The Heart
On that day nothing will benefit the human being, neither wealth nor children, only the one who brings
Allah a sound heart." A sound heart is one that is free of defects and spiritual blemishes. Allah says,
ٍ ۢ ﴾ إِاَّل َم ْن أَتَى ٱهَّلل َ بِقَ ْل٨٨﴿ َيَوْ َم اَل يَنفَ ُع َما ۭ ٌل َواَل بَنُون
﴾٨٩﴿ ب َسلِ ۢ ٍيم
The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, (88) Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart
[clean from Shirk (polytheism) and Nifaq (hypocrisy)]." Surah Ash Shuaraa 26: (89)
The heart is like the king and the physical faculties are like his troops. If the king is evil his troops will also
be evil. Hence, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
."ُ أَاَل َو ِه َي ْالقَ ْلب،َُت فَ َس َد ْال َج َس ُد ُكلُّه
4ْ َوإ َذا فَ َسد،ُصلَ َح ْال َج َس ُد ُكلُّه َ َوإِ َّن فِي ْال َج َس ِد ُمضْ َغةً إ َذا
ْ صلَ َح
َ ت
ِ َر َواهُ ْالب
ُخَاريُّ َو ُم ْسلِ ٌم
Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh, which, if it be whole, all the body is whole, and which, if it is
diseased, all of [the body] is diseased. Truly, it is the heart.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Reference : 40 Hadith Nawawi 6
English translation : Hadith 6
In another Hadith
The Messenger of Allaah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Taqwa is here,” and he pointed to his chest.
[Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Ahmad]
Verily Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts. [Muslim]
The place of understanding is Heart
۟
ِ ٱلصُّ د ٱلَّتِىفِى ُ ْٱلقُلُوب تَ ْع َمى َولَ ٰـ ِكن ص ٰـ ُر
﴾س٤٦﴿ ُور َ ٱأْل َ ْب تَ ْع َمى اَل فَإِنَّهَا ۖ بِهَا َ َءا َذا ۭنٌيَ ْس َمعُون ْ أَو بِهَٓا َ يَ ْعقِلُون وب ِ ْٱأْل َر فِى يَ ِسيرُوا أَفَلَ ْم
ٌۭ ُ قُل لَهُ ْم َ فَتَ ُكون ض
ورة الحج
Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears
wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts
that grow blind. Surah Al-Hajj 22: (46)
Hadiths
Allah said, ‘I have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye has ever seen, nor
an ear has ever heard nor a human heart can ever think of.’ [Bukhari]
Memorization is also in Heart: Narrated Abu Hurairah, I came to the Prophet (saws) and spread out my
garment to him, then he took it and gathered it at my heart, so I did not forget after that [any Hadith].
[Tirmidhi]
Three Types of People
One of the first things the Quran does is defining three types of people: the mu'minun, the kafirun, and
the munafiqun. The mu'minun are people whose hearts are alive while the kafirun are people whose
hearts are dead. The munafiqun are people who have a disease or a sickness in their hearts; thus, Allah
says,
۟ ُضا ۖ َولَهُ ْم َع َذابٌ أَلِي ۢ ٌم بما كَان
﴾ سورة البقرة١٠﴿ َوا يَ ْك ِذبُون ً ۭ فِى قُلُوبِ ِهم َّم َرضٌۭ فَزَ ا َدهُ ُم ٱهَّلل ُ َم َر
َِ
In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful
torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. Surah Al-Baqara S2: (10)
Words used to describe Heart
In the Qur’an, Allah ta’ala uses three words to describe our hearts: qalb, fu’aad and sadr. We know that
every Arabic word is chosen for a reason, yet all three of these words for the most part are translated as
“heart.” As usual, the intricate meanings of these words are not captured in the translation.
Qalb
Qalb is the general word for heart. It comes from the root which means something that turns around
and about and upside down. It is the nature of hearts that they are constantly changing, this is the
normal state of our hearts. When Allah ta’ala refers to emaan and diseases of the heart, qalb is used.
Fu’aad
Fu’aad is from the verb fa’ada meaning burning or a flame and lahmun fa’eed means a roasted meat on
a fire. Fu’aad is used when the heart is inflamed with emotion, as they say, “in the heat of the moment.”
Fu’aad is used in the Qur’an to describe the heart when it is engrossed in emotion: happiness, sadness,
lust, frustration, anger or regret. My favorite example of this is in suratul Qasas (28), Allah ta’ala says,
ُ
ِ ََوأَصْ بَ َح فُؤَ ا ُد أ ِّم ُمو َس ٰىف
ار ًغا
But there came to be a void in the heart of the mother of Musa. (28:10)
Allah ta’ala uses fu’aad to describe the heart of Umm Musa after putting her newborn into the Nile, as if
it was about to leave her chest in her worry and sadness. Allah ta’ala says her fu’aad became faarigha,
empty. She was in such an emotional state that she could not think of anything except Musa alayhi
salaam. Then He says,
ْ ََت لَتُ ْب ِدي بِ ِه لَوْ اَل أَن َّرب
طنَا َعلَ ٰىقَ ْلبِهَا ْ إِن كَاد
She was almost going to disclose his (case), had We not strengthened her heart. (28:10)
After Allah ta’ala strengthened her heart out of His Mercy, when she regained her emaan, patience and
trust in Him, her fu’aad became qalb.
Another example of fu’aad is when Allah ta’ala says:
َ ِص َر َو ْالفُؤَا َد ُكلُّ أُولَ ٰـئ
ك َكانَ َع ْنهُ َم ْسئُواًل َ َإِ َّن ال َّس ْم َع َو ْالب
Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – all those will be questioned. (17:36)
Allah azza wa jal did not say our quloob will be questioned, rather He ta’ala said the fu’aad.
When people are committing sins, some type of emotion overtakes them which makes them cross the
limits. How many times have we heard, “It’s not me – it’s the hormones!” When we are questioned on
the Day of Judgment, we cannot use the “they were a fitnah, I couldn’t help it!”, “I was emotional!” or
“it was out of anger!” excuse on that Day to Allah ta’ala because we are the ones in control of our
fu’aad. It’s not going to work. WE will be accountable for what our hands, eyes and hearing reaped—no
one else.
Sadr
Sadr takes the meaning of chest, and when Allah ta’ala eludes to motives or secrets, he uses sadr
because it gives the illusion literally of a treasure chest: something hidden and boxed up.
This example can be seen in suratun Naas:
ِ َُّور الن
اس ِ صدُ الَّ ِذي يُ َوس ِْوسُ فِي
The one who whispers in the hearts of Mankind. (114: 5)
Shaytan does not make waswas (whispers) into our quloob, but rather he whispers in the chests of the
people. There is a distinction because Allah ta’ala created the qalb as pure.
ق هَّللا ِ َذلِكَ الدِّينُ ْالقَيِّ ُم
ِ يل لِ َخ ْل ْ ِف
َ َّط َرةَ هَّللا ِ الَّتِي فَطَ َر الن
َ اس َعلَ ْيهَا الَ تَ ْب ِد
No child is born but upon Fitra. He then said. Recite: The nature made by Allah in which He created man,
there is no altering of Allah's nature; that is the right religion."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2658 d
In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 36
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 33, Hadith 6425
The example of the heart is like a fort and the eyes/tongues/ears/hands are gates to the opening.
Shaytan waits outside of this fort, attacking the openings trying to get in. Out of Allah’s Rahmah, He did
not give Shaytan access to our quloob, but rather to our sudoor. It is us who let the gates open, not
Shaytan.
And when we let Shaytan enters our hearts, he makes the deeds appear beautiful as Allah says
۟ ُيل َوكَان
ِ وا ُم ْستَ ْب
﴾ سورة العنكبوت٣٨﴿ َص ِرين َ ََوزَ يَّنَ لَهُ ُم ٱل َّش ْيطَ ٰـنُ أَ ْع َم ٰـلَهُ ْم ف
ِ ِص َّدهُ ْم ع َِن ٱل َّسب
Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and turned them away from the (Right) Path,
though they were intelligent. Al-Ankaboot 29: (38)
Shaytan cannot make anything ugly beautiful until we let him inside our hearts
And when we so not let Shaytan enters our hearts. Allah will beautify emaan in our hearts
َ َّب إِلَ ْي ُك ُم ٱإْل ِ ي َمـٰنَ َو َزيَّنَهۥُ فِى قُلُوبِ ُك ْم َو َك َّرهَ إِلَ ْي ُك ُم ْٱل ُك ْف َر َو ْٱلفُسُو
ق َ ير ِّمنَ ٱأْل َ ْم ِر لَ َعنِتُّ ْم َولَ ٰـ ِك َّن ٱهَّلل َ َحب َ َوٱ ْعلَ ُم ٓو ۟ا أَ َّن فِي ُك ْم َرس
ٍ ۢ ُِول ٱهَّلل ِ ۚ لَوْ يُ ِطي ُع ُك ْم فِى َكث
﴾ سورة الحجرات٧﴿ ََو ْٱل ِعصْ يَانَ ۚ أُ ۟ولَ ٰـٓئِكَ هُ ُم ٱل َّر ِٰش ُدون
And know that among you there is the Messenger of Allah ()صلى هللا عليه وسلم. If he were to obey you (i.e.
follow your opinions and desires) in much of the matter, you would surely be in trouble. But Allah has
endeared the Faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and
disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger )صلى هللا عليه وسلمhateful to you. Such are they who are the
rightly guided. Al-Hujuraat 49: (7)
But if we allow shaytan to enter sometime, we have to kick him out. However, if we allow him to stay in
heart, then we start getting sick and there will come disease and Allah will increase these diseases
۟ ُضا ۖ َولَهُ ْم َع َذابٌ أَلِي ۢ ٌم بما كَان
﴾سورة البقرة١٠﴿ َوا يَ ْك ِذبُون ً ۭ فِى قُلُوبِ ِهم َّم َرضٌۭ فَزَ ا َدهُ ُم ٱهَّلل ُ َم َر
َِ
In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful
torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. Al- Baqara 2: (10)
It is to be noted that Shaytan has no authority over us. It is us who respond to him and he stays in our
heart not because Shaytan has control, it is only because we did not kicked him out. Allah says
ق َو َوعَدتُّ ُك ْم فَأ َ ْخلَ ْفتُ ُك ْم ۖ َو َما َكانَ لِ َى َعلَ ْي ُكم ِّمن س ُْلطَ ٰـ ٍن إِٓاَّل أَن َدعَوْ تُ ُك ْم فَٱ ْست ََج ْبتُ ْم لِى ۖ فَاَل ِّ ض َى ٱأْل َ ْم ُر إِ َّن ٱهَّلل َ َو َع َد ُك ْم َو ْع َد ْٱل َح
ِ ُال ٱل َّش ْيطَ ٰـنُ لَ َّما ق
َ ََوق
﴾٢٢﴿ون ِمن قَ ْب ُل ۗ إِ َّن ٱلظَّ ٰـلِ ِمينَ لَهُ ْم َع َذابٌ أَلِي ۭ ٌم ِ ت بِ َمٓا أَ ْش َر ْكتُ ُم
ُ ْى ۖ إِنِّى َكفَر َّ تَلُو ُمونِى َولُو ُم ٓو ۟ا أَنفُ َس ُكم ۖ َّمٓا أَن َ۠ا بِ ُمصْ ِر ِخ ُك ْم َو َمٓا أَنتُم بِ ُمصْ ِر ِخ
And Shaitan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of
truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you,
and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help
me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of
the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." Ibrahim 14:
(22)
Now the people who let the shytan stay in their heart, they become like them and hence Allah says in
the following verses some men are also shaytan who whispers in the breasts of mankind.
ِ َّ﴾ ِمنَ ْٱل ِجنَّ ِة َوٱلن٥﴿ اس
﴾ سورة الناس٦﴿ اس ِ َُّور ٱلن
ِ صدُ ٱلَّ ِذى ي َُوس ِْوسُ فِى
"Who whispers in the breasts of mankind. (5) "Of jinn and men." (6)
﴾ سورة آل عمران٨﴿ َُربَّنَا اَل تُ ِز ْغ قُلُوبَنَا بَ ْع َد إِ ْذ هَ َد ْيتَنَا َوهَبْ لَنَا ِمن لَّ ُدنكَ َرحْ َمةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ْٱل َوهَّاب
(They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us
mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower." Surah Al-e-Imran 3: (8)
"In their hearts is a disease, and they were increased in their disease." This is also in accordance with
another verse: "When their hearts deviated, Allah made them deviate further." When somebody turns
away from Allah subhanahu wa t'ala, Allah subhanahu wa t'ala causes them to deviate even further from
the truth.
It should come as no surprise therefore that we will be questioned about the knowledge that we acquire
and how we use that knowledge to build the worlds of our hearts.
Consider the following verse:
“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge.
Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allâh)” [al-
Israa’ 17:36]
The Heart and the Brain
A physical heart which is centered slightly to the left to the human being and its also interesting that the
Arabic language itself is a movement from right to left, some of the people of ishara indicated that
writing should be towards the heart. In other words, the whole purpose of writing is to affect the heart.
This is also the reason why the tawaf or the cirmambulation around the house of Allah is done with left
side facing the house. Some of the scholars have said because the heart inclines towards the left. So the
purpose is that the heart is inclining towards the Kaba’a.
Now the actual physical heart in our breast beats at about 100,000 times a day, it pumping two gallons
of blood per minute, and over 100 gallons per hour, if we take 100 gallons and put it from one place to
another, we would be exhausted and yet this human’s heart 2 gallons of blood per minute, over 100
gallons per hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for an entire life time!
The vascular system that sends this life giving blood is over 60,000 miles long: it is more than two times
the circumference of the earth. So the blood is actually being forced through the body over 60,000 miles
of vascular system in the human body.
One of the interesting things also about the heart is that it starts beating before the brain is formed; In
other words, The heart itself begins to beat without any central nervous system.
The dominant theory was that the central nervous system is what is controlling the entire human being
from the brain, and yet we know now that in fact the nervous system does not initiate the beat of the
heart. It is actually self-initiated; we would say, it is initiated by Allah
So the fact that the heart itself is, not only the centre of the human being, but it is not beating because
of the brain, because of the central nervous system.
Another interesting thing about the brain, there are many people that think that the brain is the centre
of consciousness, yet the Quran clearly states,
﴾ سورة محمد٢٤﴿ ب أَ ْقفَالُهَٓا
ٍ أَفَاَل يَتَ َدبَّرُونَ ْٱلقُرْ َءانَ أَ ْم َعلَ ٰى قُلُو
Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)? Surah
Muhammad 47:(24)
So the understanding according to the Muslims, the centre of human consciousness is the heart and not
the brain itself. And it is only recently that human beings have realized there are over 40,000 neurons in
the heart; in other words, there are cells in the heart that are communicating.
Now, it is understood that there is two-way communication between the brain and the heart; In other
words, the brain sends messages to the heart, but the heart is also sending the brain messages.
And these things are only recently being discovered, there was study done by 2 physiologist in to 70’s by
John and beatrica Lacey, that the brain sent messages to the heart, but the heart did not automatically
obey the messages. Sometimes it speeded up and other times it slowed down, indicating the heart has
its own type of intelligence.
Now, the brain gets signals from the heart, which reach the amygdale and the thalamus and cortex.
Which relate to emotions, the neocortex relates to learning and reasoning. And these are only recent
discoveries, and although we do not fully understand them, But what we do know that the heart is an
extremely sophisticated organ.
