What does it mean to be pure-hearted?
Question
My teacher, peace be upon you! What does it mean to be pure-hearted in our religion? For example, I don't pray or worship, but I have a pure heart? What is the religious status of this? Can you be pure-hearted without worshipping? It is always said today that the important thing is to have a pure heart. But I don't think it is like that, I wanted to consult you!…
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Answer ( 1 )
IT MEANS “MY HEART IS CLEAN”!!!
Ve aleykum sellam verahmetüllahi veberakatuhu… My esteemed brother; As in every subject, the real criterion in terms of 'purity of heart' is the Quran. Especially people who do not understand-grasp the importance of worships, who avoid worshipping, avoid worshipping and serving Allah swt by using the sentence 'my heart is very clean' very often! It is certain that; Real cleanliness of heart is only possible with the "LA" at the beginning of the Kalima-i Tawhid! A person who says "La Ilahe..." uproots and throws away all the false gods other than Allah swt in his heart... He removes and throws away all the human orders-systems-ideologies-traces other than Allah swt... He cleans his heart of all impurities. Only then can the person say "My heart is clean.." Because he has cleansed his heart of all impurities, made it spotless!
This means that all obstacles that distance a Muslim from Allah have been cleared from their heart. Such a person can say, “My heart is clean…” Unfortunately, those who say “La Ilaha Illallah…” today do not know the concept of GOD because they do so without understanding or knowing what they are saying! Therefore, they do not cleanse their hearts from gods, taghuts, idols, false systems, false orders, false ideologies!
According to the Quran, a person with a pure heart is someone who turns to Allah, obeys Him, abides by His commands and prohibitions, surrenders to Him, and has faith in Him wholeheartedly. According to Islam, there is no other ‘purity of heart’ than this. The Quran explains in detail what ‘purity of heart’ means. A person with a pure heart is someone who constantly remembers Allah and whose heart is “quiet” (satisfied) with the remembrance of Allah. In the Quran, sincere believers are described as “those who believe and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah” (Surat ar-Ra’d, 28), “whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned” (Surat al-Hajj, 35), “who are softened with awe at the remembrance of Allah and the revelation of the truth” (Surat al-Hadid, 16).
In the 89th verse of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, it is stated that those who will enter Paradise are "those who come to Allah with a sound (pure) heart..."
The purity of heart stated in the Quran is not the purity that some people in today's societies understand. Based on the importance of "purity of heart", saying "I never do harm to people, I help the poor from time to time, so I have the morality that Allah desires" is nothing more than deceiving oneself.
Because according to the Quran, having a pure heart means turning to Allah and obeying Him, fearing Allah with all your might, loving Him very much, and having faith from the bottom of your heart. Perhaps some people can be known as “good people” by occasionally helping the poor, giving food to animals, and smiling at their neighbors. And of course these are good qualities. However, the way to be saved from hell and to gain Allah’s approval and mercy is not to be known as a “good person” but to be a devout believer who lives as Allah describes in the Quran.
Allah reveals in the Qur'an:
“Do you consider the distribution of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque as the deeds of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and strive in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah does not guide wrongdoing people.” (Surat at-Tawbah, 19)
“It is not righteousness to turn your faces towards the east or the west. But righteousness is those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the prophets; who give wealth, despite their love, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, the beggar and the slaves; who establish prayer and pay zakat and are true to their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in hardship and sickness and in the heat of battle. They are the truthful and the righteous.” (Surat al-Baqarah, 177)
According to the Quran, a person with a pure heart is someone who believes in Allah, obeys His commands and prohibitions to the letter, and submits to Him. According to Islam, there is no other “purity of heart” than this. The Quran explains in detail what “purity of heart” means. In fact, the Quran describes believers as follows:
“Those who believe and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah. And indeed, hearts find peace only in the remembrance of Allah.” (Surat ar-Ra’d, 28)
In another verse, believers are mentioned as follows:
“Those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned…” (Surat al-Hajj, 35)
In another verse, it is stated that the hearts of the believers "are softened with awe for the remembrance of Allah and the One who has descended from the truth" (Surat al-Hadid: 16).
A person with a pure heart will not have anything in his heart, even the smallest amount, other than what Allah is pleased with. Having a pure heart means not having the slightest inclination in his heart to anything other than Islam, Sharia, or the Caliphate. It means having nothing in his heart other than the commands of Allah! Those who are not even slightly aware of the decrees of Allah, the rulings of Allah, and those who do not observe the boundaries of Allah's commands and prohibitions, say, "What is important is the purity of the heart, my heart is clean," but they are only deceiving themselves. A person can only say, "My heart is clean," if they comply with the commands and prohibitions of Allah, if they are a sincere Muslim according to the Quran and the Sunnah.
In the verse, “… Do not obey him whose heart We have made heedless of remembering Us, who follows his own desires and passions and goes to excess in his affairs.” (Surat al-Kahf, 28), it is indicated that following the self makes the heart heedless. Our Prophet (pbuh) said regarding this issue, “When the heart is corrupt, the works of the body are always corrupt.” (Bayhaqi) Therefore, the body of a person with a corrupt heart is also corrupt and can easily commit any sin at any time!
Imam-i Rabbani also says the following based on this hadith:
"Not doing the commands of Allah is because the heart is corrupt. A corrupt heart means not believing in religion completely. The sign of faith is to do the commands of religion willingly."
The purity of heart mentioned in the Quran is not purity in the sense that some people understand it. Based on the importance of 'purity of heart', saying "I never do harm to people, I help the poor from time to time, so I have the morality that Allah desires" is not expressions that are compatible with the Quran. Statements such as "My heart is pure, I can do without fulfilling the requirements of religion" are empty claims of a person who avoids performing his religious duties and tries to portray an incorrect lifestyle as being Muslim.
A believer struggles to make the Quranic commandments dominant in his life! Gaining the consent of Allah swt is possible by obeying his commands and prohibitions. If you pay attention, you can see that the purity of the heart that you mentioned in your question is also possible through worship.
Hazrat Abu Hurayrah narrates: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“When a servant commits a sin, a black spot appears in his heart. If he repents, it is polished and erased. When he commits that sin again/continues to sin, that black spot grows bigger and bigger and invades his heart. This is the corrosion mentioned in the verse, ‘No (the words of those who say that the Quran is a tale of the ancients are not true), but rather their sins have rusted their hearts.’ (Mutaffifin, 83/14).” (Ibn Jarir Tabari, commentary of the relevant verse).
Therefore, it is clear that a pure heart is a heart that is free from sins, not darkened by rebellion, and equipped with the commands and prohibitions of Allah swt.
In conclusion, we can say that “It is never right to say, ‘My heart is pure’ and escape from the commands and prohibitions of Allah Almighty. This is a terrible disease that people today have fallen into. Every Muslim in their right mind should obey the commands of Allah Almighty to the letter and stay away from what He prohibits in order to be saved from this disease. Be entrusted to Allah Almighty…