When a father advises his child, he reminds them of the most important and fundamental principles. In one of the passages of his will to his son, Imam Hassan (peace be upon him), Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him) said:
“I advise you to revive your heart with the remembrance of God.”
We are all quite mindful of our physical health and take measures to address any bodily ailments by visiting doctors and taking medication.
But how much do we care about the hygiene of our souls and the health of our hearts? If undesirable traits and inappropriate behaviors infiltrate our inner selves, what actions do we take to cleanse and heal them?
In our religion, various actions have been introduced to revive and purify the heart. Among them are recitation of the Quran, listening to admonitions, remembering God, reflecting on death, engaging in thoughtful contemplation, associating with virtuous and wise individuals, participating in scholarly discussions, visiting righteous people, meeting those with insight, helping the needy, and showing kindness to orphans.
For example, both the words of God and the sayings of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him) emphasize these matters:
The Holy Quran states:
“O people! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, a cure for what is in the hearts.” (Surah Yunus, 10:57)
Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him) also said:
“Learn the Quran, reflect upon it, for it is the spring of hearts. Seek healing through its light, for it is a cure for the hearts.”
He further stated:
“Associating with virtuous people revives the hearts.”
“Visiting righteous individuals enlivens the heart.”
“Meeting people of knowledge brings life to the heart.”
“The heart’s revival is found in companionship with wise individuals.”
Let us remember that alongside observing physical hygiene and medical care for our bodies, we must also incorporate spiritual hygiene into our life plans and worldly endeavors.
Excerpt from the book “Mafatih al-Hayat,” authored by Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli (with edits and additions)
Published on the Islamic-Shiite website: Roshd
Tags: Heart Revival – Physical Health – Spiritual Health – Heart Purity
Footnotes:
(Nahj al-Balaghah, Letter 31)
(Surah Yunus, Verse 57)
(Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 110)
(Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 429)
(Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 80)
(Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 430)
(Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 429)