Heart Check Up

Just sharing this reminder for us all... perhaps not a very long one, nor a new thing.  Nevertheless, the matter is a very important one indeed.

What is the condition of our qalb, or heart currently?  Is it healthy and thriving? Or... is it sick, whithering away?  Or.. is it already dead? 

How is the qalb, or heart considered alive?  A heart will only be considered alive when it feels whatever it does, is for Allah.  When it lives according to what Allah wants.  When it views things according to the way Allah wants it to.  Thus, in order for the heart to live, its owner must be actively involved in seeking to find a way to perfect each of is actions accordingly.  He must also consistantly monitor the heart, to ensure that it is not suffering from any diseases.

Dr. Abdul Kadir ‘Audah once said, 

Our journey is the journey of the heart.

This thus indicates that, this whole life is not simply a physical journey.  A journey from a young age to become old.  Nor a path from primary school to university and in the end, to work.  Rather, it is a journey of purifiying the heart, and making sure that it is in its best condition to meet its creator.  This is the journey we need to strive for.

The heart is originally clean.  The inputs we receive from our surroundings, from our senses will fill it up.  The good, or bad, it is up to us, their owner.  Hence, we must play a very important role in ensuring that the heart is not falling into pitfals of fitnah. 

Regarding the importance of taking care of our heart, Rasulullah PBUH had said:

Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.

We must strive hard so that our hearts are aware of Allah at all times.  This awareness should lead us closer to Allah, until we love Him more than anything and everything in this world.    If a heart is not filled with ma’rifatullah (knowledge of Allah’s characters, etc), tarbiyyah (personal development) and mahabbatullah (Allah’s love), then beware… for this type of heart may never bring its owner to paradise.

There is a story of a companion of the Prophet, Ibnu Umar, who sold a very fine camel that he had been using for a while.  His friend asked, “Why did you sold something which is very fine and may be very useful to you?”  The reply?  Ibnu Umar said that his heart had become attached to the camel, and so he must sell it.  You see, the companions view the heart as very valuable indeed, and wants to ensure that the heart is attached solely to Allah.

So… how is our heart today?

Let’s look deep inside ourselves and find out.