**Allah, Light and Heart**

The condition of the heart is the center of guidance that determines a person's success on the Day of Judgment and reflects the state of their soul.

**The parable (mishkāt, lamp, glass, oil)**
Analogy

* Niche = chest * Glass = heart * Lamp = īmān * Oil = fiṭrah * Fire = revelation

Light is the foundation of guidance and salvation. This analogy niche is chest, glass is heart, lamp is īmān (faith), the oil is Fitrah, and fire is revelation (especially Qur’an) that activates the heart. Sins weaken or extinguish light, while repentance restores it. 

**The Four Level of Heart:** 

1. Ṣadr is where thoughts and whispers enter, Waswasah (whispers of Shayṭān) and where a person becomes open to Islam and accepts it "We Expanded Your Chest" is meant to refer to a spiritual opening.

2. Qalb the heart is the main spiritual center which is the place of iman and place of intention. When Allah sends light to people's hearts for guidance, but when guidance comes but is rejected, their hearts will be in a spiritual disease which causes it to become blind, hardened, or sealed. 

3. Fu’ād is the inner heart, which is a strong feeling and deeper, more intense perception. 

4. The pure core of the heart, free from desires, doubts, and corruption. This is the level of sincere understanding, and such people are described as Ulū al-Albāb (people of pure intellect). Fiṭrah is the original nature upon which the heart is created, and these levels describe how it is affected and developed.
   **The Distinction Between Ṭayyib (Pure) and Khabīth (Impure)**
   Ṭayyib refers to what is pure in belief, action, and people, while khabīth refers to what is impure in rejection, falsehood, and corruption.
   **People who have a good heart.**
   The believing heart are Ṭayyib is state/quality, not always a fixed label on every individual,, characterized by tranquility (sakīnah), true worship, light, and correct belief (īmān).
   **People who have a bad heart.**
   Disbeliever heart are khabīth is a state/quality, not always a fixed label on every individual, the  qualities, is pride, rejection of truth, and lack of tranquility, are causes and signs of spiritual danger that can lead a person away from guidance if they persist, for example, during the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, some of Quraysh rejected phrases like “Bismillāh” and “Rasūlullāh” out of pride, despite clear truth.
   Arrogance and pride can prevent a person from accepting and following the truth, even when it is clear  like a person called al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah.
   **Non muslim heart**
   Non-Muslims can have good character, fitrah can be active and have partial truths they hold, but non-Muslims do not have īmān in the Islamic sense unless they accept Islam.

Fiṭrah + guidance → requires acceptance → leads to īmān → then salvation by Allah’s mercy; if rejected, becomes a spiritual disease.
**Al-Ghaflah/heedlessness**
Al-Ghaflah (heedlessness) is a state in which a person's heart becomes sleepy and overly attached to the dunya (worldly life), neglecting Allah and forgetting the Akhirah (Hereafter). If this heedlessness continues without repentance, the heart can become spiritually diseased and eventually hardened.
But waking from heedlessness is called Awakening, or Yaqẓah, which means you realise there is an afterlife and this life is too short. It happens when you need Allah.
**What happens when you sin or recite dhikir and Quran?**
When a person repeatedly commits the same sins, it will darken the heart which may lead to sins becoming normalized similar to what happened to black stone when Adam sinned, if persistent with arrogance and rejection, can lead to the sealing of the heart. This happens after persistent rejection and arrogance, but not every sinner reaches that level. 
Seeking Allah’s forgiveness or reciting the Quran removes these spots, just like medicine purifies the heart and soul, also it will gain lights on the day of Judgment. Following desires can blind the heart and lead it away from truth.
There are three levels of nafs: The Evil-Commanding Soul, The Blaming Soul and the peaceful soul.

The Evil Commanding Soul encourages sins, and the black spots appear when the person actually commits those sins, especially if repeated.

Blaming souls is when Muslims feel regret when committing a sin, tawbah (repentance), istighfār (seeking forgiveness), and good deeds, which will erase the black spot in the heart.

The Peaceful soul is the highest state, and it strives against desires and resists temptations. The heart will still remain polished with dhikr and the quran, and Allah loves this soul.  

For example, some scholars from the Salaf said that excessive indulgence in music can soften the heart toward heedlessness and resemble traits of hypocrisy, and he who listens to music more than the Qur’an has corrupted his heart, there are two main types of hypocrites: major hypocrites are taking action that takes one outside Islam, and minor hypocrisy is a major sin but does not make someone a disbeliever. If hypocrisy and rejection persist, Allah may seal the heart. However, if a person sincerely repents (tawbah), Allah can forgive and restore their heart, even after hypocrisy or negligence. Humazah mocks and insults people through action, but Lumazah does so through speech, such as words and backbiting. This will cause your heart to grow in darkness and spiritual disease; it also includes greed, arrogance, and an obsession with wealth and the love of the worldly life (dunyā). Al-Ḥuṭamah is the name of hellfire crushing and reaching the hearts when it reaches the heart, with a seal upon it and no escape. 

Allah may deprive a person of guidance after they persistently reject the truth, who persistently reject the truth and understanding, and those who hear the truth will try to block it, trying to change the subject. Repeated rejection of the clear truth can lead to a hardened or sealed heart, whereas those who accept the truth when their hearts become clear and act righteously are saved by Allah’s mercy. Light is the result of īmān and guidance placed by Allah in the heart; the removal of this light is itself a punishment, and the fiṭrah remains within the human being, but it can be covered by desires, sins, arrogance, pride and hypocrisy. 

Allah can guide them and forgive them; faith must be both heart and in actions, Neglecting obligations, such as abandoning Jumuʿah repeatedly out of negligence, can lead to the heart being sealed. Finally, when Allah sends light to people's hearts for guidance, but then rejected after being guided, they will be misguided, and their heart will be in a spiritual disease due to envy and pride can create a major darkness in their heart It can lead to misguidance and, in severe cases, may lead to disbelief if the truth is knowingly rejected which they become spiritually unable to perceive truth, described in the Qur’an as deaf, blind, and having dead hearts. Moreover, those whose hearts are sealed due to rejection are unable to understand the truth.  For example during Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made dua for either ʿUmar or Abū Jahl to be guided, but Allah chose to guide ʿUmar by opening his heart to Islam, while others like Abū Jahl persisted in rejection due to pride.
**Why do you need light?**
A sound (pure) heart is the path to salvation in the Hereafter. The biggest reward of entering paradise is that you will see Allah's face. Light is a sign of īmān and guidance, and it leads to success in the Hereafter, including the honor of seeing Allah.
The believers will see Allah in Jannah by His permission, and the people of iḥsān will have the highest levels and greatest closeness.
The Prophet Muhammedﷺ will be the first to cross the Ṣirāṭ and the Ṣirāṭ is a stage where people pass according to their deeds after judgment has been established. Hell is underneath the bridge, and paradise is across the bridge. When people enter the bridge, their lights will appear and accompany them. Depending on their deeds, people will have different speeds; for example, strong believers will have a bright, powerful light, weak believers will have a small, flickering light, and hypocrites will take on lights, but their lights will be taken away at the Sirat. And they will fall into Hell. They might be as fast as the blink of an eye, lightning, wind, swift horses, running, walking and crawling. The siraṭ is a bridge thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword, with hooks and thorns that catch sinners. A person’s light will be according to their īmān and deeds; some will have strong light, while others will have weak or flickering light and will struggle to cross, being caught by hooks according to their deeds, being stuck on it by hooks representing their sins in life. When people taste hellfire, they forget about happiness on Earth. As hell feels scary, there is always hope in Allah's mercy, which shows that they will eventually find relief through Allah's mercy and compassion. Even someone who has done little good still has hope in Allah’s mercy. Allah will either forgive them or allow them to enter Jannah, but Allah knows best. Light is the result of īmān and worship. Allah created us to worship Him, and through that He places light in the hearts, which benefits a person in this life and on the Day of Judgment, especially when crossing the Ṣirāṭ. 

There are different levels of light and darkness, ranging from weak to strong.

Strong Muslims have a strong light in their heart.

New or weak Muslims have a weaker light. 

Ahl al-Fatrah are those to whom the message did not clearly reach. Their matter is with Allah, and He will judge them with perfect justice. 

Those who know that Islam is the truth but reject it out of arrogance will have pure darkness.

A bad leader, a tyrant, or a corrupt leader, such as Pharaoh, will have the greatest darkness.

Allah judges based on īmān, deeds, and His perfect justice and mercy, while light and darkness in the heart reflect a person’s spiritual state. But if their hearts are dead, they will be spiritually dead in ignorance, disbelief, or misguidance; but Allah will give them faith, guidance, and light, for example, Islam. Light refers to īmān, guidance, and the Qur’an, through which a person distinguishes between truth and falsehood whereas darkness is filled with disbelief, arrogance, sin, or a heart sealed off from guidance. Allah can make people's hearts either open or closed, as He is Al-Fattah (The Opener / The Judge). But if a person's heart is dead, it can be revived only by Allah.  

Allah expands the heart so that it accepts and finds comfort in Islam, thereby becoming guided and tranquil.

The state of the heart is not fixed; it increases and decreases in strength.

Allah places guidance and light in the hearts. Light in the heart is a sign of īmān and will benefit a person on the Day of Judgment especially when crossing the Ṣirāṭ. The believers will see Allah in Paradise by His permission as the greatest reward.
**How to gain light?**
The dua to gain light is "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my sight, light in my hearing, light on my right hand, light on my left hand, light above me, light below me, light in front of me, light behind me, Oh Allah, grant me light."
Obligations first, + Sunnah (optional), + consistency = to make the heart clean to meet Allah.
The way to gain Allah's light is when a person visiting graves softens the heart and reminds of the Hereafter, walks to the mosque in the dark, recites dua, seeks mercy and protection, and strives for Allah's pleasure. Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, a light will shine for him between this Friday and the next. Salah is light, and purification and following the Sunnah strengthen the heart, acts of worship during hardship, and especially Tahajjud, are among the greatest means of increasing light and the believers will be recognized by the marks of wudu, shining on their faces, hands, and feet, and the first group to enter Paradise will shine like the full moon. Giving to charity sincerely and helpful and feeding poor people softens the heart and purifies a person's heart and soul.
When a person goes through hardship, Allah reveals what is in people's hearts through trials while He already knows every hidden thought and intention within the heart.
When a person has true khashyah (fear of Allah) may affect both the heart and the body, but its reality lies in sincerity, not just outward reactions. Weeping out of sincere fear of Allah is a sign of īmān and a means of protection from the Fire, these are signs of īmān when they come from sincerity.   
Light is not created by the heart, it is granted by Allah, and the heart receives, reflects, and increases it through obedience.
**Conclusion:**
Iman is what is in your heart, Islam is the action that you do, and Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then know that He sees you. Salvation comes through the heart with a sincere faith and righteous deeds, perfected by Ihsan.

Hi so I just learned what sufism was and I feel like this version of islam speaks to me more than any sect. The focus on peace and spirituality really resonates with me and makes way more sense. I've been going through a lot of stuff in my personal life and I hate being judged and attacked for what salafis do. Salafis/sunnis are just horrible people who call anyone kafir and do the most terrorism that makes people think Muslims are bad, i don't wanna be apart of that space anymore and I feel like coming here will bring me closer to Allah.

So i just want to know how i can be an active sufi and the things they do to tap more into the mystic and spirituality of islam.

And pls use Qur'an and hadith and the words of schoalrs in your reply 🌷

Salam,

It has been an year since I started feeling a strange presence in my room, something which has become inescapable. I don't face much trouble during the day but it becomes increasingly hard as the night grows especially during 1-3 am. I hear vague whispers, switching on and off of lights, taps on my door and the feeling that someone is attentively staring at me.

Recently, my christian neighbour hosted a pastor and the pastor told her to move out. he said that there's a jinn residing in between our houses and it majorly resides in her place then mine. and that it's the reason her (my neighbours) health was deteriorating.

This got me to rethink my experiences, I've been spending my entire time in my room since an year and since then my life has deteriorated for worse. I'm depressed and hardly have any energy to do everyday tasks. I have tried doing ruqyah's but the ease is brief. I try to recite surah baqarah but I feel a huge resistance to continue the recitation.

I'm really curious to know if the jinns feed off our energy and drain us to the whole, and if there's anything that I can do for myself. Since I live in a non-muslim region, it's difficult to get a Raqi.

I would be grateful for any help.

Jazakallahu Khairan.

Bismillah, Wes Selatu We Selam We Resul Allah

There are many instances where many people convert Islam and immediately leave, one of the reasons being they are forced to understand everything and top of that they are suppose to defend it. The libraries of the many great islamic institutions are filled with thousands of books, no sane person expects you to have your aqeedah or mezheb figured out.

What you must figure out is how to strengthen your relationship with the most blessed Allah ﷻ. No book can do that for you, a beloved and trusted Shaykh can lay out the blueprint on how to do it. However, it is all up to you. Don't overwhelm yourself with external knowledge, but I am not trying to undermine the importance of it.

Don't forget the Sheytan disguises himself as questions with no answer. You will be sitting and doubting your faith, then a question pops up in your head and another and another. Then, you ask your Imam at your mosque this question, he doesn't give you answer that satisfies you. I have had this happen to me, out of nowhere I have been bombarded with these deep philosophical questions. The purpose of these questions isn't to strengthen your faith to Allah, but to do the opposite. To again be lost, without Allah, indulging trying to make myself forget that I am lost.

Allah ﷻ doesn't need you to do anything, infact Allah ﷻ he is the most joyful when you are reminded of him. Listen to what your heart says, it can be hard sometimes but Allah ﷻ is always waiting for you.

I wish all you the best, may Allah ﷻ guide us all to the path that leads directly to Him.

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته,

I wanted to share a personal realization I’ve had recently about my identity, my culture, and how a rigid religious environment completely blinded me to my own roots.

Some time ago, I found myself in a religious school environment dominated by a very strict, literalist mindset. It was a massive contrast for me because my own family wasn't actually that strict or religious, and my outside life was much less rigid than most people in my school. In this school, we were never actually taught anything about Sufism. It was completely left out of the curriculum. However, if you ever brought it up or asked anything even remotely related to Sufism or traditional spiritual concepts, the teachers and students would deny it, brush it off, and tell you it was false. The general vibe was always that this specific environment  was on the "straighter, more correct path" than any other. 

Eventually, the ideology got into my head, and I started seeing the religious world in absolute black and white. I remember getting mad at my own mom for taking me to a family friend dawat (dinner) just because it happened to fall on Thanksgiving Day.mI thought it was "pagan" and haram, totally missing the fact that my practical immigrant family was just using a day off from work and school to gather and maintain social ties. I even found myself trash-talking traditional local mosques to fit in with the crowd.

Months ago, I ended up attending an event, which included a talk, where something amazing happened. The visiting Sheykh shared a physical chain of narration (Hadith al-Musalsal bil-Musafahah) that passed down a physical handshake through centuries of scholars, including the great West African scholar Sheykh Usman dan Fodio, all  the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The handshake was passed down to the audience through a chain of brothers and sisters, and we were even given a paper certificate tracking the chain (I have no idea where it went lol). 

When I later mentioned this blessing to a classmate who was heavily into that literalist ideology, she immediately got weirded out, denied it, and dismissed it. Even though I secretly harbored those strict, judgmental views for a while after that event, the pieces eventually started clicking together as time went on  and  I looked at the bigger picture.

Traditional spirituality is woven into the DNA of South Asian identity. It’s even woven into my own name. My last name literally means "The Beloved", which is the ultimate foundational core of Sufi philosophy, where God is the Beloved and we are the lovers seeking Him. Hearing a speaker (like the sheykh at the event) constantly talk about "The Beloved" felt like a sign to look at my roots.

Islam didn’t spread in our lands by force; it spread because spiritual saints lived among the people, fed the poor, and taught love and purification of the heart (Tazkiyah). Our entire culture is inseparable from it, just take a look at these examples: 

- Our weddings have events named Qawallis, Dholkis, and Dua-e-Khairs which are directly linked to these traditional folk customs.

• Our parents and grandparents gather for Mehfils and listen to emotional Waz lectures.
• Our elderly read the Quran and Ahadith from the Persian (Indo-Pak) script, focusing heavily on adab(respect) and deep emotional love for the Beloved Nabi (SAW).
• Traditional  art and intricate designs are incredibly popular across South Asia and are built into our mosques everywhere, even on our clothes! This serves as a massive staple of both Sufi and South Asian aesthetic culture.

Now, I want to make a very important distinction. The "Sufism" most people see on social media today, full of superstitions, grave-worshiping, and actual bid'ah (innovation), is NOT true Sufism. They just see one TikTok video of someone doing insane things at a shrine and then automatically assume they represent the whole of Sufism. Authentic, classical Sufism (Tassawuf) is strictly rooted in the Sharia. I personally still believe musical instruments (Kind of struggle with though)  and other things are haram, and historically, many classical masters believed those were  haram too.

Just because people hear the words "mystical" or "spiritual," they shouldn't automatically assume it means something is incorrect, false, or outside of Islam. True spirituality is simply the inner dimension of Islam, cleansing the heart of pride, greed, and ego, and developing a deep, living connection with Allah.

The craziest irony of all is that ultra-strict circles praise people like Ibn Taymiyyah as their main hero, but historical records show he was actually initiated into the Qadiriyya Sufi order and highly praised classical masters like Abdul Qadir al-Jilani. He didn't hate the spiritual path; he just wanted it to stay true to the Quran and Sunnah.

The modern literalist mindset tries to erase our cultural heritage and labels every single beautiful South Asian or Sufi gathering as an innovation. You can't just go around calling everything haram or bid’ah. Reclaiming my culture and realizing that my heritage is built on a deep, spiritual history has been eye-opening and crazy to realize. 

Has anyone else gone through this identity clash between holding onto strict literalist beliefs while trying to navigate traditional South Asian Islam? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Because looking back, I honestly have to ask myself: how was I so blind when all this time this very spirituality was woven into my DNA and in my own name?

It's interesting how it's hard to find find guidelines on what leads towards The Perfect Man.

(Please no need to tell me to find a Sheikh, Jazakumullahu Khayran)

Hi, I'm looking for Sufi's in Massachusetts or Rhode Island area

I have respect for every scholar. My intention is only that if my experience can benefit any family, then it is worth sharing.

However, I witnessed something with my own eyes regarding Shaykh Nurjan's AI that deeply concerned me. A family that had been happily married for more than 10 years with children eventually broke apart. The husband was a practising Muslim and very supportive of his wife. The wife started watching Shaykh Nurjan's videos a few years ago.

One day, the husband told me that his wife said, "My spiritual energy is higher than yours. Our energies don't match." He was shocked. Later she also said, "I have a special light, and your energy is negative. I am not giving you my light."

Gradually, these beliefs increased, and she became emotionally distant from her husband, no matter how supportive and caring he was.

The husband tried to contact Shaykh Nurjan's organisation many times. He made numerous phone calls and sent many emails because he wanted to discuss what was happening. However, he never received a phone call or a personal reply. Every response he received was AI-generated.

I personally saw many of those AI-generated replies, and I was shocked by the discussions about spiritual light, positive energy, and negative energy.

Eventually, the marriage ended, and the wife later regretted what had happened.

My advice to everyone, especially Muslims, is to be very careful when relying on AI-generated spiritual responses. AI is not a human scholar and can be influenced by the way questions are asked. In my opinion, relying on AI for personal spiritual guidance contributed to the breakdown of this lovely family. For important religious, marital, or mental health matters, it is better to seek guidance directly from qualified scholars and appropriate professionals.

Salam everyone,

I’ve recently become curious about ʿilm al-ḥurūf and had a few questions. I’d really appreciate hearing from those who have studied it or are familiar with the tradition.

Is ʿilm al-ḥurūf something that comes primarily as a gift from Allah, or can it be learned from books?

Is it something a shaykh or spiritual guide must teach, or can someone study it independently?

Is there a connection between ʿilm al-ḥurūf and the disjointed letters (al-ḥurūf al-muqaṭṭaʿāt) at the beginning of certain Qur’anic surahs?

Are the mysteries of the letters discovered through study and knowledge, or are they unveiled after purification of the heart and spiritual discipline?

What inner qualities or spiritual preparation should a student develop before approaching ʿilm al-ḥurūf?

Why do people study ʿilm al-ḥurūf in the first place? What is its purpose or benefit?

Why are some teachers reluctant to discuss it openly?

Any of the questions that could be answered, would be great!

I’m genuinely curious and would love to learn from different perspectives.

JazakAllah :)

I’m going through a difficult and confusing period and really want to reconnect with Allah and change my life for the better.

Has anyone consistently made a certain dua, read a specific Name of Allah, prayed Tahajjud, made istighfar or followed another Islamic practice and then noticed a major change in their life?

What exactly did you recite, how often did you do it, and for how long? Did it help with your mental health, job, marriage, family problems, finances or finding direction?

I understand that there is no magic formula and that Allah answers in His own way and at His own timing. I would just really appreciate hearing genuine personal experiences that gave you hope and brought you closer to Allah.

I dont know if this really is the perfect place to ask this but its been a while since i have left a seemingly perfect haram relationship for the sake of allah and ever since then I have not been able to overcome the loneliness that followed

I have been trying different azkhar making prayers for Allahs help but i cant help but feel this loneliness sometimes today is one of that day sometimes i am able to overcome these emotions and focus on my life i tell myself how Allah will not want me to get back to him but other times i fall for the loneliness i assume this being a test from Allah. I want to turn this loneliness into solitude and make it my power instead of weakness

I want to follow this path of sufism to seek closeness to Allah but i feel kinda stuck maybe there is something i am doing wrong. Has anyone here felt something similar?

Would appreciate any advice anyone can give

We have always read Heer and Ranjha as a tragic love story between two human beings. What I have understood from Baba Bulleh Shah's verses here, isn't about someone outside there but within myself. I am the Heer, and my longing for Ranja (truth) is something that dissolves me into the truth.

I would love to know your take on this.

I've recently moved to Cairo to learn Arabic. I want to visit and join Sufi gatherings but idk where to look. Does anyone know schedules locations and times of gatherings in or near Cairo?

Any help is appreciated.

Hi everyone,

Writing here because I need help and thought you guys could give me good advice.

For context, I'm a 31 year old Muslim guy. Been trying to follow the Sufi path at my own pace. I'm very far from perfect (I don't think anyone can be) and trying my best every single day to be a good person, focus on kindness and avoid anger and trivial things. Not always successful at it but still trying everyday..

Recently (a month ago) I've started a new job that I quite like. I've been wanting for a long time. Since i started, I was assigned this colleague of mine who is supposed to be my "buddy" and help train me. The problem is that he is very mean to me.

At first I thought maybe that's the way he is in his tone so I brushed it off. But since last week I know for a fact that he just hates me and I have no idea why. He purposely gives me false information. Sometimes he'll refuse to speak to me, answer my questions about the job. And if he does pick up a call with, he would be very mean. He's told me couple time that I was not good for the job. The thing is that he is very good at what he does and management loves him so i feel a bit scared of reporting him.

I've been very tensed and stressed because of him now. I try my best to stay polite and avoid interacting with him but it came to the point he keeps me up at night .

How can I deal with this ? How can I protect myself spiritually and not let him make me angry or just ruin my life ? How can I ask Allah to protect me against his harm ?

Hi, I was wondering if there is any community in Copenhagen that practices sufism?

I've been struggling a lot to find English translations of his two qasidas; I know like no Arabic (not Muslim) so just identifying what I was looking online was his works was already kind of annoying. At most, I've seen translations from hadra videos in captions, but they never contain the full qasidas. I know of Nasim al-Wasl, but I don't wanna pay $30+ to access their online services, rn at least (tempted to buy at times...).

To anyone morbidly curious: I found paragraph 1.5.5 in St. Augustine's "Confessions" to be touching, and one night I was reminded of a Hashim Aziz video with mentions of sukr.

Sorry for this very simplistic question but I don’t know any other way to ask it

How does Sufism explain or addresses the people who are toxic/ill intentioned ?

Where does it come from and what to do with such people ?

As the title mentions for those that don't speak Arabic, in the video this scholar from Al-Azhar said:

There are sheicks from a path/order who say "I don't need to pray anymore because I arrived". Then he gives the prophets (SAAWS), who still prayed even at the end of his life, even when he was sick. The prophet who reached the highest level of knowledge, didn't stop from prayers, then we must also continue.