Ramadan + taqwa + hearts = are these words interconnected? Yes!
Let’s see how!
With Ramadan around the corner, most of us are busy trying to figure out how to prepare ourselves for the blessed month that is soon going to knock at our doorsteps. While most of us might have come across several articles that speak about having clear goals, objectives and to-do-lists to be completed during Ramadan, it is perfectly normal if you don’t feel the Ramadan vibe in you. Some of us don’t feel the excitement and enthusiasm that others are experiencing. However, there is no need for you to despair.
Check Our Hearts
The state of our heart plays a major role in directing the actions of our limbs, eyes and tongue. While people who have been/are trying to gain closeness to Allah can feel a buzz around them because of Ramadan, others might be struggling to break bad habits, or are just not in the right state of imaan.
Sometimes, Ramadan comes and goes, and all we’ve done is fast, break our fast, pray for some time, and go with the routine of our lives. However, it need not be the same every time.
This year, you can make a real difference to your ibadah, and taste a kind of sweetness in faith that has been experienced only by a select few!
Do you want to embark on this beautiful journey? Read on. Remember, this article is not just limited to Ramadan, but is applicable for the entire year.
Taqwa and Your Heart
In part I and part II, we touched upon what taqwa is and how we can attain it. In this article, we will see how the state of your heart is related to taqwa.
Taqwa makes your heart and mind conscious of what is happening around you. You are always on guard, trying to make sure you are not slipping away from the straight path or getting carried away by the glitz of this dunya. Having a heart that is healthy and sound has a direct effect on your levels of taqwa.
As Allah goes on to say in Surah Baqarah – (when describing the Jews) –
“Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.”
Have you stopped to check the status of your heart?
Is your heart conscious of the actions your limbs and tongues are indulging in?
Has it become hard, black and rusty because of sins? [1]
Related Posts:
Who are the people of taqwa – Part 1
Who are the people of taqwa – Part 2
Blessings of Having a Soft and Attentive Heart
#1 Peace of heart
You will find peace enter your heart, making you more receptive of His signs, in turn, making you guard against things that displease Him. Suddenly, it will become easy to leave the haram without feeling restless. You will find it easy to accept His commandments without feeling burdened or pressurized. Peer pressure will not seem that difficult to handle anymore. Wearing the hijab, sporting the beard, not indulging in riba or taking interest based loans will all of a sudden become easy choices to make and live by! Our motto of “We hear and we obey to Allah” will become second nature.
#2 Satan Cannot Tempt You
Do you realize how big a blessing this is? Most of the time, we tend to sin, waste time or turn away from what Allah has decreed, because Satan has a strong hold on our lives, our hearts and minds. He makes everything seem glamorous and attractive, in turn making us slip, even though we know deep down that we are indulging in a sin. A sound heart will repel Satan’s whispers in a very powerful manner, in turn helping you build taqwa around your heart and life- easing your journey into jannah.
#3 Praising and thanking Allah becomes a subconscious habit for a sound heart
We know the importance of dkhir, thanking Allah and praising Him at all times under all circumstances. A sound heart will make the act of dhikr turn into an effortless affair, an act that involves your heart, limbs and tongue, and not just a mere lip service.
#4 Humility in your heart and acceptance of Allah’s decree become easy to handle
We often question many trials and aspects that surround our life because we find it hard on a spiritual level to accept the difficulties that surround us. We might utter words of Alhamdulillah on our lips, but deep down, we grieve and drown in sorrows, wondering why life has to be difficult, why our duas are “not” being answered, or why we haven’t got what we “wanted”. A sound heart will allow you to accept every single affair as something which was best for you, making you accept Allah’s decree. This is the fastest way to gain peace of mind and heart because you know what’s written for you is written by the greatest of Writers.
#5 You will not be swayed by temptations, innovations, misguidance or haram pleasures
A heart that is busy in remembering and pleasing Allah will not have the time or desire to do something that the Lord dislikes, because its focus and concentration is centered towards one thing alone – loving and pleasing that One that created it. This is the fastest way to prevent sins from piling up in your life.
A sound heart therefore, is the quickest way to gain Allah’s pleasure, making you bask in His protection and forgiveness, preventing Satan from tempting you into sins, in turn, helping you gain an entry into Jannah.
So you want Jannah? You need to have a sound heart for that. So what are the steps to attain a sound heart? And how is the state of our heart related to Ramadan? We will discuss about this in the next part of this series in sha Allah.
Related Posts:
References
- Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, when the servant commits a sin a black spot appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allah has mentioned: No, but on their hearts is a covering because of what they have earned.” (83:14) [Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3334, classed as sahih]
Related Video: What is taqwa – Mufti Menk
Leave a Reply