The Hearts that Allaah Dislikes

This is part 2 in a series of 3 posts under the category of:

انواع القلوب فى القرآن الكريم The Types of Hearts in the Noble Quran

The 12 types of hearts that Allaah does not like:

1 – القلبُ المَرِيْضْ The Sick Heart

What disease does this heart have? Doubt about the Shariah, hypocrisy, debauchery, lust, the cacoethes to fulfill its desires.

Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says in the Quran:

يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ ۚ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا

O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech. [33:32]

Allaah tells the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to not speak softly with someone because if he has a disease in his heart, he might consider it to be something else and take the wrong meaning of her speech.

2 – القلبُ الأَعْمَى The Blind Heart

The heart that does not see the Haq (the Truth). If it sees then it does not think; if it thinks then it does not act upon it. That’s why Allaah says:

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۖ فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ

So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts. [22:4]

Some people have very good eyes and can see very well, but they are blind from the heart. The blind from the heart is he who does not accept the truth, and the truth is the word of Allaah and his Messenger.

3 – القلبُ اللَّاهِي The Distracted Heart

This is the heart that is negligent of the Quran. Such a person does not pay attention to the Quran or what is in it, but keeps himself busy with the world and its pleasures.

Let us be honest with ourselves. When we wake up in the morning, the first thing we ask is “where’s the newspaper?” (translator’s edit:  OR we check our Facebook. The Shaykh probably didn’t know how many times more addictive THIS is compared to a newspaper). Is a newspaper more important than the Quran? I’m not saying that don’t read the newspaper. Read it. But don’t give it priority over the Quran. Start your day by reciting the words of Allaah.

Allaah says in the Quran:

اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ

[The time of] their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away. [21:1]

Then after an Ayah Allaah says:

لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ

With their hearts distracted. [21:3]

4 – القلبُ الآثِمْ The Sinning Heart

It is the heart that conceals the truth.

Consider the case of a who has found out how the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray. He has read the Hadith:

Wa’il bin Hujr said:

“I said: ‘I am going to watch how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prays.’ So I watched him and he stood and said the takbir, and raised his hands until they were in the level with his ears, then he placed his right hand over his left hand, wrist and lower forearm. When he wanted to bow he raised his hands likewise. Then he prostrated and placed his hands in level with his ears. Then he sat up and placed his left leg under him; he put his left hand on his left thigh and knee, and he put the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh, then he held two of his fingers together and made a circle, and raised his forefinger, and I saw him moving it and supplicating with it.”

Sunan an-Nasa’i: 889

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Narrated Tawus:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to place his right hand on his left hand, then he folded them strictly on his chest in prayer.

Sunan Abi Dawud: 759

Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)

Once a Hadith has been proven, what will such a heart do? How will he hide this truth? This is the Sinning Heart. That’s why Allaah says:

وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا الشَّهَادَةَ ۚ وَمَن يَكْتُمْهَا فَإِنَّهُ آثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ

And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is Knowing of what you do. [2:283]

5 – القلبُ المُتَكَبِّرْ The Proud Heart

The disease of such a heart is that it is arrogant in regards to Tawheed of Allaah and His obedience. Whenever Tawheed is mentioned, it cannot bear it.

It is consistent upon oppression and aggression.

Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala) says:

الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ ۖ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ

Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah without an authority having come to them – great is hatred [of them] in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who have believed. Thus does Allah seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant. [40:35]

Whoever argues without proof, has a proud heart. Because of this disease Allaah has put a seal on this heart. Until he repents from his Shirk, he will never understand the truth.

6 – القلبُ الغَلِيْظْ The Harsh Heart

A heart that is devoid of compassion and mercy.

That’s why Allah SWT said:

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ

So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. [3:159]

7 – القلبُ المَخْتُومْ The Sealed Heart

It is the heart on which Allaah has placed a seal. It does not listen to the word of guidance. It is because this person followed his own desires even though he had knowledge. Allaah will keep such a person misguided irrespective of the level of their worldly education.

Allaah says about such a person:

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّـهِ ۚأَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded? [45:23]

May Allaah allow us all to act upon our knowledge.

8 – القلبُ القَاسِيْ The Hard Heart

A heart that has no effect of whatever is said to it. Allaah says about such a heart in the Quran:

بِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ ۙ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ ۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَائِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good. [5:13]

9 – القلبُ الغَافِلْ The Heedless Heart

A heart that submits to its desires and does not do Zikr (remembrance) of Allaah. Allaah says about such a heart in the Quran:

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. [18:28]

Therefore we must be very careful whom we make friends with. Our friends should be those who remind us of Allaah, not those who take us away from His remembrance.

10 – الْقَلْبُ الأَغْلَفْ The Wrapped Heart

It is the heart which is layered with an outer covering due to frequent sinning and disbelief.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us about this is a Hadith in detail.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [83:14]

Sunan Ibn e Majah, Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4244

Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ ۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ

And they said, “Our hearts are wrapped.” But, [in fact], Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe. [2:88]

This غلاف or covering only comes off by sincerely repenting to Allaah.

11 – القلبُ الزَّائِغْ The Deviant Heart

It is the heart that turns away from the truth. Such a person would always go towards that which has doubt, just to create Fitna (trials and tribulations) and frustration among people.

Allaah says about such people:

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ

It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord… [3:7]

As the aphorism goes, a positive person will always see a solution in every problem; whereas a negative person will always see a problem in every solution.

12 – القلبُ المُرِيْبْ The Doubtful Heart

As the name suggests, it is a heart that is in doubt regarding Islamic principles and concepts.

These doubts can be the following: Will the Day of Judgement will come? Will I get anything if I practice religion?

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ

Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating. [9:45]

Just to give the context, the translation of the previous verse is this:

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving with their wealth and their lives. And Allah is Knowing of those who fear Him. [9:44]

Some people start to make excuses when you ask them to come for prayers. Excuses like: My clothes are not clean; I have to take a bath first; I’ll start from tomorrow et cetera. Whoever has a sincere intention does not make lame excuses.

May Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala) not make our hearts into those He does not like. Ameen.