What is the effect of the heart in changing evil, given that it is a hidden matter?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Here, our Shaykh, Abu Salih... regarding changing evil with the heart; how does changing evil with the heart contribute?
The Shaykh : How? What do you mean?
The questioner : How does disapproving of evil in the heart contribute to changing evil?
The Shaykh : How does it contribute?
The questioner : Yes, it is considered one of the levels of changing evil.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is the last level.
The questioner : Yes, how does this have an effect in changing evil when it is in his heart?
The Shaykh : He changes it. I mentioned earlier that a person sometimes reaches a state where his feeling that something is evil dies. If this feeling dies, he does not disapprove of the evil in his heart. But if he disapproves of it in his heart, his heart remains alive. I mean, I am reminding you of a real situation: these people who pass by certain streets and see very ugly images, and these images might be in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)... Do you not feel with me that many of the people who pass by and see these things do not feel any disapproval of them in their hearts at all? Good. And conversely... there are other people who, when they see these ugly images, especially since the house is one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)... with their inner state they say: "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it." Do you not find that this differs from that?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Like...
Abu Malik: It is our brother... that; what does he see when he sees it?
The Shaykh : It is this. So, this passerby changed the evil with his heart, whereas the first one did not change it. This is the one in danger of exiting the religion; this is the one who does not disapprove of the evil, even with his heart.
Perhaps something comes to my mind now that is a more precise answer to what you asked about: changing evil as far as you are concerned.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Changing evil as far as you are concerned: when you saw this evil and disapproved of it in your heart, this is a good disapproval as far as you are concerned. As for the one who did not feel it immediately and did not sense... the evil... disapproving of the evil, perhaps this is clearer for you than what I mentioned earlier. Even though the previous example or examples were not actually intended for disapproving of the evil... he passes by the evil and passes by what is right, not distinguishing between evil and what is right. This is the disapproval intended in the hadith, unless you have something else, in which case we will hear it.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it.
I mean, the matter is as the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) establishes: that the heart has an action. That is, what is settled in the minds of many people is that action is only the action of the limbs; that is, the apparent limbs. But the truth is that the heart also has an action. Therefore, faith resides in the heart. This faith in the heart increases and decreases. So, there is a movement in it that is exactly like the physical movement in the heart. If the heart were to fall silent, its owner would die. Similarly, from the spiritual faith perspective, this heart has an action and continuous movement, either good or evil. So, whenever the Muslim does a righteous deed, this faith grows in his heart. So, the heart also has an action. Among its actions is disapproving with this heart. This also strengthens the faith. But he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:, but mercy to you, some evil is lighter than some.
Abu Malik: Perhaps what happens among the signs of the Hour in the end times might add clarity or explanation to this issue: that a man passes by a man who is committing zina on the side of the road.
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
Abu Malik: And he says: If you would hide, hide yourself.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Abu Malik: Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : I mean, this... the best of them is the one who says: If you would hide!
Good, yes.
The Shaykh : How? What do you mean?
The questioner : How does disapproving of evil in the heart contribute to changing evil?
The Shaykh : How does it contribute?
The questioner : Yes, it is considered one of the levels of changing evil.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is the last level.
The questioner : Yes, how does this have an effect in changing evil when it is in his heart?
The Shaykh : He changes it. I mentioned earlier that a person sometimes reaches a state where his feeling that something is evil dies. If this feeling dies, he does not disapprove of the evil in his heart. But if he disapproves of it in his heart, his heart remains alive. I mean, I am reminding you of a real situation: these people who pass by certain streets and see very ugly images, and these images might be in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)... Do you not feel with me that many of the people who pass by and see these things do not feel any disapproval of them in their hearts at all? Good. And conversely... there are other people who, when they see these ugly images, especially since the house is one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)... with their inner state they say: "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it." Do you not find that this differs from that?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Like...
Abu Malik: It is our brother... that; what does he see when he sees it?
The Shaykh : It is this. So, this passerby changed the evil with his heart, whereas the first one did not change it. This is the one in danger of exiting the religion; this is the one who does not disapprove of the evil, even with his heart.
Perhaps something comes to my mind now that is a more precise answer to what you asked about: changing evil as far as you are concerned.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Changing evil as far as you are concerned: when you saw this evil and disapproved of it in your heart, this is a good disapproval as far as you are concerned. As for the one who did not feel it immediately and did not sense... the evil... disapproving of the evil, perhaps this is clearer for you than what I mentioned earlier. Even though the previous example or examples were not actually intended for disapproving of the evil... he passes by the evil and passes by what is right, not distinguishing between evil and what is right. This is the disapproval intended in the hadith, unless you have something else, in which case we will hear it.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it.
I mean, the matter is as the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) establishes: that the heart has an action. That is, what is settled in the minds of many people is that action is only the action of the limbs; that is, the apparent limbs. But the truth is that the heart also has an action. Therefore, faith resides in the heart. This faith in the heart increases and decreases. So, there is a movement in it that is exactly like the physical movement in the heart. If the heart were to fall silent, its owner would die. Similarly, from the spiritual faith perspective, this heart has an action and continuous movement, either good or evil. So, whenever the Muslim does a righteous deed, this faith grows in his heart. So, the heart also has an action. Among its actions is disapproving with this heart. This also strengthens the faith. But he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The weakest of faith
أضعف الإيمانAbu Malik: Perhaps what happens among the signs of the Hour in the end times might add clarity or explanation to this issue: that a man passes by a man who is committing zina on the side of the road.
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
Abu Malik: And he says: If you would hide, hide yourself.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Abu Malik: Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : I mean, this... the best of them is the one who says: If you would hide!
Good, yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.