6. Their key to salvation and happiness is in believing and

H following the guidance that comes from Allah ( ). This will determine the value of this life and their status in the hereafter. Blessings from Allah and subservience of Earth's resources Several verses in the Qur'an feature the honour and blessings H that Allah ( ) has bestowed upon human beings due to their position in this world. He has given us innate abilities to purify ourselves and to fulfil our purpose in this life. He has also blessed us with abundant provisions and subjected to us all that is in the universe, in order to ease our journey and to facilitate selfactualization. An element of this process entails the servant's H gratitude for all that Allah ( ) has provided. {It is He Who made the earth tame [stable and subservient] for you Ð so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision Ð and to Him is the resurrection.} (Qur'an 67: 15) {It is Allah Who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.

And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth Ð all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.} (Qur'an 45: 12-13) {And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things, and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.} (Qur'an 17: 70) {It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers. And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day. And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favours [blessings] of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, humankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful.} (Qur'an 14: 3234) Without these provisions, we would struggle to accomplish our various tasks and to develop our communities, our nations and ourselves.

The sun provides us with light and warmth, the sun and moon allow us to calculate time, the earth enables us to grow plants and trees, the sea allows us to travel, and so on. Some provisions are obviously necessary for survival on this earth, such as food and water. The fit.rah H Believing in the existence of Allah ( ) is instinctive in human beings. This innate instinct is termed `fit.rah' and is generally defined as the pristine nature within humans that leads them to acknowledge the truth of Allah's existence and to follow His guidance. It is an inborn tendency to affirm a transcendent being who created us, the world around us, and all that is in it. This gift from Allah ( ) isH engraved upon our souls, so that even those who turn away from His guidance continue to possess this innate characteristic.

Allah describes it in Soorat ar-Room (Rome): {So direct your face [self] towards the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere] to the fit.rah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.} (Qur'an 30: 30) The essential aspect of the fit.rah is tawh.eed, belief in the H Oneness of Allah ( ) with no partners. This belief inclines a person H to submit completely to Allah ( ) and to seek to become closer to H Him. Those who believe in Allah ( ) and worship Him alone are in harmony with their very own natures, while those who believe in and worship other deities are rebelling against their own natural inclinations. Islam is called the religion of fit.rah because it is the H religion that guides humanity to true faith in Allah ( ) and complete fulfilment of their potential.

All of the prophets were sent to remind people of this essential knowledge and to teach them the Sharia as a H comprehensive guidance for living in submission to Allah ( ). As a blessing from Allah, the prophets themselves followed these guidelines and were exemplary models for humankind. There are several influences, including parents and society, which may lead a person astray from the true religion, resulting in a covering up of the fit.rah. The Prophet (|) related: «Every child is born in a state of fit.rah, then his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity or Magianism. Just like an animal giving birth to a perfect baby animal Ð do you find it mutilated at all?» Then Abu Hurayrah read the above verse from Soorat ar-Room (Qur'an 30: 30). (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) These environmental influences can be extremely powerful and, | as the Prophet ( ) indicated, they may completely turn the person away from the straight path and onto various forms of deviated beliefs and practices.

The devil may also lead people away from their natural states. | The Prophet ( ) affirmed: «Behold, my Lord commanded me to teach you that which you do not know and which He has taught me today. (He stated that) the property that I (Allah) have conferred upon them is lawful for them. I have created My servants all having a natural inclination to the worship of Allah, but the devil comes to them and turns them away from their (true) religion. He makes unlawful what I declared lawful for them, and he commands them to ascribe partners with Me for which no authority has been sent down.» (recorded by Muslim) Evidence for the fit.rah The majority of people in the world believe in God in one form or another (although atheism, a concept introduced only in the last one hundred years, seems to be growing in popularity). Most religions of the world have a concept of a `higher being' or an H awareness of God. Allah ( ) mentions this fact in the Qur'an: {And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say: Allah.

So how are they deluded?} (Qur'an 43: 87) {And if you asked them: Who created the heavens and the earth? They would surely say: Allah. Say: Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allah...?} (Qur'an 39: 38) A millennium worldwide survey by Gallup International in sixty countries found that two-thirds of respondents reported that God was very important in their personal lives, and 87% considered themselves belonging to some religion. It is interesting to note that 97% of respondents in West Africa, where Muslims are the largest and most practicing group, said that God was very important in their lives, while 99% of West Africans reported that they belonged to some religion. According to the findings, women were more religious than men (69% to 57%), and the elderly were more religious than young and middle-aged people (63% to 59% and 56% respectively).3 In another study by Gallup Poll (2007-2008) to determine the most and least religious countries in the world, eight of the eleven most religious countries had predominantly Muslim populations (Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Djibouti, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates). In contrast, only one Muslim country (Azerbaijan) made the list of least religious countries.4 A national survey of 36,000 American adults by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (one of the largest polls of Americans' religious beliefs) found that 87% of respondents were absolutely (71%) or fairly (17%) certain about belief in God or a universal spirit, and 82% reported that religion was very (56%) or somewhat (26%) important in their life.

Twenty-one percent of those who described themselves as atheists expressed a belief in God or a universal spirit, and more than half of those who called 3 Gallup International Association, 2000, Religion in the World at the End of the Millennium, retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://www.gallup-international.com/ContentFiles/millennium15.asp. 4 Crabtree, S. and Pelham, B., (2007-2008), What Alabamians and Iranians have in common, retrieved May 5, 2010 from www.gallup.com/poll/114211/alabamians-iranians-common.aspx. 5 themselves agnostic expressed a similar conviction. H Another evidence for the fit.rah is that when in distress or suffering from tribulation, humans are likely to call out to Allah ( ). Numerous verses in the Qur'an, as well as countless personal experiences, confirm this. {And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favour from Us, he says: I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge. Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.} (Qur'an 39: 49) {And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him [alone]; then when He bestows on him a favour from Himself, he forgets Him whom he called upon before, and he attributes equals to Allah to mislead [people] from His way.} (Qur'an 39: 8) {And when We bestow favour upon man, he turns away and distances himself; but when evil touches him, then he is full of extensive supplication.} (Qur'an 41: 51) {And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing.} (Qur'an 10: 12) {It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind, and they rejoice therein, there comes a stormy wind, and the waves come upon them from everywhere, and they assume that they are surrounded [doomed], supplicating Allah, sincere to Him in religion: If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful. But 5 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 2007, U.

S. Religious Landscape Survey, http://religions.pewforum.org/?sid=ST2008062300818, accessed 06/05/ 09. when He saves them, at once they commit injustice upon the earth without right. O humankind, your injustice is only against yourselves, [being merely] the enjoyment of worldly life. Then to Us is your return, and We will inform you of what you used to do.} (Qur'an 10: 22-23) The purpose of suffering afflictions is to assist the fit.rah in breaking through the layers and layers of disbelief and misconceptions that may have been built around it over a lifetime. In some cases, the fit.rah is buried quite deep. During these times, the distraught individuals call out to the being that they know in their heart to be the only one capable of providing assistance.

In fact, this calling out is so automatic that its instinctive nature is obvious. Anyone who has watched a television program with videos of real life-and-death situations can attest to this fact. The majority of distressed individuals on these videos (who are mainly non-Muslim) call out to God in one way or another. Covenant of monotheism inscribed on every soul When they were created, all souls testified that Allah (H) is their Lord and thus made a covenant with Allah to worship and obey Him. The real purpose of this covenant is so that humans will not have an excuse on the Day of Judgment if they have refused to believe and to follow the true path. This covenant is mentioned in the Qur'an: {And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam Ð from their loins Ð their descendants and made them testify of themselves [saying to them]: Am I not your Lord?

They said: Yes, we have testified. [This] lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Indeed, we were of this unaware.} (Qur'an 7: 172) In another verse, Allah (H) mentions that those who preserved the covenant will be rewarded with paradise: {And paradise will be brought near to the righteous, not far. [It will be said]: This is what you were promised. It is for those oft-returning in repentance and those who preserve [their covenant with Allah], who feared the Most Merciful unseen and brought a heart turned in repentance.} (Qur'an 50: 31-33) H In relation to the fit.rah and our covenant with Allah ( ), it is evident that believing and knowing about Allah, and even worshipping Him, is part of the nature of our souls and our beings. All human beings are born pure, with this natural inclination to have H faith in and to venerate Allah ( ), to be righteous and virtuous, and to comprehend our unique roles in this universe. If the fit.rah is allowed to grow and develop without any alterations, the soul will H naturally incline towards Allah ( ) and follow His will. The H knowledge of, and relationship with, Allah ( ) that is built upon this natural tendency will provide us with the true understanding of good and evil, truth and falsehood, throughout our lifetimes. Purpose of life: To worship Allah Islam as a way of life has set out a clear purpose and meaning for life.

Allah asks: {Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?} (Qur'an 23: 115) People have been searching for meaning in their lives throughout the centuries, but in the Islamic framework, it is clearly and simply elucidated. This purpose is none other than to worship H Allah ( ), as commanded in several verses of the Qur'an: {Say [O Muhammad]: Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.} (Qur'an 39: 11) {And I did not create the jinn and humankind except to worship Me.} (Qur'an 51: 56) {O humankind, worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.} (Qur'an 2: 21) {Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him...} ) (Qur'an 4: 36 {And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger [saying]: Worship Allah and avoid false objects of worship...} (Qur'an 16: 36) Worshipping Allah (H) is the purpose of our life and our creation. The types of worship that are permissible include beliefs, actions of the heart, speech, physical actions and financial acts. Beliefs form the basis of all other acts of worship and must centre on tawh.eed, the belief that Allah (H) is the One and Only Lord. Actions of the heart include love, fear, hope, submitting, trusting and repenting, and we must direct them only to Allah. Speech includes seeking refuge with Allah (H), seeking His help, calling upon Him, glorifying and praising Him, and reciting the Qur'an.

Physical actions include praying, fasting, performing Hajj (the major pilgrimage to Makkah), and so forth. Financial actions include paying Ãt zaka (an obligatory `alms tax' on wealth, payable by Muslims who can afford it, and distributed to other Muslims who qualify as recipients) and other forms of charity. 6 Through worship, we maintain a relationship and connection with our Creator, to Whom we will return. Worship in the Islamic sense is not limited to the ritualistic acts; it encompasses all actions that are done sincerely for the sake of Allah (H) and according to the Sharia Abandoning what is forbidden, treating others with kindness, . enjoining good and forbidding evil are all considered acts of worship for which we will be rewarded. Allah (H) has given us free will to choose whether to worship Him or not; depending on the choice that we make, we can either elevate or abase ourselves. Sincere worship (for the sake of Allah) has three essential components; if any of these pillars is missing, the act of worship is not valid: 6 al-Ashqar, U.S., 2003, Belief in Allah in the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, Riyadh, International Islamic Publishing House, p. 402. 1. Purity of intention.

If intentions are not purely for the sake of H Allah ( ), good deeds will not be accepted. The Prophet | ( ) said: «Actions are by intentions, and every person shall have that which he intended...» (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) The topic of intention will be discussed in more detail later inshallah. 2. Sincerity, or a resolve to strive to obey the commands of H Allah ( ) and to avoid that which He has prohibited. | 3. Following the Messenger ( ) by worshipping according to H what Allah ( ) has prescribed through His prophet | Muhammad ( ) and his Sunnah. It is part of human nature to seek out an object of veneration. If a person does not acknowledge the right of Allah ( ) to be H worshipped alone, he or she will find something else to worship, whether it be a statue, another human being, a philosophy, money, or any other such object or idol.

This is shirk, or associating partners H with Allah ( ). Shirk, which is the opposite of tawh.eed, is the most serious sin, for which the unrepentant will reside in hellfire forever. H Allah ( ) states: {...Indeed, he who associates others with Allah Ð Allah has forbidden him paradise, and his refuge is the fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.} (Qur'an 5: 72) {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.} (Qur'an 4: 48) «Abdullah ibn Mas`ood (rad.iya AllaÃhu `anhu Ð may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: Which sin is the greatest with Allah? He said: That you claim that Allah has a rival, when He has created you.» (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) Satan is involved in leading humankind down the path of shirk, H as Allah ( ) reminds us: {Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan Ð [for] indeed, he is to you a clear enemy Ð And that you worship [only] Me?

This is a straight path.} (Qur'an 36: 6061) Satan knows that shirk will lead the soul to the hellfire, so his prime strategy for trapping humans is to lure them into setting up other objects of worship as intercessors with Allah (H): {And they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.} (Qur'an 10: 18) Life is a test for us, to determine whether we will obey Allah (H), submitting ourselves to Him in worship, or be disobedient and arrogant, following the path of Satan. We will learn the results of our test on the Day of Judgment, when believers and disbelievers are sent to their respective eternal abodes. Allah (H) warns: {[He] Who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed Ð and He is Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.} He (H) also mentions this in the story of Adam and Eve, when (Qur'an 67: 2) they were sent to the earth. {We said: Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance Ð there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs Ð those will be companions of the fire; they will abide therein eternally.} (Qur'an 2: 38-39) Absolute obedience and submission to Allah (H) should be the goal of every human being. That means directing one's soul Ð one's self, with its thoughts, emotions and actions Ð to the one true God, Allah (H). This was the message brought by all of the messengers, and it continues to this day through the message of Islam. The X Qur'anic stories about Abraham ( ) and the other prophets highlight their sincere submission: {And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael [saying]: Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You.

Show us our rites [of pilgrimage] and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the accepting of repentance, the Merciful. Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise. And who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself? We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the hereafter, will be among the righteous.

When his Lord said to him: Submit, he said: I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds. And Abraham instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Jacob [saying]: O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims. Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons: What will you worship after me? They said: We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac Ð one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him. That was a nation which has passed on.

It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do. They say: Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided. Say: Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists. Say [O believers]: We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the descendants, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.

So if they believe in the same as you believe in, then they have been [rightly] guided; but if they turn away, they are only in dissension, and Allah will be sufficient for you against them. He is the Hearing, the Knowing. [Say: Ours is] the religion of Allah, and who is better than Allah in [ordaining] religion? We are worshippers of Him.} (Qur'an 2: 127-138) H These verses indicate that the message of all of the previous prophets was submission to Allah ( ), and they instructed their H children to cling to Islam until their deaths. It is through submission that the soul fulfils its covenant with Allah ( ) and thus its true purpose in life. This submission can only be perfected through the H religion of Islam; no other religion or way of life can achieve this goal, and Allah ( ) will not accept any of them on the Day of Judgment. The fundamental defect in other religions is shirk, or worshipping other gods, which misleads the followers.

Allah ( H ) makes clear the absurdity and irrationality of worshipping false gods, which cannot harm, benefit, provide for or restrict us. {And they worship besides Allah that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.} (Qur'an 16: 73) {Say, [O Muhammad]: Have you considered that which you invoke besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth; or did they have partnership in [creation of] the heavens? Bring me a scripture [revealed] before this or a [remaining] trace of knowledge, if you should be truthful. Who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocations, are unaware? When the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.} (Qur'an 46: 4-6) {And if you asked them who created the heavens and the earth, they would surely say: Allah. Say: Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allah?

If Allah intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy? Say: Sufficient for me is Allah; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers.} (Qur'an 39: 38) {...And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed. If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. On the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] acquainted [with all matters].} (Qur'an 35: 13-14) He ( H ) mentions the favours that He has provided for the disbelievers and asks how they can refuse to believe after this: {How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.} (Qur'an 2: 28) {O humankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you? In whatever form He willed has He assembled you.} (Qur'an 82: 6-8) {What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur, while He has created you in stages?

Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers and made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp? And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth. Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction.} (Qur'an 71: 13-18) {And Allah has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren, and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favour of Allah they disbelieve?} (Qur'an 16: 72) {Say, [O Muhammad]: Praise be to Allah, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen. Is Allah better, or what they associate with Him? [More precisely,] is He [not best] who created the heavens and the earth, and sent down for you rain from the sky, causing to grow thereby gardens of joyful beauty, which you could not [otherwise] have grown the trees thereof? Is there a deity with Allah? [No,] but they are a people who ascribe equals [to Him].

Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allah? [No,] but most of them do not know. Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember. Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and Who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy?

Is there a deity with Allah? High is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Say: Produce your proof, if you should be truthful.} (Qur'an 27: 59-64) Those who worship something or someone other than Allah (H) fail to fulfil their true purpose in life. They oppress, degrade and humiliate themselves in this way, and their personalities, development, and overall lives will be incomplete and distorted.

Since they lack true happiness and contentment, they will haphazardly attempt to find any means for fulfilment. Ã n, and psychology `Aqeedah, eema The term `aqeedah refers to the belief system based on a firm conviction in all the fundamentals of faith and of the oneness of Allah; it is what people believe, affirm in their hearts, and accept as truth. The matters that the Muslims must believe wholeheartedly, transmitted through revelation, are mentioned in the following verse: `Aqeedah, eema {The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying]: We make no distinction among any of His messengers. And they say: We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.} (Qur'an 2: 285) The most fundamental belief, as already mentioned, is tawh.eed. H Tawh.eed is the belief that Allah ( ) is One without any partner in His dominion, control and actions; One without similitude in His essence, names, and attributes; and One without rival in His divinity H and in worship.7 Allah ( ) is the Lord and owner of all things; it is H He who provides and sustains. Allah ( ) is the One who gives life and causes death; He controls the affairs of all His creation.

For this reason, only He is worthy of any form of worship, including physical acts (prayer, fasting, pilgrimage and animal sacrifice) as well as actions of the heart (love, fear and hope). This belief must be fixed, without any wavering or doubt, as H Allah ( ) says in the Qur'an: {The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and then doubt not, but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful.} (Qur'an 49: 15) Any doubt in the heart will indicate a lack of complete belief in tawh.eed. `Aqeedah is important for the psychology of the human being because it provides us with direction in life and it guides us to the straight path that will lead to self-actualization and self-fulfilment. It is the foundation upon which all else is built. Umar al-Ashqar summarizes the importance of `aqeedah for humankind: 7 Philips, A.A.B., 2005, The Fundamentals of Tawheed, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House, p. 17. The Islamic `aqeedah is as essential for man as water and air.

Without this `aqeedah he is lost and confused. The Islamic `aqeedah is the only one which can answer the questions that have always preoccupied man and still preoccupy human thought and cause frustration: where did I come from? Where did the universe come from? Who is the Creator? What are His attributes and names? Why did He create us and the universe?

What is our role in this universe? What is our relationship to the Creator who created us?8 EemaÃn is often translated as faith; it is when `aqeedah is firmly established in the heart, spoken by the tongue, and confirmed by action. Al-Ashqar explains the powerful influence of eemaÃn as: EemaÃn Ð creed/belief is knowledge which reverberates deep in the conscience, so that the heart does not feel any hesitation concerning it, rather filled with the comfort of certainty. EemaÃn has to do with feelings and conscience which take an idea from the level of reason into the depths of the heart, as if the idea is food and drink which nourish the soul. Thus the idea becomes one of the elements in its life, and eemaÃn changes the idea into a vital driving force which lets nothing stand in its way. This is the difference between religion and philosophy.

The aim of philosophy is knowledge, and the aim of religion is eemaÃn. The goal of philosophy is dry knowledge which takes a lifeless form, whilst the goal of religion is an energetic soul and vital power.9 So eemaÃn is like energy for the soul, and it provides the individual with the strength and ability to carry out essential duties in life and to work for the betterment of the self, the family and the society. When eemaÃn is absent, a person becomes like a lifeless, heartless robot who goes through the motions of life without feeling 8 al-Ashqar, 2003a, p. 35. 9 Ibid., p. 74. `Aqeedah, eema or determination. In the Islamic perspective of psychology, `aqeedah and eemaÃn are the essential life forces for the soul and for the human being as a whole. The basis of eemaÃn is resolute belief in Allah ( ) H and His Oneness, accountability on the Day of Judgment, and life in the hereafter. EemaÃn is related to other aspects of the human being, including thoughts, emotions and motivations, as well as the psychological state and well-being.

Building eemaÃn that is based upon Qur'an and Sunnah will be consistent with the innate nature of the human and thus lead to harmony and tranquillity within the soul. Belief in and love of Allah The foundation of faith is tawh.eed, and one of the most important elements of tawh.eed is loving Allah ( ) more thanH everyone and everything in this worldly life. Thus love of Allah ( ) H is actually the essence of Islam. {And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah...} (Qur'an 2: 165) When a person's love for Allah is complete, his or her faith becomes perfect; when this love is flawed, the belief in the Oneness of Allah becomes imperfect.10 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah said: The heart is rectified by two things. One of them is that the love of Allah must take precedence over all other loves in this life, so that if this love and the love of something else presented themselves to him, the love of Allah would come first and his actions would follow this order.11 | Allah's Messenger ( ) said: «Whoever possesses (the following) three qualities will relish the sweetness of faith: the one to 10 al-Fozan, S., 1997, Concise Commentary on `The Book of Tawheed' , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Darussalam Publishers and Distributors, p. 249. 11 al-Jawziyyah, I.Q., 2000, The Invocation of God (Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min alKalim al-Tayyib), Cambridge, UK: Islamic Texts Society, pp. 5-6. whom Allah (H) and His Messenger become dearer than anything else; the one who loves a person and he loves him only for the sake of Allah; and the one who hates to revert to disbelief, after Allah has saved him from it, as much as he hates to be thrown into the hellfire.» (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) This hadith indicates that the individual who loves Allah (H) and His Messenger more than all others who are dear to him, will taste the sweetness of faith and will find pleasure in performing acts of obedience.12 Belief in the hereafter The hereafter is part of the unseen world, of which we have limited knowledge.

Allah (H) describes the hereafter in some detail in the Qur'an, in order to provide us with a sense of its pleasures and punishments. We can never truly comprehend them, but we are given a similitude in order to connect in some way. «The Prophet (|) said that Allah (H) said: I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has never crossed the mind of any human being.» Then the Prophet (|) said: «Recite, if you wish: {No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.} (Qur'an 32: 17).» (recorded by Bukhari) The purpose of mentioning paradise and hellfire throughout the Qur'an is to remind us of our inevitable destination; it must be one or the other. The Qur'an mentions each one the same number of times, reflecting the equal likelihood of going to either one. This reminder should ultimately have an influence upon the heart and behaviour and should direct the person to the righteous path, due to the hope of being rewarded and the fear of being punished. 12 al-Fozan, 1997, p. 253. EemaÃn increases and decreases While there is a difference of opinion regarding the concept of eemaÃn, the scholars of ahl as-Sunnah wal-JamaÃ`ah (people of the Sunnah and the community) indicate that it is not constant. Our level of faith increases with obedience to Allah (H) and decreases with disobedience.

As believers, we should pay attention to our level of eemaÃn, being aware of when it increases and decreases and striving to be in a state of elevated eemaÃn as much as possible. There are several verses in the Qur'an indicating that the faith of a believer can fluctuate, either increasing or decreasing: {The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely.} (Qur'an 8: 2) {It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith...} (Qur'an 48: 4) {Those to whom people [hypocrites] said: Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them. But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said: Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best disposer of affairs.} (Qur'an 3: 173) {And whenever a soorah is revealed, there are among them [the hypocrites] those who say: Which of you has this increased in faith? As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing.} (Qur'an 9: 124) The Prophet (|) stated that: «Every heart has a cloud covering it, with the similitude of a cloud covering a shining moon. It suddenly becomes dark when the cloud covers, but its brightness returns once the cloud has 13passed.» (recorded by at.-T.abaraÃni and graded reliable by al-AlbaÃni) 13 al-Munajjid, M. S., 2009, Weakness of Faith, Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, p. 47.

In this hadith, the Prophet ( | ) presents an analogy. Our hearts are likened to the moon; just as the moon is sometimes covered by clouds that conceal its light, the heart is sometimes covered by clouds of sin that cover its light. At other times, the clouds go away, and the light shines again in the heart. The light increases when we strive to 14 Ã n. engage in acts that will increase our eema The Prophet ( | ) explained: «Faith wears out in the heart of any of you just as clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your 15 hearts.» (a sound hadith recorded by al-H .aÃkim, at.-T Ã ni and al- . abara 16 H . aythami) There are many ways to renew and increase our faith, and we will discuss them in detail later in the book inshallah. The main ways H to accomplish this are by gaining knowledge, increasing righteous deeds, obeying Allah ( ), remembering Him, contemplating the verses of the Qur'an, pondering Allah's names and attributes, and 17 remembering death and the hereafter. The nature of the soul Before entering into a discussion of principles related to the soul, it will be beneficial to define a few of the key terms.

Rooh. The term rooh . (also known as spirit, soul, or breath of life) is used in the Qur'an in various ways referring to metaphysical entities 14 al-Munajjid, 2009, p. 48. 15 al-Munajjid, 2009, p. 47. 16 As quoted in al-Munajjid, 2009, p. 47. 17 Yasin, M.N., 1997, Book of Emaan According to the Classical Works of Shaikul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah , London: Al-Firdous Ltd., pp. 184-186; alMunajjid, 2009, pp. 19-43. such as angels, revelation or divine inspiration. It is also used to 18 signify the inner human nature or soul, which is the constituent that gives life to the mind and body by spreading throughout the physical limbs. It drives the feelings, thoughts, behaviours, and volition of human beings. Its essence is different from that of the physical body, and once the soul is removed, the physical body ceases to function.

Nafs Another term that is used more often in the Qur'an for the soul or psyche is nafs (pl. anfus or nufoos). This term actually has two 19 meanings: the human soul and the self, depending on the context. Sometimes it is used to refer to the soul or spirit, and at other times it refers to that which is associated with the body or the self. This interchangeable use of the term seems to emphasize the inherent connection between the soul and the self. Karzoon, in Zarabozo, has defined the nafs in the following manner: It is something internal in the entity of a human whose exact nature is not perceived. It is ready to accept direction towards good or evil.

It combines together a number of human attributes 20 and characteristics that have a clear effect on human behavior. The majority of Muslim scholars maintain that the terms nafs and rooh. are interchangeable. The main distinction is that usually, nafs refers to the soul when it is inside of the body, whereas rooh. is used when the soul is separated or apart from the body. This may not 21 always be the case, however, as is evident in several hadiths. The 18 Ahmad, 1992, Qur'anic Concepts of Human Psyche. In Z.

A. Ansari (Ed.) Qur'anic Concepts of Human Psyche. Islamabad, Pakistan: Islamic Research Institute Press, p. 25. 19 Ahmad, 1992, p. 30. 20 Zarabozo, 2002, p. 60. al-Kanadi, M., 1996, Mysteries of the Soul Expounded , Jeddah, Saudi= 21 following two hadiths refer to the rooh . /nafs departing from the body at the time of death: Allah's Messenger ( | ) said: «When the rooh . is taken out, the eyesight follows it.» (recorded by Muslim) Allah's Messenger ( | ) said: «Do you not see that when a person dies, his gaze is fixed intently? That occurs when his eyesight follows his nafs (as it comes out).» (recorded by Muslim) These hadiths clearly indicate the interchangeable nature of the terms `rooh . ' and `nafs' in relation to the soul. The distinction between the ways the two are used is rather minute.

Al-Kanadi states the following regarding the soul, based upon the work of Ibn al-Qayyim: The spirit is an entity which differs from the physical, tangible body. It is a higher type of luminous (or light-like) being, alive and moving, and it penetrates the limbs, circulating through them as water circulates throughout the petals of a rose, as oil circulates throughout the olive and as fire circulates throughout the burning embers of coal. One may reasonably perceive the soul filling and occupying the body; its form, though non22 physical, is molded into the body's shape. Mysteries of the soul H It is mentioned in the Qur'an that we only know a little about the H mysteries of the soul. Allah ( ) has chosen to keep much of the knowledge hidden from us for some divine purpose. He ( ) says: {And they ask you [O Muhammad], about the soul.

Say: The soul is of the affair [concern] of my Lord. And you [humankind] have not been given of knowledge except a little.} (Qur'an 17: 85) =Arabia: Inheritors of Abu Bilal Mustafa al Kanadi, p. 10. 22 al-Kanadi, 1996, p. 3, translating a passage from Ibn al-Qayyim, Kitab arRuh, pp 249250. This verse indicates that the capacity of humans to comprehend the true nature of the soul is limited. We will never be able to discover the secrets of the soul, of life and death, and what is beyond it. Science will never to be able to conquer this topic because the unseen world is outside the realm of scientific enquiry and methodology. H The rooh. is from Allah ( ) and is breathed into the human H being.

Allah ( ) says: {And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.} (Qur'an 15: 29) He also says: {Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from his [created] soul and made for you hearing, vision and hearts [meaning the intellect]; little are you grateful.} (Qur'an 32: 9) It is important to clarify that the rooh. is the element of life and H soul which Allah ( ) created for the body; it is not His own spirit or even part of His spirit. It is of an essence unlike that of the physical body. Since it is created from a substance that does not have a comparison in the physical realm, it is not possible to describe its complete qualities.23 We know from revelation that the soul ascends, descends, hears, sees, speaks, and so forth, but these actions are different from the physical characteristics that we know and understand.24 The soul spreads throughout the physical limbs and to every part of the body. It drives the physical body's feelings, movements and volition. When the soul is removed, life ends for the human. Ibn Taymiyah wrote: 23 al-Ashqar, U.S., 2002, The Minor Resurrection (What Happens after Death) in the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah , Riyadh, Saudia Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House, p. 119. 24 Ibid., p. 119.

The rooh. does not reside in any particular part of the body, rather it flows throughout the body just like the life which is the characteristic of the entire body. If life is dependent on the rooh., then when the rooh. is in the body it is alive, and when the soul departs, life is over.25 The word insaÃn is used to refer to the human being, both the body and the soul. The chapter of the Qur'an titled `al-InsaÃn' begins with the following verse: {Has there [not] come upon the human a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?} (Qur'an 76: 1) Ibn Taymiyah stated: `InsaÃn' (human) is an expression which refers to both the body and the soul together; indeed, it applies more to the soul than to the body. The body is only a vehicle for the soul.26 Good and evil We understand from revelation that humans are capable of both good and evil. The soul is not inherently evil, but it has the potential for evil, just as it has the potential for goodness. Goodness, in fact, is probably more prevalent due to the presence of the fit.rah.

The evil must be controlled, and the self freed from its influence, through the process of purification, as discussed below. The inherent goodness of humankind is evident in the fact that even non-Muslims, who are astray from Allah's guidance and the straight path, continue to exhibit some element of goodness in their lives. If this were not the case, the world would be even more chaotic and destructive than it currently is (which may be hard to imagine). In 25 Ibid., p. 119. 26 Ibn Taymiyah, Sharh. at.-T.ahaÃwiyah, p. 442, as quoted in al-Ashqar, 2002a, p. 126. general, humans have developed moral codes, ethical codes and laws that provide frameworks for acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and although these codes are often purported to be secular in nature, religion has most likely had some type of influence. Non-Muslims are rewarded for their good deeds, but their rewards are limited to the present life. They will have no share in the hereafter, as they have H refused to believe in and worship Allah ( ) as He should be believed in and worshipped.

Evil actually exists as a test from Allah (H). If Allah had created all of us with only the potential for goodness, in a world full of goodness, we all would have naturally obeyed and submitted to Allah. In that case, there would be no need for accountability or judgment, and everyone would attain the goal of paradise. Since Allah's plan is to test humans by distinguishing between those who submit to Him and those who refuse, evil temptations are a necessary part of the plan. These evil enticements are present in various forms in the environment as well as in our very own souls. Levels of the soul In general, the soul will be at one of three levels, or conditions, based upon the choices that are made: the commanding soul, the reproachful soul, or the tranquil soul.

This does not mean that each person has three different souls; it means that there are different attributes or conditions that may apply to one soul, as explained below. Commanding souls: This refers to the commanding souls that instigate people towards evil, as mentioned in the Qur'anic verse: {...Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy...} (Qur'an 12: 53) This is the lower level of the soul, which inclines towards the physical world and seeks bodily desires and pleasures. The soul is controlled by its whims and desires, such that it is disobedient and commits sins easily. If individuals allow these lowly aspects to take control, they begin to lose a sense of remorse for their sinful 27 actions. As they go down the path of sin, they lose the ability to perceive the truth. Evil takes over, and their hearts become hardened.

H Allah ( ) says regarding them: {No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.} (Qur'an 83: 14) People like this have refused to accept the guidance from Allah H ( ) and to take Allah as their supporter. In this case, Allah ( ) H gives them another companion: Satan. {And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful Ð we appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion. And indeed, they [the devils] avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided.} (Qur'an 43: 36-37) Satan will whisper to them and easily encourage them to do evil deeds. Since this soul is already inclined to those kinds of acts, they 28 willingly obey. Reproachful soul: This is the self-reproaching soul that recognizes evil deeds, blames itself for wrongdoing and feels a sense of remorse.

This soul also blames itself for not doing more good 29 H deeds. Allah ( ) mentions: {And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection]} (Qur'an 75: 2) After recognizing their evil natures and the wrong done to their own souls, people with reproachful souls seek repentance from Allah and attempt to correct themselves. {And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness 27 Zarabozo, 2002, pp. 62-63. 28 Zarabozo, 2002, p. 63. 29 Ibid., pp. 66-67. for their sins Ð and who can forgive sins except Allah? Ð and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.} (Qur'an 3: 135) These souls constantly waver between doing good and doing 30 evil. Tranquil soul: As sincere faith becomes strong in a person's heart, the proclivity to evil within the soul becomes weak. The soul becomes completely dominated by inclinations towards piety and righteousness. It loves and desires goodness and detests evil deeds, so it rarely (if ever) responds to or complies with the urges to commit 31 evil deeds. This is the level of the tranquil soul. {[To the righteous it will be said]: O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him].

And enter among My [righteous] servants. And enter My paradise.} (Qur'an 89: 27-30) H Goodness dominates, so the soul feels a sense of tranquillity and peace. These souls are obedient to Allah ( ) and pleased with what 32 He has decreed, relying upon Him alone in all matters. Through this strong connection with the Creator, they calm their desires and passions, and they require little effort to repel evil inclinations. These individuals are in essence fulfilling the purpose of their creation, which is the worship and obedience of Allah. This is a level that is possible to achieve in this life, and it provides the believers with a taste of the joys awaiting them in the hereafter.

The heart The Arabic term for heart, qalb, is mentioned many times in the Qur'an, either in reference to itself or to the chest that contains it. The root of the word `qalb' refers to changing quickly and often. The 30 al-Ashqar, 2002a, p. 133. 31 Zarabozo, 2002, pp. 67. 32 Ibid., 2002, p. 68. | Prophet ( ) said: «The heart (qalb) takes its name from its constant changes (taqallub). The heart is like a feather at the root of a tree, being turned over and over by the wind.» (a sound hadith recorded by Ah.mad) This changing of the heart is related to its level of eemaÃn or faith. In the Islamic framework, the heart is associated with more than mere affection and emotions. It is also the seat of intellectual and cognitive faculties and understanding, volition and intention.33 It is a `super-sensory organ' that is cognizant of metaphysical truths.

The heart is connected to the soul as an integral component, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown. As mentioned, the heart is capable of both emotion and reasoning. The heart's capacity to reason and understand is expressed in several Qur'anic verses: {So have they not travelled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.} (Qur'an 22: 46) {And We have certainly created for hell many of the jinn and humankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray.

It is they who are the heedless.} (Qur'an 7: 179) {Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His (created) soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts [meaning intellect]; little are you grateful.} (Qur'an 32: 9) | The Prophet ( ) said: «...In the body, there is a morsel of flesh which, if it is sound, all the body is sound and which, if it is diseased, all of the body is diseased. This part of the body is the heart.» (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) 33 Haque, 2004, p. 48. The heart plays a significant role in human psychology, as highlighted in this hadith. It is not merely a physical organ that pumps blood throughout the body; it also has a prominent spiritual role. If the heart is sound, the rest of the body will be sound, and the actions of the body will be pure. A heart that is diseased will lead to a diseased body and unhealthy actions.

Unfortunately, in our current times, Muslims have lost the understanding of the importance of the role of the heart. The focus is generally on actions or beliefs, with little mention of emotion. In reality, however, the acceptance of our deeds by Allah ( ) is H dependent upon the state of our hearts. We may pray, fast and perform other obligatory duties, but if the heart does not intend these H actions for the sake of Allah ( ), or it is inattentive during the process, our deeds may not be accepted at all. In fact, they may be counted against us if the desire of the heart is directed towards some other goal, such as recognition from others. This is probably one of the main reasons that Sufism is so appealing to the masses, as it focuses on this emotional aspect (usually to the detriment of beliefs and actions).

Regarding the heart, Zarabozo states: The rest of the limbs are subservient to and obey the heart. The heart is the commander and the limbs are the soldiers. Therefore, if the heart is good, the `soldiers' and their acts are good and if the heart is evil, the `soldiers' and their acts are evil. If the heart is completely pure it will contain only love for Allah, love for the things that Allah loves, fear of Allah and fear of engaging in something that Allah hates. Such a heart will abstain from all of the forbidden acts and will also abstain from the ambiguous matters out of fear that they are forbidden. If the heart is greatly evil it will follow its own desires and it will perform the acts that it loves regardless of whether Allah loves those acts or not.34 34 Zarabozo, J., 1999, Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi, Denver, CO: Al Basheer Company for Publications and Translations, Vol. 1, pp. 469-470.

Allah knows the secrets of the heart Whether people reveal what is in their hearts or attempt to conceal it, Allah (H) knows every minute detail. This fact is mentioned several times throughout the Qur'an to remind human beings of this reality so that they may correct their intentions and their behaviour. {Say: Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it...} (Qur'an 3: 29) {Indeed, Allah is knower of the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and earth. Indeed, He is knowing of that within the breasts.} (Qur'an 35: 38) {And conceal your speech or publicize it; indeed, He is knowing of that within the breasts. Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?} (Qur'an 67: 13-14) {And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.} (Qur'an 50: 16) The closeness in this verse refers to having absolute knowledge of everything about the human being. Types of hearts Since the heart is connected to the soul, it also has three types, which are similar to the descriptions of the levels of the soul. These types are the healthy heart, the dead heart, and the sick or defective heart.

If the heart is good, the actions of the person will be good; if the heart is evil, the actions will be evil. The healthy heart The healthy heart is free from any desires that oppose the command of Allah (H) and from any doubts that contradict what He reveals. It submits completely and relies on Allah (H) alone. This H 35 type of heart is living, humble and gentle. It is a pure heart that has H only love for and fear of Allah ( ). It loves those things that Allah ( ) loves, and hates that which He hates.

H On the Day of Judgment, the only heart that will be of benefit is the sound and submissive heart. Allah ( ) says: {The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, but only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.} (Qur'an 26: 88-89) The Prophet ( | ) used to supplicate for a clean heart. He said: «O Allah! Make the distance between me and my sins as great as You have made the east far from the west, cleanse (my heart) from all sins as a white garment is cleansed from filth, and wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.» (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim) The healthy heart finds peace and comfort in the remembrance of Allah. {O people, there has come to you instruction from your Lord, and healing for what is in the breasts Ð and guidance and mercy for the believers.} (Qur'an 10: 57) {Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured.} (Qur'an 13: 28) {Allah has sent down the best statement: a consistent book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah.

That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills...} (Qur'an 39: 23) 35 Ibn Taymiyyah, 1998, Diseases of the Hearts and their Cures, Birmingham, U.K: Al Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, p. 11. The dead heart The dead heart is ignorant of its Creator, neither knowing its Lord nor worshipping Him. It follows its whims and desires and is immersed in worldly pleasures. It will follow its own desires and H engage in acts that it loves, regardless of whether Allah ( ) loves those acts or not. This is the dreary and harsh heart.36 When it hears H mention of Allah ( ) or the Qur'an, this type of heart reacts with aversion. {And when Allah is mentioned alone, the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter shrink with aversion, but when those [worshipped] other than Him are mentioned, immediately they rejoice.} (Qur'an 39: 45) Those who reject guidance have hearts that are blind and deaf; their faculties of reason and perception are dead. When a person sins, the heart is marked or stained.

Repentance and forgiveness may wash the stain away, but if the person does not repent, the stain deepens and spreads more. Eventually the heart is sealed, and the person dies spiritually. {No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.} (Qur'an 83: 14) {Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil...} (Qur'an 2: 7) The Qur'an presents an analogy for this type of heart: {Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.} (Qur'an 2: 74) 36 Ibid., p. 11. This verse pertains to the Children of Israel, who defied Allah H ( ) and refused to submit to Him.

Their hearts became harder than stone and subsequently were closed to any form of guidance. The sick heart The third type, the sick heart, is between the first two kinds of hearts. It has some life, but is also defective. It contains love of Allah H ( ) and faith and trust in Him, but at the same time, it harbours a love of vain desires and the material world. There is a continuous wavering between these two conditions of safety and destruction.37 If a person engages in prohibited or doubtful matters, the heart becomes weaker and open to further attacks and disease. This may lead it to eventually become a dead heart if efforts are not made to purify it.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah described these three hearts as such: Hearts [in fact] are of three [types]. [The first] is the one devoid of faith and devoid of all good. With such a benighted heart, the devil relaxes his whisperings, for he has already taken residence in this heart, a territory for him to rule as he pleases Ð in complete control. The second type is the heart illuminated by faith. Lamps are lit therein, but the shadows of passions and impulses remain. In this heart, the devil sometimes finds a welcome, sometimes rejection; but it is a territory he yearns for. The war waxes and wanes.

People of this kind vary greatly: among some the devil usually wins; among others he is usually defeated; among others still he sometimes [wins] and sometimes [loses]. The third type is the heart brimming with faith, illumined by its lights, and the heart [of one] from whom the veils of passion have been lifted and shadows dispelled Ð so light shines forth in his breast. In that kindled glow, distractions are burnt up when 37 Ibid., p. 11. they approach. This heart is like the firmament protected by stars: when a devil approaches, a meteor is cast down and he is burnt up. Surely no heaven is more sacrosanct than the believer. Allah protects him even more than He does the heavens.

For while the heavens are the temple of the angels, the repository of revelation, the place where the lights of obedience shine forth, the believer's heart is the repository of tawh . eed, the love of Allah and gnosis. It is where the lights of faith shine on. It deserves to be guarded and protected from the plots of the foe, who will obtain nothing of it save through deceit and in 38 moments of negligence. Signs of a sound heart There are some signs that indicate whether or not the heart is pure and sound. The distinguishing characteristic is that the healthy H heart is not inclined to this world, but instead is attached to Allah 39 ( ) and the hereafter. The signs include: