The Hardness of the Heart
By Imaam Ibnul "Qayyim al-Jawziyah
Translated by Aboo Sulaymaan
Al-Fawaa`id [pp.
111-112] of ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him.
[The translation is
taken from 'An Explanation of Riyaadh as-Saaliheen Vol. 1, Trans. Abu Sulaymaan
and modified.]
The servant is not
afflicted with a punishment greater in severity than the hardening of the heart
and its being distant from Allaah. The Fire was created to melt the hardened
heart, this heart which is the most distant of hearts from Allaah. If the heart
becomes hardened the eye becomes dry [and finds no joy or tranquillity].
There are four
matters, when the limits are transgressed with regards to them, harden the
heart: food, sleep, speech and sexual intercourse. A body afflicted by disease
does not derive nourishment from food and water and similarly a diseased heart
does not benefit from admonishment or exhortation.
Whosoever desires
to purify his heart then let him give preference to Allaah over his base
desires.
The heart that
clings to its base desires is veiled from Allaah in accordance to the strength
of its attachment to them. The hearts are the vessels of Allaah upon His earth,
hence the most beloved of them to Him are those that are most tender, pure and
resistant to deviation.
[A reference to the
hadeeth, "Truly, Allaah has vessels from amongst the people of the earth,
and the vessels of your Lord are the hearts of his righteous slaves, and the
most beloved of them to Him are the softest and most tender ones" and it is
hasan. Refer to as-Saheehah (no. 1691)]
The transgressors
preoccupied their hearts with the pursuance of this world. If only they had
preoccupied them with Allaah and seeking the Hereafter then they would have
instead reflected upon the meaning of His Words and His Signs that are witnessed
in creation. Their hearts would have returned to their owners (in whose chests
they reside) bestowing upon them marvelous wisdom and pearls of benefit.
When the heart is
nourished with dhikr, its thirst quenched with contemplation and cleansed from
corruption, it shall witness remarkable and wondrous matters and be inspired
with wisdom.
Not every
individual who is endowed with knowledge and wisdom and dons its robe is from
among its people. Rather the People of Knowledge and Wisdom are those who have
infused life into their hearts by slaughtering their desires. As for the one who
has destroyed his heart and given precedence to his desires then knowledge and
wisdom are deprived from his tongue.
The destruction of
the heart occurs through possessing a sense of security and negligence. The
heart is fortified through fear of Allaah and dhikr. If the heart renounces the
pleasures of this world then it will be directed towards pursuing the bliss of
the Hereafter and it will be amongst those who call to it. Should the heart
become content with the pleasures of this world the bliss of the Hereafter
ceases to be pursued.
Yearning for Allaah
and His meeting is like a gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, blowing away the
blazing desire for this world. Whosoever causes his heart to settle with his
Lord shall find himself in a calm and tranquil condition and whosoever sends it
amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed. This is because
the love of Allaah can never enter
the heart which
contains love of this world until the camel passes through the eye of a needle.
Therefore the most
beloved servant to Allaah is the one whom He places in His servitude, whom He
selects for His Love, whom He causes to purify his worship for Him, who
dedicates his life to Him, his tongue to His dhikr and his limbs to His service.
The heart becomes
sick as the body becomes sick and its cure lies in repentance and seeking
protection from evil.
It becomes rusty as
a mirror becomes rusty and it is polished through dhikr.
It becomes naked as
the body becomes naked and its adornment comes about through taqwaa.
It becomes hungry
and thirsty as the body becomes hungry and thirsty and its hunger and thirst is
satiated through knowledge, love, reliance, repentance and servitude to Allaah.