234- How to Keep the Hearts Rust-Free? (Series: Inviting Reflections).

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 Holy 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 said:

   ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???:  ????? ???????? ?????? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ?????: "????? ?????????? ???????? ????? ???????? ???????????? ??? ???????? ???????". ??????: ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ??????????? ?????: " ????? ?????? ????????? ?? ????????? ??????????

The Holy 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.

The Day and Night Remembrance of Death means that one should be always mindful that he has to die and he will be accountable for all his actions in front of Allah on the Day of Judgement; and, the Recitation of the Qur’an means to understand message of this Eternal Book and then to lead life in accordance with the dictates of this Divine Code.

How elegantly it has been put in the mold of words when Allah Almighty says:

" ??????????? ???? ?????????? ??? ???? ??????? ?????????? ????????????????" 

(We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe.) Surah: 17, Verse: 82.

The same has been further reaffirmed by Allah Almighty in the Holy Qur’an:

 "????? ????? ?????????? ??????? ???????? ???? ????????"

(Verily this Qur'an does guide to that which is the most upright (or stable). Surah: 17, Verse: 9.   

The Holy Qur’an is the text and the conduct of the Holy 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.