Purifying Our Heart from Negativity!
By: Shanzay Arshad - The Veiled Nugget
Tags: Hijab, Popular, Inspiration, Muslim, Islam

Written By: Shanzay Arshad

Ya Ahla Wa Sahla!! (Hello and welcome!!)

Hope you’re all well, and happy wherever you are and I wish the best for you and your families, may God bless you! :)

So, I had been thinking about an appropriate topic to discuss over in my new blog, and I found a topic very beneficial enough to be discussed over with the Muslim Ummah.

Today’s topic is regarding, “ The purification of the Heart”

I’ve spent half of my life while travelling around Pakistan and abroad, and of course with all this travelling, I had a whole lot of opportunity to learn and discover about many different things, presently I’m a medical university student, but in my middle school, I had countless books covering topics over national and international Geography, about lands and plains and all sort-of stuff like that. So, till I was in middle school I had only read about breathtaking places of Pakistan and the entire world and how the land was like, how the locals lived in different provinces, but just being able to witness all of that detail with my eyes was a completely different thing for me, and Alhamdulilahh (Thank’s to God) I learned quite a lot.

While, travelling across the motorway from Sukkur to Islamabad, I found out something I didn’t know about before, I mean I actually did experience this when I was a young kid, but I never actually gave it concern and tried looking up it’s definition in my “oxford dictionary” and that is the “mirage”, now it’s a very typical kind of illusion which can be spotted from a distance as a “shining road” and once you reach it, it’s nothing but an illusion, no glitter or aluminium foil shining by the reflection of the sun, It was nothing but just an:

optical Illusion.

It made me ponder over something very important, and that made me resemble this mirage to something too common in the present world and that is running behind something that doesn’t even matter.

Just like a mirage playing it’s role as an optical illusion that isn’t forever! and once you reach it, you won’t get anything out of it.

our problems, our love of Duniya (World) including money, riches, reputation, respect and much much more.

All of these momentarily existing things try deceiving us from our “real goal” and that is to worship the one and only God…..Allah (swt).

Once you’ll reach the end of a mirage it’d be nothing that you’d get.

We chase something that isn’t meant to be chased,

Respect.

Money.

Reputation.

Chasing worldly bounties and gold brings us to a very unexpected outcome,

“NOTHING”

Weird, right? but that’s a fact, and a universal Islamic belief that this world it’s gonna be nothing but a plain area with no vegetation, mountains, or buildings, or houses. Nothing but a plain dry land, where the world will one day gather.

Surah Al-Hadeed (meaning: the iron) is one of the Surah’s of the Qura’an which describe the end of this world and how this world is nothing but a temporary amusement:

“Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers, evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, good-doers), whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment“. [57:20]

Not once, but innumerable times the Qura’an has described this over and over again.

The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things)“. [102:1]

but, in the end:

And surely, We have created many of the jinns and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth).

(Surah Al- A’Raf) verse 7:179

What happens when you let an impostor into your house, now I want you to imagine this, You dearly love your home, you love the way everything looks at it’s place, the furniture, the vase, the lamps.

Now, just imagine that the impostor, he alters the entire setting of your house, and not just that but he no longer keep’s your house clean as before, leaving rubbish everywhere and just messing it up!

Your heart is like a diamond, very delicate, very precious. Prevent it from shattering into pieces because it’s clear glass, it’s something we need to protect!

Dr. Haifaa Younis had an amazing lecture on the purification of heart, her words described exactly how delicate and priceless the heart is. I’ll link the YouTube video at the end, you can click the link and watch the video directly, In Sha Allah!!

Letting the love of the Duniya (World) into your heart alters the original setting of your heart, just like a newly furnished house: clean and beautiful, you wouldn’t wanna be allowing a stranger in and letting them tell you where that sofa should be or what the colour of your walls should be.

“Haraam” and “Halaal”

That isn’t what Islam is. It’s something much much more than that! we’d always be hearing these common phrases since our childhood and they go something like:

“Why you lie? It’s Haraam! Now, you’re gonna be going to a very bad place”

“You commit that sin, Now, you’re gonna be going to a very bad place, God won’t forgive you ever!”

I know, we’ve all heard things like this, Islam is more than just “what’s Haraam and what’s Halaal” That’s why the Qura’an didn’t start off with a list of things that were Haraam and Halaal, It started off with something much more valuable and something that’s more important than what’s Haraam and Halaal. It started off with this vast knowledge that “who is God?” What’s His mercy?

He’s split His mercy into a hundred parts and only one of those hundred divisions is sent over Earth, Just imagine how merciful He’d be if only one part of a hundred divisions is over Earth. As a Muslim, Atheist, Christian, Jew, You know we all worship something, some of us worship God, while other’s worship wealth, status or fashion trends.

But, we all need to know who exactly God is? and as a Muslim, Our Qura’an tells us about our God, The Holy Book, tell’s us who sent us in this world? who exactly Allah (SWT) is?

When we are preparing for an interview, now it can be any interview, a job interview, an interview for a university, now you know, that it’s a big deal for you, it’s your dream place, it’s one of your favourite institutions, You’ve heard that the people there are quite talented and well-experienced, the atmosphere is good and it comes with many other extra services for the person working there, so… what are you gonna do?

You’ll try reaching out to one of the people working there, maybe a friend who is already at that place and you’ll ask him or her about their own personal experience and then you’ll try adopting the same strategy, you might also ask them about the boss’s nature: is he calm or is he quick to anger?

Now, you’ll make sure you’re not too cocky and you’re honest about whatever that you’re asked about. Then, by taking all possible information regarding the boss’s preferences and dislikes, you’ll make the next move.

The Qura’an Kareem, gives us exact knowledge about who exactly God is? who the King is! That’s our master, and now what’s gonna be your next move??

Now, you’ll garner all possible information and make notes about what He likes and what pleases Him. You know exactly that impressing your Boss means an instant promotion and of-course respect+1000 and more! And, so when you decipher the Qura’an and learn what it exactly says, it will educate you about your Master, the King…..”The Boss!!”

Now, the step two is “What’s right and wrong”, “What’s legal and illegal”, “What’s Haraam and Halaal”!

Choosing what’s right and preventing yourself from letting impostor’s into your newly furnished dream house, The worldly love of objects knowing that this world is only a frenzy of monetarily lasting things! To believe that straggling behind other people would in-turn destroy YOU! “they’re doing that!” they’re clubbing, having parties all night and missing prayers, and the last thing that you’d wanna do is follow their example and fall astray.

Watching haraam and feeding yourself with negativity, end’s up making your body unhealthy, and constant bad habits would change you spiritually and physically both. Consuming negativity, negativity and more negativity all day……… EVERYDAY!

This makes your heart black, developing a thick layer on the top, a soggy layer, a crusty layer that leaves no light but darkness and some more darkness, now, of-course! not literally, but you’ll soon start feeling unmotivated towards prayer’s and that would end up making you lazy towards worship and you wouldn’t wanna go pray anymore with the same energy and motivation.

Constant sinning with No repentance will swerve you away from your main goal and that is:

worship.

With a dysfunctional heart, your entire body will eventually get deprived of a healthy oxygenated blood supply, leaving you entirely disturbed with eye’s veiled and heart covered.

Eventually, you leave yourself fettered from a clean oxygen supply, not feeding your body with the right things and constant sins and more sins without Istighfaar (repentance) would make you stubborn and deprived of true comfort:

The Salah.

Roring from corner to corner in search of peace, which already lies within you, but you just can’t see!

Cowered up with negativity, constant depression and never-ending anxiety and stress.

You can try pummelling out of these walls but nothing brings you hope. You stonewall the words of wisdom, and the people around you, you remain sceptical about who to trust and who to not? your loved-one’s try bringing you back but once a glass vase is pulverised, it can’t be turned back to it’s original state by any other human.

But,

There’s someone who help’s you! who guides you! who mends your soul! because as long as He is your doctor, it doesn’t matter if it’s a slight cut or a gash, You can trust the doctor this time! The Al-Shaafi!! Because now it isn’t someone else but the Boss of all boss’s!!

You’re in good hands.

The vase which was nothing, but a pile of smithereens, is glued together, piece by piece with no flaws, no gaps, better than ever! and Good as new! That feeling is gratifying like nothing else within the entire universe!

You pray, say Alhamdulilahh!! (Thank’s to God!!) Eventually, you’re motivated again, after all a diver only goes to the bottom of the sea to gather pearls, You know that sooner or later he’ll come back up much more stronger and happier! and of-course with the most precious pearls and stones.

SubhanAllah!!

Constant experiences and pain which bring you closer to Allah (SWT) are a blessing. A reward. Alhamdulilahh!! (Thank’s to God!!)

Repentance (Istighfaar) strengthens your soul, no matter what the weather outside is like, cloudburst, hurricane, storm, tsunami. You know you’re good to go with that Tawakkul! (Trust in God).

Describing this situation of the heart I found no good analogy than the heavily sugared candies we see at stalls and stores. They’re candied excessively and just imagine that the heart with constant sins is like that heavily blackened layered, just like sugar but this time you know that this layer is dirty, and no good! Once you repent, this soggy layer, scrapes off, It start’s purifying eventually the body starts receiving healthy blood supply, oxygen and all it’s essential proteins and carbs, you get the best of yourself! a healthy, better than ever YOU!! All thank’s to the Doctor of the doctor’s, the King of the king’s and the Master of the master’s……. The one and only… Allah (SWT)!!

SubhanAllah!!

But before really planning and choosing the right diet plan to healthy yourself and purify your heart, ask for Dua’a from Allah (SWT) to help you in this and purify your heart and soul and protect you from the evil and don’t forget to repeat Istighfaar! because Indeed, Allah (SWT)’s mercy is far more than His wrath.

Feed your car with the right fuel, or else it’ll just stumble and break. Just as the heart, remember it’s right oxygen is “Salah”, and it isn’t the negativity that welcome’s you everyday in your news feed.

In the end, There’s a little bounty for ya’ll:

(The everyday purification prescription) a little gift for everyone reading this ❤

“If a person says subhanallahi wa bi–hamdihi one hundred times a day, all his sins will be forgiven even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” (Bukhari, Bad’ul–Khalq 11; Daawat 64, 65; Muslim, Dhikr 28.

“Astaghfirullah” (I seek forgiveness of Allah). It is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) to seek istighfaar 100 times daily.

Reciting at-least one page of the Qura’an per day.

This is the end to my today’s blog!

Don’t forget to pray and stay positive!!

May Allah (SWT) guide us all to the right path, and keep us firm over our faith and religion. Ameen!!

Assalam-O-Alaekumm!!

Written by: Shanzay Arshad a.k.a The veiled nugget

☺In the end, may Allah Almighty bless each and everyone who made it to the end of this blog and chose to read it. May Allah Almighty shower His endless blessings over you and your family. Keep smiling :) once again, Shukran Jazilan! (Thank You Very Much!)

Dr. Haifaa Younis’s lecture on “The purification of Heart”

you can watch it here :)

https://youtu.be/V3koHDrJ7NY

Ep 049-Turning back to Allah, Memorising the Qura’an, Purifying our hearts -Dr. Haifaa Younis (ilmfeed Podcast).