THREE THINGS THAT CLEANSE THE HEART
The heart is an important part of every human being. The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed it as the source of all good and bad body parts. If a believer's heart is clean and good, it is easy for the rest of his body to be obedient and to follow the commands of God. Therefore, we need to know effective ways to cleanse our heart of all the impurities that will eventually make it difficult for us to do good. Habib Umar bin Hafidz in one of his muhadhar mentions three things a mukmin needs to do to clear his heart.
First, it is to read the Quran in tartil and tadabbur. Take time to read the Quran day and night. Not to forget to read it in prayer, more preferably if done by oneself to getting the sense of it. Imam Abdullah bin Husein bin Thahir said to his nephew Habib Abdullah bin Umar bin Yahya: "Yesterday I saw houses in the city of masilah (the city where they lived) going up high, but I saw your house above all those houses. And even your room rises higher above your house. What have you been doing in your house?"
Habib Abdullah bin Umar replied: "I do nothing but to have the intention to build the house that you have taught us. And we work to gain money in the halal way. We also do what you teach like to glorifying guests, connecting good relationship with other human beings, holding an islamic assembly (مجلس), etc. Then in every room in the house in it I once have finished reciting the whole Quran in prayer. And on every rung in the house, then I once completed the Quran above it. As for the room in which I live, then I have already recited the complete verses of Quran in it."
At last, Abdullah bin Huseyin said: "That is why I see your house above all your houses and your rooms are higher above it. Up high because of the Quran."
It is in harmony with the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), "A house in which the Quran is being read in it shall be seen to the inhabitants of the heavens as the stars are seen by the inhabitants of the earth." So if a house as an inanimate object could become majestic with the Holy Quran reading in it, surely a mukmin's heart would benefit even more greatly from the Quran that he read and pondered its meaning.
Second, dhikr to Allah with adab and the presence of the heart. Pronounce dhikr with adab and reverence. For dhikr performed without the presence of the heart and without adab are of no benefit.
Third, it is to wake up at night with hearts and limbs that bow to Allah.
Also, Habib Umar adds for us to ask for help in these three things with the following three; First, Eat less (not too much eating foods). Leave behind lots and too much to eat. Second, to withdraw from those who are negligent. For gathering with them can distract you and put you in an uncomfortable situation unable to focus doing dhikr, making it difficult for you to focus on thinking(tadabbur), distracting you too much that it could be hard for you to wake up at night. Sitting with people who are neglectful and talking about things that aren't worth it will make you hard and do your nights for worship. God almighty said:
واذا مروا باللغو مروا كراما
"If you meet people who are doing nothing beneficial, pass away with dignity. "
Third, to ignore all nonessential things from the busyness with worldly affairs that are not important and of no benefit, no value to your ultimate life in the Hereafter. By this our willing heart will be clean and bright, thus making it easier for us to make a variety of obedient ones (good deeds), and our hearts too are worthy of God's view.
