Someone recently misunderstood me after finding out that I've been avoiding myself from people because of how particular I am in choosing friends to hang out with. He assumed I picked friends based on popularity and fashion sense; apparently there was sarcasm in his tone. I smirked in disgust and could not be bothered at all to convince him otherwise. It's clear that he didn't take enough time to get to know me well. Furthermore, I am so used to having people who would say things like that about me all the time, even my good friends I had trusted. But hey, human beings are judgmental, right;)
I was at the back seat of my family car on a Saturday night, scrolling down my tumblr dashboard and found something meaningful I thought I could post it up here.
This is a reminder to myself first and foremost:
Do we think about the company we keep, the friends we are around? Do we think about what we expose ourselves to? Remember, all our limbs will account for, or against us on the Day of Judgement. The tongue you speak with, the eyes you see with, the ears you hear with, every single limb.
Do you think about the heart, this incredible morsel of flesh that beats constantly? As soon as a person becomes ill in some way, they rush to treat their illness. Before any of us go outside, we make sure to look in the mirror, to make ourselves look good, to clean our bodies, our face etc. But what about our hearts? One may expose it to so much bad yet we don’t look for a remedy-thus there are repercussions. The bad in the heart is portrayed through every other limb. For example, if the heart exposes it self to bad words, the person may then find himself/herself cursing without even realising. So two important things here, your company, and your heart. Your heart can influence who and what you keep yourself around and you company can influence your heart and thus your actions.
On the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (رضي الله عنه ), the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم ) said:
“A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, vol 3, #314 and Muslim)
The significance of this hadith is huge. Imagine you are wearing a white garment, so you enter a blacksmiths and you do not even talk or touch anything, but the fumes and the dirty walls and atmosphere leave your clothes black and your throat clammy and rough. In the same way, being around bad company and bad things leaves you dirty in some way-you don’t even have to take part in the bad. For example, your friends go out to drink alcohol and mix with men, but you don’t participate, you just watch-this bad company is guaranteed to rub off on you and affect your heart negatively (thus your actions).
Yet, good company is truly something beautiful. Company that reminds you of Allah (swt), these people can commit good deeds, say good things in front of you, and you do not even have to participate, but it will rub off on you and you will take some of that good. Your heart will be affected positively in some way, even if you did not attempt to make it better. Subhan’Allah. This applies to Muslims and non-Muslims, in many ways it’s evident in day to day life-when we’re exposed to bad, some of it is passed on to us.
Lastly, there are three types of heart. Think about what category you fit into, for once you acknoledge the problem, it can be addressed.
The first: The correct and sound heart; the heart that is sound, serves and worships only Allah (swt) wholeheartedly. It does not disobey Allah (swt), It’s desire, love, trust and reliance, repentance, humbleness, dread and reverential hope is only for Allah (swt) and its actions are purely for His sake. Hence if it loves, it loves for the sake of Allah (swt); if it hates, it hates for the sake of Allah (swt); if it gives, it gives for the sake of Allah (swt); and if it withholds (e.g. giving into desires), it withholds for the sake of Allah (swt). Allah says in (26:88-89): “The day (i.e. judgement day) on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart.”
The second: The Diseased Heart; the heart is torn. It does not fully obey Allah (swt) and his messenger and it gives in to desires of the dunya. It wavers between safety in ruin, and although it contains love of Allah (swt), it gives preference to it’s desires and it contains jealousy, arrogance, self-amazement, and love of ranking and sowing corruption in the land through attaining leadership from those matters that necessarily lead to its destruction and devastation.
The third: The dead heart: (Bear in mind this does not necessarily be one who classes themselves as non-Muslims, but also so called ‘Muslims’ who do not believe, know or practice the deen that they were born into.) This heart is lifeless, it is in the dark and has no guidance. It does not know it’s Lord If it loves, it loves for the sake of its base desires; if it hates, it hates for the sake of its base desires; if it gives, it gives for the sake of its base desires; if it withholds, it withholds for the sake of its base desires. It gives preference to its base desires and these are more beloved to it than the Pleasure of its Master. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an (2:17-19):
“Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the Right Path). Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together)”So to summarise:
“The healthy, secure heart which contains no impediment preventing it from accepting the truth, loving it and giving it preference other than its coming to know of it. Therefore its recognition of the truth is correct and it is complete with respect to its submission and acceptance of it.The diseased heart, when its disease predominates than it joins the ranks of the dead and harsh heart but if its soundness predominates it joins the ranks of the truthful and secure heart.The dead, harsh and dry heart that does not accept the truth nor submit to it.”
Which one of these is your heart, and who amongst these people are your company? Think carefully about what you expose yourself too, and whether it is worth corrupting your heart and risking your being in a good position on the Last Day, and know that you are worth more than to be exposing yourself to these things-your heart is worth more than that.
Hope this was of benefit insha’Allah, and Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh everyone.
(via poeticislam)
♡ ♡ ♡
Nadiah Latiff
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