We dedicate extraordinary attention to our physical bodies — eating well, exercising, maintaining appearances — yet the most important organ of all receives the least care. In Islam, the heart is not merely a biological pump; it is the seat of iman (faith), the source of true spiritual contentment, and the very organ upon which our entire relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala rests. Ustadh Ismail Bullock’s Daily Reminder invites us to pause, look inward, and honestly examine the state of the one thing that matters most before Allah.
The Heart’s Need for Dhikr: Nourishing the Soul Through Remembrance
- We readily invest hours in social media, television, and entertainment, yet struggle to find five to ten minutes for Quran recitation.
- Morning and evening adhkar, daily duas, and Quranic recitation are all forms of dhikr — and they are the heart’s essential spiritual nourishment.
- The best and most powerful form of dhikr is the Quran itself — a direct connection to Allah’s words that purifies, heals, and elevates the heart.
- Dhikr is not limited to formal acts of worship; even the smallest duas said before eating, sleeping, or leaving the home count as the remembrance of Allah.
- Abandoning these practices leaves the heart exposed to restlessness, spiritual emptiness, and the gradual accumulation of sin.
“Indeed, with the remembrance of Allah do the hearts feel content and satisfied.” — (Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:28)
This ayah is a direct prescription from Allah for the anxiety, restlessness, and emptiness that so many believers experience today. No material wealth, social media validation, or worldly distraction can substitute for what only dhikr provides — true, lasting peace of heart. Yet despite this divine guarantee, many of us have quietly reduced or abandoned the very practices that feed our souls. The morning and evening azkaar, the small duas woven into daily routines, and above all the regular recitation and reflection upon the Quran — these are not religious burdens; they are lifelines. Their absence leaves the heart progressively vulnerable to spiritual decay, drifting further from the purpose and guidance it was created to seek.
Three States of the Heart: An Honest Self-Examination for Every Believer
“Those who remember Allah when they are standing, when they are sitting, and when they are lying down, and they ponder and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, and say: ‘O our Lord! Surely You did not create this for no purpose. Glory be to You, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.'” — (Surah Ali Imran, 3:191)
Classical Islamic scholarship categorises the heart into three distinct states. The first is the living heart — one that loves Allah, obeys His commands, avoids what He has forbidden, and stays clear of all that corrupts faith. The second is the dead heart — turned away from Allah entirely, inclined toward evil, and averse to goodness. The third — and the one that demands our most honest self-reflection — is the unhealthy heart: a heart that genuinely loves Allah and strives toward good, yet simultaneously drifts toward the forbidden, oscillating between righteousness and disobedience. Great scholars of Islam taught that this third category likely describes most believers today. They further described the heart as resembling polished silver: left unattended, sins accumulate like rust upon it, dimming its capacity to reflect divine light and receive guidance. The remedy, they emphasised, is both simple and profound — polish it daily, consistently, with the dhikr of Allah.
The path to a living heart is not reserved for scholars or saints — it is open to every Muslim willing to commit to remembering Allah, even in the smallest ways, throughout each day. Begin with five minutes of Quran. Revive the morning and evening adhkar. Let the duas before daily actions become second nature once more. Islam’s tradition of spirituality has always centred on this intimate, ongoing remembrance — a practice that sharpens the heart’s purpose, strengthens its faith, and draws it closer to its Creator. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala promises in the Quran that those who remember Him abundantly will receive immense reward — and beyond the reward, they will find what every soul truly and restlessly seeks: a heart that is alive, at peace, and guided unerringly toward Him.
