By Shaykh Abdul Qayum
11 October 2024

﷽

In this week’s Friday khutbah, we reflected on the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the pure heart and how we can strive to attain it. I want to share these important lessons with those who couldn’t attend and remind those who were present. I believe it’s something we all need to reflect on regularly.

Our Prophet ⁠ﷺ⁠ was once asked about the people who would enter Jannah. He said,

The best of people are those with a clean heart who always speak the truth.

[Sunan Ibn Majah]

When the companions asked him to explain what a clean heart means, he described it as one filled with taqwa, free from sin, transgression, and envy towards others. This hadith is a beautiful reminder of what we should all be striving for in our daily lives.

You see, my dear brothers and sisters, our deen places great emphasis on the state of our hearts. The Prophet ﷺ taught us,

There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.

[Sahih Al-Bukhari]

In fact, he emphasised this point by pointing to his chest three times and saying, “Taqwa is here.” [Sahih Muslim] This shows us just how crucial the state of our heart is in Islam.

Now, you might be wondering, how can I tell if my heart is pure? Well, alhamdulillah, our Prophet ﷺ gave us some practical signs to look out for. He ﷺ said that those with pure hearts are less interested in dunya (worldly achievements) and more focused on securing their place in the akhirah.

Allah reminds us in the Qur’an,

And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason?

[Surah Al-An‘am, 6:32]

Another sign of a pure heart, as our Prophet ﷺ taught us, is good behaviour in our daily interactions. He said that fearing Allah, obeying Him, and having good character are among the most important deeds that will lead us to Jannah. In fact, when asked about what would be the heaviest thing on the scales on the Day of Judgement, he mentioned taqwa and good character.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, let’s pay attention to how we treat others – our family, neighbours, colleagues, and even strangers. Are we patient with them? Do we speak kindly? Do we control our anger? Do we forgive easily? These are all signs of a pure heart.

I want to share a story that really drives this point home. Our Prophet ﷺ once spoke about two women. One was known for her extensive fasting and charity, but she mistreated her neighbours. The other only did the minimum obligations but was kind to everyone around her. Surprisingly, the Prophet ⁠ﷺ⁠ said the second woman was more likely to enter Jannah. This shows us how much Allah values good character.

This hadith always makes me reflect on my own actions. Sometimes, we can get so caught up in the outward acts of worship that we neglect our character. But our deen is comprehensive. It’s not just about praying and fasting; it’s about how we conduct ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

Our Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed, I was sent to complete the highest standard of character.” This shows us that good character is not just a nice addition to our faith; it’s an essential part of it. It’s what our Prophet ﷺ was sent to teach us.

Now, let’s talk about truthfulness. Our Prophet ﷺ taught us that speaking the truth brings peace to our hearts, while lying leads to restlessness and confusion. He said, “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari] On the other hand, he warned us against lying, saying that it leads to wickedness, which leads to the Fire.

In our daily lives, we might face situations where it seems easier to tell a small lie. Maybe to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or to get out of a difficult situation. But our Prophet ⁠ﷺ⁠ encourages us to stick to the truth, even if it’s difficult. He advises us to leave not just what is clearly haram, but even what is doubtful.

Another important aspect of purifying our hearts is to be free from envy. Our Prophet ﷺ mentioned this specifically when describing the pure heart. Envy can eat away at our good deeds like fire consumes wood. [Sunan Abu Dawud] It’s natural to sometimes feel a twinge of envy when we see others blessed with something we desire. But the key is to recognise this feeling and replace it with happiness for our brother or sister and du‘a for Allah to bless us too.

My dear brothers and sisters, achieving a pure heart is not a one-time task. It’s a continuous struggle, a lifelong journey. We will make mistakes, and we will slip up, but the important thing is to keep striving, to keep turning back to Allah in repentance, and to keep working on ourselves.

So, as we go about our daily lives, let’s try to implement these teachings. Let’s work on purifying our hearts by increasing our taqwa, speaking the truth, treating others with kindness, focusing on what truly matters for our akhirah, and freeing ourselves from envy.

Let’s make du‘a to Allah to help us on this journey. O Allah, purify our hearts, guide us to what pleases You, protect us from the whispers of Shaytan, and make us among those who will enter Jannah.

Ameen.

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