The believer may also find hardness in the heart, but it is the hardness of ice, not rock.  The causes for this hardness are many and we must all be vigilant about their appearance. Among them are:

1. Preferring this dunya (life) over the Hereafter and becoming deluded by worldly pursuits.  The love and attachment one has to this dunya is directly proportionate to the hardness that will afflict his/her heart.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) says:

 O mankind, indeed the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver. (Qur’an 35:5)

2. Having corrupt companionship.  The human being is made up of a nafs (lower self) and a qalb (the seat of intellect and emotion).  Our relationships affect us on both levels of our existence.  Association with people who have overbearing nufoos (pl. of nafs) and corrupted hearts causes contagion.  Their internal evil attacks us without our realizing it.

Allah (swt) says:

 Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous. (Qur’an 43:67)

3. Engaging in sin without repentance.

Allah (swt) says:

No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. (Qur’an 83:14)

In the following lines of poety, Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak sums up the effects of sins on the heart, saying:

رأيت الذنوب تميت القلوب      وقد يورث الذل إدمانها

وترك الذنوب حياة القلوب      وخير لنفسك عصيانها

“I noticed that sins cause death to the heart, and becoming addicted to them brings about humiliation; and that the abandonment of sin is life for the hearts, so it is best for your self to disobey it!”

4. Heedlessness of the reality of death and being unoccupied with matters of the Hereafter.

The Prophet ﷺ (may God’s peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to think of death often, saying:

أكثروا ذكر هادم اللذات: الموت

“Remember often the destroyer of passions and pleasure – death!” ((Ahmad, Ibn Maajah, Tirmidhee, Nasaa`ee, others, Saheeh (narration of Abu Hurayrah)))

The salaf (pious predecessors of this Ummah) understood this well.  Ar-Rabee’ ibn Khuthaym radi allahu `anhu (may God have mercy on him) dug out a grave in his home that he would lie in several times a day to ensure the continuous remembrance of death and he used to say, “If my heart abandons the remembrance of death for even just an hour, it would become corrupted.”

5. Heedlessness with regard to the remembrance of Allah (swt).

The heart is either filled with remembrance of Allah or the whispers of Satan.  Allah (swt) says:

And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion. (Qur’an 43:36)

Any or all of these causes draw the heart into a state of hibernation. As the thick snow of winter piles upon it, the heart becomes frozen and numb. Deeper and deeper does it sink into sleep until, when it is time to leave this world:

 [It will be said], “You were certainly in heedlessness of this, and We have removed from you your cover, so your sight, this Day, is sharp.” (Qur’an 50:22)

The Qur’an reminds us of this reality NOW, before it is too late!  Reciting, reading, pondering over, and acting upon the Qur’an can revive the seed of the fitra (innate disposition towards the oneness of God) even if it is buried under a glacier.  At length, does the seed wait for the ice to thaw and for spring to come.  Then, one blessed day, the heart hears the following words:

Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient. (Qur’an 57:16)

Tears begin to flow because the ice that has encapsulated the heart for so long is finally thawing.  The heart is softening to the remembrance of Allah (swt) and even the skin is becoming sensitive to the change of seasons. ((See Quran 39:23))  The seed begins to grow.  Spring has come at last!

This is the essence of the beautiful supplication that the Prophet ﷺ taught us:

“O Allah, I am your slave and the son of your male slave and the son of your female slave. My forelock is in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over me). Your Judgment upon me is certainly in effect and Your Decree concerning me is just. I ask You by every Name that belongs to You; that which You have named Yourself with, or You have revealed in Your Book , or that which You have taught to any one of Your creation, or that which You have exclusively kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You; to make the Qur’an the spring of my heart, and the light of my chest, the banisher of my grief and anxiety.” ((Ahmad, Ibn Hibban, (hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood) Al-Albani graded it authentic in As-Silsilaah As-Saheehah No. 199. For more on the benefits of this prayer, see Ibn Al-Qayyim’s explanation in “al-Fawaa’id”, pp. 44))

For those who do not think that the Qur’an can actually bring about such a dramatic change in the heart, consider this.

It is reported that al-Qadi ‘Iyaad (ra), who lived during the 2^nd century AH, was a highway robber in the beginning of his life.  At one point he also became enamored with a woman and as he was climbing a wall to reach the object of his desire, he heard this verse being recited (57:16).  The impact of the verse was so strong upon him that he said with confidence, “Yes, O Lord! The time has come!”  Propelled by immense spiritual drive, he repented to Allah, left behind the life of disobedience and devoted himself to the Ka’bah to study the sacred sciences.  Thereafter, he was known for his asceticism (zuhd) and intense worship. ((Adh-Dhahabee, “Siyat A’laam an-Nubalaa`”))

Khashyah, awe of Allah (swt), is what continues to squeeze tears from the heart like sweet juice flows from a ripe fruit, long after winter has subsided.  Being moved to tears upon the remembrance of Allah (swt) is the characteristic of those who know Allah (al-‘aarifeen) and are devoutly submissive to Him.  It is a sign that the knowledge of the Truth has penetrated the heart and has become Certainty.  ((See Qur’an 17:107-109))

by Iman Badawi

I prayed to Allah for Syria last night.

It’s a simple act, a basic obligation, but is it enough?

Ramadan is here and the dragging hours of summer daylight test the endurance of the believer. The pain of hunger and the anguish of thirst render the first date sweeter than those of the past. So imagine for a moment that peak of hunger and thirst, the impending quenching of one’s dire need, the climax of focus on fulfilling an appetite…

But you have nothing to break your fast with. You can only taste with the tongue of the imagination. The focus on the need becomes the very source of pain.

You scramble to find something, anything, to put in your mouth; to chew, to suck, to soothe. The sight of your starving children deeply exacerbates the suffering.

There was a man like this, except that his state was persistent, not due to a set duration of fasting. There were people like this in the Ummah (Muslim community), who exhibited immense strength in times of hardship. May Allah be well pleased with them.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah radi allahu `anhu (may God be please with him) said:

“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Poverty has stuck me.’ The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing. Then Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, ‘Who will invite this person or entertain him as a guest tonight? May Allah grant His mercy to him who does so.’

An Ansari man said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger!’ So he took him to his wife and said to her, ‘Entertain the guest of Allah’s Messenger generously.’ She said, ‘By Allah! We have nothing except the meal for my children.’ He said, ‘Let your children sleep if they ask for supper. Then turn off the lamp and we go to bed tonight while hungry.’ She did what he asked her to do.

In the morning the Ansari went to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ who said, ‘Allah wondered (favorably) or laughed at the action of so-and-so and his wife.’ Then Allah revealed, ‘and they give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.’”

This was also reported by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa’i. In another narration, the Companion’s name was mentioned as Abu Talhah Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him.

Ibn Katheer mentions that this was the cause behind the revelation of verse 9 of Surat al-Hashr (Chapter of the Exile):

والذين تبوءوا الدار والإيمان من قبلهم يحبون من هاجر إليهم ولا يجدون في صدورهم حاجة مما أوتوا ويؤثرون على أنفسهم ولو كان بهم خصاصة ومن يوق شح نفسه فأولئك هم المفلحون

“And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.” (Qur’an 59:9)

The Ansar (the Helpers) opened their homes and their hearts to people they did not even know. They shared with the Muhajireen (the Emigrants) their wealth and so much more. They drew the Muhajireen near to them to compensate for the loss of their disbelieving kin. They did all of that gladly, with love, seeking Allah’s pleasure, and in compliance to the command of the Prophet ﷺ. The Ansar adopted our dear Prophet ﷺ when everyone had turned him out.

It is no wonder that he said about them, in a narration recorded by both Bukhari and Muslim:

حدثنا أبو الوليد قال حدثنا شعبة قال أخبرني عبد الله بن عبد الله بن جبر قال سمعت أنسا عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال آية الإيمان حب الأنصار وآية النفاق بغض الأنصار

It is narrated on the authority of Anas that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The love of the Ansar is the sign of faith and hatred against them is the sign of hypocrisy.”

We simply don’t understand. If you had to fast from 5 AM until 9 PM would you give up your meal for the guest of the Prophet ﷺ? What if you went for days without anything substantial to eat? Would you prefer another Muslim, just as hungry as you, over yourself?

Would you give up your security so that another Muslim would be safe? Would you narrow your standard of living, voluntarily, so that many other Muslims could live off of that expanse?

Would the men of the Ummah defend their women? Or have they lost every semblance of dignity?

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ were fundamentally different than us.  They put the concerns of the Ummah before their own. They saw themselves as part of an integral whole and so no one could break them. The Prophet ﷺ was their leader. Faith was the glue. They inhaled the revelation together. They exhaled falsehood together. They were always together. How alone and confused we are today!

This is not about food and it’s not about fundraising dinners. It’s about what faith means to us.

We don’t have to be Syrians or know the people of Syria, or be married to a Syrian or speak their language. It is enough that they are believers. In fact, it is enough that they are humans, let alone our brethren in faith.

To defend or support a Muslim, in justice, is to defend and support the deen (religion) of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He). To love the Muslims, even with all their deficiencies, is from the love of Allah and His Messenger; because He chose them for guidance and so we choose whom Allah (swt) has chosen for us.  He chose to bond us, over oceans, beyond languages, piercing through egos, He, the Most Merciful made us brethren.

Allah says,

وألف بين قلوبهم لو أنفقت ما في الأرض جميعا ما ألفت بين قلوبهم ولكن الله ألف بينهم إنه عزيز حكيم

“And He brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (Qur’an 8:63)

This is about the manifestation of true and sincere faith.  How did the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ achieve such feats, while most of us would be reduced to hysterical beggars if left for more than one day to eat nothing more than a cheese sandwich?

There is a hunger in the soul that can only be fed by Allah (swt). There is a thirst that can only be quenched by the Divine spring. It is a need beyond physical need. It is an impulse deeper than the appetites of the base self. It is the need for the Truth. Allah is the Truth.

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ met the Best of Creation, whose heart was fully saturated by Divine Guidance, and so they saw the emptiness of their own selves and the radiance of the Prophetic soul.

When he called them to a different type of feast they responded. Perhaps we cannot conceive of it, but they actually endured intense hardships with more contentment than we have with our current state of ease! They were satiated in a different way; through deep belief in Allah (swt), unblemished sincerity, unswerving trust in His Decree, and adherence to the Truth, which they acknowledged. They proved this through submission and sacrifice.

Easy living blinds us to the towering heights of human refinement that can be achieved in times of hardship. What do we want for the people of Syria? Do we want them to live in ease like we do? Or perhaps they are the ones who wish something for us. That we would realize how lowly an existence we live when the circle of the heart is so narrow that it encompasses nothing more than the self.

Perhaps, through their struggle, and if we adopt it as our own, we would all be elevated to a new awareness, a new standard, a renewed mission.

That mission is what we were created for; to worship Allah (swt). Not when it’s convenient, not when things go our way, not so long as it serves our worldly purposes, but out of the deep realization that we will starve without it.

The Companions sacrificed for Islam because it was their everything, their happiness, their identity, their pride, their Hereafter. It was an entirely natural result that they loved all those who felt the same way, believed and yearned for the same thing.

If we yearn for worldly gains, then we probably won’t care about our brethren in Syria or any other Muslim, because they will not contribute to the achievement of our goal.

If we yearn for the Hereafter, then Syria and every other Muslim on the face of the Earth is our concern, because Allah (swt) commanded it to be so and because they do contribute to our goal.

We are one Ummah and we will always be. If we cannot be connected to the Muslims who live in our own times, how can we possibly be connected to the Muslims of the past? To the Companions? To the Prophet ﷺ!?

(إن هذه أمتكم أمة واحدة وأنا ربكم فاعبدون (92) وتقطعوا أمرهم بينهم كل إلينا راجعون (93) فمن يعمل من الصالحات وهو مؤمن فلا كفران لسعيه وإنا له كاتبون (94

“Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.

And [yet] they divided their affair among themselves, [but] all to Us will return.

So whoever does righteous deeds while he is a believer – no denial will there be for his effort, and indeed We, of it, are recorders.” (Qur’an 21:92-94)

We may just be able to transcend the many legitimate and petty differences that are currently tearing this Ummah apart, but not in any other way than that of the Companions. Their target was one, even though they approached it from many different directions.

As for those whose target was other than Allah (swt), they also converged and so Allah says,

والذين كفروا بعضهم أولياء بعض إلا تفعلوه تكن فتنة في الأرض وفساد كبير

“And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [help your allies], there will be trials on earth and great corruption.” (Qur’an 8:73)

We are very occupied with the practical. It may very well be that we can cannot see the potential to help because we cannot fathom the concept of preferring another over ourselves. We think we can’t help because we really don’t want to help.

We claim to love our Prophet ﷺ.  Yet we fight most in the month in which he was born. How can we be so oblivious of the fact that the disputing of the believers grieves our beloved Messenger ﷺ? If we truly loved him, we would be saddened by that which saddens him. There is no one who would be more grieved by the plight of the Muslims than the Prophet ﷺ of this Ummah. 

Allah says,

لقد جاءكم رسول من أنفسكم عزيز عليه ما عنتم حريص عليكم بالمؤمنين رءوف رحيم فإن تولوا فقل حسبي الله لا إله إلا هو عليه توكلت وهو رب العرش العظيم

“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.” (Qur’an 9:128)

What can we do? The question is posed by the sincere. The answer is within that very sincerity. We will find a way because we have to; because we will be asked about it. Our souls can’t do without it.

Perhaps the most blatantly apparent quality of the 21^st century world is that the success of nations is based upon their material advancement with complete disregard for the moral status of its civilization.  However, Allah subahanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has given us many examples in the Qur’an that illustrate His dealings with those nations that met their respective prophets with an attitude of stubborn rebelliousness. The Qur’an clearly indicates that the  material strength of these nations did not avail them in front of Allah’s punishment.

Allah (swt) says: “Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with `Aad—[with] Iram— who had lofty pillars, the likes of whom had never been created in the land? And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley? And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?—[All of[ whom oppressed within the lands and increased therein the corruption. So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment. Indeed, your Lord is in observation,” (Qur’an 89:6-14).

Each of the nations were given some sort of material power. The people of `Aad were able to construct huge, lofty buildings much like those today in the Middle East.  The people of Thamud dexterously carved their dwellings out of mountains. It may be that the “lord of stakes,” Pharaoh, was named this way in reference to the pyramids that still remain intact today as witnesses to the architectural genius of the people of his time. Yet, all of these achievements could not save them from the punishment that was inflicted upon them due to their rejection of God’s revelation.

Based upon a detailed examination of these people and related verses that describe the destruction of previous nations, the scholars have mentioned the following as causes for their deterioration:

1. Denial of the revelations of the Lord and disobedience towards the prophets
2. Following the bidding of the insolent tyrants and transgressors who made mischief in the land and did not reform themselves (such as the people of `Aad and Thamud)
3. Rejoicing over scientific knowledge and turning away from the revelations of God
4. Insufferable intellectual and material arrogance intermingled with heedlessness of Allah’s severe punishment (the error of Pharaoh and Qaaroon)
5. Oppression, defrauding people of their possessions, and injustice particularly against the poor and weak (this was the error of the people of the Prophet Shu`ayb `alayhi assalaam, peace be upon him)
6. Committing abominable offenses, and indulgence in lust (for example the sins which ruined the people of Lut)
7. Widespread corruption, committing evil in public without the least attempt to forbid each other from these wrong-doings (characteristic of the Children of Israel)
8. Use of Allah’s blessings in disobedience, denial of many of those blessings altogether, and refusal to do good deeds
9. Indulging in luxurious living and ingratitude to Allah (swt) for His blessings

Each of these transgressions accelerates Allah’s wrath. Hence, the horrors that await a nation or society plagued by a number of these violations are beyond human imagination. ((The nine points listed are taken almost verbatim from the original text.))

Upon examination of the civilizations of our own time, it is apparent that each of them is dominated by one or more of these transgressions. Consequently, Allah’s wrath and retribution is inevitable so long as the people of these civilizations persist in following in the footsteps of the doomed. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

“And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how We dealt with them. And We presented for you [many] examples. And they had planned their plan, but with Allah is [recorded] their plan, even if their plan had been [sufficient] to do away with the mountains,” (Qur’an 14:45-46).

So the very important question arises: What is the solution to the predicament faced by present-day societies? Al-Mawdoodi writes, in comment to a speech given by Lord Luthen at Olaykara University in which he states that the only way to salvation is to swear allegiance to a religion:

“One gets the impression that he resembles a thirsty man who is not even aware of the existence of water, still he can feel all the symptoms of his thirst. He lists the properties of the thing which can put an end to his thirst but he is not able to name it. If we put a glass of water in front of him, he will say on instinct that this is the thing he felt thirsty for and will jump and drink it. Others who suffered the devastating consequences of the Western civilization and urbanism in Europe, America and the rest of the world, share Lord Luthen’s condition. […] Undoubtedly they heard the word ‘water’ before but they are terrified whenever it is mentioned because they were not given a chance to know the real meaning of it. Their ignorant and fanatic ancestors told them that water refers to a poisonous thing which no one should approach. Ironically, if that thing was put in front of them and was not named, they would have instantly cried out saying that this is the thing which they felt thirsty for…”

Islam is the only system which offers humanity a completely balanced and integrated system; this is the straight way (siraat-ul mustaqeem) that Muslims ask for guidance to in prayer.

By balance, what is meant is that Islam is a middle way that doesn’t veer off into extremes. What is meant by integration is that Islam integrates sciences and faith, truth and power, creed and activity, religion with the state, instruction and legislation, religious scruples and the duties of rulers, material creativity and moral loftiness, and military power and morale. This integration is based upon the principle that belief in God is essential to the life of humanity.

The mission of religion and belief is represented in the following:

• First, Belief builds and develops the relationship between the believer and Allah (swt) into an ethereal intimacy which fills that person with love, trust, and certainty.
• Second, It elevates man from the level of a “developing animal”, as some people describe human beings, to an honorable, rational creature who has to fulfill certain duties and who was fashioned according to the best organizational plan. Man is Allah’s vicegerent on earth. Hence man shouldn’t give in to the petty vanities of life which drag him on the downward path. He should always aspire to higher values.
• Third, Religion broadens the scope of man’s relationship with the vast universe. Man is not an intruder in this enormous cosmos. This universe is created for man’s service and it is one of the Signs of Allah’s existence. All people are brothers and sisters.
• Fourth, It makes man realize the meaning and wisdom of morality.

All these values aim to make us realize the secrets and truth of our existence and our mission in life. They stem out of belief in Allah (swt) and the hereafter which are the pillars on which religions are built. Hence, it is essential to restore the constructive influence of belief upon humanity and life.

When belief infiltrates the society and enlightens the hearts of its individuals, people will exhibit the characteristics of a true Islamic society and will build its foundation upon the following pillars:

1. Brotherhood and Love: It is a natural result of faith to unite those upon the firm creed.
2. Sympathy and Mercifulness: These characteristics are especially obligatory regarding the weak, the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarers.
3. Support and Cooperation: It is a must for the believers to cooperate upon righteousness and piety and not to work together for vice and hostility.
4. Solidarity and Mutuality: It must be a society in which the rich support the poor, and the strong come to the aid of the oppressed.
5. Mutual Consultation and Advice: No one in this society is above the law or above being corrected if they do not adhere to God’s commands
6. Purification and Advancement: The Muslim society is a hygienic one that educates its individuals in purification, decency, chastity, and prohibits every kind of abomination whether hidden or open.
7. Justice: It includes economic and social justice as well as just treatment by the law.
8. Progressiveness: This is perhaps the most important characteristic of Muslim society—it is progressive and not underdeveloped! However the definition of this progress is based upon the collective goal of humanity which is to perfect the worship of God, to fulfill the vicegerency on earth, and to accomplish preservation of the earth.