The king is the one who rules over the land and has power over it. Every king has soldiers. If the king is righteous, then the soldiers are righteous; and if the king is evil, then the soldiers are evil.

And the body has a king, too–the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is righteous, the whole body is righteous; if it is evil, then the whole body is evil; indeed, it is the heart. Indeed, it is the heart. Indeed, it is the heart.” [Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim]

And the soldiers of the body are the limbs and the senses. Why do people commit haraam, when they know better? Why do brothers have wandering gazes that look at things they shouldn’t? Why do we have tons and tons of music MP3s on our iPods and hard-drives?

The problem is not the eyes, or the ears! It is the heart–the heart, the root of it all.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “When someone commits a sin, a black spot is placed on his heart; he keeps sinning until his whole heart becomes black.” Rust on your heart! Ever notice how, listening to one song makes you more tolerant of music, makes you want to listen to more? Looking at one wrong thing makes it easier to look a the next? Black dots!

But fear not, because he then said: “When someone commits a good deed, a white spot is placed on his heart; he keeps performing good deeds until his whole heart becomes white.” [Saheeh Muslim]

A pure, good and white heart, protected from black dots.

And perhaps that is the solution–leave your sins. Whatever they are, make the intention now to leave them, forever, and work for a white heart.

Because that is the only thing that will benefit you on the Day of Judgment–a pure and white heart. Allah does not look at your skin colour, your height, your language, your acne, or your too-small shoes; he looks at your heart.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) grant us all a pure and white heart, protected from fitnah and from evil, ameen ya Controller of Hearts!

References