What is Qalb? part-4: Qalb-e-Saleem

Qalb-e-Saleem (Safe heart): Dr Rafiq Ahmed

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’ân:

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah Ta’ala a sound heart”. (26:89)

For real prosperity you need a properly functioning heart that is liked by Allah Ta’ala. Saleem is a word derived from Salaamat. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe', also. Qalb is necessary for the real prosperity and safe Qalb is liked by Allah Ta’ala.

The safe Qalb means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused.

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is framed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as Saleem (safe). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man).

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen with open ears, that is Qalb” (Bukhâri Sharief)

When the king is in right condition and functions properly, the subjects will be in right condition and they will also function properly and vice versa.

What is 'Qalb-e-Saleem' (A Pure-Heart)? An Explanation:

Explanation of the Quranic word 'Qalb-e-Saleem' by various Imams:

Allah says in the Quran, “The day when wealth and children will not benefit anyone except he who will come to Allah with a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Surah Shu’ara 26, Aayah 88-89).

Our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAWS) used to say in his Du’aa: “O Allah! I ask you for a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Tirmidhi: On the authority of Shaddad bin Aws.) 

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen carefully, that is the Qalb” (Bukhâri)

 'Saleem' is a word derived from 'Salaamat'. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe and sound'.

The 'Qalb e Saleem' means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused. 

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is designed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. 

If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as 'Saleem' (safe, sound and healthy). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. 

When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man). 

Mentioned below are the different ways in which the Imams and Ulema (scholars) of the Salaf (early Muslims) have interpreted and explained the phrase 'Qalb-e-Saleem':

 1. Abdullah bin Abbas, Mujaahid, Qataadah, Ibn Sireen and many others (R.A.A.) are of the opinion that Qalb-e-Saleem is a heart that is absolutely free from Kufr (disbelief) and Nifaaq (hypocrisy). 

Ibn Sirin said, "The clean heart knows that Allah is true, that the Hour will undoubtedly come and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.'' [Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, Ibn Katheer, etc.]

 2. It is heart that is free from Kibr (pride), Hasad (jealousy) and Hiqd (hatred). In the words of Qurtubi (R.A.A.) it is a Khaalis (sincere) heart. This opinion is supported by the following:
 i.) Rasoolullah (SAWS) said: “None of you can (truly) believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) He  (SAWS)  also said: “A group of people will enter Jannah – their hearts are like the hearts of the birds.” (Muslim)

 iii.) Anas bin Maalik (R.A.) used to say that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are AL-Bulh.” According to one interpretation Al-Bulh are people who have clean hearts and who always entertain good thoughts regarding others (Qurtubi). Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said, "The clean heart is the sound heart.''

 3. It is the heart which, due to extreme love for Allah and His Rasool  (SAWS) , leads to total obedience to Allah and his Rasool  (SAWS) . This opinion is supported by the following:

 i.) Rasoolullah  (SAWS)  said: “…. There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is good, the whole body is good. And if it is bad, the whole body is bad. Listen! That piece of flesh is the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) The Salaf (pious predecessors) used to say: “The heart is the king of the limbs and the rest of the limbs are its soldiers; they always obey him by implementing his instructions and they never disobey him in any regard. (Remember) when the king is pious, his soldiers will also be pious. Similarly, when the king is sinful, his soldiers will also be sinful.” (Jaami-ul-Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab Hanbali)

 iii.) According to one interpretation the statement of Anas (RA) that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are Al-Bulh” refers to people who “don’t know sin”. (Qurtubi)

 4. Sa’eed bin Musayyab (RA) explains that the Arabs very often used the word 'Saleem' in the meaning of 'Ladeegh' (one who was bitten by a snake or scorpion) and this is exactly the case in the phrase Qalb-e-Saleem. (Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, etc). 

Thus Qalb-e-Saleem is the heart which, due to extreme fear for Allah, is like the heart of a person who has just been bitten by a scorpion. (Qurtubi). In the words of Abu Bakr ibn-ul-Arabi (R.A.A.) it is a heart that is “burnt and stung with fear (for Allah)" [Ahkaam-ul-Qur’an]. 

Some commentators of Hadith claim that the group of people who will enter Jannah because “their hearts are like the hearts of the birds” (Muslim) refer to people whose hearts are overwhelmed with fear for Allah.

It is our duty to make an effort to inculcate this Qalb-e-Saleem. May Allah guide us all to make such an effort and may He bless us all with the Qalb-e-Saleem. Aameen


More on 'Qalb-e-Saleem': 

http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-part-4-qalb-e-saleem.html
and
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/polishing-hearts-by-imam-ibn-qayyim-al.html

Detailed article on importance of "Qalb" (heart) in Islamic spirituality:
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-heart-by-dr-rafiq-ahmed.html

7 Conditions to Purify your Heart in Ramadhan

In his works Imam Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (ibn Al-Qayyim) elucidates seven conditions that we, as Muslims must possess for our hearts to be saleem (Healthy & Sound).

The below article shows us how these seven conditions can be easily achieved in Ramadhan so as to purify our heart and make it 'Qalb-e-Saleem'.

The heart is the seat of Iman, or faith.  The heart is the source of all righteous action. Purity (Tazkiya) of the heart shows itself by transforming knowledge into action. Sickness of the heart shows itself by meeting reminders with heedlessness.

In his mercy, Allah has sent Ramadan to us to purify our hearts. Though we may lose sight of it, during Ramadan while our bodies are fasting, our hearts should be feasting. In this celebration of self-restraint, we should also be celebrating a degree of nourishment for our hearts that we do not normally find the rest of the year. 

We should be revelling in this break Allah has given us to look inward - revelling in the freedom we find from the addictions and preoccupations that normally chain our hearts to our base desires. We should find joy in the liberation that comes with moving closer to Allah. 
The temporary cessation of our seemingly endless quest for material pleasure should afford us the opportunity to strengthen our hearts and indeed to purify them.

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The seven conditions  to attain Purity of Heart in Ramadhan:

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1) In this month, we must establish a sense of belonging to the next world.

Allah SubhanahuwaTa'Ala says in Suratul-Hadid.

(surah 57.  ayat 20)
"know you (all), that the life of This world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; Thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. but In the Hereafter is a penalty severe (for the devotees of
wrong). and forgiveness from Allah and (His) good pleasure (for the devotees of Allah.. and what is the life of This world, but goods and chattels of deception?"

The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahuAlayheWaSallam said:
“What have I got to do with the material world. The example of the material world and I is that of a traveller. Traveling in the afternoon heat, he stopped to rest under the shade of a tree for some moments. Then, he rose and left it.”
 -Tirmidhi, Ahmad (Hasan)

Again, seperation from those desires that normally consume our days, should allow us to reflect, to think about the deception of this life. To understand the deception that lies in living each day only for the fleeting pleasure of eating, drinking, sleeping or copulating.
Allah is detatching us from these things so that we can begin to understand what he and his messenger are telling us -- that to continuously pursue pleasure, is to chase something that will escape from you as soon as you catch it, and will cause a person to forget their return to Allah.

“And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance avail him? He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life!” -- [Al Fajr 89/23-24]

Ali – Radi Allahu ‘anhu – once stood at the head of a grave and said to his companion, “If he had a chance to return to this life, what do you think he would do?” His companion
replied, “He would do nothing but good deeds.” Ali – Radi Allahu ‘anhu – then said, “If it is not going to be him, then let it be you.”


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2) Our hearts must begin to feel remorse and anguish upon committing sins.

The Messenger of Allah said:
"Beware of sins which are treated as being minor, just like a people who encamp in the centre of a valley, so someone brings a stick of firewood and someone else brings a stick until they are therefore able to bake their bread.
Likewise sins which are treated as being minor and for which the person is taken to account will destroy him."  Reported by Ahmad (5/331) and others.
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood said: The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting beneath a mountain which he feared was about to fall upon him, whereas the wicked sees his sins like a man who finds a fly settle upon his nose, so he does this (one of the narrators said: He brushes it away from his nose). Reported by al-Bukhari (Eng. Trans. 8/214/no.320) .

The fact that we are doing an act of worship that permeates our entire day should make us more aware of everything that we do. We are aware that not leaving sins during the day will cause Allah to not accept our fast, so we are more inclined to leave sins. In essence because we are fasting we begin to magnify each sin as something that stands between us and our worship of Allah - prevents us from progressing in our quest to come nearer to Allah.
This lesson is one that we should carry with us all of the time. If we thought of each sin as something that would destroy our relationship with Allah, and bring about his anger, we would never commit such acts. But we are a people of forgetfulness -- we are a people that use our good deeds as an excuse to do things we know are displeasing to Allah. Brothers and sisters, Allah is not in need of anything from his creation. It is we who are in need of every good deed we could possibly accumulate in this world.
We cannot ignore the affect committing sin (without striving against it) has on our hearts. Whether this means that we willingly surround ourself with people that continuously commit sins, or we are taking as entertainment things which make light or even promote sins such as drinking alchohol and zina. Brothers and sisters it affects our hearts when we watch things that are contrary to the laws of Allah – but not only do we not avoid these things, indeed we boldly seek them out -- drowning our hearts in a sea of disobedience and then expecting to have humility in our salah. Bringing to our ears endless streams of idle talk and profanity and still expecting that our own tongues speak only good. Does it make sense to believe that our hearts are unaffected by what goes on around us?

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3) During this month, we must begin to place value where it truly is --
we must begin to feel that the remembrance of Allah is worth more than any material wealth. The third attribute of a healthy heart is that the person is more upset if they miss their daily recitation of Qur'an or Dhikr than if they lost wealth. If the wealth is more dear to us, then that indicates we do not see this Dhikr as essential –we do not have an attitude that our relationship with Allah is in need of maintinence and indeed improvement. If we have such a routine and we have no feeling upon missing it, that most likely means we are continuing to do it out of habit – that the action is upon our limbs, but its place in our heart is vacant.

Can we place a value on the remembrance of Allah? How much would someone have to offer us to make us leave reading the Qur'an during the days of Ramadan. Or if we are
not doing it -- think how much money it would require for us to begin to do that. If someone were to offer $50 for us to finish a Juz' (a 1/30 th part of the Quran) each day would we do it? Would we FIND the time even though we say we might not have it? If so then that means that the enticement of money has a greater effect on our hearts than the reward of Allah.

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4) During Ramadan we must take pleasure in these acts of Ibadah -- we should feel joy, and peace that our days and nights are being spent fulfilling the purpose for which Allah has created us. The fourth attribute of a heart that is saleem is that it finds greater pleasure in worshipping Allah, than in food and drink.
This should be another point of self examination. We all know the pleasure we feel upon having good food. We have a desire to eat more - perhaps even eat more than we should.
Have we ever had this same pleasure to come from an act of Ibadah. Perhaps for some of us the idea of feeling joy or pleasure from fasting or Salah has never even occurred to us.
Now if this is the case -- that we have never even thought about feeling joy from worshipping Allah we have to ask ourselves if it is really possibly to go through our lives
disliking something and still doing it with excellence. We all know that the things we love are the things we do best. And if we have never considered loving our Salah or loving the Fasting of Ramadan, it goes without saying that these acts of worship then are probably among the worst things we do with regards to the care we put into them and their resulting quality.
If we have felt joy from our acts of worship before, and yet food is still more pleasurable, then that means our hearts are in a constant state of emptiness. The hearts are put at rest
when they are fulfilling the purpose of their creation -- when they are aware of their lord and are looking forward to meeting him. We are trying to satisfy our hearts -- an entity
which is not physical -- with a pleasure that is purely physical and extremely fleeting. Though this may distract us, it will not complete us, will not satisfy our hearts -- and perhaps this is why we must eat so much. Because we are trying to use the food to fill a void that cannot be filled by something material.

Allah says in Surat Ar-Ra'ad:
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do the heart's find rest [Ar-Ra'ad 13:28]
Brothers and sisters are we finding rest worshipping Allah in this month of Ramadan?
Are we finding satisfaction or are we finding our empty stomachs again and again throughout the day -- counting down the hours until we can eat again. Are we finding
pleasure standing before Allah in Tarawih -- if we are doing it at all?
If food is more pleasurable, more desireable to our hearts than Ibadah, that means we have an addiction – it means that our fleeting physical pleasure has a greater place in our heart than the worhsip of Allah.

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5) Fasting should show us the importance of doing acts of worhsip with sincerity. The fifth attribute is that the person is very concerned with doing deeds solely for the sake of Allah.
We all realize that no one else knows whether we are fasting or not. And usually we think about this in regards to whether or not we eat when others are around. But brothers and sisters fasting with sincerity is abstaining from sins as well. Is it a sincere fast if we are still committing acts of disobedience thinking that no one sees us? Are we just abstaining from food because everyone else is?
The Messenger of Allah, SullallahuAlayheWaSallam said:
"What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is ar-riyaa. Allaah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: Go to those for whom you did riyaa for in the world then see if you find the reward
with them." [Related by Ahmad (5/428, 429) and al-Baghawi in Sharh us-Sunnah (4135) from the hadeeth of Mahmood bin Lubaid, radiyallaahu `anhu, with an authentic chain upon the conditions of Muslim.]

We must search within ourselves and find that sincerity -- if we cannot find it while fasting -- an act that is solely between us and Allah, we will not be able to find it the rest of the year, doing acts that are seen by the people.

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6) During Ramadan we must revive our humility in Salah -- we must find a way to put everything out of our minds except Allah. If we are fasting the whole day, Insha'Allah remembering Allah and then when it comes to Salah we are still distracted, it means our hearts have been infected by a disease. The sixth attribute, then of a heart that is saleem, is that when we stand up for prayer, our worries and concerns leave us.
Now for most of us we commonly experience the opposite phenomenon – that as soon as we make our takbeer every think that we had not been thinking about suddenly comes to
the front of our mind. And to some degree this is navoidable, but we must feel a sense of danger if this occurrence is characteristice of the majority of our Salah.

Allah SubhanahuwaTa'Ala says:
(Surah 39. Az Zumar ayat 22-23)

"So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of Allah. They are manifestly
wandering (in error)!
Allah has revealed (from time to time) the Most beautiful Message In the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching In various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble there at; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises. such is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such As Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide."

If our hearts were softened to Allah's remembrance, to hear the takbeer would be a very affecting thing – we would have humility that would bring our hearts above this influence.
When speaking about the first aspect of knowledge to be raised up, the Prophet(SAWS) said "It is humility, until you will not even see one humble person." [an-Nisaa'ee  in al-Kubraa (3/42), as is found in Tuhfatul-Ashraaf (8/211). And it is related by al-Bazzaar (no. 232), Ahmad (6/26), and by at-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer (18/43), and in his Musnadush-Shaamiyyeen (no. 6867)].

And in another narration:
If you wish, I will inform you of the first knowledge to be raised up: the khushoo'; to the extent that if you enter a congregational mosque, then you will not see a single humble
man in it." At-Tirmidhi Jaami' (no. 2655).

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7) We must begin to take advantage of our time, especially during Ramadan, as an opportunity to do acts that will be pleasing to Allah. We cannot afford to waste time, or spend it idly. Lastly, then one who has a healthy heart is more stingy about wasting time than the greedy or stingy person is about their wealth.
The Messenger of Allah SallAllahuAlayheWaSallam said:
"The two feet of the son of Aadam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five (matters):- 1) about his life - how he spent it; 2) about his youth - how he took care of it; 3) about his wealth - how he
earned it; 4) and where he spent it; 5) and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquired." [at-Tirmidhi, As-Silsilah as-Sahihah #946]
and he said:
"There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time." Reported by al-Bukhari(Eng.Trans.8/282/no.421)

Brothers and sisters we must occupy ourselves with the remembrance of Allah. There is only free time, time to waste, for the one who has finished his work. The sahaba would
pray to Allah half the year that they be able to reach Ramadan, the rest of the year, they would continue to ask that Allah accept all of their worship during Ramadan. We assume that everything we have ever done, has been accepted from us -- and we allow this to deceive us into thinking we have time to waste -- we have "free time".
The sahaba who were promised Jannah were the most eager in striving for the reward of Allah. We have no such assurance and yet we sit back, satisfied – filling our days with
endless entertainments and diversions. Brothers and sisters now is the time for awakening. Death will soon come to seal all that we have done before it, as our appeal to Allah on the day of judgement.

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Conclusion:
What Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim has outlined for us is a very comprehensive list of signposts along the path to purification. If there is a time of the year that this path is made easy for the believer, it is this month. By removing the influence of the Shaytan Allah gives us a clear picture of the state of our own hearts. No longer are the voices within us obscured
by the background noise of the Shayatin. We must realize that every evil impulse, every sinful act this month is purely the result of what is in our own hearts. While simultaneously giving us this window into ourselves, Allah has ordained fasting upon us to restrain our pursuit of material pleasures -- in his wisdom he has given us a perfect opportunity to devote all of our energy to self-examination. But Ramadan is also the month of the Qur'an -- so Allah has made clear for us the state of our hearts, removed the distractions that would normally prevent us from working to purify our hearts, and he SubhanahuwaTa'Ala has inundated us with a book that speaks to the hearts -- a book that, if we allow it, will uplift and strengthen our hearts so that they are worthy of being a
place of residence for true and complete Iman.
During these last 10 nights of Ramadan that are approaching let us try to instill in our hearts a belonging to the next world. Let us leave sins and feel remorse and anguish for all we have done in the past. We must prioritize the remembrance of Allah -- if our hearts are to become healthy it should have more value than any material sum. We should find the pleasure in our Ibadah this month that Insha'Allah will stay with us the rest of the year. We must ask Allah to grant us sincerity in all of our acts. We must clear our minds during Salah and not adulterate our worship with thoughts of the worldly life.
And lastly, let us earnestly strive for the days of Ramadan that remain, and indeed for the days of our life that remain to please Allah.

Which heart deserves Allah's grace?

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah Ta’ala a sound heart”. (26:89)

How can a heart become illumined when it has been penetrated by worldly wealth, worldly reputation, offspring, property, idle thoughts and false hopes? When the darkness of the phantoms is dispelled from the heart, Noor will then settle in the heart.

The heart which night and day is fettered in the chains of nafsaani desires, thinking only of food, garments and wives, cannot advance towards Allah Ta'ala because its feet are tied with chains.
The heart which has not been cleansed of the impurities of neglect (ghaflat) and perpetually dwells in negligence, having forgotten the akhirat, cannot enter into the lofty Divine Presence. How can such a heart be granted acceptance in such a pure Court?
Just as an impure (napaak) person is not permitted entry into a Musjid, so too is a heart which has not been purified of the impurities of ghaflat denied entry into the Divine Presence. Such a heart is not granted Divine Acceptance.
The heart which is engrossed in despicable acts, futility and baseless hopes cannot entertain the desire to comprehend the mysteries and subtleties of Allah Ta'ala. When it has repented of its futility, then only will it be endowed with the ability to understand Divine Mysteries.
-Ikmalus Shiyam, commentary on the Hikam

What is Qalb? part-12: Suhbat of Ahlullah

Suhabat (Company) of Ahl-e-Dil as a Cause of Revivification of Qalb
(Whole hearts are the receiving stations of the Divine Light)

Allah Ta’ala says in Qur’ân:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

"O Believers! remain with the truthful”. (9:119)

The Qalb also needs watering as the land needs rain. The water of Qalb are the words of pious people and company of  the Ulema. How is it possible that one’s dead and dry heart will get revived in the company of such people? Remember that the Nafs and the Shaitân are two things which cause opacity of Qalb by way of sins. The Shaitân’s origin is fire. So, a person has two kinds of fires with him, one is the fire of his baser self (Nafs) and other is the fire of Satan (Shaitân), the smoke of these fires is blackening his Qalb all the time. When a person sits in the company of the pious Muttaqi people who have got their hearts purified and enlightened by the Noor of Allah Ta’ala the Tajalliyaat of Allah Ta’ala that are always falling on their hearts change the condition of this person miraculously. When they talk, this divine light i.e., Noor mixes up with their words and when they utter such words from their mouth, they penetrate deep into the sincere listener’s heart and revivify it. The fire of Shaitân and that of his baser self gets extinguished by the Noor of the hearts of these pious people.

One can observe this light (Noor) when he goes to such a pious man who advises him to offer Salâh regularly or to tell the truth. This person after returning from starts offering Salâh regularly. This person was knowing it already that Salâh is compulsory and should be offered, or that one should tell the truth but still he was not doing so. What has happened by a simple sentence of this pious man that now this person has started offering prayers? Again, the same thing, he was very well knowing that Salâh should be offered but his baser self i.e., Nafs and Shaitân were very strong and were not allowing him to do so. When he remained in the company of a pious person for some moments, the Noor emanating from his heart extinguished the fire of Shaitân, so he could easily overpower Shaitân and Nafs and thus started offering Salâh and acquired the habit of telling the truth.

If one wants to do good deeds which he already knows, it is obligatory for him to sit in the company of Sâlihîn (the pious people).

Suhbat-i-Sâlihîn is a very exalted thing in this world. It is said that there are many advantages to remain in solitude, but one of the biggest disadvantage of this is that in it Suhbat-i-Sâlihîn is not available and such people lose the blessings of their pious company. One of the reasons mentioned for the Iblees becoming Mardood (condemned) is that he was avoiding the company of Noori angels when he was living with them and was proud of his worship.

Allah Ta’ala ordered Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam),

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ

"And keep yourself content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face”. (18:28)

Though Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was always in the company of Allah Ta’ala but this Aayat was still revealed for the teaching of Ummah.

Effects of good company (Suhabat)

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِىُّ وَقَطَنُ بْنُ نُسَيْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى - أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ الْجُرَيْرِىِّ عَنْ أَبِى عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِىِّ عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ الأُسَيِّدِىِّ قَالَ - وَكَانَ مِنْ كُتَّابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ - لَقِيَنِى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أَنْتَ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَكُونُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ فَنَسِينَا كَثِيرًا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَلْقَى مِثْلَ هَذَا. فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « وَمَا ذَاكَ ». قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ تُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ نَسِينَا كَثِيرًا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « وَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ عِنْدِى وَفِى الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِى طُرُقِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً ». ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ.

Hanzala Usayyidi, who was amongst the scribes of Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). reported: I met Abu Bakr. He said: How are you? He (Hanzala) said: Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things (pertaining to After-life) slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also experience the same. So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: What has happened to you? I said: Allah's Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of Allah), the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzala, time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). He (the Holy Prophet) said this thrice.

From this incident many lessons are derived but I will confine myself to my topic only that is in the Suhabat of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), the Sahâbah were experiencing strange things which they lacked in his absence. Sahâbah Al-Kiram said that they noticed dramatic change in themselves after the departure of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) from the world so soon that they had not even finished the burial ceremony of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the clay of the grave was still sticking to their hands.

Effects of bad company (Suhabat)  

Once Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was reciting Qur’ân- i-Sharief in Salâh while he was Imâm of Sahâbahh-Kirâm (RA). During the course of recitation of the Qur’ân, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) experienced some difficulty in reciting. After the completion of Salâh (prayer), Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) turned towards the Sahâbah (RA) and said,

"What has happened to the people that they are joining the Salâh (prayer) without proper Wudhu(ablution).” (Mishkat Sharief)

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had come to know {through the intuition) that a person had joined the congregational Salâh without proper Wudhu and the effect of this was experienced by Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the form of difficulty in recitation of the Qur’ân. You can imagine that the effect of the company of a person who had not made the Wudhu properly was such that it even effected Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), who was the most perfect of the mankind. From this one can easily judge how one's Qalb must be getting ruined in the company of bad people who are always engaged in the disobedience of Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala protect us.

What is Qalb? part-11: following the Sunnah

 Following of Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

as a cause of revivification of Qalb. -Dr. Rafiq Ahmed

This is one of the most important causes of revivification of Qalb. Blessed are those who understand it and follow it from the core of their hearts. Earlier on it was comprehensively proved that if you want to get rid of the darkness of Qalb and to enlighten it with the Noor of the Qur’ân, you have to connect your Qalb with the power house of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’ân:

قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

"Say:(O Muhammad)! “If you do love Allah Ta’ala, follow me: Allah Ta’ala will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah Ta’ala is oft-forgiving, most merciful.” (3:31)

In this verse Allah Ta’ala declares that if you want My (i.e, Allah Ta’ala’s) love, you have only one way out, that is to follow Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). You know, the Qur’ân is the precious treasure of Allah Ta’ala. He will bestow this treasure only to those whom He loves. In other words, first we have to behave in such a way so that one becomes beloved of Allah Ta’ala, otherwise how can you expect His blessings, particularly a blessing like that of Al-Qur’ân. Allah Ta’ala has not left this for us to think how can we make Him happy. He has been kind enough to tell us well in advance as to what is the thing which He expects from us so that He may love us and subsequently bestow upon us His unlimited blessings, best of which is the Qur’ân. He says that He will love those who follow Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

Unfortunately, these days so called modern Muslims, who are highly influenced by the apparently glittering west, think that following Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is unnecssary and orthodox.

Allah Ta’ala says:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيهِمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

"Indeed, ye have in the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala an excellent exemplar”. (60:6)

Allah Ta’ala says that the best example for you is the life of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the so called modern Muslims of today by their deeds if not by their belief, say that the best way is the western way of life. How can these people understand the divine message of the Qur’ân? The Qur’ân is guidance for those who fear Allah Ta’ala and abstain from sins.

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’ân:

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

"It is Guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah Ta’ala”. (2:2)

One who fears Allah Ta’ala, will not displease Him. From the above verse (3:31) it is clear that Allah Ta’ala will not be pleased with somebody who does not follow Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

How can following of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) help in understanding the Qur’an

Every aspect of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is full of Noor, whether it be his pious Rooh (spirit) or his life or his words or deeds. He was not a Noor for himself only. Allah Ta’ala says that He has sent him as Noor (to mankind). Unfortunate are those who are devoid of this Noor and blessed are those who are cherishing this wealth.

When a Mu’min (believer) acts according to the Sunnah (tradition) of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), each such deed carries a Noor with it which illuminates and enlightens the Qalb of the doer of this deed, which has been done strictly as per Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). These are called Anwaar-i-Sunnan. Say for example, a person has to take his meals, he takes his meals as per Sunnah—washing both of his hands before eating, recites Bismillah, lays the Dastaarkhan (sheet), takes the food from front side of the plate etc. He does this with the Niyyat that these are the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and that Allah Ta’ala likes him to follow Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Now, one person takes his meals but does not do these things and does not make this Niyyat and the other person takes his meals according to the Sunnah. Both take meals, yet there is a great difference between the two. Both get energies for their bodies from the food, but the second person who takes the meals as per Sunnah gets Roohani (spiritual) energy as well. This person with Roohani (spiritual) energy is better placed for understanding the Qur’ân than the first one. From this example one must have understood how following of Sunnah is necessary for Tazkiya and how the deeds not as per Sunnah can deprive a person from Tazkiya. Here it may be understood that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says that the Dua of such a person is not accepted by Allah Ta’ala who takes Haraam food. Here again this Haraam food spoils the Qalb thus depriving the blessings of Dua to shower upon this person.

This thing is so easy to understand as it has very simple reasoning but unfortunately the Qaloob (hearts) of majority of Muslims have got so much darkened and lifeless that they fail to understand this simple fact as to how can following of the Sunnah help in imbibing the Divine guidance. These days there are thousands of libraries, millions of books, hundreds of journals, advanced audio visual methods of propagating Islam and countless conferences and other Islamic congregation held everywhere. Islamic history reveals that in earlier centuries these things were not available in plenty. All the same earlier Muslims were qualitatively far superior to the modern Muslims. If you measure it by using the modern yardstick then the situation should have been reverse i.e., with the modern advances which are providing more and more information easily to a Muslim, should have been qualitatively better but it is not so. It is simply because today’s Muslim, highly overawed and greatly influenced by the western culture, thinks that he can become a good Muslim and can understand the Qur’ân by using the modern audio visual aids of propagation and by reading too many books even if his actions and lifestyle is totally western and against the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

Hadhrat Imâm Malik (RA) used to say that this Ummah cannot regain its glory unless it adopts the same means which were adopted by earlier Muslims i.e., Sahâbah al-Kirâm (RA) and Taaba’een. The secret of success and the source of the knowledge was the Sunnah of Rasullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).