The Heart part 1

Thursday Halaqa Notes
11/7/13 
Sr. Fatenah Tailakh
MCA Santa Clara, CA

The Heart (Al-Qalb) part 1

• The heart is the most important part of the body for two reasons: It controls all the actions of the body and it holds the intention.
• Just like a motor controls a car, the heart controls everything your body does. It tells the parts of the body what to do and what not to do. 
• Hadith: 

النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ  أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ صحيح البخاري  و صحيح مسلم

The Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:

"Beware, in the body there is a flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt, and behold, it is the heart." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

• If the heart became pure and was for Allah, then the deeds will be accepted.
• Story of Luqman al Hakim - Luqman was previously in employ of a rich man. Once his master told him, 'Slaughter a sheep and bring to me the best part of its body.' Luqman brought the animal’s tongue and heart. The next day the employer asked Luqman, 'Bring to me the worst organ of the animal.' Luqman again brought its tongue and heart. The employer asked Luqman with astonishment the reason of bringing the same parts on both occasions. Luqman replied, 'If the heart and the tongue are used in a good way they are the best organs granted to everyone by Almighty God but if they are used unwisely and in a wrong manner no part of a body can be worse than them.'
• When the heart is pure, it is the best part of the body. And when it is not pure, then it is the worst part of the body.
• The heart is the scale of the hereafter. The heart holds the intention. 
• Hadith: 

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم صحيح مسلمْ

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wasallam) said: "Allah does not look at your appearances or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and actions." (Al-Bukhari)

Put a goal and make an effort

• Ayah Surat Al Israa’ 

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُوماً مَّدْحُورا

وَمَنْ أَرَادَ ٱلآخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُوراًً

• “Whoever wishes for the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell, he will burn therein disgraced and rejected, ( far away from Allah's Mercy). But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose striving shall be accepted (by Allah). (17:18,19)
• The person who's goal is the dunya (the life of this world), Allah will give him the dunya- then Allah will give him hellfire. But the one who seeks the akhirah and makes an effort (sa’a) - those their efforts are appreciated, thanked, and rewarded (mashkura).  
• From these ayahs, we learn that when any Muslim wants to do a righteous deed for Allah, they have to do two things. First make an intention (niyyah) that you are doing it for the hereafter, and second make an effort (sa‘ee).
• When you put a goal, ask Allah for it and make an effort.
• Example: If you put a goal that you want to finish your master’s degree - you will organize everything in your life to achieve this goal. If you fall off this goal, you fix yourself and try harder, because you are determined to achieve this. 
• Example: If I want my son to do good in school, I don’t sleep in until noon and go visit my friends and then never ask him about his homework... You have to check your priorities, your goals.
• Next 2 Ayahs 

كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَـٰؤُلاۤءِ وَهَـٰؤُلاۤءِ مِنْ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَآءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُوراً 

ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً 

• “Of the bounties of thy Lord We bestow freely on all- These as well as those: The bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone). See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in excellence.” (17: 20, 21)
• Allah gives to all people, those who want dunya AND those who want akhirah, the believer and the non-believer. And some he gives more than others. But Jannah is greater than anything you could have in the dunya. 
• Usually we compete in material things. We look at what our friends have - new car, new phone. If we want to buy a house we will go back to work and our husband will work 2 jobs etc. We don’t look at the good deeds our friends are doing. And even if we do, we don’t try to do it ourselves. 
• If we want to be like our friend that prays qiyam, we have to put a plan in place and make an intention - sleep early, put an alarm.. etc.  It might not work in one day or one month. But we should make a goal and try. Allah will reward us for this effort.