What is the cure for the hardness of the heart?
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The questioner : The questioner says: May the Shaykh be respected, I complain to Allah and then to you of a hardness I find in my heart. What should I do? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Do two things.
The first: increasing the recitation of the Qur'an, for Allah the Exalted says in this Qur'an:[Al-Hashr 59:21]
And in this regard, Ibn 'Abd al-Qawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "And guard the lesson of the Qur'an, for it *** softens a hard heart like a solid rock"
But what is meant is not mere recitation with the heart inattentive, but recitation with the heart present and reflecting, for that undoubtedly softens the heart in all circumstances.
The second matter: the remembrance of Allah Mighty and Majestic, the glorification, the magnification, the praise, and the like, on the condition that the heart and the tongue agree, for the pivot of life is the heart; if the heart is alive, the body is alive. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Kahf 18:28] And He did not say, "Do not obey the one whose tongue We have silenced from Our remembrance," but rather He said: [Al-Kahf 18:28] And how many a person recites with his tongue, but his heart is heedless. In that case, the remembrance is weak and its effect is poor. But if the heart and the tongue come together, this is what causes the life of the heart and the softness of the heart. Allah the Exalted said: [Az-Zumar 39:23] What is it? [Az-Zumar 39:23]
We ask Allah for guidance for us and for you, and that He soften our hearts to His remembrance and obedience, and that He make us guides and guided, righteous and reformers. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
The questioner : May Allah reward our Shaykh with the best reward and benefit us with his knowledge. I remind this blessed gathering that there will be a lecture on Tuesday after the Maghrib prayer titled *Glimpses of the Ideal Society* by the respected Shaykh Salih ibn Muhammad al-Munyan, at the al-Salihiyyah Mosque. May Allah benefit us all, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and Messenger Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Do two things.
The first: increasing the recitation of the Qur'an, for Allah the Exalted says in this Qur'an:
If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah
لَوْ أَنْزَلْنَا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُتَصَدِّعًا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِAnd in this regard, Ibn 'Abd al-Qawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "And guard the lesson of the Qur'an, for it *** softens a hard heart like a solid rock"
But what is meant is not mere recitation with the heart inattentive, but recitation with the heart present and reflecting, for that undoubtedly softens the heart in all circumstances.
The second matter: the remembrance of Allah Mighty and Majestic, the glorification, the magnification, the praise, and the like, on the condition that the heart and the tongue agree, for the pivot of life is the heart; if the heart is alive, the body is alive. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance
وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَاone whose heart We have made heedless
مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُAllah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then
اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُتَشَابِهًا مَثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّthen their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills
تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُWe ask Allah for guidance for us and for you, and that He soften our hearts to His remembrance and obedience, and that He make us guides and guided, righteous and reformers. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
The questioner : May Allah reward our Shaykh with the best reward and benefit us with his knowledge. I remind this blessed gathering that there will be a lecture on Tuesday after the Maghrib prayer titled *Glimpses of the Ideal Society* by the respected Shaykh Salih ibn Muhammad al-Munyan, at the al-Salihiyyah Mosque. May Allah benefit us all, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and Messenger Muhammad.