Why is jealousy so prevalent?
Why is hatred so predominant?
Why is there so much friction between families?
Why is such evil rife amongst us?
Why have we lost our family values?
Or most of all, why have we lost our Islamic values?
The simple answer to these questions is lack of cleanliness of our hearts. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions:
Why is hatred so predominant?
Why is there so much friction between families?
Why is such evil rife amongst us?
Why have we lost our family values?
Or most of all, why have we lost our Islamic values?
The simple answer to these questions is lack of cleanliness of our hearts. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions:
“ألا وإن في الجسد مضغة: إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهي القلب”
“Listen! Within the body is
certainly a piece of
flesh, when it is flawless/sound/good (free from all spiritual
diseases), the whole body will be
flawless/sound/good. When it is corrupt/spoilt/unsound (filled with
spiritual diseases) the whole body will be corrupt/spoilt/unsound.
Listen! It is the heart”.
(Bukhari, Hadith number:49)
From the above statement we find out that the heart is the organ from
where all actions (good and evil) stem. If our heart is good then all
our actions will be good and if our heart is corrupt then the same will
be the outcome of our actions. Thus, the route to good actions is a
clean heart.
The above statement is so comprehensive that it indicates to us the
cure for the evil that is widespread amongst us. In this day and age we
are not prepared to keep our hearts clean; whereas in fact the
uncleanliness of our hearts plays a vital role in our way of living as
good Muslims and hence the jealousy, the hatred, the negative effect on
our family values, the negative effect on our Islamic values, the
friction between families and evil.
Let’s take the example of a face, a person tries his utmost to keep
his face clean, he tries to make sure that not even a speck of dust
appears on his face, if a person’s face becomes filthy he tries all
means necessary to get rid of the filth, why? Because he knows that if
another person was to see him with filth on his face, it would have a
negative impression regarding him on the onlooker. In exactly the same
manner; when a person has a spiritually impure heart, it has a negative
impact on his whole body and the way he acts. This type of person would
be more prone to act in an indecent manner to others. For example, if a
person has malice (which is from amongst one of the spiritual diseases)
for another, it is more than likely that he will backbite the one whom
he has malice for, or he might even hit him (i.e. which consists of
using the hands contrary to the manners of Shariah).
Among our pious predecessors, there were those who understood and
gave much importance to the cleansing of the heart that even whilst
having a bath or shower, they made the prayer from their hearts:
“Oh Allah, just as I am cleaning my external body in the very same
manner, please, cleans my internal body (indicating to the heart)”.
Furthermore, whilst going to the lavatory they use to say: “Oh Allah,
just as you are giving me the ability to clean my external impurities in
the very same manner, please, cleans my internal impurities (indicating
to the spiritual impurities of the heart)”.
Moreover, let’s not forget a very important tradition/habit (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
قال أنس بن مالك، قال لي رسول
الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «يا بني، إن قدرت أن تصبح وتمسي ليس في قلبك غش
لأحد فافعل» ثم قال لي: «يا بني وذلك من سنتي، ومن أحيا سنتي فقد أحبني،
ومن أحبني كان معي في الجنة»
Hadhrat Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) states: the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “Oh my
son, if you can spend your day and night in such a state where there is
nothing of deception in your heart for anyone (that you don’t have
hatred for anyone) then do so” Thereafter he said to me: “And that is
from my Sunnah (tradition), and whoever revives
my Sunnah (tradition) he has loved me, and whoever loved me shall be
with me in paradise”.
(Tirmidhi, Hadith number:2678)
From the above narration we can clearly conclude that keeping the
heart free from spiritual ailments is an act that not only has an impact
on our morals, but it is also a gateway to paradise.
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