Deed #1 - Take action on your heart
... and begin with knowledge.
Assalamu alaikum.
Hope you had a fabulous Friday!
I love Fridays because it’s the best day of the week and so many virtues, ma sha Allah 🤌🏾💙
May Allah accept all our duas and overlook our shortcomings.
PS - It’s the weekend so try to get some rest? Khair, in sha Allah.
In the last newsletter, I talked about doing something different.
What did you decide on? Did you make an intention at the moment you were reading the newsletter ? Did you follow up that intention with action?
In today’s newsletter, I want to talk about an important deed - the process of tazkiyyah.
What is Tazkiyyah?
The word tazkiyyah is familiar to Muslims’ ears.
It comes from the same root as Zakah, one of the pillars of Islam.
We also find verbs from the root of tazkiyyah used in the Quran and the Sunnah.
In the Arabic language, tazkiyah includes the meanings of (1) growth, (2) purity, and (3) blessing.
So, the goal of the process of tazkiyyah is to purify the soul (or heart) of its ills, help it to grow, and bless it with iman.
Why is Tazkiyyah important?
Tazkiyyah is necessary for every Muslim.
We sin every day, knowingly and unknowingly and because of this, there’s ALWAYS a need for tazkiyyah so that we can strive for Ihsan (excellence) in worship.
Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ
Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 52, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Our hearts are so important and we know that the more we sin, the more our hearts are covered with black spots (not literal)
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says (interpretation of the meaning):
But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn. (83:14)
An introduction to Tazkiyyah Circle
Tazkiyyah Circle is a new initiative by the LFJ Tribe where we have different activities focused on helping us on our tazkiyyah journey.
Starting on the 17th of January // 24th of Jumadal Akhirah, in preparation of Ramadan, we’ll be commencing on a 10-week study of the classical work “The Disease and the Cure” by Ibn Qayyim (rahimahuLlah)
This book was written extensively as a response to a question the scholar was asked, rahimahuLlah t'ala.
The scholar, Abu Samh Abdul Dhahir b. Muhammad (d. 1370) mentioned that the first book through which Allāh guided him to the truth (way of the Salaf) was “The Disease and the Cure” of Imām Ibn al-Qayyim.
SubhanaLlah!
I invite you to join us as we go through the lessons of this amazing book so that we can apply them in our lives to have purified hearts and become better Muslims, bi'idniLlah
Khalid ibn Abi Bakr reported: Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Cure your heart, for Allah Almighty requires the servants to have sound hearts.”
Source: al-Tawāḍu’ wal-Khumūl 240
Do something different. Join us and bi'idniLlah, it’ll be beneficial.
Remember,
Allah said:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ
He has succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays.
Surah Al-A’la 87:14-15
May Allah bless us with sound hearts. Aameen.
~
your sister in faith,
Nusaybah.
PS - Join us here