate mommy, just like every girl plays house with a pocketbook and heels…like mommy.

As she got older, I gave her many opportunities to change her mind and not wear the scarf.

The religion does not obligate her to wear a scarf until puberty and I plan on offering her the choice to remove it until she reaches puberty.

I know of others who actually insist that their girls start to wear the scarf at the age of six and seven. 

I was afraid that if I forced my daughter to wear it at such a young age, when it finally came to time for her to have to wear the scarf, she would not want to anymore.

I was afraid that if she wore the scarf without understanding its importance and significance, she would burn out.

Without love of hijab in her heart, burn out would be easy because the reward of Allah would not keep her strong and focused.

Islam commands that children begin to pray the obligatory five prayers at the age of seven.

As expected, seven year olds can only achieve a certain level of commitment and dedication.

The same narration that commands the seven year old to prayers, considers the growing mind of the seven year old and ends in stating,

“And discipline them if they refuse to do so by age ten.”

The religion of Islam has mercy built in.  If anyone were to claim that Islam is harsh on children, they have to blame the people and not the religion. 

Mankind sometimes takes matters into his own hands and messes it all up.

Islam has been sent by Allah with perfection and for this reason, I am convinced that all falsities come from the hand of man.

What Punishment Do You Use?

Islamic manners very easily can run into tradition more than religion.  The general consensus is that Muslim children should be generous, fair, truthful, polite, neat and obedient to parents and adults.  That makes enough sense…right?

Well what happens when your child tells a lie and lying is against your religious doctrine?

Will soap in the mouth, bed with no dinner or a beating whip the lying tendency out of the child?  I certainly say not.

I do say that children of any and every age should not be allowed to lie.

Parents have to customize their discipline tactics so that they are effective but not excessive.

Parents must show their children mercy as Allah shows on His creation.

How else can we teach our children about mercy and forgiveness if we do not show that example?

The diet and cleanliness of a Muslim are measures that allow no room for interpretation or personal opinions.

Pork is absolutely prohibited in Islam unless it is a life and death situation; Notice the mercy factor, yet again.

Meat should be slaughtered in the name of Allah and with a sharpened knife to alleviate unnecessary pain to the animal.

I don’t give my children the option of choice when it comes to our dietary laws.

“Allah has commanded such for your own good.  You show your gratefulness through your obedience,”

is what I preach to my children.

Their hygiene is another topic of unwavering submission to Islamic law.

Again where one might ask if religion is too much, I would argue and say that Islam is inclusive of all aspects of life, thorough, perfect…but not too much.

Proper cleansing after using the bathroom, ablution before prayer and full showers protect our health.

There are skeptics that say that religious upbringing can stifle children.

Others claim that religious upbringing can be oppressive.

The current debate poses the question,

“With children, when does religion go too far?”

My response to that question is precise and nonnegotiable.

With children, religion goes too far when the religion is other than Islam.

Allah has blessed and safeguarded Islam with mercy, the mercy that He shows to us, which obliges us as parents, to show to our children as we raise them.

First published: February 2013

- aboutislam.net

About Dorothy Salah

Dorothy Salah is an ESL teacher boasting 10+ years experience with both adults and adolescences. She currently works as a English/Arabic interpreter in Ohio. She enjoys writing and lecturing about the empowerment of American Muslims both home and abroad.

Do You Put Your Time to Good Use? What Islam Says

 

Time as a Divine Blessing from Allah

{It is He who made the sun a shining radiance and the moon a light, determining phases for it so that you might know the number of years and how to calculate time. Allah did not create all these without a true purpose; He explains His signs to those who understand.

In the succession of night and day, and in what Allah created in the heavens and earth, there truly are signs for those who ward off (evil).} (Yunus 10:5-6)

Time is a great blessing of Allah. It is also His blessing that He taught us the ways to calculate time and to know the number of months and years. Calculation of time is part of human civilization and culture. It helps us to keep track of time for our worship, work and life. It helps us to learn about the past and plan for the future.

Islam gives a lot of importance to time and reminds the believers to be conscious of time in their life. Islam does not emphasize only the calculation of time but it gives a lot of importance to quality of time. We should not only count time but also make our time countable.

How Humans Waste Their Most Precious Resource

Unfortunately we human beings waste a lot of our precious time. It is said that in a lifetime the average American spends about 184,000 hours (almost 21 years) watching television and/or surfing the internet. We also spend about 2-3 years’ time opening the junk mail or reading and deleting junk emails.

A wise man once asked, ‘What is the most valuable thing on earth for a human being? And what is the worst thing on earth for a human being?’ For both the answer he gave was, ‘Time.’ Everything in this world, he said, is acquired in time. By losing time we lose everything, even ourselves.

Allah Almighty reminds us in the Quran that in the movement of time and in the succession and variation (ikhtilaf) of the days and nights there are signs for those who wish to be mindful of Allah and grateful to Him (Al-Furqan 25:62).

Each one of us has 24 hours every day at our disposal. There are those who use their time wisely and accomplish a lot. There are also those who waste their time.

Time is a non-renewable and non-replaceable resource. If you lose your money you may get it back; if you lose any of your possessions you may find them or replace them, but no one can get back the time that is gone.

The Importance of Time in the Quran

Surat Al-`Asr is a very short Surah. It does not take much time to read it or to memorize it. However, it gives a very profound lesson and carries with it volumes of meanings. The whole human history is a witness to what is said in this Surah. Allah says,

{By the (passing) time, man is [deep] in loss, except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.} (Al-`Asr 103)

In several other Surahs we are reminded about the passing nature of time and how important it is to pay attention to every day and night, nay to every moment. Allah says:

{By the daybreak, by the Ten Nights, by the even and the odd, by the passing night—is this oath strong enough for a person of reason?} (Al-Fajr 89:1-5)

{By the enshrouding night, by the radiant day, by His creation of male and female! The ways you take differ greatly.} (Al-Lail 92:1-4)

{By the morning hours and by the night when it grows still.} (AD-Duha 93:1-2)

Time as a Trust in Islam

Time is a blessing (ni`mah) and it is also a trust (amanah) of Allah. It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not swear at time, because it is Allah Who is time.” (Muslim)

The scholars say this is a metaphorical (majaz) way of speaking. The meaning is that it is Allah who has created time and it is He who has given it to you. It is important that we use every moment wisely and do good and useful things. If we do wrong we should not blame time but ourselves.

Striking a Balanced Use of Time

Islam teaches us that we should manage our time in a proper and balanced way:

• Some time we should devote to our Lord and Creator by doing the acts of worship, remembering and thanking Him.
• We should give time to ourselves taking care of our physical needs.
• Also, we need to spend some time in study, Halal (lawful) earning and useful work.
• We should also dedicate some time to our families, our spouses, children and for other social needs.
• Sometime we should give to voluntary and charitable work to help others.

Watch out!

We should not spoil our time by committing sins or wasting it  in useless things. Let us not just count our days, weeks, months and years; let us make them countable and valuable in this life and in the eternal life.

Let us make them blessed for us as well as for others. We have to be conscious of every moment of our life and keep in mind that we shall have to give the account of every moment. On the Day of Judgment Allah will ask:

{He will say, ‘How many years were you on earth?’ They will reply, ‘We stayed a day or a part of a day, but ask those who keep count.’

He will say, ‘You stayed but a little, if you had only known.

Did you think We had created you in vain, and that you would not be brought back to Us?’} (Al-Mu’minun 23:112-115)

4 Critical Questions

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained this: In a hadith reported by Mu`adh ibn Jabal, the Prophet said,

“The feet of any person shall not move from their place o n the Day of Judgment until he/she is asked about four things:

About his life, in which deeds he spent it?

About his youth, how he utilized it?

About his wealth, how did he earn it and how did he spend it?

About his knowledge, what did he do based on it?“ (At-Tabarani)

These are very serious questions. No one can avoid answering them or give false answers. Let us use our time in such a way that on that Day we would not regret or be ashamed and embarrassed by our answers.

May Allah bless us and keep us on the right path. Ameen.

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi is the Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America

Real Talk: Is a Wife Obligated to Cook, Clean & Raise Kids?

 

To put it simply: no, a woman is not obligated to do housework.

Yes, you can easily find a number of “Islamic” websites that list housework as a woman’s duty, but the fact of the matter is that these claims are not backed up with proof.

In fact, in my research, I have not even come up with any indication that raising children lies solely on women (another common claim).

So, what are a wife’s responsibilities?

Protecting their husbands’ house and property

It is mentioned in Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi that one responsibility of a wife is to guard her husband’s property while he is away, and not to allow anyone into the home who he does not want there.

Allowing their husbands to be qawwam

The subject of qawwam is another interesting and misunderstood one. It is mentioned in the Quran that men are qawwam over women.

The meaning of qawwam in Arabic implies that it is a role of caretaking and protecting – not one of guardianship, ownership, or lordship.

Though it is not a position of superiority, it is one of responsibility.

Therefore a husband can Islamically make final decisions in a family, though it is not permissible for him to act like a dictator, doing whatever he pleases.

Acting in such a way, after all, is not truly qawwam.

Sex

It is well-known, and oft-repeated that a husband has the right to intercourse with his wife.

It is, however, also important to bear in mind that a wife has the right to intercourse with her husband, as well. Indeed, it is the right of a man, but it is not his right alone.

Whose responsibility, then, is housework?

It is not uncommon in the Middle East for there to be a full-time maid employed in order to care for housework.

So does that mean that we Muslim women in the West, where such things are unheard of, are saddled with the work? 

As usual, the best answer to this question lies in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

Prophet Muhammad: A Real Man

A’isha, when asked what the Prophet used to do in his house, answered,

He used to keep himself busy serving his family, and when it was time for prayer, he would go for it. (Bukhari)

What’s interesting about this Hadith is that, in Arabic, the word “mihnah” is used for “busy serving.”

This word also gives the implication that something is a job, meaning that the Prophet wasn’t “helping out” his wives – he was engaging in his duty, his job.

Another interesting Hadith collected by Bukhari quotes A’isha as saying:

He did what one of you would do in his house. He mended sandals and patched garments and sewed.

This Hadith is important because it highlights that it wasn’t something that only the Prophet Muhammad did.

Rather, it was commonplace for men to do such things, effectively weeding out the argument that men nowadays couldn’t possibly be held to such rigorous standards that only the Prophet himself could fulfill.

On the contrary, all ordinary men did such things.

What about raising children?

There is little debate that raising children is largely the responsibility of the wife.

It is accepted as fact, explained by stating that women are “caring in nature.”

While it is true that many women are caring in nature, not all are.

Likewise, many men are even more caring than women!

And when you dig deep into the topic, you discover that there is no evidence that gives the sole responsibility of child-rearing to women.

There are many examples in the Sunnah of the Prophet being a loving and engaged father.

And while it may be true that historically much of child-rearing has been done by women, there is no indication that it is a woman’s Islamic duty to take on the bulk of the responsibility.

Discuss Things!

Islam does not dictate household responsibilities to the wife.

What is clear, however, is that you and your husband are very welcome to come up with an agreement about who is responsible for this or that chore.

There are many common misconceptions regarding the responsibilities of Muslim women, but you will often find that they are culturally-motivated, and have no proper place in Islam.

The best advice I have: talk with your husband, explain your perspective, and provide this evidence that it is equally his responsibility as it is yours, citing Prophet Muhammad’s example as proof.

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Leah Mallery

Leah is a Muslim convert of almost a decade. She has two kids, an intercultural marriage, and half of a French degree in her back pocket, looking to switch gears to science and medicine. She has lived abroad for over a decade, having just recently become reacquainted with her roots in America. She currently lives in Michigan near her family and – masha’Allah – a sizeable Muslim community.

5 Ways to Spiritually Prepare for Ramadan

 

As Ramadan approaches, we are all growing in anticipation. Whether this is your first Ramadan or you’ve had a lifetime of Ramadan’s, each year we enter this blessed month is a time of spiritual cleansing and rejuvenation.

We embark on a month-long journey of increased worship, striving to strengthen our relationship with our Creator and seeking forgiveness.

Imagine for a moment that a special visitor was coming to visit your home. Most likely, you would clean the house, prepare refreshments, and ensure the family was fully prepared to welcome this visitor and make them feel at home.

Ramadan is our annual special visitor, except instead of visiting your home, Ramadan visits our hearts.

Just as we would prepare our homes, it is time to prepare our hearts. Here are five ways to get spiritually prepared for Ramadan.

1 -Correct Your Intention

Islam puts a lot of focus on intention, and for good reason.

It is not necessarily what you do that matters the most, but rather why you did it and for whom.

As we draw closer to Ramadan, think about your intentions. Remind yourself why the Qu’ran commands us to fast during Ramadan.

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.” [Al-Baqarah 2:183]

English translations are never 100% correct, but it is understood that this verse is indicating that fasting is decreed for us so that we may attain taqwa, or righteousness.

This is the key to every Ramadan and every day of our lives.

Taqwa, in its simplest definition, means to attain God-consciousness.

Taqwa is what drives our actions to have the love and fear of Allah (swt) behind them.

It empowers our rituals and daily habits to be acts of worship instead of meaningless acts.

If you are consciously aware of your faith and ask yourself, “Is this what Allah wants me to do?” then you are showing signs of increasing taqwa.

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” [Al-Hujurat 49:13]

Again, we see the Qu’ran highlighting for us how important taqwa (righteousness) is. Allah (swt) is telling us directly that from all the peoples and tribes, the most noble are those who have taqwa, those who are aware of their Lord in all they do.

Make your intentions clear and focused. Renew those intentions every night and be mindful of them.

2 – Straighten Your Relationship with the Qu’ran

This is the month of the Qu’ran. Do not wait for Ramadan to open your Qu’ran and read. Start reading today and prepare yourself for this blessed month.

Instead of reading for speed or with a goal to finish the entire Qu’ran as soon as possible, I encourage you to read for quality over quantity.

This means reading for 10 minutes with sincerity and a clear intention to understand is better than reading for 30 minutes without any care as to what the words mean.

The Qu’ran is so much more than words; these are divine revelations from your Creator as revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) via Angel Gabriel (Jabril).

This is literally the word of Allah, without any edits or changes. Is that not amazing and something that should make us want to understand the Qu’ran better?

Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts.” [Muhammad 47:24]

I want you to think about a moment when the Qu’ran spoke to you—a time when you opened it to a random page or had a specific question in mind, and subhanallah, you read the ayas and it seemed like the Qu’ran was answering your question as if it knew you. That is the power of the divine word, brothers and sisters.

Read the Qu’ran every day leading up to Ramadan and keep doing it throughout Ramadan.

Don’t hesitate to even use a phone app that reminds you to read daily if you need help with this.

3 – Fasting and Dua

While it is obligatory to fast during Ramadan, fasting during the month prior (Shabaan) is also recommended; although optional.

Fasting is a spiritual act that helps us control our subconscious influences (nafs) and is also an act of worship.

Insha’Allah it can also help you to prepare for the month-long fasting soon to be upon us.  

Du`aa’ is one of the easiest acts of worship gifted to us. You can do it practically anywhere and anytime, without wudu or having to prepare; simply have good intentions and make du`aa’.

Do not limit your du`aa’ to yourself; make du`aa’ for your family and the whole ummah.  

Make du`aa’ with the aim of benefiting spiritually from Ramadan.

4 – Focus in Prayer

Our prayer is the first thing we are asked about on Judgement Day. That statement alone should drive home how important it is.

If you lose your salah, you lose your iman. Start working on your prayer TODAY.

An imam I have listened to previously often states, “Pray like it was your last prayer.” Think about that before you say Allahu Akbar and begin.

What if this was your last prayer? Would you be satisfied ending it this way?

Slow down and really think about what you are saying. If you need to take a deep breath between each movement to keep yourself focused, then do it.

If you find yourself battling waswasa (whisperings of Shaytan) or your thoughts keep wandering towards things outside of prayer, seek help and refuge in Allah (swt) by saying, “A`udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ar-rajim.”

You can say it in English if the Arabic is too difficult; Allah (swt) knows your intention.

If you improve your prayer now, insha’Allah, during Ramadan you will find it easier to increase your voluntary prayers.

Remember, none of us is guaranteed to make it to Ramadan. Do not wait; correct your prayer today.

5 – Look at Your Manners

This topic is not addressed enough: Islamic manners (adab). It is important to highlight that our fasts are not desired if our adab is horrible!

The Prophet (saws) said,

“Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.” Narrated by Abu Huraira [Bukhari 6057]

Start making a conscious effort today to correct any areas of your character that have room for improvement.

This will, insha’Allah, improve your spirituality and demonstrate a better example of Islam to those around you.

For example, if you are prone to anger and have a difficult time avoiding bad words with others, then spend some time reading about how the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) talked about anger and his suggestions to control it.

Make du`aa’ for help in this. Work on improving your adab today in preparation for Ramadan and, insha’Allah, as a permanent improvement.

Final Thoughts

As we draw closer to this special month, here is a summary on how to spiritually prepare yourself for Ramadan.

• Correct your intention and reboot that intention nightly.
• Read Qu’ran daily; aiming for quality not quantity.
• Engage in voluntary fasting and make frequent du`aa’.
• Improve your focus in prayer and…
• Be aware of your manners.

If you take away one thing from this, insha’Allah, it will be that you do not need to make some grand spiritual act to prepare yourself spiritually for Ramadan.

Rather, it is about a return to focusing on the basics, which we should be more mindful of year-round: our sincerity in worship, our focus, our intentions, and a clean heart and good manners.

May Allah make it easy for us and accept your acts of worship, ameen.

***

- aboutislam.net

About Monique Hassan

Monique Hassan graduated with honors in 2012 with her BSc in Psychology and a minor in Biology and is certified in Crisis Prevention and Intervention. She has years of professional as well as personal experience with trauma, relationship struggles, substance abuse, identifying coping skills, conflict resolution, community outreach, and overall mental health concerns. She is a professional writer specialized in Islamic Psychology and Behavioral Health. She is also a revert who took her shahada in 2015, Alhamdulillah. You can contact Sister Monique Hassan via her website "MoniqueHassan.com"

Heart & Its Connection with God

 

Mankind is the best art of God in the universe. God manifested Himself best in human nature. The names, attributes and essential qualities of God that worked to create/fashion/maintain the universe also worked in human nature, thus every human is like a universe in a micro level.

One of the key concepts that make human beings so valuable at the side of God is the heart and its connection with its Creator.

Although the heart is a biological organ which pumps blood through arteries and veins in the human body, it is also the center of intellectual and spiritual faculties.

Heart is the human truth that contains one’s real nature. Mankind can know, perceive, and understand through the heart. The human soul or spirit is an inner dimension of the heart; therefore, God speaks to it with utmost care.

When God offered “amanah” (the Trust) to the heavens, the earth and mountains, they all shrank from bearing it because they did not have such capacity, but human has undertaken it because, the heart has a capacity to carry out heavy responsibilities such as reflecting the divine knowledge in its nature.

Human beings are addressees of divine speech (Qur’an) and God promised rewards and Paradise for those who purify their hearts from all kinds of dirt and sins.

The heart can be elevated to divine pleasures through guidance and be honored with God’s acceptance.

The biological heart is a vital organ for the human body similarly the spiritual heart is the center of true humanity, and the source of all human feelings and emotions.

Human beings can achieve knowledge, faith and love of God through the heart. If spirituality is dominant in the heart people will enjoy peace and tranquility. However, if it is polluted with immoral thoughts and is disconnected from God then people will experience stress, anxiety and emptiness.

The importance and significance of people at God’s side is according to the quality of their hearts. Because, the heart is the center for many key elements in human nature such as reason, knowledge, intention, belief, wisdom etc. Believers must struggle very hard to keep their heart alive for the Prophet declared that:

“There is a fleshy part in the body. If it is healthy, then the whole of the body is healthy. If it is corrupted, then all the body is corrupted. Beware! That part is the heart.” (Al-Bukhari)

One’s spiritual health is strongly connected with his/her heart. If the heart has a connection with God, it is healthy and alive otherwise it is dead and useless. In order to keep the heart alive people should rely on God and only ask for His help. Although Prophet Muhammad had the best heart he always supplicated to God to protect it from swerving:

“O God, O turner of hearts! Establish my heart firmly on Your religion.” (Tirmidhi, Sunan, Qadar 7)

If people are aware of the needs of their hearts they seek help and protection. God is the One whom we can trust, rely and seek help.

God is known and recognized best in the human heart for it is the most eloquent and truthful tongue of the knowledge of God.

The heart is a means in which all good or bad things can enter into the human mind. When it is connected with God and guided by Him it enlightens all of human nature. On the other side, it can be a source of all evil acts and thoughts when it is controlled by the evil commanding self and carnal desires.

Satan always targets the heart and waits for an opportunity to attack it. If it is not protected by du’a, reliance on God and asking for His help it can be a target for Satan’s poisonous arrows. Since the heart is an abode of belief, worship, and love of God, Satan struggles very hard to steal it.

One of the most important means which can eliminate negative feelings and emotions from the heart is remembrance of God. Offering worship sincerely can strengthen the heart and remove immoral thoughts from it. Sometimes the ablutions in the garden of a mosque or an imam leading the Prayer with a voice coming from his heart can move people to spirituality.

Similarly, by gathering in circles to remember and mention God’s names people could connect themselves to God and feel His presence in their hearts. When remembrance of God is made sincerely this could affect others positively.

Believers should never forget that death is destined for everyone. The Prophet encouraged people to have a strong connection with God by renewing their faith continuously and doing righteous deeds until death comes:

“Control and renew your ship once more, for the sea is truly deep. Take your provisions perfectly, for the journey is truly long. Keep your load light, for the slope before you is truly steep. Be sincere in your deeds, for God, who scrutinizes everything, is aware of what you do.” (Daylami, Musnad, 5/339)

Human beings are in a long journey where they pass through different stages from childhood to old age, and from there to the grave, Resurrection, the Bridge, and then to Paradise or to Hell.

Those who meet with God with a sound heart will be prosperous as God declared in the Qur’an:

{The Day when neither wealth will be of any use, nor offspring, but only he (will prosper) who comes before God with a sound heart (free of all kinds of unbelief, hypocrisy, and associating partners with God).} (26: 88-9)

Faith and knowledge of God is the life of the heart. Living an Islamic life, carrying out religious rituals and worshipping God as if seeing Him is like the blood flowing in its veins to maintain human life. Without worship the heart cannot remain alive, therefore the heart of a believer who does not practice Islam and does not worship God is close to dying.

Although having faith and worshipping God is important for the survival of the heart it is not enough. Muhasaba (self-criticism) and reflection is an important element to feed the heart and maintain its livelihood. Without self-criticism and reflection, the heart is open to dangers and spiritual diseases.

Everyone needs to confront their shortcomings, mistakes and weaknesses. Umar ibn al-Khattab told believers to constantly bring themselves to account before the Day of Reckoning comes. (Tirmidhi, Sunan, Qiyamah, 25)

If people are occupied with their own mistakes, they will neither disdain others nor develop ill thoughts about them. They will constantly struggle to purify their own hearts by freeing themselves from carnal desires and entering the level of the life of the heart and spirit.

Since the life in the dimension of the heart and spirit is superior, believers should not neglect what is necessary to obtain it.

Those who have strong faith (iman) and worship God as if seeing Him and feed their hearts through self-criticism and reflection are under God’s protection. They enjoy complete security by complying all necessary conditions to protect their hearts.

They strengthen their heart by studying the universe and manifestations of God in it. They discover the ultimate reality behind the existence through reflection and increase their faith. The more they know God the more they love Him.

While being full with love of God they fear Him due to the anxiety that they could not worship Him as He deserves to be worshipped. Since their hearts are full with love and fear God loves them and makes others love them.

Fear is a key element which God uses to force us to His Presence and honor us with His company. Like an affectionate mother who reproves her children to draw them to her arms God attracts people to His mercy and blessings by using the feeling of fear in their hearts.

Therefore, every verse in the Qur’an that contains threat and punishment indeed originates in God’s mercy to uplift souls and hearts. If a heart is full with the fear of God it does not fear from others, because, it is freed from all kind of anxiety and useless fear.

Thus, fear is an essential element to keep one’s heart alive and to have strong relation with God. Although people may have good nature and clean hearts this is not enough to refrain completely from committing sins. To help them in their struggle to avoid sins and keep their hearts alive God creates the feeling of fear in their hearts. He praised those servants in the Qur’an who supplicate in fear and hope:

{They forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope.} (32: 16)

When the verse {those who give what they give while their hearts are in awe, because they are to return to their Lord} (23:60) was revealed, A’isha, the Prophet’s wife, asked the Prophet:

“Are those who commit such major sins as fornication, theft, and drinking alcohol?”

He answered negatively saying:

“Those mentioned in the verse are believers who perform the prescribed prayers, fast, and give alms but tremble with fear that such acts of worship may not be accepted by God.” (Tirmidhi, Sunan, Tafsir al-Qur’an, 24)

There is no guarantee for anybody that he will leave this world with faith and pleasure of God even if he reaches spiritual peaks. A real believer always fears and implores God not to swerve his heart from the straight path. The Prophet said:

“God does not let his servants have one of the two feelings of security or fear in both worlds.” (Ibn Hibban, As-Sahih, 2/406)

If a person fears in this world and lives accordingly he will be safe in the hereafter, the opposite is also true. The attitude of the Prophet is an example for us for he feared God in the utmost level in spite being under the protection of God.

Indeed, fear and hope are divine gifts which God implants in Believers’ hearts. By preserving the balance between fear and hope people can fly in the dimensions of spirituality. The Prophet stated:

“So long as the heart of a servant is not sound and straight, his belief cannot be true and upright; so long as his tongue is not true, his heart cannot be sound and straight.” (Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3:198)

A heart which is full with fear and love of God and has acquired full spiritual contentment never deviates. This heart is the polished mirror in which God looks in full appreciation. A person who sets his/her heart solely on God and abandons any attachment other than Him and acts with the feeling that God constantly watches him/her can host the Noble Guest in his/her purified heart.

One cannot attain reliance as long as the door of the heart remains open to others. But, once the heart closes its door to all that is other than God it becomes eligible to receive spiritual gifts and favors coming from God. At this stage, the heart implores God saying Glory be to Him Who sees me, knows my place and hears my speech. Then it gradually comes to rest as a result of experiencing spiritual gifts from God.

Those who have set their hearts on God and have decided to reach Him never ignore any way that leads to Him. A sound heart leads one straight to God without any deviation. By living in the shade of the Qur’an and Sunnah they feel the manifestation of the Hidden Treasure in their hearts.

The heart which is satisfied with God welcomes with a smile death and hears the Divine compliments as mentioned in the Qur’an:

{O you soul at rest (content with the truths of faith and God’s commands and His treatment of His creatures)! Return to your Lord, pleased and well-pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden.} (89: 27-30)

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Recep Dogan

Dr. Recep Dogan is a prominent Muslim scholar, prolific author and a respected community activist in Australia. Dr. Recep completed his PhD in the Islamic Studies Department, Philosophy of Religion at University of Ankara. He undertook private study of Islamic Sciences with the world renowned Muslim Scholar, M. Fethullah Gulen, who is the founder of 'Hizmet', a global peace and education movement. Dr. Recep was the Imam of the Tolerance Foundation in California USA from 2004 to 2011. He is also the Muslim Chaplain for Charles Sturt University; he gives lectures on the following topics Islamic Studies; Sīrah (the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); Core Islamic Sciences; Usūl Tafsir (The Methodology of Qur'anic Exegeses); Usūl Hadith (The Methodology of Prophetic Traditions); Islamic Jurisprudence (from Hanafi Perspective); Usūl al-Fiqh (The Methodology of Islamic Law); Kalām (Islamic Theology).