In Islam, the heart is not merely a physical organ that pumps blood — it is the seat of faith, the centre of intention, and the organ through which Allah judges us. Shaikh Salim Al-Amry, a UAE-based scholar who studied under major students of Shaikh Nasiruddin Al-Albani, delivers a profound reminder on the actions of the heart — a subject so often overlooked that we rarely even ask one another, “How is your Iman, brother?” Yet the Prophet ﷺ made clear that this fist-sized organ determines whether the rest of us rises or falls. If it is whole and healthy, every limb follows in righteousness. If it is corrupt, everything else corrupts with it.
The Heart’s Nature: Constantly Changing, Dangerously Vulnerable
The Arabic word for heart — qalb — comes from a root meaning “to turn over” or “to flip.” The Prophet ﷺ described the heart as a feather attached to the root of a tree, turning with every breath of wind — light, restless, perpetually shifting. This is not a flaw to ignore; it is a warning to take seriously. The heart can move from firm faith to spiritual blindness almost overnight. Allah ﷻ Himself states in Surah Al-Hajj (22:46): “It is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the breasts.” Understanding what sickens the heart is the first step to protecting it. Shaikh Salim identifies four root causes of spiritual heart disease:
- Sinfulness: Persistently committing the Haram breeds depression, anxiety, and inner unrest — the opposite of the peace Islam promises
- Slavery to the nafs: When a person cannot overcome their desires, they become a servant of their own ego rather than a servant of Allah
- Abandoning knowledge circles: Ignorance darkens the heart; knowledge is described in the tradition as a light — and the scholars who carry it are those who fear Allah most
- Excessive love of dunya: When worldly life fills every waking moment — rising, sleeping, and rising again consumed only by material concerns — the heart loses its connection to the real and lasting life of the Hereafter
“Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth, but He looks to your heart and to your deeds.”
— Sahih Muslim, Book 032, Hadith 6221
The Three Types of Hearts and the Actions That Define Them
Shaikh Salim outlines three categories of hearts in Islamic spirituality: the pure heart, the dead heart, and the sick heart. The pure heart is free of malice, grudge, and envy — and its secret, illustrated by a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who was foretold Jannah, was simply this: before sleeping every night, he forgave every Muslim in his heart without exception. The dead heart belongs to one who does not know his Creator, has no concept of purpose, and floats through life more lost than even the cattle who instinctively recognise their Lord. The sick heart lies between the two — wounded by sin and neglect but not yet beyond healing. Among the actions that weaken any heart: excessive socialising with no time for self-reflection, procrastination in repentance and good deeds, placing trust in creation rather than the Creator, and overindulgence in food and sleep. The antidote is to cultivate the positive actions of the heart — learning and understanding through the heart, love and hatred directed rightly for Allah’s sake, true humility modelled on the scholars who walk with their heads bowed like grain-heavy stalks of wheat, and complete tawakkul: reliance on Allah alone. When Musa (alayhis salam) stood between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea with no earthly escape, he declared: “Nay — verily my Lord is with me.” The sea split. That is what a heart anchored in Allah can face.
“Except he who comes to Allah with a pure, clean heart.”
— Surah Ash-Shu’ara (26:89), as cited by Ibrahim (alayhis salam) in his supplication
The lesson Shaikh Salim leaves us with is urgent and personal: the heart is the king, and every action of our limbs is the soldier. We cannot afford to neglect what Allah will look at on the Day when wealth and children will be of no use. The practical path is within reach — nightly forgiveness of all Muslims, daily self-inventory before sleep, consistent seeking of Islamic knowledge, guarding the gaze, placing complete trust in Allah, and suppressing the endless fantasy of “I’ll repent later.” None of us is promised tomorrow. The graves hold children of five, of fifteen, of twenty. Rather than waiting for old age to reform ourselves, the time to purify the heart is now — before the visitor of death knocks, before we are resurrected with years of unresolved grudges and unchecked arrogance. May Allah ﷻ keep our hearts firm, pure, and directed always toward Him.
