How is change effected by the heart?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : As for changing evil by the heart, how does changing evil in the heart contribute to changing the evil?
The Shaykh : How? What do you mean?
The questioner : How does denying evil by the heart contribute to changing the evil?
The Shaykh : How does it contribute?
The questioner : Yes, it contributes. It is considered one of the ranks of changing evil.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is the last rank, as we said.
The questioner : Yes, so how does this mean it has an effect on changing the evil when it is in the heart?
The Shaykh : Who changes it? I mentioned earlier that a person sometimes reaches the point of death by the death of his feeling that this is evil. If this feeling dies, he has not denied the evil in his heart. And if he denies it in his heart, his heart lives and remains alive. I am now reminding you of a reality, unfortunately. These people who pass by certain streets and see very indecent images, and these images may be in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), for example cinemas. Do you not feel with me that many of the people who pass by and see these things do not feel any denial of them in their hearts at all? And conversely, do you not think that there are other people who, when they see these indecent images, especially in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), say at least in their hearts, "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it"? Do you not find that this is different from that?
The questioner : Yes.
Abu Malik: But, O Shaykh, it is the same.
The Shaykh : The answer is apparent.
Abu Malik: By Allah, our brother is asking, meaning, what does he see... he does not see.
The Shaykh : That is it. So this second person has changed the evil in his heart, while the first has not changed it. This is the one in danger of exiting the religion, the one who does not deny the evil, even in his heart. And perhaps something comes to my mind now that is a more precise answer to what you asked about: changing the evil is only for you. Changing the evil for you, when you saw this evil and denied it in your heart, is a valid denial for you. But as for the one who did not feel your feeling and did not sense your sensation, there is certainly no denial of the evil here. Perhaps this is clearer to you than what I mentioned earlier. However, the example or the two previous examples, in reality, the intended meaning of denying the evil is that the heart of the Muslim does not die, so that he passes by the evil and passes by the good without distinguishing between the evil and the good. This is the denial intended by the heart. Unless you have something else, we will hear it, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes, please.
Another questioner : Shaykh, is hatred also required?
The Shaykh : How?
Another questioner : Among the necessities of denying the evil by the heart are boycotting and hatred.
The Shaykh : And this is, of course, "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it." The matter is as decided by the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that the heart has an action. What is settled in the minds of many people is that action is only the action of the limbs, meaning the apparent limbs. But the reality is that the heart also has its action. Therefore, faith resides in the heart. This faith in the heart increases and decreases. So there is a movement in the heart that is exactly like material movement. If the heart falls silent, its owner dies, exactly the same from the spiritual, faith-based aspect. This heart has action and continuous movement, either good or evil. So whenever the Muslim does a righteous deed, this faith grows in his heart. The heart also has action, and among its actions is denying with this heart, which also strengthens the faith. But he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: But, woe to you, some evil is lighter than some.
Abu Malik: Perhaps our Shaykh, it may be one of the signs of the Hour in the last times, and perhaps he will cast clarity or clarification on this issue.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
Abu Malik: That a man passes by a man who is committing zina on the side of the road.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar.
Abu Malik: And he says to him, "If you would hide yourself," meaning, conceal yourself.
The Shaykh : Indeed, by Allah
Abu Malik: Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Meaning, in the hadith, the best of them.
Abu Malik: Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : The one who says, "If you would hide yourself."
The Shaykh : The best of them. Allahu Akbar, yes.
The Shaykh : How? What do you mean?
The questioner : How does denying evil by the heart contribute to changing the evil?
The Shaykh : How does it contribute?
The questioner : Yes, it contributes. It is considered one of the ranks of changing evil.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is the last rank, as we said.
The questioner : Yes, so how does this mean it has an effect on changing the evil when it is in the heart?
The Shaykh : Who changes it? I mentioned earlier that a person sometimes reaches the point of death by the death of his feeling that this is evil. If this feeling dies, he has not denied the evil in his heart. And if he denies it in his heart, his heart lives and remains alive. I am now reminding you of a reality, unfortunately. These people who pass by certain streets and see very indecent images, and these images may be in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), for example cinemas. Do you not feel with me that many of the people who pass by and see these things do not feel any denial of them in their hearts at all? And conversely, do you not think that there are other people who, when they see these indecent images, especially in front of one of the houses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), say at least in their hearts, "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it"? Do you not find that this is different from that?
The questioner : Yes.
Abu Malik: But, O Shaykh, it is the same.
The Shaykh : The answer is apparent.
Abu Malik: By Allah, our brother is asking, meaning, what does he see... he does not see.
The Shaykh : That is it. So this second person has changed the evil in his heart, while the first has not changed it. This is the one in danger of exiting the religion, the one who does not deny the evil, even in his heart. And perhaps something comes to my mind now that is a more precise answer to what you asked about: changing the evil is only for you. Changing the evil for you, when you saw this evil and denied it in your heart, is a valid denial for you. But as for the one who did not feel your feeling and did not sense your sensation, there is certainly no denial of the evil here. Perhaps this is clearer to you than what I mentioned earlier. However, the example or the two previous examples, in reality, the intended meaning of denying the evil is that the heart of the Muslim does not die, so that he passes by the evil and passes by the good without distinguishing between the evil and the good. This is the denial intended by the heart. Unless you have something else, we will hear it, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes, please.
Another questioner : Shaykh, is hatred also required?
The Shaykh : How?
Another questioner : Among the necessities of denying the evil by the heart are boycotting and hatred.
The Shaykh : And this is, of course, "O Allah, this is evil and we do not accept it." The matter is as decided by the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that the heart has an action. What is settled in the minds of many people is that action is only the action of the limbs, meaning the apparent limbs. But the reality is that the heart also has its action. Therefore, faith resides in the heart. This faith in the heart increases and decreases. So there is a movement in the heart that is exactly like material movement. If the heart falls silent, its owner dies, exactly the same from the spiritual, faith-based aspect. This heart has action and continuous movement, either good or evil. So whenever the Muslim does a righteous deed, this faith grows in his heart. The heart also has action, and among its actions is denying with this heart, which also strengthens the faith. But he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The weakest of faith
أضعف الإيمانAbu Malik: Perhaps our Shaykh, it may be one of the signs of the Hour in the last times, and perhaps he will cast clarity or clarification on this issue.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
Abu Malik: That a man passes by a man who is committing zina on the side of the road.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar.
Abu Malik: And he says to him, "If you would hide yourself," meaning, conceal yourself.
The Shaykh : Indeed, by Allah
Abu Malik: Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Meaning, in the hadith, the best of them.
Abu Malik: Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : The one who says, "If you would hide yourself."
The Shaykh : The best of them. Allahu Akbar, yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.