Cleaning The Heart

This reflection connects beautifully with the role of dhikr, especially Lā ilāha illā Allāh, in the purification of the heart. Here is a refined tazkirah-style version:

Cleaning the Heart: The Vehicle of the Journey to Allah

We all understand something very simple: this world is full of dirt. A car that travels every day will eventually become dirty. Dust gathers on the body, mud sticks to the tyres, stains appear on the seats, and even the engine accumulates residue over time. No one is surprised by this. It is expected.

And because each part becomes dirty in a different way, each part requires a different method of cleaning. The tyres are not cleaned the same way as the seats. The engine requires special treatment. The windows need another method. Different tools, different chemicals, different processes.

No one says: “I washed one part, so the whole car is clean.”

Likewise, our hearts travel through the roads of this dunya every day.

Every day we encounter things that leave traces upon the soul: envy, greed, anger, backbiting, heedlessness, arrogance, lies, disrespect, love of status, attachment to praise, endless distractions, and the whispers of the nafs and shayṭān. Even if we do not actively seek them, we pass through them daily just as a car passes through dust and rain.

And slowly, without realizing it, dirt gathers upon the heart.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“When a servant commits a sin, a black mark appears upon his heart…”

Narrated in Jami at-Tirmidhi

If left unattended, the stains increase. Just as neglecting a vehicle eventually affects its performance, neglecting the heart eventually affects the soul. A person may still pray, still speak, still work and live—but something feels heavy. The sweetness of worship decreases. Tears become difficult. Presence in prayer weakens.

The engine is running, but it is struggling.

So if every machine requires maintenance, what about the heart—the very thing by which we know Allah?

This is why Allah gave us means of purification.

There is tawbah to wash away sins. There is istighfar to remove stains. There is Qur’an to illuminate. There is suhbah with righteous people to protect the soul. There is charity to soften hardness. There is fasting to discipline desire.

And among the greatest cleansers is the dhikr:

Lā ilāha illā Allāh

Because the heart does not only become dirty from sins. It also becomes filled with attachments.

Sometimes envy enters. Sometimes ego enters. Sometimes love of praise enters. Sometimes fear of people becomes greater than fear of Allah.

The scholars of purification explain that Lā ilāha illā Allāh itself is a cleansing process:

Lā ilāha — remove the false things occupying the heart.

illā Allāh — place Allah back in the center.

It is like removing dirt from the engine before fresh oil can flow.

The nafs also has many layers; therefore it may require many forms of treatment. Arrogance may require humility. Greed may require generosity. Anger may require patience. Heedlessness may require dhikr. Excessive love of dunya may require remembrance of death.

Different dirt, different cleaning.

The goal is not merely that the car shines on the outside. The goal is that the engine runs properly for the journey.

And our journey is not toward a destination in this world.

Our journey is toward Allah.

Professor Dr Zuhaimy Ismail

About Your Heart

Purification of the Heart: A Journey Back to Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

All praise belongs to Allah, the One who created the hearts and knows every secret hidden within them. Peace and blessings be upon our beloved Rasulullah ﷺ, who taught us the path of purification, sincerity, and remembrance of Allah.

Dear brothers and sisters,

One of the greatest journeys in Islam is not merely the journey of the body, but the journey of the heart. In today’s world, many people focus on outward success, appearance, wealth, status, and intelligence, yet Islam constantly reminds us that the true measure of a person lies within the heart.

Allah tells us in the Qur’an that He comes between a person and his heart. This shows that the heart is not merely a physical organ pumping blood within the chest. The heart is far greater than that. It is the spiritual centre of the human being, the vessel where iman resides, the place of sincerity, love, fear, hope, and connection to Allah.

Rasulullah ﷺ taught us:

“Indeed, in the body there is a piece of flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Indeed, it is the heart.”

This hadith teaches us that every action, word, and behaviour begins from the condition of the heart. When the heart is pure, the limbs become obedient. When the heart is corrupted, the entire life becomes affected.

Islam does not judge people by their appearance, social status, race, or intelligence. Rasulullah ﷺ reminded us:

“Indeed, Allah does not look at your bodies or your appearance, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”

The heart therefore is the true place of judgment.

Diseases of the Heart

The sickness of the heart begins gradually through sins and spiritual diseases. Among them are:

* Showing off (riya’)

* Shirk

* Hatred and jealousy

* Heedlessness (ghaflah)

* Love of worldly things

* Vanity and pride

* Greed

* Love of fame and leadership

* Hypocrisy

* Envy

Every sin leaves a stain upon the heart. When sins continue without repentance, these stains accumulate until the heart becomes covered with darkness. In Islam, this covering is referred to as raan — a spiritual rust or dust that settles upon the heart.

Allah mentions this condition in the Qur’an:

“No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts because of what they used to earn.”

When the heart becomes covered with raan, worship feels heavy, the Qur’an no longer touches the soul, and the sweetness of iman begins to disappear. A person may still be alive physically, but spiritually the heart becomes distant and hardened.

The Three Pillars of Purifying the Heart

To remove this spiritual rust, Islam teaches us three great pillars of purification:

1. Tawbah – Returning to Allah

Tawbah is not merely saying Astaghfirullah with the tongue. True tawbah begins with sincere regret in the heart for disobeying Allah. It requires:

* Feeling remorse for the sin

* Leaving the sin immediately

* Sincerely apologising to Allah

* Making a firm intention never to return to it again

Even if a person falls again, he should never despair. He should return to Allah again and again, because Allah loves those who repent sincerely.

Allah is Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, and Al-Ghafur — the Most Merciful and Most Forgiving. Yet we also remember that His punishment is severe for those who persist arrogantly in wrongdoing without repentance.

Tawbah is an act of humility. It is a servant speaking honestly to Allah in weakness, brokenness, and hope.

2. Dhikr – The Remembrance of Allah

The second pillar is dhikr. Just as dust gathers upon a mirror, heedlessness gathers upon the heart. Dhikr polishes the heart and brings tranquillity to the soul.

Among the greatest forms of remembrance taught by Rasulullah ﷺ are:

* Allahu Akbar — Allah is Greater than everything in this world.

* Alhamdulillah — All praise belongs to Allah.

* Subhanallah — Glory be to Allah, free from imperfection.

* La ilaha illallah — There is no god but Allah.

This declaration of Tawhid is the greatest remembrance and the foundation of iman itself.

Dhikr softens the heart, removes anxiety, weakens worldly attachment, and fills the soul with light and peace.

3. Al-Ikhlas – Sincerity

The third pillar is sincerity (ikhlas). Every action must be done solely for Allah. Without sincerity, deeds become empty and lifeless.

Ikhlas protects the heart from:

* Showing off

* Seeking praise from people

* Pride and arrogance

A sincere servant desires only the pleasure of Allah. Even small deeds become عظيمة (great) in the sight of Allah when done with sincerity.

The Four States of the Heart

In our journey through life, hearts generally fall into four spiritual conditions:

1. The Diseased Heart

This heart is afflicted with doubt, hypocrisy, pride, envy, and love of the dunya. It may outwardly display faith while inwardly concealing insincerity or disbelief.

2. The Repenting Heart

This is the heart that constantly returns to Allah in tawbah. It seeks forgiveness sincerely, abandons shirk and sin, and humbles itself before Allah.

3. The Sealed Heart

This is the heart that repeatedly rejects truth and persists in arrogance until guidance no longer enters it. Such a heart becomes spiritually sealed and hardened.

4. The Sound Heart (Qalbun Salim)

This is the pure heart filled with sincerity, humility, trust, and remembrance of Allah. It is free from shirk, hatred, arrogance, and hypocrisy. This is the heart that will benefit a person on the Day of Judgment.

Allah says:

“The Day when neither wealth nor children will benefit, except the one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”

Practical Ways to Purify the Heart

To maintain a pure heart:

* Stay away from sins that harden the heart

* Think well of others and avoid jealousy

* Pray on time

* Read and reflect upon the Qur’an daily

* Practice gratitude (syukur)

* Give charity secretly for Allah’s sake

* Forgive others

* Keep righteous company

* Make constant istighfar and dhikr

Dear brothers and sisters,

The purification of the heart is a lifelong journey. Every believer struggles, falls, and rises again. Success does not belong to the one who never sins, but to the one who constantly returns to Allah with sincerity and humility.

A heart connected to Allah becomes peaceful even amidst the chaos of this world. But a neglected heart slowly becomes dark, restless, and empty.

May Allah purify our hearts, remove the rust of sins, fill our souls with remembrance and sincerity, and grant us a sound heart (qalbun salim) when we return to Him.

والله أعلم

Professor Dr Zuhaimy Ismail

Perjumpaan Bulanan

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin, segala puji bagi Allah SWT yang dengan limpah rahmat, kasih sayang dan izin-Nya dapat kita semua berhimpun pada hari ini dalam majlis perjumpaan bulanan jemaah Tariqah Qadiriyyah Shadhiliyyah Darqawiyyah (TQSD). Selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad SAW, ahli keluarga Baginda, para sahabat serta mereka yang istiqamah berjalan di atas jalan Allah hingga ke akhir zaman.

Para ikhwan dan akhawat yang dirahmati Allah sekalian,

Tujuan utama perjumpaan bulanan kita ini adalah untuk memperbaharui komitmen dan kesungguhan kita dalam perjalanan kembali kepada Allah SWT. Kita semua sedang bermusafir di dunia yang sementara ini, dan setiap daripada kita pasti akan bertemu dengan Allah SWT bagi mempertanggungjawabkan segala amal dan perbuatan yang telah dilakukan di muka bumi ini.

Allah SWT merahsiakan bilakah saat kita akan kembali kepada-Nya, dan bagaimana keadaan kita ketika dipanggil pulang. Maka sebab itulah kita wajib membuat persediaan dari sekarang — dengan memperbaiki hati, memperbanyakkan zikrullah, memperbanyakkan selawat ke atas Rasulullah SAW, serta memperelokkan hubungan sesama manusia.

Shaykh kita, Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi, dalam usaha dakwah beliau di seluruh dunia sentiasa mengingatkan murid-muridnya khususnya, dan umat Islam amnya, supaya sentiasa mengingati Allah SWT. Lidah hendaklah dibasahi dengan zikrullah, dan hati dihiasi dengan kecintaan kepada Rasulullah SAW melalui selawat dan adab kepada Baginda.

Sesungguhnya Allah tidak pernah walau sesaat melupakan makhluk-Nya. Kita semua berada di sini atas perintah dan rahmat Allah SWT. Dialah yang menciptakan kita dan menciptakan segala perbuatan kita. Kehadiran kita dari jauh mahupun dekat pada hari ini semuanya berlaku dengan izin Allah dan dengan kalimah-Nya: “Kun fayakun” — jadilah, maka terjadilah.

Setiap daripada kita hadir dengan niat masing-masing kerana Allah; kita bertemu kerana Allah dan nanti kita akan berpisah juga kerana Allah, dengan izin Allah. Maka sewajarnya kita memperbanyakkan rasa syukur kepada-Nya atas nikmat hidayah, nikmat ukhuwah dan nikmat dapat duduk bersama dalam majlis yang mudah-mudahan dipenuhi rahmat dan sakinah.

Pada kesempatan ini juga, kami ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada pihak SAU atas kesudian membenarkan kita menjalankan aktiviti dan pertemuan di surau yang dirahmati Allah ini. Kita memahami bahawa pihak SAU juga menghadapi pelbagai cabaran dan dugaan yang menyebabkan tidak semua dapat bersama sepenuhnya pada hari ini. Namun insya-Allah, dengan doa, usaha dan kerjasama semua pihak, kita akan terus berusaha memakmurkan SAUZPD sebagai tempat ibadah, ilmu, zikrullah dan pengukuhan ukhuwah.

Untuk makluman semua juga, kerjasama dan pertemuan seperti ini bukan sekadar program bulanan biasa, tetapi ia adalah satu usaha menjalin dan mengukuhkan ukhuwah sesama kita dalam memakmurkan surau serta menghidupkan suasana zikrullah, ilmu dan amal soleh dalam masyarakat.

Kita semua sedar bahawa dunia hari ini sedang berada dalam keadaan yang semakin tidak menentu. Pelbagai peristiwa besar berlaku silih berganti — daripada pandemik yang melanda seluruh dunia, peperangan yang semakin membimbangkan, krisis ekonomi, keruntuhan nilai kemanusiaan, hinggalah kepada ancaman kekurangan makanan dan kebuluran yang semakin dirasai di banyak tempat.

Semua ini seharusnya menjadikan kita lebih sedar bahawa dunia ini sedang bergerak menuju penghujung zamannya sebagaimana yang telah diingatkan oleh Rasulullah SAW. Namun sebagai orang beriman, kita tidak diajar untuk takut semata-mata, tetapi diajar supaya bersedia, berusaha dan bertawakkal kepada Allah SWT.

Kita mengambil pengajaran daripada kisah Nabi Yusuf dalam Surah Yusuf, apabila Baginda mentafsirkan mimpi pemerintah Mesir tentang tujuh tahun kesenangan dan tujuh tahun kesukaran. Daripada kisah tersebut, kita belajar bahawa persediaan menghadapi kemungkinan yang mendatang adalah sebahagian daripada hikmah dan tuntutan agama. Perancangan, penyimpanan bekalan, pengurusan sumber dan usaha membangunkan masyarakat yang mampu berdikari adalah antara pengajaran besar daripada kisah tersebut.

Oleh itu, dalam program kita pada hari ini, kita akan mengetengahkan satu pendekatan pertanian sebagai usaha membina kesedaran dan persediaan menghadapi kemungkinan berlakunya kekurangan makanan pada masa hadapan. Jika sistem pertanian kapitalis moden banyak bergantung kepada penggunaan bahan kimia dan pendekatan yang merosakkan tanah serta alam sekitar, maka hari ini kita ingin membuka ruang kepada satu pendekatan yang lebih harmoni dengan fitrah alam, iaitu pertanian permaculture.

Insya-Allah, kita akan bersama seorang pakar dalam bidang ini untuk berkongsi ilmu, pengalaman dan pendekatan praktikal bagaimana masyarakat boleh membangunkan sistem pertanian yang lebih lestari, sihat dan bermanfaat untuk jangka panjang.

Setelah itu, program akan diteruskan dengan kupasan kitab dan buku-buku Shaykh kita oleh Muqadim Sidi Halim, mudah-mudahan ia menjadi asbab untuk kita lebih memahami jalan tarbiyah, dakwah dan perjalanan menuju Allah SWT dengan lebih mendalam.

Akhir kata, marilah kita sama-sama memperbaharui niat, memperbetulkan hati, dan memohon agar Allah SWT menerima segala amal kita yang sedikit ini. Mudah-mudahan perjalanan kita menuju Allah dipermudahkan, dikurniakan istiqamah, dipelihara dalam menghadapi cabaran akhir zaman, dan diakhiri dengan husnul khatimah.

Wa billahi taufiq wal hidayah.
Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Professor Dr Zuhaimy Ismail