The human heart is the ‘engine room’ of the body and soul of man. It powers and propels man’s reason and intellect. The heart is the abode of convictions as confessed by the tongue and executed by other parts of the body. Thus, the heart is the podium where man’s thoughts and actions find or take their roots. The Arabs would say, ‘That which is in you (i.e. your heart) is what comes out of you (i.e. your mouth)’.
The heart is central to the mental and physical wellbeing of man. Bukhari and Muslim both relate in the sixth hadith of Annawawi’s collection of forty traditions that the Prophet (SAW) said, ‘…Is it not a fact that there is in the body a mass (of flesh) by whose healthiness the whole body is healthy, and by whose sickness the whole body is sick? And is this not the heart?’ The heart is the essence of man’s spiritual and emotional being. That is why you physically point to your heart when you say “I” or when you want to express your deeper feelings.
When you fall in love, your heart is excited. That is why you love someone from the bottom of your heart. When you’re rejected, your heart breaks. You are called heartless or cold-hearted when you show no care or love to others. You are referred to as big-hearted when you extend your concern to others. The heart runs your life, pushing and pulling you in all directions; from attraction to repulsion. Therefore, living inside your head all the time is actually not the best of options in a world where ‘survival of the fittest’ is the norm.
The heart has been described as ‘the king’, with the head as the king’s adviser. When faced with a decision, the king may ask his adviser for advice. The king may even send him out into the world to gather information. But ultimately, it is the king that makes the final decision even though the adviser may not always agree with the king’s decision. In the same way, when faced with challenges of taking a decision, your head may come up with many and different but quite logical reasons why the should act as it advises. If you listen to and trust your heart, no matter how illogical or irrational it may seem in that matter, it usually pays. That is why it is better to listen more to your heart than to your head or all the heads in the world. Bulwer-Lytton Edward said, ‘A good heart is better than all the heads in the world’.
It is not good enough to be a believer with a heart diseased by spiritual ailments. The fear of Allah (SWT) should be the flagship of a believer’s heart. Piety can be expressed in one’s relationship with Allah (SWT) through sincere worship. It would be hypocritical of the heart of a believer if his thoughts, words and actions contradict the fundamental principles of the faith he claims to profess.
Islam requires a believer’s heart to give truth to destiny (good or bad). Without unnecessarily being nervous, a believing heart accepts all matters in good faith; entrusting his future in all matters to Allah (SWT). Of course, only a believing heart worries about things it cannot change. Let us, as believers, subdue our hearts to accept things which fate imposes on us. Let us, by the same token, love people with whom fate brings us together. Through this, life would be worth living and there would be no need for anything called hate speech.
As believers, let us use or good heart to love others. With a good heart, a believer does as much good as he could to as many people as he can. A heart that is devoid of charity, or at least goodwill for others, is a heart with the worst kind of trouble. It is not a believing heart that which is not free from hatred, jealousy and envy. A good and believing heart lacks space for anger, arrogance and cruelty.
As believers with good hearts, we must not lose our heads whenever we are provoked. Although we cannot avoid being provoked in the course of our interactions with others, Anger is a resentful state of the heart that leads to obnoxious speeches, abominable actions or hatred against others. Imam Bukhari reports on the authority of Abi Hurayrah (RA) that a man came to the prophet (SAW) and requested to be admonished. The Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Do not get angry’. He (SAW) repeated this to the man several times as a mark of emphasis. Similarly, Bukhari and Muslim both relate on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA) that the prophet (SAW) said, ‘The strong (or powerful) is not in fighting but in the ability to control self in moments of anger’.
Hatred is another infection against which every believer must strive to protect his heart. Baihaqi relates that the Prophet (SAW) once announced to a man that he (the man) is of the people of paradise. When others asked this man about what constituted his good works, he replied saying, ‘I go to bed and wake up without a portion of hatred against anyone’. This brings us to the issue of those who rejoice at other people’s misfortune or enjoys making life difficult for others. Envy is an ailment of the heart. Abu Daud relates that the Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Avoid envy because it consumes good works in the manner that fire consumes grasses (or firewood)’. May Allah (SWT) guide and protect every good and believing heart from all spiritual disorders and from falling prey to the plots of the sneaking whisperer who whispers evil in to the hearts of mankind, amin.
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