Four Poisons of the heart

(Based on the works of Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali, Ibn Al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali)

You should know, dear brothers and sisters in Islam, that all acts of disobedience
are poison to the heart and cause its sickness and ruin. They result in its will
running off-course, against that of Allah, and so its sickness festers and
increases. It is said wrong actions kill hearts, and their degradation may lead to
their becoming addicted to them. Turning away from wrong actions gives life to
the hearts, and opposing your Nafs, i.e, one's self, is best for it.
Whoever is concerned with the health and life of his heart, must rid it of the
effects of such poisons, and then protect it by avoiding new ones. If he takes any
by mistake, then he should hasten to wipe out their effect by turning in
repentance and seeking forgiveness from Allah, as well as by doing good deeds
that will wipe out his wrong actions.
By the four poisons we mean: unnecessary talking, unrestrained glances, overeating
(too much food), and keeping bad company. Of all the poisons, these are
the most widespread and have the greatest ill-effect on a heart's well-being.
******************* Unnecessary Talking *******************
This teaches that the Prophet (PBUH) has made the purification of faith
conditional on the purification of the heart, and the purification of the heart
conditional on the purification of the tongue.
In a hadith related on the authority of Mu'adh, RA, " I (Muadh) said: 'O
Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will
keep me away from Hell-fire.' He (PBUH) said: 'You have asked me about a major
matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. You should
worship Allah, associating nothing with Him, you should perform Salaat, i.e,
regular prayers; you should pay the Zakat, i.e, Charity; you should fast in
Ramadan; and you should make Hajj, i.e, the pilgrimage to the House.' Then he
(PBUH) said: ' Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting [which] is a
shield, Charity [which] extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire; and the
praying of a man in the depths of night.' Then he (PBUH) recited : " Who forsake
their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have
bestowed on them. No soul knoweth what is kept hidden for them of joy, as a
reward for what they used to do". (Quran Sajdah 32:16-17)
Then he (PBUH) said: ' Shall I not tell you of the peak of the matter, its pillar,
and its topmost part? ' I said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He (PBUH) said: ' The
peak of the matter is Islam; the pillar is Prayer; and its topmost part is Jihad.'
Then he (PBUH) said: ' Shall I not tell you of the controlling of all that ? ' I said:
'Yes, O Messenger of Allah', and he took hold of his tongue and said: ' Restrain
this.' I said: ' O Prophet of Allah, will what we say be held against us?' He (PBUH)
said: ' May your mother be bereaved of you, Muadh! Is there anything more than
the harvest of the tongues that topples people on their faces - or he said on their
noses - into Hell-fire?" (Tirmidhi)
What is meant here by 'the harvest of the tongues' is the punishment for saying
forbidden things. A man, through his actions and words, sows the seeds of either
good or evil. On the Day of Resurrection he harvests their fruits. Those who sow
the seeds of good words and deeds harvest honour and blessings; those who sow
the seeds of evil words and deeds reap only regret and remorse.
A hadith related by Abu Huraira, RA, that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "What mostly
causes people to be sent to the Fire are the two openings: the mouth and the
private parts." (Related by Tirmidhi)
Abu Huraira, RA, also related that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The
servant speaks words, the consequences of which he does not realize, and for
which he is sent down into the depths of the Fire further than the distance
between the east and the west." (Related by Bukhari)
Uqba ibn Amir, RA, said: "I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is our best way of
surviving?' He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied: " Guard your
tongue, make your house suffice for sheltering your privacy, and weep for your
wrong actions." (Tirmidhi)
It has been related on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd, RA, that the Prophet
(PBUH) said, " Whoever can guarantee what is between his jaws and what is
between his legs, I guarantee him the Garden." (Bukhari)
It has also been related by Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, " Let whoever believes
in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or remain silent." (Bukhari)
Thus talking can either be good, in which case it is commendable, or bad, in
which case it must be avoided.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: " Everything the children of Adam say goes against
them, except for their enjoining good and forbidding evil, and remembering Allah,
Glorious and Might is He." This was reported by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah on the
authority of Umm Habiba, may Allah be pleased with her.
Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) says: " And indeed We have created man, and
We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his
jugular vein (by Our Knowledge). (Remember!) that the two receivers (recording
angels) receive (i.e, everything said and done by each human being after he or
she has attained the age of puberty), one sitting on the right and one on the left
(the one on the right writing his good deeds and the one on the left writing his
bad deeds). Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is 'Raqeeb un Ateed'
(i.e, a watcher by him ready to record it)." (Quran Qaaf 50: 16 - 18)
A person should beware of the utterances of his tongue, and have knowledge that
his actions are not in vain, they are carefully watched and recorded by
honourable angels who are with him at all times.
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, RA, said: "By Allah, besides Whom no god exists, nothing
deserves a long prison sentence more than my tongue." He also used to say: "O
tongue, say good and you will profit; desist from saying evil things and you will
be safe; otherwise you will find only regret."
Abu Huraira reported that Ibn Abbas, RA, said: "A person will not feel greater fury
or anger for any part of his body on the Day of Judgement more than what he will
feel for his tongue, unless he only used it for saying or enjoining good."
Al-Hassan, RA, said: "Whoever does not hold his tongue cannot understand his
Deen, i.e, knowledge of Islam."
The least harmful of a tongue's faults is talking about whatever does not concern
it. The following hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) is enough to indicate the harm of
this fault: " Part of someone's being a good Muslim is his abandoning what does
not concern him." (Related by Tirmidhi)
Abu Ubaida, RA, related that al-Hassan, RA, said: "One of the signs of Allah's
abandoning a servant is His making him preoccupied with what does not concern
him."
Sahl, RA, said, "Whoever talks about what does not concern him is deprived of
truthfulness."
Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) said, " Do not indulge in excessive talk except when remembering Allah.
Excessive talking without the Remembrance of Allah hardens the heart; and those
who are the farthest from Allah are those whose hearts are hard." [Tirmidhi]
As we have already mentioned above, this is the least harmful of the tongue's
faults. There are far worse things, like backbiting, gossiping, obscene and
misleading talk, two-faced and hypocritical talk, showing off, quarrelling,
bickering, unlawful-singing, lying, mockery, derision, slander and falsehood; and
there are many more faults which can affect a servant's tongue, ruining his heart
and causing him to lose both his happiness and pleasure in this life, and his
success and profit in the next life. Allah is the One to Whom we turn for
assistance.
Abu Bakrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) said, " Shall I not inform you of one of the gravest of the cardinal sins?"
We said: ' Yes, O Messenger of Allah!' He (PBUH) said, "To join others as partners
with Allah in worship and to be undutiful to one's parents." The Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) sat up from his reclining position (in order to stress the importance
of what he was going to say) and added, "I warn you making a false statement
and giving a false testimony. I warn you against making a false statement and
giving a false testimony." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) kept on repeating this
(warning) till we wished he should stop." [Bukhari and Muslim]
The contents of this Hadith make the gravity of making a false statement
abundantly clear. How unfortunate indeed it is that, like other major sins, the evil
of giving false testimony is very common among the present-day Muslims. May
Allah prevent us from it.
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) saying, "When any Muslim accuses another Muslim of sin (calling
him Faasiq) or of disbelief (calling him Kaafir), the reproach rebounds upon the
one who utters it, if the other person is not deserving of it." [Bukhari]
What this Hadith stresses is that one should never say about a Muslim that he is
sinful (Faasiq) or disbeliever (Kaafir) when he is not so. The reason is that in that
case, one who says it, will be held the Faasiq or Kaafir. One should, therefore,
strictly refrain from uttering such statements. If however the actions of a Muslim
deem him/her to qualify for such things, the best approach is to advise him
wisely and privately.
`Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, " A (true) Muslim is one from whose tongue and
hand the Muslims are safe; and a Muhajir (Emigrant) is he who leaves the deeds
which Allah has prohibited."
[Bukhari and Muslim]
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said,"
Do not harbour grudge against one another, nor jealousy, nor enmity; and do not
show your backs to one another; and become as fellow brothers and slaves of
Allah. It is not lawful for a Muslim to avoid speaking with his brother beyond
three days" [Bukhari and Muslim]
" Do not harbour grudge against one another" means that one should not say or
do any thing which is likely to create ill-will and hatred in others. "Nor jealousy"
signifies that if a Muslim is granted any blessing by Allah, another should not wish
that he be deprived of it." Do not show your backs to one another" means that if
you come across one another, exchange salutations rather than avoid each other.
Since all such things create conflict and dissension, these are strictly forbidden in
Islam. Muslims are required to resume their conversation and contacts after a
maximum period of three days. Any breach beyond this period is prohibited.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) said, " Do you know what is backbiting?" The Companions said: 'Allah and
His Messenger know best.' Thereupon he (PBUH) said, " Backbiting is talking
about your (Muslim) brother in a manner which he dislikes." It was said to him:
'What if my (Muslim) brother is as I say.' He (PBUH) said, "If he is actually as you
say, then that is backbiting; but if that is not in him, then that is slandering (a
bigger sin)." [Muslim]
This Hadith elaborates the meaning of backbiting and calumny and points out the
difference between the two along with the evils of each one of them. Both these
evils are mischief of the tongue and entail great troubles. May Allah save us from
both.
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "
During the Mi`raj (the Night of Ascension), I saw a group of people who were
scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. I asked, 'Who are these
people, O Jibril?' Jibril replied: `These are the people who ate flesh of others (by
backbiting) and trampled people's honour." [Abu Dawud]
" These are the people who ate flesh of others" is a metaphor for backbiting. "To
trample people's honour" is akin to harming their goodwill and honour. The
punishment for these things mentioned in Hadith makes their seriousness
obvious.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) said, "Two matters are signs of disbelief on the part of those who indulge
in them: Defaming and speaking evil of a person's lineage, and wailing over the
dead." [Muslim]
Both the sins mentioned in this Hadith are such that if a Muslim thinks them
lawful and still commits them he will become a Kaafir, a disbeliever. To defame
someone's lineage means to disgrace or humiliate somebody by saying to him or
to her with mal-intention: " Your father belongs to such and such profession" or "
Your mother is such and such / so-and-so" or " You are a weaver, blacksmith,
laundrer, cobbler, etc." Mourning and wailing means expressing qualities of a
deceased person through weeping, crying and lamenting loudly. Imam An-
Nawawi said that such qualities are attributes and acts of the disbelievers and
practices of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance, Jahiliyyah.
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) observed: "
There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will neither speak on the Day of
Resurrection nor look at them nor purify them, and they will have a painful
chastisement." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) repeated it three times. Abu Dharr
(May Allah be pleased with him) remarked: "They are ruined. Who are they, O
Messenger of Allah?'' Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, " One who
lets down his lower garments (below his ankles) out of arrogance, one who
boasts of his favours done to another; and who sells his goods by taking a false
oath" [Muslim]
The Hadith makes it evident that it is forbidden for a man to let his lower-body
garment go beyond his ankles out of arrogance. The Hadith also makes it clear
that it is forbidden to take a false oath with a view to sell one's goods. Messenger
of Allah (PBUH) also said in a Hadith reported by Al-Bukhari:" Taking a false oath
helps one sell one's goods well but takes away Allah's blessings from it" Just as
bad is recounting favours done for others whether done in boast or else.
Abu Huraira, RA, reported Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: " 'Who will take these
words from me and act upon them, or teach those who will act upon them?' I
(Abu Huraira) said: ' I (will) O Messenger of Allah.' So he (PBUH) took hold of my
hand and counted out five, saying, 'Keep away from the forbidden things - you
will be the most devout of the people; be pleased with what Allah has given you -
you will be the richest of people; treat your neighbour well - you will be a
believer; love for the people (the good) which you love for yourself - you will be a
Muslim; and do not laugh greatly for too much laughter kills off the
heart."(Related by Tirmidhi and Ahmed)

******************** Unrestrained Glances ********************
The unrestrained glance results in the one who looks becoming attracted to what
he sees, and in the imprinting of an image of what he sees in his heart. This can
result in several kinds of corruption in the heart of the servant. The following are
a number of them:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said:
" The Zina, i.e, prohibited sexual act, of the eye is the (lustful) look,
the Zina of the ears is the listening (to voluptuous songs or talk),
the Zina of the tongue is (the licentious) speech,
the Zina of the hand is the (lustful) grip,
the Zina of the feet is walking to places where he intends to commit Zina,
the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disapprove
it."
[Related by Bukhari and Muslim]
Unrestrained glances of the eye such as looking at women or men lustfully,
watching TV or VCR of naked bodies and pornography, etc, causes the individual
to darken his heart and fall into prohibited territory. Note, looking at women
lustfully or watching naked bodies and pornography is classified as Haram. Thus,
one avoids the use of TV, VCR, or his glances towards women for lust and such.
All together, habits of watching TV, listening to music, and involving in mixed
crowds (of men and women) must be curbed so as not to prevent the individual
from obeyance of Allah's commands, performance of Salaat, and leading a life of
a Mu'min, i.e, a true believer of Allah. Such things contribute to the decrease of
Iman, i.e, his level of Faith. If however, he cannot control himself, then he is
advised to shut down the TV, VCR, music, and his involvement with mixed
crowds, and maximize his time with worthwhile activities that increase his Iman
such as going to Masjid, spending more time with lawful spouse such as his wife
or her husband, reading Qur'an, making Dhikr, and so on. The uncontrolled nafs
is described as an instrument of Shaytan, and its lustful desires can become a
detriment for the individual's well-being, and must be fought against it.
It has been related that the Prophet (PBUH) once said words to the effect: " The
glance is a poisoned arrow of Shaytan, i.e, Satan. Whoever lowers his gaze for
Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness which he will find in his
heart on the day that he meets Him." (Related by Ahmed)
Shaytan enters with the glance, for he travels with it, faster than the wind
blowing through an empty place. He makes what is seen appear more beautiful
than it really is, and transforms it into an idol for the heart to worship. Then he
promises it false rewards, lights the fire of desires within it, and fuels it with the
wood of forbidden actions, which the servant would not have committed had it
not been for this distorted image.
This distracts the heart and makes it forget its more important concerns. It
stands between it and them; and so the heart loses its straight path and falls into
the pit of desire and ignorance. Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, says:
" And do not obey anyone whose heart We have made forgetful in remembering
Us- who follows his own desires, and whose affair has exceeded all bounds." (
Quran Kahf 18:28)
The unrestrained gaze causes all three afflictions.
It has been said that between the eye and the heart is an immediate connection;
if the eyes are corrupted, then the heart follows. It becomes like a rubbish heap
where all the dirt and filth and rottenness collect, and so there is no room for love
for Allah, relating all matters to Him, awareness of being in His presence, and
feeling joy at His proximity-only the opposite of these things can inhabit such a
heart.
Staring and gazing without restraint is disobedience to Allah:
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that is more
purifying for them. Surely Allah is aware of what they do." (Quran Nur 24:30)
Furthermore, letting the gaze roam free cloaks the heart with darkness, just as
lowering the gaze for Allah clothes it in light. When the heart is light, countless
good comes to it from all directions. If it is dark, then clouds of evil and afflictions
come from all directions to cover it up.
Letting the gaze run loose also makes the heart blind to distinguishing between
truth and falsehood, between the Sunnah and innovation, between right and
wrong; while lowering it for Allah, the Might and Exalted, gives it a penetrating,
true and distinguishing insight.
A righteous man once said: "Whoever enriches his outward behaviour by
following the Sunnah, and makes his inward soul wealthy through contemplation,
and averts his gaze away from looking at what is forbidden, and avoids anything
of a doubtful nature, and feeds solely on what is Halal - his inner sight will never
falter."
************* Too Much Food or Over-eating *************
The consumption of moderate amounts of food guarantees tenderness of the
heart, strength of the intellect, humility of the self, weakness of desires, and
gentleness of temperament. Immoderate eating brings about the opposite of
these praiseworthy qualities.
Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'd Yakrib, RA, said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say:
" The son of Adam fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his stomach. A
few morsels should be enough for him to preserve his strength. If he must fill it,
then he should allow a third for his food, a third for his drink and leave a third
empty for easy breathing." (Tirmidhi)
Excessive eating induces many kinds of harm. It makes the body incline towards
disobedience to Allah and makes worship and obedience seem laborious-such
evils are bad enough in themselves, let alone increasing one's risk of running into
all kinds of eating disorders, obesity, and so on. A full stomach and excessive
eating have caused many a wrong action and inhibited much worship. Whoever
safeguards against the evils of overfilling his stomach has prevented great evil. It
is easier for Shaytan to control a person who has filled his stomach with food and
drink, which is why it has often been said: "Restrict the pathways of Shaytan by
fasting." (Ihya Ulum Diin of Al-Ghazali)
It has been reported that when a group of young men from the Tribe of Israel
were worshipping, and it was time for them to break their fast, a man stood up
and said: " Do not eat too much, otherwise you will drink too much, and then you
will end up sleeping too much, and then you will lose too much."
The Prophet (PBUH) and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used
to go hungry quite frequently. Although this was often due to a shortage of food,
Allah decreed the best and most favourable conditions for His Messenger, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is why Ibn Umar, RA, and his father
before him-in spite of the abundance of food available to them-modeled their
eating habits on those of the Prophet (PBUH). It has been reported that Aisha,
may Allah be pleased with her, said: "From the time of their arrival in Madina up
until his death, the family of Muhammad (PBUH) never ate their fill of bread made
from wheat three nights in a row." (Bukhari)
Any one who controls his stomach is bound to be in control of his Deen, and
anyone who controls his hunger is in control of good behaviour. Disobedience
towards Allah is nearest to a person who is satiated with over-eating, and
furthest away from a person who eats moderately.
******************* Keeping Bad Company *******************
Abu Musa Al-ash'aree, RA, reported that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: " The
example of a good companion is like that of the seller of Musk, and the one who
blows the blacksmith's bellows. So as for the seller of Musk, either he will grant
you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from
him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows, either he will burn your
clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him." (Bukhari)
Unnecessary companionship is a chronic disease that causes much harm. How
often have the wrong kind of companionship and intermixing deprived people of
Allah's generosity, planting discord in their hearts which even the passage of
time-even if it were long enough for mountains to be worn away-has been unable
to dispel. In keeping such company one can find the roots of loss, both in this life
and in the next life.
A servant should benefit from companionship. In order to do so he should divide
people into categories, and be careful not to get them mixed up, for once one is
mixed with the wrong other, then evil can find its way through to him:
The *FIRST* category are those people whose company is like food: it is
indispensable, night or day. Once a servant has taken his need from it, he leaves
it be until he requires it again, and so on. These are the people with knowledge of
Allah with fear of His commands, who are aware of the scheming of His enemies,
and of the diseases of the heart and their remedies- who wish well for Allah, His
Prophet and His servants. Associating with this type of person is an achievement
in itself. These are the people of prayer, of charity, of Masaajid, people of the
righteous path of Quran and Sunnah. Out of this group one learns to increase his
spiritual knowledge from the Knowledgeable of Ahlul Ilm, i.e, Scholars of Ahlul
Sunnah by benefitting from them either through their granting knowledge to you
or buying some from them, or at least if not Ahlul Ilm, then be with the Jamaa'at
of Ahlu Sunnah, i.e, the general brotherhood of people of Ahlu Sunnah. How can
one lose in either case.

Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who
said: " Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove
about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with
them and fold their wings round each other, filling that which is between them
and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the
angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h.) said: Then Allah
(Mighty and Sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about
them: From where have you come? And they say: We have come from some
servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You with 'Subhana llah', exalting
you 'Allahu akbar', witnessing that there is no god but You 'La ilaha illa Allah',
praising You 'Al-Hamdu lillah', and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do
they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have
they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were
they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He
says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O
Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: No. He says: And how
would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your
forgiveness. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them
and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for, and I have granted
them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet
p.b.u.h) said: They say: O Lord, among them is so-and-so, a much sinning
servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet
p.b.u.h) said: And He (Mighty and Sublime be He) says: And to him [too] I have
given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer." (Related by
Muslim also by al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasaa'i)
The *SECOND* category are those people whose company is like a medicine.
They are only required when a disease sets in. When you are healthy, you have
no need of them. However, mixing with them may be necessary for your
livelihood, businesses, consultation and the like. Once what you need from them
has been fulfilled, mixing with them should be avoided. These are the folk who
neither have knowledge of Allah, nor worship him, but at the same time do not
lead you to vices. Though like any medicine too much dosage of it can cause
harm, thus too much time with such a group can cause harm.
The *THIRD* category are those people whose company is harmful. Mixing with
this type of person is like a disease, in all its variety and degrees and strengths
and weaknesses. Associating with one or some of them is like an incurable
chronic disease. You will never profit either in this life or in the next life if you
have them for company, and you will surely lose either one or both of your Deen
and your livelihood because of them. If their companionship has taken hold of
you and is established, then it becomes a fatal, terrifying sickness.
Amongst such people are those who neither speak any good that might benefit
you, nor listen closely to you so that they might benefit from you. They do not
know their souls, of what is beneficial for it nor what is detrimental to it, and
consequently put their-selves regularly in the wrongful places, let alone
remembrance of Allah's worship and good deeds. They are, due to their
indifference, prone to fall into vices. They are so taken by their selfish desires,
Nafsul Amaarah, that if they speak, their words fall on their listeners' hearts like
the lashes of a cane. The worst of this kind are those who erroneously think of
themselves full of self-admiration and take delight in their baseless words. Which
fool would be ignorant enough to hang around such hollowness?
Ash-Shafi', may Allah be pleased with him, is reported to have said, "Whenever a
tedious person sits next to me, the side on which he is sitting feels lowered down
than the other side of me."
The *FOURTH* category are those people whose company is doom itself. It is like
taking poison: its victim either finds an antidote or perishes. They are the people
of religious innovation and misguidance, those who purposefully abandoned the
Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) or advocate other beliefs, or just as
deadly, those who call you to disobedience of Allah's commands. A person with
any intellect should not sit in their assemblies nor mix with them. The result of
doing so will either be the death of his heart or, at the very best, its falling
seriously ill.
All in all, mixing with anyone who is bad for the soul should not last, better yet
must be avoided. It can be one of the most distressing aspects of a servant's life
that he is plagued by such person. If it is necessary to associate out of no choice
out of livelihood or business, the servant is advised to take cautious care, until
Allah offers him a way out of his affliction and the means of escape from this
situation. The exception here is if one wants to help such lost souls for the sake
of Allah, and this is a duty ordained by Allah and His Messenger. Such things as
good advise, leading a good example for them, calling righteous Da'wah to them,
and Charity that leads to betterment of their condition, are all worthy of the
righteous person's mixing with those souls.
~~~~~~~ What Gives the Heart Life and Sustenance~~~~~~~
You should know, dear brothers and sisters in Islam, that acts of obedience are
essential to the well being of the servant's heart, just in the same way that food
and drink are to that of the body. All wrong actions are the same as poisonous
foods, and they inevitably harm the heart, and cause it to darken that it is very
hard for it to follow routine worship and kindness to others.
In a hadith related by Tirmidhi and Nasaa'i from Abu Huraira, RA, reported that
the Prophet (PBUH) said: " Verily, when the servant commits a wrong, a black
spot is put in his heart. So, if he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents,
his heart is polished clean. But if he returns to the sin, the spot will increase until
it overcomes his (entire) heart, and this is the 'Ran' that Allah mentioned when
He (Glorious and Sublime is He) says: " Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran
(covering) which they used to earn." (Quran Mutaffifin 83:14)
Ibn Kathir, Rahimahu Allah, in Tafsir of above verse commented, 'this dark
covering is known as Rayn, it overcomes the hearts of the disbelievers. The
covering of Ghayn, in contrast, is for the righteous which belongs to those who
are near to Allah.' Righteous acts all contribute to the Ghayn as cleansing agents
for the heart, all washing away those black dots.
The servant should feel the need to worship his Lord, Mighty and Glorious is He,
for he is naturally in constant need of His help and assistance. Iman consists of
three major things: action of the tongue (which are statements we make),
actions of the limbs (the eyes, legs, hands, ears, private parts, and so on), and of
those we put in our heart (such as shyness, good manners, and so on). Either all
three things increase our Iman or decrease our Iman. Righteous statements such
as enjoining good and forbidding evil, words of remembrance of Allah, reading
Qur'an, a good advise, a good word, increase our Iman. Righteous actions of the
limbs such as Wudhu, Salaat, Charity, walking to Masjid all increase our Iman.
Righteous thoughts, intentions, beliefs in our hearts such as fasting, shyness,
good manners, also are of great importance to the well-being of the heart. One
can be seen or observed from the level of Iman he/she has by just looking at the
type of actions he/she does with his tongue, limbs, and heart.
In order to maintain the well being of his body, the servant carefully controls the
functions of his tongue and the functions of his eyes, i.e, he controls his gaze. He
follows a purifying diet by habitually eating good food at regular intervals, and is
quick to free his stomach of harmful elements if he happens to eat bad food by
mistake. And he wisely maximizes his time spent with good company.
The well being of the servant's heart, however, is far more important than that of
his body, for while the well being of his body enables him to lead a life that is free
from illnesses in this world, that of the heart ensures him both a fortunate life in
this world and eternal bliss in the next.
In the same way, while the death of the body cuts the servant off from this world,
the death of the heart results in everlasting anguish. A righteous man once said,
"How odd, that some people mourn for the one whose body has died, but never
mourn for the one whose heart has died-and yet the death of the heart is far
more serious!"
Thus acts of obedience are indispensable to the well being of the heart. It is
worthwhile mentioning also seeking Allah's forgiveness routinely, making Du'as
(supplications to Allah), invoking Allah's blessings and peace on the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace, and praying at night.