Nabi Ibrahim u described the day of Qiyaamah as:  “The day when wealth and children will not benefit anyone except he who will come to Allah with a Qalb-e-Saleem.”  (Surah Shu’ara, Aayah 38-39).  Thus Ibn Rajab (R.A.A.) mentions in his commentary of Imam Nawawi (R.A.A.)’s Forty Ahaadith that our beloved Nabi Muhammad e used to say in his Du’aa:  “O Allah!  I ask you for a Qalb-e-Saleem.”

The Meaning of Qalb-e-Saleem

Mentioned below are the different ways in which the Ulamaa have interpreted the phrase Qalb-e-Saleem:

1. Abdullah bin Abbas, Mujaahid, Qataadah, Ibn Sireen and many others (R.A.A.) are of the opinion that Qalb-e-Saleem is a heart that is absolutely free from Kufr (disbelief) and Nifaaq (hypocrisy).  [Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, Ibn Katheer, etc.]
2. It is heart that is free from Kibr (pride), Hasad (jealousy) and Hiqd (hatred).  In the words of Qurtubi (R.A.A.) it is a Khaalis (sincere) heart.  This opinion is supported by the following:

i.)                  Rasoolullah e said:  “None of you can (truly) believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”  (Bukhari, Muslim)

ii.)                 He e also said:  “A group of people will enter Jannah – their hearts are like the hearts of the birds.”  (Muslim)

iii.)               Anas bin Maalik (R.A.) used to say that:  “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are AL-Bulh.”  According to one interpretation Al-Bulh are people who have clean hearts and who always entertain good thoughts regarding others.  

(Qurtubi)

3. It is the heart which, due to extreme love for Allah and His Rasool e, leads to total obedience to Allah and his Rasool e.  This opinion is supported by the following:

i.)                  Rasoolullah e said:  “…. There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is good, the whole body is good.  And if it is bad, the whole body is bad.  Listen!  That piece of flesh is the heart.”  (Bukhari, Muslim)

ii.)                  The Salaf (pious predecessors) used to say:  “The heart is the king of the limbs and the rest of the limbs are its soldiers; they always obey him by implementing his instructions and they never disobey him in any regard.  (Remember) when the king is pious, his soldiers will also be pious.  Similarly, when the king is sinful, his soldiers will also be sinful.” (Jaami-ul-Uloom wal-Hikam) 

iii.)               According to one interpretation the statement of Anas t that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are Al-Bulh” refers to people who “don’t know sin”.  (Qurtubi)

4. Sa’eed bin Musayyab e explains that the Arabs very often used the word Saleem in the meaning of Ladeegh (one who was bitten by a snake or scorpion) and this is exactly the case in the phrase Qalb-e-Saleem.  (Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, etc)  Thus Qalb-e-Saleem is the heart which, due to extreme fear for Allah, is like the heart of a person who has just been bitten by a scorpion.  (Qurtubi) In the words of Abu Bakr ibn-ul-Arabi (R.A.A.) it is a heart that is “burnt and stung with fear (for Allah).  [Ahkaam-ul-Qur’an]  Some commentators of Hadith claim that the group of people who will enter Jannah because “their hearts are like the hearts of the birds” (Muslim) refer to people whose hearts are overwhelmed with fear for Allah.

Irrespective of which explanation you prefer, the truth is that it is our duty to make an effort to inculcate this Qalb-e-Saleem.  May Allah guide us all to make such an effort and may he bless us all with the Qalb-e-Saleem.  Aameen

Abu Hudhaifa Muhammad Karolia

19 Ramadhaan 1424

14 November 2003

Persida

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Last modified: 07/10/07