115- How to Keep the Hearts Rust-Free? (Series: Inviting Reflections)
Prof Dr M Akram Chaudhary
Ex Vice Chancellor/Professor Emeritus, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Do our hearts get corrupted and become impure? How can we cleanse and purify them?
Our hearts get corrupted and become impure when we commit sins and do evil deeds. Evil thoughts and evil deeds do make our hearts rusty and dirty.
The effective remedy in order to cleanse them is given by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He, peace be upon him, by making use of an analogy, expounds the condition in which the heart gets corrupted and the way through which that corruption can be removed. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (RA), is reported to have taught us:
?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???: ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ? ????: "????? ?????????? ???????? ????? ???????? ??????????? ??? ????? ?????". ??????: ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ??????????? ?????: " ???? ????? ????????? ?? ?????? ??????????
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “The hearts (of human beings) get corroded and rusted as the iron gets corroded when comes in contact with water (or moisture)”. He, peace be upon him, was asked: How they (hearts) can be polished (saved from corrosion)? He, peace be upon him, replied: “ (Hearts can be saved (polished) by Day and Night Remembrance of Death and Recitation of the Qur’an”. Mishkat al-Masabih, Hadith # 2169.
Dear readers! The Holy Qur’an is the text and the conduct of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is its practical manifestation ---which is preserved in the form of hadith. The Eternal Word of Allah (al-Qur’an al-Karim) enlightens and guides towards the straight and right path.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is reported to have ordained the believers: "?? ????? ????? ??????? ? ?? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??????" (The wonders of the Qur’an will never come to an end; and, it (al-Qur’an al-Karim) will never cause bordom for its readers; therefore, read it). Al-Tirmidhi: Chapter Fadl al-Qur’an, P. 143