Purification of the Heart 01
By: Imam Hamza Yusuf

After praising and glorifying Allah, and sending salutations to the Prophet pbuh, amma ba'd.

Allah swt says:
"The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart (qalb as-saleem)." (26:88-89)

Qalbu as-saleem - heart that is free from defects and spiritual blemishes.
Qalb = spiritual heart, not the physical heart

Chinese tradition, heart houses Shen (the spirit). In almost every culture in the world, people use metaphors using the heart eg: cold heart, warm heart, hard hearted, he affected me in my heart/core, he/she stole my heart.

* core - from latin word 'lubb' which means heart.

Indo European - heart that leaps (skipped a beat).

Antara perkara pertama yang Qur'an buat adalah define 3 jenis heart.
1. Hearts that are dead (Kafir)
2. Hearts that are alive (Mukmin)
3. Hearts that are in disease (Munafiq)

Physical heart, centered slightly to the left of human being.

Interestingly, the whole concept of writing (scriptures lama dari kanan ke kiri) is purposed to reach/towards the heart. Also, the concept of Tawaf, sebelah kiri, hearts patut yearn towards ka'bah/Allah.

The physical heart 100,000 times/day, 100 gallons/hour. Buat ini selama 24/7 seumur hidup! Sejauh 60,000 miles! Heart begins to beat sebelum mind was developed. Heart rupa rupanya bukan diinitiate oleh brain/nervous system, tetapi diinitiate sendiri. Heart is the center by itself!

Ramai yang sangka brain is the center of counciousness.

Tapi sebenarnya, lahum qulubun la yafqahuna biha. Ikut fahaman muslim, the center of the human beings is the heart. Ada 40,000 neurons in the heart. Ada 2 way communications between the brain and the heart, maksudnya heart hantar arahan kepada brain, brain hantar arahan kepada the heart.

Based on hadith, heart is the source of knowledge. Crime/bad deeds/sins irritates the heart. Kalau buat salah maka akan berlaku spiritual agitation. Maka manusia akan cari jalan untuk tutup (kufr) akan that agitation dengan alcohol, suicide, sexual acts etc. Mereka cuba masuk state of heedlessness untuk hilang kan that agitation. Kalau abaikan lama lama maka hati akan mati. Tetapi sebelum mati ia akan tunjukkan symptom symptom of illnesses and diseases.

Penyakit hati terbahagi kepada 2:
1. Syubuhaat - berkaitan dgn understanding.