Death of the heart is the unfortunate punishment suffered by a learned man who is thought to be using the ILM ( knowledge) acquired only to seek the worldly pleasure. According to the famous Scholar and follower of the Companions known as Tabiee and a Saintly Figure Sheik Hassan Basari (May God have Mercy on Him) the actual meaning of death of heart is searching for worldly benefits in exchange of the actions of the hereafter.
Sayyadina Umar (R.Anhu) was reported to have said when you see a learned man addicted to this world, disregard him for the sake of your religion because every learned man is addicted to the object of his love. Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (R.A) said there will come a time over people when sweetness of heart will vanish.
At that time neither the teachers nor the taught will get benefit from learning. The hearts of the learned will be hard like a rock. Rains will fall on it from the sky but it will slip away there from. The reason being the heart of the learned will be addicted to the love of this world preferring it to the next world. God will then deprive them of the fountain of wisdom and extinguish the light of guidance from their hearts. They will say to you by their tongue “Fear God” but sin will be exposed in their actions. Tongue will then become dry and heart hard.
Alas! It is so unfortunate in our time most of the hearts are dead. They needed immediate resuscitation with the abundance remembrance of Allah and cutter of pleasure death which needed no introduction. This same death is hovering above our heads and may come any time whether prepared or not. When the time comes no body would be given the second chance to make amends as mentioned by Allah in His Holy Book the Quran.
The Prophet said an intelligent person is he who controls his desires and makes real preparation for the life here after. Imam Ghazali the famous Philosopher (who died nearly one thousand years) said there is defect in the intellect of a man who does not know that the happiness of this world would soon pass away as could be verified from day to day experience.
As for him who does not consider the grave consequence and stability of the hereafter noted the esteemed Imam is unfortunately deprived of Imaan (faith). The one who does not consider this world and the hereafter as opposed to each other does not follow the teachings of the Prophets. So it means he does not believe the Quran from the beginning to last expounded the Philosopher. Then he finally noted the one who knows these things and does not love the next world more than this world is unfortunately left in the hands of the devil.
Therefore the difference between the learned man of this world and that of the hereafter is while the former adopts a care free attitude to the gravity of the hereafter the latter is always cautious. The learned man of the world considers both Duniya and Akhira to be the same and not opposed to each other while the latter is always cautious thus making thorough preparation for the ever lasting abode which we are all heading.
Naturally such a person considers this world and the next world as diametrically opposed like two co wives. The Hadith says all the worldly material is accursed except the remembrance of Allah and anything near to it or a Scholar or a student. So every branch of learning is worldly except the learning of Deen which only if put in practice would be of value as action without sincerity is unfortunately faithless.
One Tabiee had nicely crowned it all. He said all people are dead except the learned and all learned are in error except those who put into practice their knowledge, and those who practice are still in error except those who are sincere.
Then he finally said even those learned who are sincere are in state of fear till they come to know their ultimate end at the time of death. This is why Allah said the Wal –aqibatu lil Muttakin (i.e the righteous will finally be successful).
So let us all reflect and see where we stand we are all busy in acquiring much of the worldly material things forgetting the Hereafter. Where is the Sharia which we said we have introduced in our respective States? Unfortunately we all know what happened to some of our Sharia leaders who are supposed to be the best examples for mankind sadly they turned to be the worst of the worst what a shame.
We need to go back to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W) and look at the lives of our ancestors who lived exemplary lives worthy of emulation. Now we are living in the midst of corruption with corrupt life no body wants imitate us. All this is due to the love of Duniya which we have made as the purpose of our lives.
Truth is bitter but we must say it with a view to rectifying ourselves. We are all engrossed in acquiring the worldly material benefits irrespective of our ages young or old. Let us ponder for a while whether we are in our teens or 20th in the 30th or in the 40th in the 50th even those who are in their 60th and 70th and even above these ages are still busy day and night looking for Duniya forgetting the Hereafter. What all make us busy are looking for our Rizk Sustenance which Allah has taken responsibility of providing us with.
He promised all our sustenance why are we so worried about it? He commanded us not to ask anyone but why are humiliating ourselves in front of other creations? He made the seven Heaven and the seven earth as well as the Throne without tiring do you think He will be tired of providing us? Allah has not forgotten us regarding our Rizk so do not forget His Ibadah. Be happy with your lot as ordained by Him and never rely solely on yourself as this may attract the Anger of your Lord.
So never be satisfied until you enter Paradise. Therefore if one becomes happy with the provision provided by His Lord expressing his contentment he will be under the protection of His Rabb till he meets Him in the Akhira.
Unfortunately now instead of making preparation for the Hereafter when we reach certain age we tend to look towards one direction how could one increase his wealth by hook or crook which is very sad forgetting the purpose for which he is created. All what we acquired is not sufficient for us but as regards Deen what we have acquired we think is sufficient.
We go on acquiring wealth and materials till they become like mountain and at the time of death we are separated from these materials which will be of no any benefit. We have forgotten to do good deeds which will accompany us to our graves and the money and the positions we acquired will be of no help whatsoever.
Therefore who do you think is the wise one as mentioned in the Hadith? Of course the one who prepares for the Life Here after is the successful as final end is with those who are righteous. He did not say those who have money or Duniya positions as we have all been competing to acquire them. We acquired them yet we are not satisfied as Rasulullah (S.A.W) said if you give human being a valley of gold he will aspire for the second.
So due to the love of the world our hearts have become dead unable to see even though we are not blind we cannot hear even though we are not dumb or deaf yet cannot see or hear. It is not the fault of the eyes or the ears but unfortunately it is the heart which is sick eventually dies if not treated. It begins with disease then Allah increases the disease until it reaches certain time that it becomes sealed. Kalla bal rana ala Qulubihim ma kanu yaksibun (Nay the heart is rusted for what they used to do). May Allah through his infinite mercy help us turn to Him in repentence before it is too late.
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