toughness; a heart that is void of submission and the sense of turning
to Allah The Exalted in repentance at all times. This is the severest
punishment ever. This is why the disbelievers are punished with having
a hard and harsh heart.
Maalik ibn Deenaar, May Allah Have mercy upon him, said in this
regard, "Allah The Almighty Punishes the wrongdoers in their hearts
and bodies as well. They are punished with a hard and miserable life
and laziness and indolence in carrying out acts of worship.
However, there is no punishment that is severer than having a hard
heart." ]Hilyat Al-Awliyaa'[
Furthermore, Imaam Al-Mar'ashi, May Allah Have mercy upon him,
stressed the same meaning saying, "No one was afflicted by a severer
calamity than having a hard heart." ]Hilyat Al-Awliyaa'[
Dear readers, let us ponder over what Allah The Exalted Says )which
means(:}Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones
or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst
forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out,
and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah
Is not unaware of what you do.{]Quran 2:74[
This verse refers to the story of the children of Israel and the
miracle of reviving the murdered man and to all the examples, warnings
and adversities that had befallen the Children of Israel. Those Divine
Miracles would cause huge mountains to shake and solid rocks to
dissolve! Actually, it was worthier of their hearts to be softened by
such amazing miracles, yet they did not. Allah The Exalted Clarified
that their hearts had become more of rocks and even worse in hardness
due to the fact that they rejected Imaan after knowing and
understanding the requirements of attaining Imaan and its conditions.
Hence, these hearts were like rocks and even worse in hardness.
Indeed, rocks are a good example that people use to indicate hardness.
Yet, Allah The Exalted Excluded some rocks from that absolute
hardness, but Did not Exclude the hearts of the children of Israel.
Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}For indeed, there are stones from
which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open
and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for
fear of Allah.{]Quran 2:74[
Let us reflect on this description of the one who has a hard heart.
Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}… and his sin has encompassed
him…{]Quran 2:81[
This means that his sins and wrongdoings have encompassed him totally
from all sides until he was surrounded with his own sins and
wrongdoings from all directions. These sins and wrongdoings worked as
a separator that detached him from all that is around him. Undeniably,
this is clearly evident when a sinner does not repent of his sin, he
is tempted to commit it more and more. This incites him to preoccupy
himself exclusively and be wholly taken up with committing such sins
and even graver sins and wrongdoings.
Hence, sins subdue and overwhelm such a person totally and take hold
of his heart entirely. Accordingly, he becomes inherently inclined to
committing sins, liking and loving them, believing that this is the
ultimate and optimal way to relish happiness and pleasure, disliking
all who would come on his way in attaining that fake happiness and
joy, and disbelieving anyone who would advise him to avoid such sins.
Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}Then the end of those who did
evil was the worst ]consequence[ because they denied the Signs of
Allah and used to ridicule them.{]Quran 30:10[
Regrettably, this man's sins become like a thick tent that screen
everything around him. He no longer senses or thinks of the fact that
Allah The Exalted Sees him all the time. He loses sight of the
enduring pleasures in Paradise, the promised and anticipated
punishment in Hellfire, the evil schemes of the devil that are all set
to mislead Mankind, and the pity of the kind angels. Such a sinner
fails to notice all these facts while being wholly lost in his sins
and wrongdoings. The Prophet, sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"When
an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a
believer at the time he is doing it, and when a drinker of an
alcoholic liquor drinks it, he is not a believer at the time of
drinking it, and when a thief steals, he is not a believer at the time
of stealing, and when a robber robs, and the people look at him, he is
not a believer at the time of doing robbery."]Al-Bukhari[
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