Part of Concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah — Collected Episodes (series completed)
· Lesson 38 of 77
Summary of Sunni concepts | 37- General Concepts in the Works of the Heart - (539-544)
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
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Regarding the actions of the heart and their ailments.
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The term "actions of the heart" refers to the inward acts of obedience,
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which originate from the heart,
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such as sincerity and reliance upon Allah,
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as well as fear, hope, and love,
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and other similar states.
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Conversely, the inward sins that stem from the heart
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are termed "ailments of the heart,"
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such as envy and malice,
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hatred and showing off (riya'),
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and other similar states.
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The impact of inward heart actions on outward physical actions.
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The actions of the limbs are linked
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to the inward actions of the heart by a firm bond.
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Outward actions are neither valid nor beneficial
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unless the inward actions of the heart are sound.
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For instance, prayer performed for show is corrupt,
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and zakat given for show is likewise invalid, as Allah the Almighty says:
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“O ye who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust of earth; a rainstorm smiteth it, leaving it smooth and bare. They have no control of aught of that which they have gained. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.” (2:264)
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"Like one who spends his wealth to be seen by the people."
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Therefore, the actions of the heart and the rectification of one's inner self are more obligatory upon the servant than the actions of the limbs,
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though both are required; for when the heart is sound, the outward actions are sound, and when it is corrupt, they are corrupt.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
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"Verily, there is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound,
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and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt.
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Verily, it is the heart."
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Agreed upon.
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Can the reality of the true believer be distinguished from the hypocrite
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except by the actions and states within each of their hearts?
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The hearts are the focus of Allah the Almighty’s gaze,
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as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
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"Allah does not look at your appearances or your wealth,
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but He looks at your hearts and your deeds."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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Exalted is He to whom the secret is as the manifest,
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and to whom the hidden depths of the hearts are plain.
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In conclusion,
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what is required is for a person to strive to fulfill both the servitude of the limbs and the servitude of the heart,
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and for the outward to be consistent with and spring from the inward.
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This is what the salaf concerned themselves with,
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purifying their inner selves from impurities and ailments.
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The impact of outward physical actions on the heart and its inward states.
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Just as the actions of the heart have a profound effect on the actions of the limbs and their soundness,
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the actions of the limbs also have a tangible effect on the heart and its states.
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If these outward actions are acts of obedience,
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they positively influence the heart and its states.
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If they are acts of disobedience, they negatively influence the heart and its states.
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The impact of outward sins on the heart and its inward states.
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Sins committed by the limbs have dire consequences for the heart,
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among the most prominent of which are:
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First, darkness and confusion in the heart.
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Just as obedience is a light in the heart, disobedience is a darkness.
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The stronger and more frequent the disobedience,
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the greater the darkness and confusion, until the heart’s insight is extinguished.
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“Have they not travelled in the land, and have they hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear? For indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the bosoms, that grow blind.” (22:46)
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Second:
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The weakening of the heart and the humiliation of its possessor.
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Disobedience breeds humiliation, just as honor lies in the obedience of Allah the Almighty.
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Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak once recited:
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"I have seen sins kill the hearts, and their persistence breeds humiliation;
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while abandoning sins is the life of the hearts, and it is better for your soul to disobey them."
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Third:
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Rust and a covering (ran) upon the heart.
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As Allah the Almighty says:
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“Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon their hearts.” (83:14)
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
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"When a believer commits a sin,
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a black spot appears on his heart.
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If he repents, desists, and seeks forgiveness,
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his heart is polished.
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But if he increases in sin, it increases."
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That is the 'ran' (covering) which Allah mentioned in His Book.
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Narrated by Ibn Majah and al-Tirmidhi,
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and graded hasan by al-Albani.
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Through this covering, the heart is sealed,
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so it neither recognizes good nor rejects evil,
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and Satan gains authority over its possessor.
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Fourth:
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The loss of the heart’s protective jealousy (ghirah) over the sanctities of Allah being violated.
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You see the sinner indifferent to the violation of Allah’s sanctities,
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or the fighting of His religion, or the affliction of the righteous.
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Fifth:
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The loss of modesty (haya') from the heart,
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so one feels no shame before Allah or before people,
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and openly commits sins.
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No one is unaware of the correlation between committing forbidden acts and the lack of modesty.
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The loss of the veneration and awe of Allah from the heart,
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until the sinner hides from people but treats the command of Allah with contempt.
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Then the matter leads to alienation between the servant and his Lord,
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and everyone who reminds him of Him from among the righteous.
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Seventh:
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When a person becomes alienated from Allah and the righteous,
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his heart falls ill and weakens, becoming unable to perform acts of obedience or ascend in the ranks of perfection,
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until he reaches the point of breaking, finding obedience burdensome, and eventually feeling aversion and hatred toward it.
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His heart no longer expands for obedience, nor does he feel distressed by sin.
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In sum, outward sins and their frequency harden the heart and cause it to die.
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The person furthest from Allah is the one with a hardened heart.
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The impact of outward acts of obedience on the heart and its inward states.
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The limbs are the gateways and frontiers of the heart.
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Whatever the limbs are employed in regarding acts of obedience serves to strengthen and support the heart,
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just as the strength of the frontiers contributes to the strength of a state’s capital and its authority.
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Is it hidden how prayer imparts to the heart contentment, tranquility, humility, and repentance?
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And is the effect of fasting on piety, sincerity, and certainty hidden?
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Allah the Almighty says:
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“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil);” (2:183)
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Likewise, the effect of Jihad in the path of Allah in fostering love for the Hereafter is not hidden,
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nor is the asceticism toward the world,
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the submission to Allah, and the steadfastness upon the truth.
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It suffices to demonstrate the effect of the limbs' obedience on the heart's actions
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to detail the effects of one specific act of obedience on the heart:
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the act of lowering the gaze from forbidden things.
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This produces the following:
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First, it focuses the heart on the love of Allah and finding comfort in Him,
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whereas letting the gaze wander causes the heart to be diverted from Allah and scattered,
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and creates alienation between the servant and his Lord.
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Second, it clothes the heart in light,
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just as letting it wander breeds darkness.
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This is why Allah first commanded the believing men and women to lower their gaze,
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as Allah the Almighty says:
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“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is aware of what they do.” (24:30)
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And He said: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze."
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Then, after detailing that, He mentioned the Verse of Light:
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“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.” (24:35)
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"The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp;
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the lamp is within a glass..."
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“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.” (24:35)
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“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.” (24:35)
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“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.” (24:35)
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"...light upon light."
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"Allah guides to His light whom He wills."
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"And Allah presents examples for the people,"
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"and Allah is Knowing of all things."
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This indicates that the light of the person who lowers his gaze
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is derived from the light of Allah the Almighty and His guidance.
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Through this light, guidance is attained,
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and innovations and misguidance are prevented.
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Third, lowering the gaze strengthens the heart and gladdens it,
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and imparts to it the true insight (firasa) by which one distinguishes
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between truth and falsehood, and the truthful and the liar.
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Fourth, it imparts to the heart steadfastness, courage, and strength,
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so Allah combines for him the authority of insight and argument
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with the authority of capability and power.
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Fifth, it frees the heart to reflect on its interests and occupy itself with them,
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instead of the wandering gaze diverting it from all of that
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and causing it to fall into heedlessness.
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Sixth and finally,
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lowering the gaze protects the heart from the poisoned arrows of Iblis directed at it.
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Satan enters the heart with his whispers through the forbidden glance,
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and penetrates it faster than air penetrates an empty space,
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presenting the viewed image to him,
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beautifying it in his mind,
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and making promises and false hopes to him,
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inflaming his heart with it and distracting him from acts of obedience.
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The extremism of the Sufis regarding the actions of the heart.
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Just as the righteous salaf, may Allah be pleased with them, concerned themselves with the hearts, their actions, and their states,
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the Sufis also concerned themselves with this.
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However, they exaggerated to a degree that exceeded the boundaries of the Book and the Sunnah
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in describing and detailing the actions of the heart.
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They went to extremes in that field and went astray while intending guidance.
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You can hardly find an action of the heart
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but that they have some misguidance or deviation regarding it.
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Among these is, first, their misguidance regarding contentment (rida),
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where they exceeded the limit in being content with the decree and predestination of Allah,
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confusing Allah’s universal will with His legislative will.
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They believed it was obligatory to be content with disbelief, immorality, and disobedience,
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arguing that if contentment with them were not required, they would not have occurred in the universe.
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Thus, they fell into pure determinism (jabr),
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under the cover of exaggerated and ambiguous expressions,
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such as "witnessing the universal reality,"
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and "gaining insight into the secret of Allah in the decree."
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Second, their misguidance regarding the love of Allah,
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where their veneration of it led them to despise both fear and hope—
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I mean the fear of Allah the Almighty and His punishment,
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and the hope for His Paradise and reward.
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They considered these the weakest stations of those traveling to Allah,
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and claimed that the worship of Allah should be for His Essence alone,
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not out of greed for His Paradise nor fear of His Fire.
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They made the pinnacle of love to be "annihilation in the Beloved" (fana'),
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which they believe is exclusive to the allies (awliya') of Allah,
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and they consider their station to be higher than the station of the Prophets.
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Because of this misguidance of theirs regarding love,
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the salaf said of them:
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"Whoever worships Allah through love alone is a heretic (zindiq)."
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The correct way is to worship Allah
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through a combination of love, fear, and hope.
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Third, their misguidance regarding reliance upon Allah (tawakkul),
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where they turned reliance into cheap laziness and begging,
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and intentionally caused harm to themselves
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by abandoning the prescribed means and supplication,
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which is the greatest of worship and its essence.
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Furthermore, they were heedless of the greatest degree of reliance,
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which is reliance upon Allah in establishing His religion,
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striving in His path,
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and resisting disbelief and corruption,
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as was the reliance of the Prophets, peace be upon them.
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Fourth, their misguidance regarding asceticism (zuhd),
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where they removed it from being a positive inward heart action
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to a negative outward manifestation,
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through which they forbade themselves the good things of provision,
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just as they forbade the seeking of knowledge,
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claiming that whoever occupies himself with it has the "Shari'ah,"
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whereas they possess the "Truth" (haqiqa),
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because knowledge leads to people esteeming the scholar
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and distracts from total focus on Allah,
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and this contradicts asceticism.
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Thus, they made asceticism synonymous with poverty and ignorance,
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And they referred to themselves as the poor.