The Fortress of Iman

Wherever I listen to a speaker at an Islamic lecture talk about spirituality and in particular the heart I get this warm fuzzy feeling inside. I yearn for that connection with Allah (swt) and I think about the beauty of just imagining how strong the connection must be for someone with a pure heart. To reach the state of attaining a heart that is 100% pure, might be impossible, for we are always, whether we know it or not, engaging in something throughout our daily lives that can potentially hurt the pureness of our hearts and/or intentions. When I think of internalizing Islam to the degree of working towards purifying our hearts I start to grin inside because a thought that comes across my mind is sufism. I don’t know too much about Sufism except that I think its a way to internalize ones spirituality in order to strengthen their connection between themselves and there creator. If someone knows what it actually means to be Sufi, let me know, I’m quite curious. In all truth however, don’t think for a moment that I’m trying to divide up the muslim population into groups. I’m not. We’re all Muslim and we should all be one – united. But the rational behind making Islam One and making yourself One with Islam is the essential essence of the religion. Actually just calling Islam a religion is quite misleading because its more then that – its a ‘complete’ way of life. Tawheed (aka oneness) is the essential core of Islam.

I feel like I might be deviating, my intial intention of writing was to focus on the Heart itself. Many of the thoughts above just come along in my mind to reinforce the bigger picture. Anyways, imagine this – I want you to think of your heart as the capital of the Kingdom (your body). It is absolutely of utmost importance for us to take care of our hearts for it rules the very nature of our beings (if it is the one and only aspect of control – I can not say for I’m no scholar, the soul may be another aspect we can contemplate upon at another time).  Each time we sin, I have heard that a black spec (symbolic of uncleanliness) appears upon our hearts. As we purify our hearts through prayer and asking Allah(Swt) for forgiveness, slowly the black specs disappear.

The Heart is the Fortress of our Iman - we need to keep it strong because Shatan is always trying to whisper bad thoughts that affect our hearts and can weaken our Iman

There are Seven Gates to our Hearts

1. Tongue

2. Eyes

3. Ears

4. Stomach

5. Private Parts

6. Hands

7. Feet

Watch what you say, see, hear, eat, feel or walk towards because if it is something bad, no matter how small, it can have a direct impact on your heart and in turn your Iman. For example, if there is a t.v. show that you watch and you see something that is inappropriate figuratively it is like you are stabbing yourself in your heart because your eyes are literally one of the most direct paths to your heart. You may not feel any effects of watching something inappropriate, and you might just brush it off; however, you need to be aware that anything and everything, no matter how small has an effect upon our hearts. Protect your ‘Fortress of Iman’.

About Al-Nur Newsletter/ “Being a Healthy Muslim”

My First Submission to the Al-Nur Newsletter (a bi-weekly Islamic Publication at my University)

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Al- Nur Newsletter

T. Sultan

Being a Healthy Muslim

April 24, 2008

Your throat starts to feel sore, your coughing, and you get a few chills. The last place you want to be is sitting in a lecture hall when you could be in bed at home. When you are sick what is the first thing that comes into your mind? A doctor? or Allah (swt)? How do we, as Muslims, approach our health and taking care of ourselves? How are we different from non-Muslims?

On April 3^rd, Dr.Khawaja, a private practitioner from the local area, came in to talk to the Sisters about Islam and Healing. She made some very good points on the differences between being a Muslim and Non-Muslim when it comes to practicing medicine and keeping ourselves healthy.

First, if we want to be healthy we need to understand that in maintaining our health we need to aspire to be whole. We need to incorporate the idea of ‘tawheed’ or oneness within ourselves. There are three levels to our being: the body, the mind, and the spirit. In order to achieve a sense of wholeness or ‘tawheed’ these three levels must be in harmony. As Muslims, the best possible way to reach harmony is by practicing Islam. Islam is like a medicine. The message that the Prophets told their people was healing at all levels. As individuals who have been blessed with guidance from Allah (swt) it is also mandatory for us to keep ourselves clean and to be in a state of purity when praying. This actually prevents a lot of diseases or illnesses. It’s satisfying to know that we are already on the path to being as healthy as we possibly can be by just practicing Islam and being Muslim.

When you get sick, do you complain? Complaining usually gets us nowhere. Instead of complaining, contemplate. At the sister’s halaqah, Dr. Khawaja shed some light on the ‘simplicity of contemplating’. And when I thought about it in depth and realized its importance I was amazed. Islam is all about thinking and reflecting. When it comes to our health we should also incorporate this same concept. Contemplate upon the reasons why you may have an illness. Allah (swt) is all-knowing; he may have challenged a person with sickness to correct something about them, it may be to remove sins, or just be a test, etc. We can only guess. Contemplating and reflecting is personal and inshallah it will draw one to figure out the cause and the truth. Thus they can be better prepared to address the illness and start to take action to heal in the most effective way.

Second, to be healthy we need to be fully aware of what we are eating. As Muslims we have a very high level of awareness. Islam sets the principles for what is good for us and what is not. Striving to eat foods that are pure actually helps to protect us from a number of illnesses and diseases. One thing that we need to refrain from eating a lot of is fast food. Everyone knows that it is not healthy. I mean 99 cent fries are hardly worth it. There’s a saying that “haste is waste”. So be careful about always eating on the go. I know fast food is sometimes hard to avoid; so start small and make gradual changes to your diet. Also, how many people today actually have breakfast in the morning? Enjoying a healthy breakfast is good for us; it’s just that simple. I’m sure you are aware that ‘breakfast’ also means ‘break’- ‘fast’. After sleeping for several hours we need to fuel our bodies with a healthy breakfast so that we are ready to take on the day. And many studies have been done that shows having a nutritious breakfast in the morning leads to doing well in school.

Finally, a very important concept to understand is that our body is very intelligent; every cell in our body knows their creator, Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the one who created us (and any sickness that we may be challenged with), therefore he knows best what we need to cure an illness. He is all merciful and the best of providers. He didn’t make the means to cure oneself difficult. Therefore, we need to think twice before we take any sort of man-made medicines – whether they are over the counter or prescription based. Today’s medicine is all about symptom relief. Most people just take a pill to deal with any discomfort or pain. They don’t bother reflecting on the reasons why they may be sick. Taking medication to solve sickness doesn’t help us become healthy. We need to eat right and do many other things to make our bodies stronger. The compounds that are used to make the medication are not stable, therefore they don’t really help us to heal properly. What I mean is that Allah (swt) creates every particle in the world with the characteristic of stability. Therefore, by taking pills made of unstable compounds. What are we doing? We are hurting our health. Instead, one should resort to more traditional practices, full of wisdom, that have proven to be successful cures, if they are in search of healing. For example, what should one do if they have a fever. Drink lots of water, of course; it helps to cool down the body. Looking for alternatives to man-made medication is much better for our health. Allah (swt) created a lot of things in nature that can help us to heal and cure ourselves.

We may skip breakfast from time to time and have foods that are unhealthy, but we need to realize that as Muslims, we are obligated to take care of ourselves in the best possible way.

Halaqa 4-3-08: Islam and Healing

Sisters Monthly Halaqa
April 3rd,2008
Speaker Dr. Saima

Topic: Islam and Healing
Questions to Consider:

What is healing? What is cure?

How are we as Muslims different from Non-Muslims when it comes to our perspective of sickness and finding ways to stay health?

Basic Principles

1) Healing – comes from Allah (swt); it Occurs at three levels:

1. Body
2. Mind
3. Spirit

b) Tawheed = One

1. We need to aspire to be whole and at one = healthy
2. The body, mind and spirit need to be in harmony

“Islam is like a medicine”
The message of the prophets = healing at all three levels.

A person can fall into three categories they can be…

1. Healed but not Cured,
2. Cured but not Healed
3. Healed and Cured

When we are Sick

What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you are feeling sick?
Allah (swt) or a Doctor?

As Muslims we need to think about ‘why’ we are getting sick or ‘why’ we are not healthy. We should not complain. We need to contemplate that that the disease or illness can have one or more of these causes:

1. it can come to correct something about us
2. it can come to remove or sins
3. or it can be a test

“Every Problem has a Physical and Subconscious Realm”

Today’s Health Industry

Today’s health industry is all about ‘symptom relief’; it does not address the underlying problem.

We need to realize that Allah (swt) created everything in this world, down to the smallest particle with perfection.
1. Doctors are always trying to break up compounds to create medicines:
o One must realize that breaking up even the smallest compound will make that element unstable.
o When we take pills to help us when we are sick, we are essential putting a lot of ‘unstable’ elements into our bodies. These pills don’t address the underlying problem. They only suppress the pain.
2. Antibiotic usage:
o creates C-difficile (which can lead to death)
o in the process of helping our system it ironically kills not only the bad but also good bacteria
o leaves room for other abnormal organisms to grow

How being Muslim is beneficial to our Health

As Muslims we have a high level of awareness:

1. We eat only eat foods that are pure = Halal

2. We keep ourselves clean – it is mandatory for us to be in a state of purity before we pray (and we are given guidelines to follow in order to keep with that standard)

- To add to (2) we must also not violate our bodies b/c we were a creation that was given much honor/dignity, therefore we need to refrain from eating unhealthy foods and keeping as clean as possible

3. We respectfully sleep on the right side (remember Satan sleeps on his face…talk about scary)

Watch Out: Today’s Fast Food World

“Haste is Waste” – keep in mind that Satan has the quality of being hasteful, we must refrain from following this characteristic when it comes to ‘eating on the go’

Fast Food – everyone knows 99cent fries are hardly worth it. The bottom line: don’t put trash into your bodies: avoid eating fast food – its just that simple. (I’m working on this one, inshallah Allah (swt) will forgive us).

Eat a Good Breakfast – Many scientific studies have been done that shows eating a healthy breakfast = best possible productivity level throughout your entire day. ‘Break’ the ‘Fast’ don’t skip Breakfast. Thank Allah for each new day and the Sustenance he has provided you.

Stop Using the Microwave – If you look at the microscopic level and watch your food being heated up in a microwave…trust me, you will be scared. Microwaves are atrocious b/c they break up the minute food compounds. And therefore when you eat the food that you take out of the microwave, it is not pure. The compounds have been ripped apart and your just putting trash into your body. Instead heat up your food in a conventional mini-oven. The compounds don’t get ripped apart.