Part 7

The same case applies to the heart, its health and correction lies in balance, and its sickness lies in deviation, oppression and digression. But complete balance in everything is impossible, in action or knowledge - but the ideal or the closest to the ideal ‘should be aimed for. This is why it is said, describing the Salaft way: ‘the ideal way.’

[1.5 The Effect of Sins Upon the Purity of the Heart

Allah said

tA ee a Parent ote eS < IG aes on Ae od And you will never be able to be just between the wives, even if you desire to be... [Sarah an-Nisa’ (4) : 129]

And give full measure and full weight. We do not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. [Stra al-An‘am (6) : 152]

Allah, the Exalted, sent the messengers and revealed the Books so that man may establish justice, and the greatest form of justice is to worship Allah alone with no partner; then giving due justice to the rights of man; then being just upon oneself.

[1.6 Types of Zulm]

Zulm is of three types, and all of these are from the sicknesses of the heart, and in justice lies its good health and purity. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said to one of the people, ‘If you were healthy you would not fear anyone,’ meaning that the fear you have of men is due to a sickness from within you, such as the sickness of shirk and sins.

The basis of the heart being corrected lies in it being alive and enlightened.

Allah, the Most High, said,

ee FEM heer Ree e tes oe

vee 27% LAB eo ghee re ae Gags nh Us gts SOUT Is he who was dead and We gave him life and set for him a light whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in the darkness of disbelief from which he can never come? [Sarab al-An‘am (6) : 122]

This is why Allah has mentioned the life of the heart, its illumination, death and darkness in a number of places, like His, the Exalted’s saying,

That he may give warning to he who is alive

[Sarah Ya-Sin (36) : 70]

“ ” ae Syne so -oett hey

Stal SS cede NLS

o

O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life, and know that Allah comes in between a petson and his heart. And verily to Him you shall be gathered.

[Sarah al-Anfal (8) : 24|

oy od

[1.6 Types of Zulm]

He brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from the living [Sarah ar-Rim (30) : 19]

From the examples of this is His bringing forth a believer from a disbeliever, and a disbeliever from a believer.

In the authentic hadith,

The similitude of a house in which Allah is mentioned, and the house in which Allah is not mentioned is as the living and the dead.’

In the Sabéh (of al-Bukhari) is the hadith,

Perform some of your prayers in your houses, and do not take them as graves. *

Allah, the Most High, has said, a LAhe eae ee CAR ter Kee AU SIE ASS SACS SON I Those who reject our signs are deaf, dumb and in darkness. [seerah alAn‘ém (6) : 39}

Allah has mentioned the ‘Verse of Light’ and the ‘Verse of Darkness’ saying,

* Sabib al-Bukhari (Eng, Trans. 8/278 no. 416].

* Sahib al-Bukhari (Eng, Trans. 1/254 no. 424, 2/156 no. 280].

Aa aa ;7

43 ve thre ve ot aoe Fa Baecite wis IS JEN LS ve we Bo ae aye

o ooa ~ SI Ao! cag 47 Fe a J

CALS IG ode Coste:

a BA GS

aya Sar goueoy

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in the glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east or west, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light!

[Sarah an-Nur (24) : 35]

This is the similitude for the light of faith in the hearts of the believers. Then He said,

“3h ve ‘ineran IG reir alt,

Seree ire ig cee rear

Aen toe sae 34 Byer ataree

Suctes ily, Seer DE Bag tes 24 eae O SpE GIA BOGS As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like

a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to

[1.6 Types of Zulm]

be nothing, but He finds Allaah with him, Who will pay his due (in Hell). And Allah is Swift in taking account. Or (the state of the disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, over- *whelmed with a great wave, topped by dark clouds - darkness one above another - if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, there

is no light. [Sarah an-Nuar (24) : 39-40]

So the first verse (no. 39) sets forth a similitude for the false beliefs and the actions that arise from these beliefs, one considers them to be something of benefit, but when they come to him (on the day of Judgement) he will not find any benefit in them at all. Rather Allah will fully give him his recompense for these actions (in Hell). The second verse (no. 40) is the similitude propounded for extensive ignorance, lack of faith and (correct) knowledge. The person who possesses these is in darknesses one above another, unable to see anything, for indeed the sight occurs only with the light of faith and (correct) knowledge.

Allah, the Most High, said,

“a o} VE % ee A Sema Kets if Zs 8 A ep Sanat lls Indeed, those who are pious, when an evil thought comes to them from Satan, they remember (Allah), and they then see (aright). [seerah al-A'raf (7) : 201]

Clee ree EG Ke oor ee or ye Bote Wool Vl Gee tredy cabal

And indeed she did desire him and he (Yusuf) would have inclined to her desire, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord.

[Sarah Yusuf (12) : 24]

Meaning the proof of faith which his heart had attained, so due to this Allah caused him to turn away from that which he was inclined to, and recorded for him a complete good deed, and no sin was recorded against him due to his having performed a good action and not performed an evil one.

Allah, the Exalted said,

Dba Loe 6 Aa Seerk gee cy LG SOLA Tes At oR ye 46 wee ben O Ay Teed obh sl) ..In order that you might lead mankind out of

darkness into light... [Surah Ibrahim (14) : 1)

iy se

4 Laban Ae eal SL oil Allah is the Protector of those who believe. He brings them out from the darkness into the light. But as for those who disbelieve their protectors are false deities, they bring them out from the light into the darkness. [Sérah al-Bagarah (2) : 257)

[1.6 Types of Zulu]

Pr pete 33 { 3 (pony ifeata sit on lS Seal mp (ales

oe

RAE Eby eee 7 hor es @ee 5 5b til, J pad 9 dy rgete Loy)

O you who believe (in Moses and Jesus)! Fear

Allah and believe in His Messenger, He will give

you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will

give you a light by which you shall walk straight...

[seerah al-Fladid (57) : 28]

This is why Allah has propounded two types of parables for faith: a parable of water by which life exists and the foam which comes with it; and a parable of fire by which light is produced.

Allah said, Lo 54 Bo A eytagreetcc 72 (be a pls bei Jace ile tayo aI VEGA a “é Sodas 4 are by

BERS Hach tet Bask asap, Aah te ee SSAC ust Soltis

He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and the valleys flow according to their measure, but the floods bears away the foam that mounts up on the sutface, and also from that (ore) which they heat in the fire in ordet to make ornaments or utensils, rises a foam like unto it, thus does Allah (by parables) show forth truth from falsehood...

[Sarah ar-Ra‘d (13) : 17|

Similarly Allah has propounded two parables for hypocrisy,

ear aN 5 paatCas AEE OS TTL 2 HST [GaSe Abltys waists Sactebee al BBL oa Ns gall ocala Js

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness so they could not see. They are deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return (to the Right Path). Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and lightening. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers. The lightening almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes for them they stand still. And if Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed Allah has power over all things.

[Stirah al-Bagarah (2) : 17-20]

[1.7 The Life of the earl}

So He propounded a parable for them with one who kindled a fire, each time it ignited Allah caused it to extinguish, and the parable of watet in which the water is sent down containing darkness, thunder and lightening - this is not the place for a detailed explanation of these parables for the purpose here is only to mention the life of the heart and its illumination.

[1.7 The Life of the Heart|

In the narrated dua there occurs,

Make the Qur'an the nurturer (rabi‘) of our hearts and the light of our chest. 5

Rabi‘: means the rain that descends from the sky and nourishes the plants. The Arabs call the season in which the rain first descends al-Rabi‘ due to the fall of rain which causes growth (of produce). The non-Arabs call the season that follow winter al-Rabi' because in this season the plants from which fruit is produced blossom and the leaves on the trees appear.

[1.8 The State of the Dead Heart]

The heart that is alive and enlightened hears, sees and understands due to the light that it contains, while the dead heart does not hear, see or understand.