AS-SIRAAT AL-MUSTAQEEM

Contents

Important Islamic Concepts

1. Alchemy of the Heart -------------------------- Suffering if the world originates from the human heart! Every injustice emanates from the hearts of men.  Every wrong wrought by human heart, a 1000 acts of mercy have issued forth: every mother's love, every child's forgiveness, every teacher's care, every father's concern for the well-being of his progeny- all have their source in the core of human being, the human heart.  Hearts must be rectified first, if the world is to be rectified! The most Oft-recited prayer by the Prophet (SAW)  'O Revolver of the hearts, make my firm heart upon the straight way?' In no equivocal terms, the Qur'an states? A sound heart is what ALLAH (SWT) will ask for!  A sound heart is free from defects and spiritual blemishes!  The spiritual heart is centred in the physical heart. The heart referred to is the spiritual heart.  In every culture, people use metaphors that use the heart!  The idea of a cold or warm heart. Some people wear their heart on their sleeeves!  English word "core" means "inner most",  Arabic, the equivalent is "lub" comes from Latin word meaning "heart".  The Qur'an talks of 3 types of people: 1. Mu'minnun; 2. Kafirun; and 3. Munifiqun. 2. The heart and the Brain ----------------------------- Heart beats at about 100,000 times a day, pumping 2 gallons of blood per minute, 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 2 times the circumference of the earth.  The heart starts beating before the brain is formed; the heart begins to beat Without any central nervous system. So, heart is initiated by ALLAH (SWT).  The Qur'an states that they have hearts that they are able to understand with.  The heart is irritated by wrong actions. Thus, the heart knows wrong actions, this is one of the terrible things people do but ultimately are affected negatively.  In crime and punishment, Russian author Dostoevsky indicates that crime itself is the perpetrator's punishment because humans live with their actions:their souls are affected. When people do something against the heart, they do it against the soul. This is why people go into a state of spiritual agitation, people will use many ways to cover this up. This is what kufr is: "kufr" means "covering up". They use alcohol, drugs, seek power, wealth and fame and thus, people become cut off from their hearts.  Wrong actions sicken the heart.  3. Two types of Diseases : Shubahat and Shahawat ------------------------------------ 1. Shubahat - these are diseases relating to understanding. If someone is fearful of their provision from ALLAH, afraid he will not get it, then there is a disease in his heart because a sound heart has complete trust in ALLAH (SWT) and a sick heart has doubt. It is the nafs, (ego) Shaytan, Hawa, and dunya (love of this ephemeral world) that lead to this state of fear or anxiety. The heart is stilled by dhikar of ALLAH. This is what the heart wants: it wants to remember ALLAH (SWT). When ALLAH is not remembered then it goes into a state of agitation, turmoil and becomes diseased. The breath of the heart is the rememberance of ALLAH (SWT). Dhikr is what it feeds and nourishes the heart. The company of good people is food and exercise of the heart.  2. Shahwat - these are the base desires of the self. Food and sexual intercourse; they are appetites. These become diseases when they grow out if proportion from their natural states.  4. Mat-hartul Qulub ---------------------- In Arabic, "mat-hara" is ism makaan (noun of place), it means a "tool of Taharah (purification)," and that is what mat-hartul Qulub is. This text is the alchemy of the heart: it explains how to transform the heart.  Mat-hartul Qulub was written by a great scholar, shaykh Muhammad Mulad Al-Musawir al-Ya'qubi. West Africa who mastered Islamic sciences if Islam.  He realised on the Day, ALLAH will only ask about the heart. Actions are by intentions as the Hadith states. ALLAH (SWT) inspired him to write a book and based it on Ihya 'Ulumudin by Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali.  The heart has 2 meanings: Qalb : 1. Heart ; 2. To turn over.  If you flip the words over al-ba'da "beginning"  Ba'da (beginning) you get Adab (courtesy).  Hence the scholar, says he begins with Adab because ALLAH teaches this in the Qur'an. To have proper Adab with ALLAH.  5. Shame and humility ------------------------- Show Adab in 2 ways to ALLAH: by expressing Haya and the other by Dhul. 1. Haya - root word "Haya" is related to life, hay means "living", and "hayat"  means "life".  Haya is important and is a characteristic of Islam.  2. Shaykh Muhammad Maulad says to have Dhul. Dhalil person is someone who is lowly, abject and humble. This is a negative quality and must be displayed to ALLAH.  6. Taqwa ---------- Give up your desires for His, emptied of desires.  Give up greed, Tamaa; the stronger the Taqwa, the more control you have of desires.  INNA akramakum 'inda Allah ataqkum: Indeed, most karim of you in the sight of ALLAH is he who has most Taqwa" 49:13. Qur'an.  The Prophet (SAW) said, most atqa (person with Taqwa) of us, is the Prophet ( most generous)  Zakkat purifies wealth - financial transactions have doubtful matters! Like food has benefit and harm too.

Saturday 18 Jan 2025