"The slave is not afflicted with a punishment greater in severity then the hardening of the heart and being distant from Allah...

ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah’s al Fawaaid (p 111-112) "The slave is not afflicted with a punishment greater in severity then the hardening of the heart and being distant from Allah. For the Fire was created to melt the hardened heart. The most distant heart from Allah is the heart which is hardened. If the heart becomes hardened, the eye becomes dry. If four matters are exceeded in quantity, beyond what is necessary, the heart shall become hardened: Food, sleep, speech and sexual intercourse. A body afflicted by disease does not derive nourishment from food or water, similarly a heart diseased by desire does not benefit from admonishment and exhortation. Whosoever desires to purify his heart, then let him prefer Allah to his desires. The heart which is clinging to its desires is veiled from Allah, commensurate to the degree that it is attached to them, the hearts are the vessels of Allah upon his earth, hence the most beloved of them to him, are the ones most compassionate, pure and resistant to deviation. They (the transgressors) preoccupied their hearts [in the pursuance] of the Dunya, would that they preoccupied them with Allah and the hereafter, then surely they would have reflected upon the intended meaning of his poignant words and verses. Their hearts would have returned to their masters with wisdom, marvelously curious and [in possession] of the rarest of precious gems. If the heart is nourished with remembrance, its thirst quenched with contemplation and cleansed from corruption, it shall witness remarkable and wondrous matters, inspiring wisdom. Not every individual who is endowed with knowledge and wisdom, and assumes its character is from amongst its people. Rather the people of knowledge and wisdom are those who infused life into their hearts by slaying their desires. As for the one who slays his heart and vitalized his desires, then knowledge and wisdom is naked upon his tongue. The destruction of the heart occurs by security [in this Dunya] and negligence, its fortification occurs by fear and remembrance. If the heart renounces the pleasures of the Dunya, it settles upon the [pursuance of] pleasures of the Hereafter, and amongst those who call towards it. Should the heart become content with the pleasures of the Dunya, those pleasures [of the hereafter] cease [to continue]. Yearning for Allah and his meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the Dunya. Whosoever caused his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, clam and tranquil, and whosoever sent it amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed. For the love of Allah shall not enter a heart, which contains the love of this world, except as a camel, which passes through the eye of a needle. Hence, the most beloved servant before Allah is the one whom He places in His servitude, whom He selects for His love, whom He causes to purify his worship for Him, dedicates his objectives for Him, his tongue for His remembrance, and his limbs for His service. The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah and protection [from transgression]. It becomes rusty as a mirror becomes rusty, and its clarity is obtained by remembrance. It becomes naked as the body becomes naked, and its beautification is at-Taqwa. It becomes hungry and thirsty as the body becomes hungry and thirst, and its food and drink are knowledge, love, dependence, repentance and servitude.”

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim :“The sign of (a humble heart) is that a person prostrates to his Lord out of respect and humility, and never raises his head until he meets Him. The arrogant heart, on the other hand, is one that is content with its arrogance and raises itself up like an elevated portion of land in which water never settles.”

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim :“The sign of (a humble heart) is that a person prostrates to his Lord out of respect and humility, and never raises his head until he meets Him. The arrogant heart, on the other hand, is one that is content with its arrogance and raises itself up like an elevated portion of land in which water never settles.”

The Backbiting of the Heart

{This is a chapter from Al-Imaam An-Nawawi's book Al-Athkaar, on how the heart is just as accountable for evil thoughts about someone as the tongue is for evil speech. We ask Allaah for safety and deliverance}

Know that having evil thoughts about someone is forbidden just as evil speech [is]. So just as it is forbidden for you to speak to others about the faults of someone, it is also forbidden for you to speak to yourself about that and to hold negative thoughts of him. Allah says:

"O you who believe, avoid much (types) of suspicion. Verily some (forms) of suspicion is a sin." [al-Hujuraat : 12]

And Abu Hurairah, radi Allahu 'anhu, reported that Allah's Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Beware of suspicion, for indeed suspicion is the most untruthful form of speech."

And the ahadeeth with the meaning of what I have mentioned are many. And the meaning of this [the backbiting of the heart] is the heart concluding and judging someone with negative thoughts. But as for passing thoughts and one's talking to himself, if these thoughts do not remain established and continuous, then he is excused, according to the consensus of the scholars, because he has no choice in this happening, and he has no means of disassociation from them. This is the understanding of what has been estabilished in the authentic texts, as the Prophet said, "Indeed, Allaah has permitted for my Ummah that which their souls whisper to them, so long as they do not speak it out (audibly) or act upon it."

The scholars said, "This refers to the thoughts that do not establish themselves." And they said, "This is regardless of whether this thought consists of backbiting or kufr or otherwise. So if kufr crosses someone's mind, but it is only a thought, without the intent of acting upon it, and he then dismisses this thought immediately, he is not a kaafir, and there is no sin on him."

We have stated in the chapter on Waswasa the authentic hadeeth in which the Companions said: "'O Messenger of Allaah! Some of us find things in our thoughts that are too tremendous to speak of .' So he, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, 'That is the confirmation of Faith.'", and others besides that we mentioned there that have the same meaning.

And the reason what we previously mentioned is excused is the impossibility of averting [these kinds of thoughts]. Rather, it is possible to avoid having these thoughts continuously, and this is why the heart's persistence and fastening itself to these thoughts is forbidden [and not the thoughts themselves].

And whenever these thoughts of backbiting or other sins present themselves to you, it is obligatory on you to repel them by turning away from them and mentioning explanations that will distract from what seems apparent.

Abu Haamid al-Ghazaalee said in al-Ihyaa', "Should evil thoughts affect your heart, then these are from the whisperings of Shaytaan, which he casts within you. So you must disavow them because Shaytaan is indeed the most evil of evildoers. And Allah has stated:

'If a wicked person (i.e. faasiq) comes to you with news, then verify it, lest you harm people without realizing it (i.e. out of ignorance) and afterwards you become regretful for what you've done .' [al-Hujuraat : 6].

Thus, it is not permissible for you to believe Iblees. And if there were an presumption that points to evil, and the opposite is possible, then holding negative thoughts is not permissible.

And among the signs of evil thoughts about someone is that your heart changes towards him from the way it used to be, and that you flee from him and find him burdensome. And that you slacken in your consideration towards him, in your hospitality to him, and in your worry when he commits bad deeds. And indeed Shaytaan comes close the heart with the smallest trace of the faults of the people, and he makes you think that [these thoughts] occur due to your sharpness, intelligence and quick alertness, and that the believer sees with the light of Allah [i.e. Allah has led him to this and not Iblees]. But this person is, in actuality, speaking with the deceptions of Shaytaan and his injustice.

And if a just person informs you of [negative things about another Muslim], then neither believe him nor disclaim him, in order that you will not have negative thoughts about either of them.

Whenever some evil thoughts about another Muslim cross your mind, then increase in your consideration towards him and kindness to him, as this will enrage Shaytaan and repel him from you so that he will not cast within you such thoughts out of his fear that you will instead preoccupy yourself with supplication for that person.

And whenever you come to know of a fault in a Muslim based on undoubtable proof, then advise him in secret and do not let Shaytaan deceive you and invite you to backbite about him. And if you admonish him, then do not admonish him while you are happy with your knowledge of his deficiency, so he looks at you with the eyes of esteem and you look at him with belittlement. Rather, intend to free him from sin while you are saddened, just as you are saddened over yourself if a deficiency enters into you. And it is necessary that his abandonment of that deficiency without your admonishment be more beloved to you than his abandoning it after your admonishment. "

The Effects of Sins

The Effects of Sins
Author: Ibn al-Qayyim
Source: Al-Jawab al-Kaafi

——————————————————————————–

ONE. The Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allaah throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light.

Imaam Shaafi’ee said:

I complained to Wakee’ about the weakness of my memory
So he ordered me to abandon disobedience
And informed me that the knowledge is light
And that the light of Allaah is not given to the disobedient

TWO. The Prevention of Sustenance: Just as Taqwaa brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwaa causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience

THREE. The prevention of obedience (to Allaah). If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allaah then this would be sufficient.

FOUR. Disobedience weakens the heart and the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely.

FIVE. Disobedience reduces the lifespan and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

SIX. Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant.

SEVEN. Sins weaken the hearts will and resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely.

EIGHT. Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allaah Azzawajall destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot, taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu’ayb, seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharoah and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hud. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allaah.

NINE. Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basree (rh) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allah the Exalted said:

And whomsoever Allaah lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honour. [Hajj 22:18]

TEN. The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm.

ELEVEN. The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allaah.

Ibn Mas’ood (ra) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [Bukhaaree]

TWELVE. Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allaah. Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak said:

I have seen sins kill the hearts
And humiliation is inherited by their continuity
The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts
And the prevention of your soul is better for it

THIRTEEN. Disobedience corrupts the intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient.

FOURTEEN. When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said:

But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions) [Mutaffifeen 83:14]

FIFTEEN. Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted said:

Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return. [Rum 30:41]

SIXTEEN. The disappearance of modesty which is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. It is authentic from the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that he said: Modesty is goodness, all of it [Bukhaaree and Muslim] A Poet said:

And by Allaah, there is no good in life Or in the world when modesty goes

SEVENTEEN. Sins weaken and reduce themagnification of Allaah, the Mighty in the heart ofthe servant

EIGHTEEN. Sins are the cause of Allaah forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his shaytaan and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.

NINETEEN. Sins remove the servant from the realm of Ihsaan (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining) the reward of those who do good. When Ihsaan fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience.

TWENTY. Disobedience causes the favours (of Allaah) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. Alee (ra) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allaah the Exalted said:

Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many [Shura 42:30]

And the Exalted also said:

That is because never will Allaah change the favour He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves [Anfaal 8:53]

Awakening

by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullâh (d. 751H)
From "Madrâjis as-Salikîn"
Printed in Al-Jumu'ah Magazine



The first of the ranks of the journey of servititude (ubûdiyah) is awakening, which is alarming and stirring up of the heart from the sleep of heedlessness. By Allâh, how priceless is that revitalising alarm! How valuable and indispensable for the journey! Whoever experiences it, by Allâh, he has indeed experienced the breeze of success. Without experiencing it, every one is lost in heedlessness. His hearing is asleep while his eyes appear awake. It is this blessed alarm that wakes one up and makes him a seeker of Allâh. The seeker now rolls up his sleeves and musters up his courage to set out on the journey to Allâh, station by station.

Perhaps it is this rising up from sleep that is mentioned in the following Qur'ânic verse:

"Say: I exhort you only to one thing, that you rise up for Allâh's sake in twos and singly, then ponder; there is no madness in your fellow citizen (Muhammad); he is only a warner to you before a severe chastisement." [34:46]

The first realisation that illuminates the seeker upon this awakening is the immensity of gifts of Allâh upon him. The believer's heart glances at the gifts and bounties of Allâh and is overwhelmed by his own sense of inability to even count them, let alone thank Allâh for them all. The second realisation is the realisation of the inadequacy of his gratitude and worship to Allâh. These realisations are in fact both the cause and the effect of the first station of awakening. As the believer (alternatively, the seeker, for there is no difference between the two, every believer is indeed a seeker of Allâh – tr.) advances on his journey and as his heart is sharpened by these two realisations, it becomes incumbent upon him to notice more and more the innumerable inner and outer, open and hidden gifts of Allâh and recognise his own shortcoming in thanking the Giver adequately. These two realisations make the seeker actualise the supplication of the Prophet, may the prayers and blessings of Allâh be upon him, in which he said: "(O Allâh), I admit Your bounties upon me, and I admit my sin, so forgive me, for no one can forgive but You!" (al-Bukhârî) At this point, one realises why this supplication is indeed the master of all supplications for forgiveness (as the Prophet has told us). The believer also realises at this point that if Allâh were to punish all the dwellers of Heavens and the Earth, He would not be in the wrong. If, on the other hand, He were to exonerate and reward them all, his reward and mercy would far exceed their deeds. The believer, therefore, realises that he must be ever mindful of Allâh's bounties and his own shortcomings.

NONE ENTERS IT EXCEPT THE PURE

The seeker inevitable realizes his sins and failings, and feels that he is in serious danger on account of them. He remembers Almighty Allâh's censure for those who forget the verses of Allâh after they have been reminded of them:

"And who is more wrongful than one who is reminded of the verses of Allâh, yet he evades them, and forgets what is awaiting him." [18:57]

Once the seeker is fully cognizant of his offences, he rolls up his sleeves to compensate for what has been lost. He breaks off the shackles of sins with the strength of istighfâr (seeking forgiveness) and penance. He yearns for purification, just like the purification of gold and silver from impurities when they are burnt, so that he may enter the paradise prepared by his Lord for him, for nothing impure can ever enter the Paradise:

"…those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them), "Peace be on you, enter the Garden, because of (the good) which you did (in the world)." [16:32]

This purification is carried out by four means: (1) repentance by turning away from sins (tawbah), (2) actively seeking forgiveness (istighfâr), (3) good deeds that erase the bad ones, (4) and calamities that efface the sins. If one is purified by these four means, he becomes of those who is greeted and congratulated y the angles upon death, and assured by them of his abode in the Paradise, and that he shall see grief and fear no more. Without any of these four, one's repentance is not complete and is not likely to be enough to counter balance his sins.

After one's death, when he is in the state of Barzakh (the state between death and the Final Day), his sins may be effaced by the following: (1) funeral salâh for him performed by the faithful, (2) the trials of the grave (may Allâh protect us from this), (3) what his brothers from the Muslims present to him after his death, of virtuous deeds, like charity, Hajj, fasting, recitation of the Qur'ân and salâh on his behalf. The jurists agree that the charity and supplications of the living will reach him and benefit him after his death. Majority include Hajj in this list, while the Hanâbilah include all good deeds in this list; the Hanbalî way being the most liberal of all in this matter.

Those who are still not purified by these means, may be purified by the dreadfulness of the Day of Resurrection or by intercession of those whom Allâh will allow to intercede that Day, and finally and most importantly, by the pardoning of his Most Forgiving Lord.

If one's sins are still remaining, the Fire or the purgatory then purifies him, the extent of this punishment being proportional to one's sins. When one is cleansed of sins and corruption, and all that is left is pure and good, he is now entered into the Paradise, into which one but the pure may enter.

THREE PARTS OF THE REALISATION

The first of the two realisations, the recognition and appreciation of Allâh's endless bounties, is assisted by three things: the light of intellect, Allâh's favors, and consideration of the suffering of less fortunate people.

The light of intellect is the light that caused one's soul to wake up in the first place. One is able to appreciate the bounties of Allâh only as much as the strength of this light allows him. Some may not realise Allâh's bounties except in ordinary things like food, clothing, safety and their standing in the society. Such people may not have even a piece of this light from Allâh, for the real bounty to consider and appreciate is the bounty of Islâm, of Îmân, of Allâh's message, of the opportunity to remember Him and the honour to obey Him. This faith is the supreme bounty and gift of Allâh, and one cannot see it expect with the illuminated inner eye.

Sensing the rays of Allâh's favors through the clouds of mundane life and darkness of the desiring self is the second part of appreciation. One observes the unfortunate people who are heedless of Allâh, or lost in innovations (ibtida') and forgotten the essence of the Dîn of Allâh. Such disbelievers and innovators are indeed greater in misery and suffering than those who are dying of starvation and disease. Once the seeker realises the misery of the misguided, he realises the immensity of Allâh's mercy upon him to have guided him, for things are known through their opposites.

THE SECOND REALISATION: OUR SHORTCOMINGS

The second of the two realisations associated with the Awakening of a believer is the realisation of one's sins, which again is assisted by three things. Realising the greatness of the Truth, knowing oneself, and certainty in Allâh's admonitions.

Realising His greatness from the core of one's heart is the key to understanding the enormity of defying Allâh, the Most High. If one contemplates in the greatness of Allâh and his own infirmity and weakness before Allâh, and his need for Allâh at every moment of his life, the enormity and wrongness of his sins becomes glaringly obvious. Knowing the nothingness of one's own self before Allâh, therefore, is an essential step in abandoning sins.

The axis of all success is belief in Allâh's promises and admonitions; and if this belief dwindles or weakens in the heart, so does any hope for success. Allâh has clearly told us that His verses and signs are of benefit only to those who believe in His promises and warning and fear the punishment of the afterlife:

"Indeed, in these there is a sign only for those who feared the Punishment of the Hereafter," [11:103]

"You are a warner exclusively for those who fear it (the Last Day)." [79:45]

Those deserving of salvation in this world and in the Hereafter are none but those who believe in and fear the admonition of Allâh:

"And We will establish you (the believers) on the Earth after them (the disbelievers), that is the reward for those who feared meeting Me, and feared my admonition." [14:14]

REMORSE OF THE LOST MOMENTS

One of the highest grades of this Awakening is the realisation of the lost days of one's life, which leads to the commitment to compensate for the lost time and fill the remaining days with goodness and virtue. Such an awakened soul then is miserly about wasting even an hour, indeed even a breath, in anything that is not helpful in its journey to Allâh. Every wasted moment is a regret and loss on that Day and a hindrance on the journey to Allâh.

Three things enhance the remorse for the lost days and the concern to compensate for them in the remaining days of one's life; knowledge, responsiveness to admonition, and company of the righteous. The more one knows the worth of deeds and enormity of their consequences, the more he realises the worth of his loss. Similarly, one's responsiveness to the admonisher of his heart (according to a hadîth of the Prophet, every believer has an admonisher in his heart who warns him against possible sins) determines how much he can improve. The company of people who have great concern for the condition of their hearts and determination to reach the highest levels is another great help in the path of the seeker.

Thus ends the description of the first station (maqâm) of the Madârij (ranks) of the seekers of Allâh.

The Great Virtue of Lowering the Gaze

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim





Allaah, the Exalted said,

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them. Indeed Allaah is well acquainted with all that they do." [an-Nur (24):30]

So Allaah made purification and spiritual growth to be the outcome of lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. It is for this reason that lowrering ones gaze from (seeing) the prohibited things necessarily leads to three benefits that carry tremendous value and are of great significance.

So Allaah made purification and spiritual growth to be the outcome of lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. It is for this reason that lowrering ones gaze from (seeing) the prohibited things necessarily leads to three benefits that carry tremendous value and are of great significance.

The First: experiencing the delight and sweetness of faith.

This delight and sweetness is far greater and more desirable that which might have been attained from the object that one lowered his gaze from for the sake of Allaah. Indeed, "whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allaah then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, will replace it with something better than it."

The soul is a temptress and loves to look at beautiful forms and the eye is the guide of the heart. The heart commissions its guide to go and look to see what is there and when the eye informs it of a beautiful image it shudders out of love and desire for it. Frequently such inter-relations tire and wear down both the heart and the eye as is said:

When you sent your eye as a guide For your heart one day, the object of sight fatigued you For you saw one over whom you had no power Neither a portion or in totality, instead you had to be patient.

Therefore when the sight is prevented from looking and investigating the heart finds relief from having to go through the arduous task of (vainly) seeking and desiring.

Whosoever lets his sight roam free will find that he is in a perpetual state of loss and anguish for sight gives birth to love (mahabbah) the starting point of which is the heart being devoted and dependant upon that which it beholds. This then intensifies to become fervent longing (sabaabah) whereby the heart becomes totally dependant and devoted to the (object of its desire). Then this further intensifies and becomes infatuation (gharaamah) which clings to the heart like the one seeking repayment of a debt clings firmly to the one who has to pay the debt. Then this intensifies and becomes passionate love (ishk) and this is a love that transgresses all bounds. Then this further intensifies and becomes crazed passion (shaghafa) and this a love that encompasses every tiny part of the heart. Then this intensifies and becomes worshipful love (tatayyuma). Tatayyum means worship and it is said: tayyama Allaah i.e. he worshipped Allaah.

Hence the heart begins to worship that which is not correct for it to worship and the reason behind all of this was an illegal glance. The heart is now bound in chains whereas before it used to be the master, it is now imprisoned whereas before it was free. It has been oppressed by the eye and it complains to it upon which the eye replies: I am your guide and messenger and it was you who sent me in the first place!

All that has been mentioned applies to the heart that has relinquished the love of Allaah and being sincere to Him for indeed the heart must have an object of love that it devotes itself to. Therefore when the heart does not love Allaah Alone and does not take Him as its God then it must worship something else.

Allaah said concerning Yusuf as-Siddeeq (AS),

"Thus (did We order) so that We might turn away from him all evil and indecent actions for he was one of Our sincere servants." [Yusuf (12): 24]

It was because the wife of al-Azeez was a polytheist that (the passionate love) entered her heart despite her being married. It was because Yusuf (AS) was sincere to Allaah that he was saved from it despite his being a young man, unamarried and a servant.

The Second: the illumination of the heart, clear perception and penetrating insight.

Ibn Shujaa` al-Kirmaanee said, "whosoever builds his outward form upon following the Sunnah, his internal form upon perpetual contemplation and awareness of Allaah, he restrains his soul from following desires, he lowers his gaze from the forbidden things and he always eats the lawful things then his perception and insight shall never be wrong."

Allaah mentioned the people of Lut and what they were afflicted with and then He went on to say, "Indeed in this are signs for the Mutawassimeen." [al-Hijr (15): 75]

The Mutwassimeen are those who have clear perception and penetrating insight, those who are secure from looking at the unlawful and performing indecent acts.

Allaah said after mentioning the verse concerning lowering the gaze, "Allaah is the Light of the heavens and the earth." [an-Nur (24): 35] The reason behind this is that the reward is of the same type as the action. So whosoever lowers his gaze from the unlawful for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, He will replace it with something better than it of the same type. So just as the servant restrained the light of his eye from falling upon the unlawful, Allaah blesses the light of his sight and heart thereby making him perceive what he would not have seen and understood had he not lowered his gaze.

This is a matter that the person can physically sense in himself for the heart is like a mirror and the base desires are like rust upon it. When the mirror is polished and cleaned of the rust then it will reflect the realities (haqaa`iq) as they actually are. However if it remains rusty then it will not reflect properly and therefore its knowledge and speech will arise from conjecture and doubt.

The Third: the heart becoming strong, firm and courageous.

Allaah will give it the might of aid for its strength just as He gave it the might of clear proofs for its light. Hence the heart shall combine both of these factors and as a result, Shaytaan shall flee from it. It is mentioned in the narration, "whosoever opposes his base desires, the Shaytaan shall flee in terror from his shade."

This is why the one who follows his base desires shall find in himself the ignominy of the soul, its being weak, feeble and contemptible. Indeed Allaah places nobilty for the one who obeys Him and disgrace for the one who disobeys Him, "So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith." [Aali Imraan(3): 139]

"If any do seek for nobilty and power then to Allaah belongs all nobility and power." [Faatir(35): 10]

Meaning that whosoever seeks after disobedience and sin then Allaah, the Might and Magnificent, will humiliate the one who disobeys Him. Some of the salaf said, "the people seek nobilty and power at the door of the Kings and they will not find it except through the obedience of Allaah."

This is because the one who who obeys Allaah has taken Allaah as his friend and protector and Allaah will never humiliate the one who takes his Lord as friend and patron. In theDu`aa Qunut their occurs, "the one who You take as a friend is not humiliated and the one who You take as an enemy is not ennobled."

Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, rahimullaah, said: "If you want to benefit from the Qur'an, you must concentrate and devote your heart solely when reciting and listening to it. You must pay attention, and try to comprehend the fact that what you are reading is the word of Allaah. As you read, you must know that Allaah is addressing you in and through this Qur'an. Indeed, it is the words of Allaah to you through the tongue of His Messenger." Read Suratul Qaf 50:37, which means, "Verily therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful."

Praise be to Allaah.
There are many reasons for which people may be punished in their graves,
which Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) listed and said:
Some people may wonder about the reasons for which people may be
punished in their graves. This may be answered in two ways: in general and
in detail.
In general terms, they may be punished for their ignorance of Allaah, their
ignoring His commands and their disobedience towards Him. Allaah does
not punish any soul that acknowledged Him, loved Him, obeyed His
commands and heeded His prohibitions, nor does He punish the body that
was inhabited by that soul.
Punishment in the grave and in the Hereafter are due to the wrath and anger
of Allaah towards His slave. Whoever angers Allaah in this world and does
not repent, and dies like that, will be punished in al-Barzakh to a level
commensurate with Allaah's anger with him.
As for the detailed answer:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us about two
men whom he saw being punished in their graves. One of them used to walk
around spreading malicious gossip among people, and the other failed to
take precautions to avoid getting urine on himself. So the latter failed to
purify himself as required, and the former did something that creates enmity
among people by talking, even if what he says is true.
Thus it may be noted that the one who stirs up enmity by telling lies and
making false statements will be punished even more.
Failing to keep oneself clean from urine indicates that the one who neglects
prayer, for which cleansing oneself from urine is a requirement and
condition will be punished even more. In the hadeeth of Shu’bah it says:
“One of them used to eat the flesh of people,” which refers to backbiting or
malicious gossip.
According to the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him)
a man was struck with a whip and his grave was filled with fire because he
offered a single prayer without having purified himself, and he passed by
one who was being wronged and did not help him.
According to the hadeeth of Samurah in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, a person who
told a lie that spread far and wide was punished.
A man who read Qur’aan then slept at night and did not act upon it by day
was punished.
Adulterers and adulteresses are punished.
The one who consumes riba is punished in al-Barzakh, as the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) testified.
According to the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him), the heads of some people will be crushed with rock because they were
too heavy for them to get up and pray.
Some will graze on al-daree’ and al-zaqqoom (horrid types of food in Hell)
because they withheld the zakaah of their wealth.
Some will eat putrid, rotten meat because of their zina.
Some will have their lips cut off with iron scissors because they caused
fitnah (fighting, civil war) with their words and their speech.
According to the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed, those who committed these crimes
will be punished. Some of them will have bellies as big as houses; they are
those who consumed riba. Some will open their mouths and have stones
thrown into them that will emerge from their nether regions; they are the
ones who consumed orphans’ wealth. Some will be hung up by their breasts;
they are the adulterers. Some will have their sides cut and will be fed with
their own flesh; they are the one who engaged in backbiting. Some will have
nails of copper with which they will scratch their faces and chests; they are
the ones who impugned people’s honour.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that the one
who stole a cloak from the war booty will be wrapped in a cloak of fire in
his grave. This is despite the fact that he was entitled to a share of the booty,
so how about those who wrong others unlawfully?
The punishment of the grave is for sins of the heart, the eye, the ear, the
mouth, the tongue, the stomach, the private parts, the hand, the foot, and the
entire body.
Those who spread malicious gossip, tell lies, backbite, give false witness,
slander those who are chaste and innocent, spread fitnah, promote bid’ah
(innovation), say things about Allaah and His Messenger without knowledge,
and speak in a reckless manner.
Those who consume riba, consume orphans’ wealth and consume haraam
wealth such as bribes and the like.
Those who consume the wealth of their Muslim brothers unlawfully, or the
wealth of non-Muslims living under Muslim protection, or consume
intoxicants.
Adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, traitors, betrayers and plotters.
Those who consume riba, those who pay it, those who record it and those
who witness it; those who enter into a marriage merely to divorce the
woman so that it will become permissible for her to return to her former
husband, and those for whom this is done; those who seek to waive the
duties enjoined by Allaah and transgress His sacred limits.
Those who seek to harm the Muslims and seek to expose their faults.
Those who rule by something other than that which Allaah has revealed,
those who issue rulings based on things which Allaah has not prescribed,
and those who help others in sin and transgression.
Those who kill souls whom Allaah has forbidden us to kill, those who deny
the names and attributes of Allaah, those who give their opinions and ideas
precedence over the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah.
Those who wail for the dead and those who listen to them, those who will
wail in Hell are those who sing songs that are forbidden by Allaah and His
Messenger and those who listen to them. Those who build mosques over
graves and set up lamps in them; those who try to take more when they take
what they are owed and try to give less when they give what they owe.
Tyrants, the arrogant, those who show off, slanderers and backbiters, those
who slander the salaf.
Those who go to soothsayers, astrologers and fortunetellers to ask them
things and believe what they say.
Those who help wrongdoers, who have sold their Hereafter for the sake of
others in this world.
Those who, if you remind them to fear Allaah do not pay any heed, but if
you try to scare them by mentioning another person like themselves, they
pay heed and refrain from what they are doing.
Those who are told of the words of Allaah and His Messenger but they do
not pay any attention to it, but if they hear it from one of whom they think
well, who may be right or wrong, they seize it and do not go against it.
Those to whom Qur’aan is recited but they are not affected by it, and it may
be burdensome for them, but when they heard the “qur’aan” of the shaytaan
or that which calls to zina (i.e., music) and words of hypocrisy, they feel
good and it cheers them up, and they wish that the singer would not stop.
Those who swear by Allaah and tell lies, but when they swear by their
shaykhs or relatives, or the life of one whom they love and respect, they will
not lie, even if they are threatened and tortured.
Those who boast of their sins in front of their brothers.
Those from whom you do not feel that your possessions and dignity are safe.
Those who engage in obscene speech, whom people shun for fear of their
evil.
Those who delay prayer until the end of its time, and then peck out the
prayer, remembering Allaah but little therein. Those who do not pay the
zakaah of their wealth willingly. Those who do not perform Hajj even
though they are able to, and do not do the duties required of them even
though they are able to.
Those who are not cautious with regard to what they look at or say or eat or
where they go, and they do not care what wealth they acquire, whether it is
halaal or haraam.
Those who do not uphold the ties of kinship or show compassion towards
the poor, widows, orphans, or animals, rather they forsake orphans and do
not urge others to feed the poor. They show off to people, withhold small
kindnesses, and seek out people’s faults and sins whilst ignoring their own.
All of these and their ilk will be punished in their graves for these sins,
according to how great or small they were. Because most people are like this,
most of the inhabitants of the graves will be punished, and those who
succeed will be very few.
The outside of the grave is just earth, but inside it is regret and torment.
The outside may be earth and carved stones, whilst inside it is disaster and
calamity, boiling with grief and sorrow like a kettle, and no wonder, when
they no longer get what they want of their desires and wishes.
There are lessons in this world which need no further exhortation.
It calls out: O dwellers of the earth, you have focused on building a realm
that will soon pass away, and you have neglected the realm to which you are
moving quickly. You have built houses in which others will live and enjoy
them, and you have neglected houses for which there are no other
inhabitants but you.
This is the place where you will abide and bid farewell to work and toil.
This is what matters, one of the gardens of Paradise or one of the chambers
of Hell…
End quote from al-Rooh (95).

the heart gets sick as the body does and the cure is asking for forgiveness and protection it also becomes rusty as a mirror does and is polished by remembering Allah the heart can also be naked like the body and can lose its dress and decoration, which is piety, and it can feel hungry and thirst like the body does and its nourishment is knowledge, love, trust and offering service to Allah

There is no harder punishment than when the servent has a cruel heart and moves away from Allah . Hellfire was made to melt such cruel hearts. The most remote heart from Allah is the cruel one. If the heart was cruel, the eye will never shed tears. Cruelty of the heart is caused by increasing four things over and above ones needs: excessive food, sleep, talk and socialising. When the body is sick, food and drink is no use to it. Likewise when the heart is ill because of desires , advice is useless...... Whoever wants to purify his heart must prefer Allah over and above his own desires.

The time in which you are obedient to Allah and you are longing for Him is the sweetest time.