26/05/2024
Path to Attaining A Life Where the Heart is Alive
-------------------------
1. Shortening of Hopes [ูุตุฑ ุงูุฃู
ู]
Opposite of ุทูู ุงูุฃู
ู (long hopes), this means living with the constant awareness that life is short and time to please Allah is limited. Even if one has a hundred years, they view it as insufficient for worshiping Allah. They live like a wayfarer, as described by Ibn Qayyim. Constantly reminding oneself of this reality is crucial:
๏ดฟููุฃููููููู
ู ููููู
ู ููุฑููููู ู
ูุง ูููุนูุฏูููู ููู
ู ููููุจูุซููุง ุฅููููุง ุณูุงุนูุฉู ู
ููู ููููุงุฑู ุจูููุงุบู ูููููู ูููููููู ุฅููููุง ุงููููููู
ู ุงููููุงุณูููููู๏ดพ [ุงูุฃุญูุงู: ูฃูฅ]
"It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?"
2. Tadabbur of the Quran [ูุชุฏุจุฑ ุงููุฑุขู]
Tadabbur is not merely the study of Tafsir (interpretation) of the Quran. It involves deeply reflecting upon and internalizing the verses, applying them to one's heart repeatedly with immense focus. This process is best done in solitude. Memorizing and reciting specific portions of the Quran with focus helps in achieving this:
๏ดฟููุชูุงุจู ุฃูููุฒูููููุงูู ุฅููููููู ู
ูุจูุงุฑููู ููููุฏููุจููุฑููุง ุขููุงุชููู ููููููุชูุฐููููุฑู ุฃููููู ุงููุฃูููุจูุงุจู๏ดพ [ุต: ูขูฉ]
"[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded."
3. Avoiding What Harms the Heart [ูุชุฌูุจ ู
ูุณุฏุงุช ุงูููุจ]
To attain Allahโs pleasure, a pure heart is essential:
๏ดฟููููู
ู ููุง ูููููุนู ู
ูุงูู ููููุง ุจูููููู โุฅููููุง ู
ููู ุฃูุชูู ุงูููููู ุจูููููุจู ุณููููู
ู๏ดพ [ุงูุดุนุฑุงุก: ูจูจ-ูจูฉ]
"The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children. But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart."
The major corrupters of the heart include:
(a) Excessive socialization [ูุซุฑุฉ ุงูุฎูุทุฉ]: Even with good people, it can distract from time spent with Allah.
(b) Wishful thinking [ุงูุชู
ูู]: Always thinking about the dunya with greed is harmful.
(c) Attachment to other than Allah [ุงูุชุนูู ุจุบูุฑ ุงููู]: Having hopes in others should be conditional upon Allahโs will.
(d) Excessive eating [ูุซุฑุฉ ุงูุดุจุน]: Hunger helps in connecting with Allah.
(e) Excessive sleeping [ูุซุฑุฉ ุงูููู
]: This is often linked to excessive eating and leads to laziness in worship.