The Causes of Heart Hardness and Their Treatment
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, I remind you that I love you for the sake of Allah. As for the question, I apologize regarding the issue of the hardness of the heart, which occurs in two cases. The first is that when I recite the Qur'an with reflection, I am unable to hold back my tears when I hear the verses of change, despite feeling their importance; I mean that my eyes should be filled with tears to increase my fear. The second is that when I visit the cemetery to bury a friend, I also find myself unable to weep, and this is a cause of distress for me because I am unable to do so.
Answer:
As for the first matter, we say: May Allah love you as you have loved us for His sake. The one who loves for the majesty of Allah—Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says regarding them on the Day of Resurrection: "The ones who love for My majesty will be in My shade on the Day when there is no shade except Mine." As for what you mentioned regarding the hardness of the heart, this is a heart from which one should not despair. You should persist in seeking it and not lose hope.
I advise you to read the Noble Qur'an with reflection, understanding, and the recitation of the remembrance of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: "Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says in His great Book:[Al-A'raf 7:204]
And he betrays, being[Sad 38:29] This means that these are verses indicating tranquility through the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the greatest of the remembrance is the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and among that is the company of the living who speak little of what the generations narrate. And among that is also speaking little other than the remembrance of Allah.
The preservation of the heart from change is as in the hadith and others: "The hearts are between the fingers of Allah." If the hearts are in the hands of Allah, they are softened for the creation. Even if a person's heart is the farthest from Allah and is hard, the excessive speaking and saying of things that are not beneficial are among the causes of hardness. The company of the wicked is among the causes of hardness, and the greatest of that is the abundance of sins. Sins harden the hearts, so they are among the greatest causes of their hardness. Obediences soften them. So you must adhere to Islam, by the permission of Allah, and read His Book, be sincere in the acts of obedience, and beware of sins. You will find much good and a noble outcome, if Allah wills. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, I remind you that I love you for the sake of Allah. As for the question, I apologize regarding the issue of the hardness of the heart, which occurs in two cases. The first is that when I recite the Qur'an with reflection, I am unable to hold back my tears when I hear the verses of change, despite feeling their importance; I mean that my eyes should be filled with tears to increase my fear. The second is that when I visit the cemetery to bury a friend, I also find myself unable to weep, and this is a cause of distress for me because I am unable to do so.
Answer:
As for the first matter, we say: May Allah love you as you have loved us for His sake. The one who loves for the majesty of Allah—Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says regarding them on the Day of Resurrection: "The ones who love for My majesty will be in My shade on the Day when there is no shade except Mine." As for what you mentioned regarding the hardness of the heart, this is a heart from which one should not despair. You should persist in seeking it and not lose hope.
I advise you to read the Noble Qur'an with reflection, understanding, and the recitation of the remembrance of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: "Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says in His great Book:
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَAnd he betrays, being
that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِThe preservation of the heart from change is as in the hadith and others: "The hearts are between the fingers of Allah." If the hearts are in the hands of Allah, they are softened for the creation. Even if a person's heart is the farthest from Allah and is hard, the excessive speaking and saying of things that are not beneficial are among the causes of hardness. The company of the wicked is among the causes of hardness, and the greatest of that is the abundance of sins. Sins harden the hearts, so they are among the greatest causes of their hardness. Obediences soften them. So you must adhere to Islam, by the permission of Allah, and read His Book, be sincere in the acts of obedience, and beware of sins. You will find much good and a noble outcome, if Allah wills. Yes.
Source
التعاون على البر والتقوى 2 — islamhouse.com (22:08)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.